2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID engine

Park with the driver’s side closest
to the gas pump.
Open the f uel f ill door by pushing
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat.The fuel fill cap is attached to the
f uel f iller with a tether. Insert the
tether end on the f uel f ill cap into
the slot on the f uel f ill door.
Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
1.
2. 3.
CONT INUED
AT-PZEV
Bef ore Driving
Fueling
Service Station Procedures
115
Push
FUEL FILL CAPTETHER END
TETHER
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.Stop the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and flames
away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.

Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange loop).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its tube. Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page . Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to on page f or inf ormation
on checking other items in your
Honda.
2.
3. 1.
4.
152 155
146
Oil Check
A dding Oil A dding
Engine Coolant Engine Coolant Check
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving118
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARKRESERVE TANK
MINMAX

Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. See(see page
).
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel. Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
fuel.Usethecruisecontrolwhen
appropriate.
Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering and
hard braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible.
You may find that your Civic Hybrid’s
unique combination of an engine and
an electric motor has driving
characteristics that are somewhat
dif f erent f rom what you are used to.
Shif t Up and Shif t Down indicators
(5-speed manual transmission only)
on the instrument panel show when
to shif t to a higher or lower gear. By
shifting as soon as the indicator
comes on, you will keep the engine
operating in its most economical
range.
Engine oil also af f ects f uel
economy. The f uel ef f icient, low-
viscosity 0W-20 oil recommended
f or your Civic Hybrid is
f ormulated to help the engine use
less f uel. This oil is available at
your Honda dealer.
The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion. 146
For example,
CONT INUED
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving119

If air conditioning is needed, you can
save some f uel by using the A/C in
‘‘ECON’’ mode. When the outside
temperature is above f reezing, this
mode allows the Auto Idle Stop
f unction to shut of f the engine when
the vehicle is stopped, resulting in
fuel savings.You may notice that using the A/C
causes a greater drop in f uel
economy than you are used to in
other vehicles. Although the amount
of extra f uel used by the A/C load on
the engine is no greater than other
vehicles, it is more noticeable
because of your Civic Hybrid’s
excellent f uel mileage. Using the
A/C in hot weather may result in
f uel economy that is lower than
expected.
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving120

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes impor-
tant inf ormation on parking your
vehicle, and the braking system.........................
Preparing to Drive .128
.......................
Starting the Engine .129
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 130
.
Automatic Transmission (CVT) . 133
...........................................
Parking .139
.............................
Braking System .140
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 141
...........................
Towing a Trailer .142
Driving
Driving127

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood and trunk are
f ully closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.
Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicator lights in
the instrument panel (see page
).
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your vehicle.
1.
2.
3. 4.
9.
8. 7. 6. 5. 14
69 51
77
81
Preparing to Drive
Driving128

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in START for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start right away, pause
f or at least 10 seconds bef ore
trying again.If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
If the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
downandholdittherewhile
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
In cold weather, conventional starter
is used instead of the IMA system
starter. This is normal. The engine is
also harder to start at altitudes above
8,000 f eet (2,400 meters) because of
the thinner air.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission (CVT)
Starting the Engine
Driving
Starting in Cold Weather
129

The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster.Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t into
Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into Reverse, or shif t into
one of the f orward gears f or a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the vehicle speed is low
enough that you will not activate the
engine speed limiter in the lower
gear. Make sure the engine speed
will not go into the tachometer’s red
zone in the lower gear bef ore
downshif ting.
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone.
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving
Engine Speed L imiter
130
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.