2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID open hood

Bef ore you begin driving your Honda,
youshouldknowwhatgasolineto
use, and how to check the levels of
important f luids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage
or packages. The inf ormation in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your car,
please read the inf ormation in this
section f irst..............................
Break-in Period .144
.........................................
Gasoline .144
.........
Service Station Procedures . 145
................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 145
....................
Opening the Hood .146
...............................
Oil Check .148
.........
Engine Coolant Check . 149
...............................
Fuel Economy .150
.....................
Vehicle Condition .150
...........................
Driving Habits .150
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 152
.............................
Carrying Cargo .154
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving143

Shift to Park or Neutral and set
the parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Screw the f uel f ill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks several
times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may come on (see
page ).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Standing in f ront of the car, put
your f ingers between the f ront
edge of the hood and the f ront
grille. The hood latch handle is
above the ‘‘H’’ logo. Push this
handle up until it releases the
hood. Lif t the hood.
1.
2.
5.
6.
273
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
Opening the Hood
146
HOOD
RELEASE
HANDLE LATCH

If you can open the hood without
lifting the hood latch handle, or the
hood latch handle moves stif f ly or
does not spring back as bef ore, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated (see page ).Pull the support rod out of its clip
by holding the grip and insert the
end into the hole on the f ront lef t
side of the hood.To close the hood, lif t it up slightly to
remove the support rod f rom the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a f oot (30 cm) above the
fender,thenletitdrop.
After closing the hood, make sure it
is securely latched.
3.
212
CONT INUED
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving147
GRIP
SUPPORT ROD CLIP

Always change the oil and f ilter
accordingtothetimeanddistance
(miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and f ilter collect contami-
nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly.
Changing the oil and f ilter requires
special tools and access f rom
underneath the car. The car should
be raised on a service station-type
hydraulic lif t f or this service. Unless
you have the knowledge and proper
equipment, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.Remove the oil drain bolt and
washer from the bottom of the
engine. Drain the oil into an
appropriate container.
Run the engine until it reaches
normal operating temperature,
then shut it off.
Open the hood and remove the
engine oil f ill cap.
Remove the nine holding clips
with a flat-tipped screwdriver, then
pull the cover down.
1.
2.
4.
3.
CONT INUED
Changing the Oil and Filter
Engine Oil
Maint enance197
HOLDING CLIP DRAIN BOLT
WASHER

CONT INUED
Remove the radiator cap. Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn
the temperature control dial to
maximum heat. Turn of f the
ignition. Open the hood. Make
sure the engine and radiator are
cool to the touch.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance
done by a skilled mechanic. Thecoolingsystemshouldbe
completely drained and ref illed with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
Honda All Season Antif reeze/
Coolant Type 2.
Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the
splash guard. Drain the coolant
into an appropriate container.
1.
3.
2.
Replacing Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance201
DRAIN PLUG

Open the hood.
Your car has halogen headlight
bulbs, one on each side. When
replacing a bulb, handle it by its steel
base and protect the glass from
contactwithyourskinorhard
objects. If you touch the glass, clean
it with denatured alcohol and a clean
cloth.
Theheadlightswereproperlyaimed
when your car was new. If you
regularly carry heavy items in the
trunk, readjustment may be required.
Adjustment of the headlights should
be perf ormed by a Honda technician
or other qualif ied mechanic.
If you need to change the head-
light bulb on the driver’s side,
remove the holding clip f rom the
stay with a flat-tipped screwdriver,
then remove the upper part of the
washer f luid reservoir tank by
pulling it out.
1.
Replacing a Headlight Bulb
Headlight A iming
Lights
Maint enance234
HOLDING CLIP
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot
when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to
overheat and shatter.

To jump start your car, f ollow these
directions closely:Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws. Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
If your car’s 12 volt battery has run
down,youmaybeabletostartthe
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an
automatic transmission (CVT) by
pushing or pulling it. 1.
2.
216
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed265
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

The reading on your car’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
Itmaygohigherif youaredrivingup
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.Your car can overheat f or several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action. Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f the heating and cooling
system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning
indicators.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine.
1.
2.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Overheats
268
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
reading at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.