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
Unscrew and remove the engine oil
fill cap on top of the valve cover.
Pour in the oil slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill. Clean up any spills
immediately. Spilled oil could
damage components in the engine
compartment. Install the engine oil
f ill cap and tighten it securely. Wait a
f ew minutes and recheck the oil level.
Do not f ill above the upper mark; you
could damage the engine.The oil viscosity or weight is
provided on the container’s label.
A very low-viscosity, f uel-ef f icient
0W-20 oil is the pref erred engine
lubricant f or your Civic Hybrid. This
special oil is f ormulated to help your
engine use less fuel. It is available at
your Honda dealer. A 5W-20 oil may
be used if 0W-20 is not available.
Oil is a major contributor to your
engine’s perf ormance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade 0W-20
detergent oil displaying the API
Certif ication Seal. This seal indicates
the oil is energy conserving, and that
it meets the American Petroleum
Institute’s latest requirements.
Honda Motor Oil is the pref erred
0W-20 lubricant f or your vehicle. It is
highly recommended that you use
Honda Motor Oil in your vehicle f or optimum engine protection. Make
sure the API Certif ication Seal says
‘‘For Gasoline Engines’’.
A dding Engine Oil
Maint enance
Recommended Engine Oil
152
API CERTIFICATION SEAL
ENGINE OIL
FILL CAP
Ambient Temperature
Check the f luid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the vehicle sitting
on level ground. Remove the under-
cover to access the transmission
housing(seepage ).Removethe
transmission f iller bolt and caref ully
f eel inside the bolt hole with your
f inger. The f luid level should be up
to the edge of the bolt hole. If it is
not, add Honda Manual Transmis-
sion Fluid (MTF) until it starts torun out of the hole. Reinstall the
f iller bolt and tighten it securely.
If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40
viscosity motor oil with the API
Certif ication seal that says ‘‘FOR
GASOLINE ENGINES’’ as a
temporary replacement. However,
motor oil does not contain the proper
additives, and continued use can
cause stiffer shifting. Replace as
soon as it is convenient.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
153
Maint enance
5-speed Manual Transmission
Manual T ransmission Fluid
159
Correct Level FILLER BOLT
...................
Neutral Gear Position . 135
..................
New Vehicle Break-in . 114
.....................
Normal Shif t Speeds .130
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of . i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication . 202
...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline . 114
.........................................
Odometer .60
...............................
Odometer, Trip .60
Oil ........................
Change, How to .153
......................
Change, When to .147
......................
Checking Engine .118
..............
Pressure Indicator . 54,190
Selecting Proper Viscosity ......................................
Chart .152
...........
ON (Ignition Key Position) . 72
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor ....................................
Recovery .208
..............................
Outside Mirrors .81
....................
Overheating, Engine .187
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 146..............
Panel Brightness Control . 67
........................
Park Gear Position .134
...........................................
Parking .139
.................................
Parking Brake .82
Parking Brake and Brake .................
System Indicator . 54,193
.................................
Parking Lights .66
..
Parking Over Things that Burn . 210
.............................
PGM-FI System .209
............................
Playing the Radio .94
....................................
Playing a CD .99
..........................
Power Door Locks .73
.................
Power Socket Locations . 85
..............................
Power Windows .79
.........
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . 17
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens . 11
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 18
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 17
........................
Protecting Children .29
.....................
General Guidelines .29
...........................
Protecting Inf ants .34
.............
Protecting Small Children . 34
......................
Selecting Child Seats .36
....................
Installing a Child Seat .37 ...........
Protecting Larger Children . 42
...................
Radiator Overheating . 187
Radio/CD/Cassette ..............................
Sound System .94
...................
Readiness Codes . 191,211
Rear Lights, Bulb ......................
Replacement .164, 165
............................
Rear View Mirror .81
.................
Rear Window Def ogger . 68
...............
Reclining the Seat Backs . 77
.......
Recommended Shif t Speeds . 128
.............................
Reminder Lights .53
.......................
Remote Transmitter .75
Replacement Inf ormation ..............
Dust and Pollen Filter . 167
................
Engine Oil and Filter . 153
.................................
Floor Mats .166
..........................................
Fuses .194
................................
Light Bulbs .161
....................................
Schedule .145
...................................
Seat Belts .166
...........................................
Tires .169
.............................
Wiper Blades .168
Index
N
O P
R
VI
Î
Î
........................................
Ventilation .91
.................................................
VIN .202
..................................
Viscosity, Oil .152
.............
WARNING, Explanation of . ii
.........
Warning Labels, Location of . 47
..................
Warranty Coverages .215
Washer, Windshield ........
Checking the Fluid Level . 157
.......................................
Indicator .56
.....................................
Operation .65
Wheels ...............
Adjusting the Steering . 69
............
Alignment and Balance . 172
..........................
Compact Spare .178
......................................
Wrench .180
Windows ..................
Operating the Power . 79
...........................
Rear, Def ogger .68
Windshield .......................................
Cleaning .65
.....................................
Def roster .93
.......................................
Washers .65 Wipers, Windshield
.......................
Changing Blades .168
.....................................
Operation .65
....................................
Worn Tires .172
.....
Wrecker, Emergency Towing . 199
: U.S. and Canada only
Index
W
IX