2004 HONDA CIVIC Owners Manual

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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery.
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.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
1. 2. 3.
4. 5.
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
178
NOTICE:
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyonenearby.
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.
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Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
and then the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short. The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.)
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. 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.
7.
6.
Jump Starting, If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Overheats
179
NOTICE: 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 pointer at the red
mark can cause serious damage to
your engine.
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Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f all accessories, and turn
on the hazard light.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
1. 2.
3. 4.5. 6.
190
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
180
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If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise without pushing
down to the first stop. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off.
Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
8. 9.
10. 11.
7.
190
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
181
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
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This light should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing
or stays on, the oil pressure has
dropped very low or lost pressure.
Serious engine damage is possible
and you should take immediate
action. Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within ten seconds, turn of f
the engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving.
(See on page
). If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running,
the battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
1. 2. 3. 4.
115
190 144
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
182
NOTICE:
Running the engine with low
oil pressure can cause serious
mechanical damage almost immediately.
Turn of f the engine as soon as you can
saf ely get the vehicle stopped.
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If the indicator remains on, or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have the vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.If your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. If takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition to ON (II), without starting
the engine. The Malf unction
Indicator Lamp will come on f or 20
seconds. If it then goes of f , the
readiness codes are set. If it blinks 5
times, the readiness codes are not
set. If possible, do not take your
vehicle f or a state emissions test
until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to State Emissions Testing for
more inf ormation (see page ).
If the indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emission
control systems may have a problem.
Even though you may f eel no
dif f erence in your vehicle’s
perf ormance, continued operation
may cause serious damage.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be a loose or missing f uel f ill
cap. Tighten the cap until it clicks at
least three times. Tightening the cap
will not turn the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving. 205
Malf unct ion Indicat or L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Readiness Code
183
NOTICE:If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emission
controls and the engine. Those repairs
may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
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However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.
Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed and repaired as
soon as possible (seeon page ).
If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and caref ully.
The brake system indicator
normally comes on when
you turns the ignition
switch ON (II) and as a
reminder to check the
parking brake. It will stay lit
if you do not f ully release
the parking brake.
If the brake system indicator comes
on while drivinig, the brake f luid
level is probably low. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it f eels
normal. If it does, check the brake
f luid level the next time you stop at a
service station (see page ).
If the f luid level is low, take the
vehicle to your dealer and have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads. 190
151
Brake System Indicator
Emergency
Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed184
Canada U.S.
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If the electric motor will not close
the moonroof , do the f ollowing:Check the f use f or the moonroof
motor (see page ). If the f use
is blown, replace it with one of the
same or lower rating.
Try closing the moonroof . If the
new f use blows immediately or the
moonroof motor still does not
operate, you can close the
moonroof manually.
Get the moonroof wrench out of
the tool kit in the trunk. Use a screwdriver or coin to
remove the round plug in the
center of the headliner.
Insert the moonroof wrench into
the socket behind this plug. Turn
the wrench until the moonroof is
f ully closed.
Remove the wrench. Reinstall the
round plug.
5. 6.
4.
1.2. 3. 189
On EX model in the U.S., and Si model
in Canada
Closing t he Moonroof
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed185
ROUND PLUG
SOCKET
MOONROOF WRENCH
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