2004 HONDA CIVIC brakes

If this indicator comes on when the
engine is running, the battery is not
being charged. For complete
inf ormation, see page .
The engine can be severely damaged
if this light f lashes or stays on when
the engine is running. For complete
inf ormation, see page .This indicator has two f unctions:
If it remains lit af ter you have f ully
released the parking brake while
the engine is running, or if it
comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the brake
system. For complete inf ormation,
see page .
Itcomesonwhenyouturnthe
ignition switch to ON (II). It is a
reminder to check the parking
brake. Driving with the parking
brake not f ully released can
damage the brakes and tires.
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II), and when
the ignition switch is turned to
START (III). If it comes on at any
other time, there is a problem in the
ABS. If this happens, have your
vehicle checked at a dealer. With
this light on, your vehicle still has
normal braking ability but no anti-
lock. For complete inf ormation, see
page .
1. 2.
182
182 133
184Only on models equipped with ABS (see page ) 133
Instrument Panel L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Charging System
Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure
Indicator Parking Brake
and Brake
System
Indicator
Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator
55
U.S. Canada
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To apply the parking brake, pull the
lever up f ully. To release it, pull up
slightly, push the button, and lower
the lever. The parking brake light on
the instrument panel should go out
when the parking brake is f ully
released (see page ).55
Parking Brake
Inst rument s and Cont rols82
NOTICE:
DX models PARKING BRAKE LEVER
PARKING BRAKE LEVER
LX, U.S. EX, and Canadian
Si models
Driving the vehicle with the
parking brake applied can damage the
rear brakes and axles.
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Thecruisecontrolmaynotholdthe
set speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to
slow down. This will cancel the
cruise control. To resume the set
speed, press the RESUME/accel
button. The CRUISE CONTROL
light on the instrument panel will
come back on.You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
Press and hold the RESUME/
accel button. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.
Push on the accelerator pedal.
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the SET/decel
button. You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
Press and hold the SET/decel
button. Release the button when
you reach the desired speed.
To increase your speed in very
small amounts, tap the RESUME/
accel button. Each time you do
this, your vehicle will speed up
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h). To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the SET/decel
button. Each time you do this,
your vehicle will slow down about
1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your f oot. The
CRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel will go out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the SET/
decel button.
Cruise Control
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Changing the Set Speed
108
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Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
You should also f ollow these re-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are replaced. Your Honda is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise in the engine that can lead to
mechanical f ailure.
We recommend using a gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized Honda dealer f or
service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
Quick Start Guide.
Break-in Period, Gasoline T ype
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period Gasoline Type
112
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Some examples are:Raising your vehicle with an
af termarket suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Af termarket wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Do not modif y your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modif ications could make the
system inef f ective. See the saf ety
precautions on page .
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with non-
Honda (af termarket) components
could seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Lowering your vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy. If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your Honda dealer.
Improperly
replacing or covering f ront seat-
back covers can prevent your side
airbags f rom inf lating during a
collision. 28
Bef ore Driving
Modif ying Your Vehicle
Additional Saf ety Precaution
A ccessories and Modif ications
Do not cover or replace f ront seat -back covers wit hout consult ing aHonda dealer.
118
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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 . 124
.......................
Starting the Engine . 125
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 126
..............
Automatic Transmission . 128
...........................................
Parking . 131
.............................
Braking System . 132
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 133
...........................
Towing a Trailer . 134
Driving
Driving123
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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. On EX and LX models in the
U.S., and all models in Canada, make
sure the engine speed will not go into
the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear bef ore downshif ting.
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving126
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.
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Remove the key from the Shift
Lock Release slot, then reinstall
thecover.Makesurethenotchon
the cover is on the lef t side.
Return the key to the ignition
switch, press the brake pedal, and
restart the engine.Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.
Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes.
Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly or
your vehicle may roll if it is on an
incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission.
Lock the doors.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.
in the trunk or take them with you.
Turn of f the lights.
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed. If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the f ront wheels away f rom the
curb. If you have a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb. If you have a manual
transmission, put it in reverse gear.
If you need to use the Shif t Lock
Release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have it
checked by a Honda dealer.
6.
Automatic Transmission, Parking
Driving
Parking
Parking T ips
131
RELEASE BUTTON
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
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