2005 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK Owners Manual

You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereis
probably something wrong with
the electrical circuit f or the
ignition switch or starter motor.
You will need a qualif ied
technician to determine the
problem (see
on page ).
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights, and check
their brightness. If the headlights
areverydimordonotcomeonat
all, the battery is discharged. See
on page .
Check the transmission interlock.
The clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate.
Check these things:
Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
173162
173 186
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Emergency T owing
Jump Starting
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
171
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In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly(seepage ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to
on page . If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See
on page .
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
123 65 181
186
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
If theEngineWon’tStart
172
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
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.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
Turn of f all the electrical
accessories: heater, A/C, stereo
system, lights, etc. Put the
transmission in Neutral and set
the parking brake.
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 f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
To jump start your vehicle:1. 2. 3. 4.
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
173
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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The pointer of the 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 the 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.
Start the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
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 numbers in the illustrations
show you the order to connect the
jumper cables. Once the vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom the vehicle,
and then from the booster battery.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle. 7.
6.
5.
Jump Starting, If the Engine Overheats
If the Engine Overheats
174 Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.
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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 (seeon page ).
If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
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 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 the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral,
and set the parking brake. Turn
of f the all accessories, and turn on
the hazard warning indicators.
1. 2.3. 4. 5. 6.
186
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
175
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
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Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.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.
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
temperature gauge or lower
bef ore checking the radiator.
Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum heat. 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.
8. 9.
10. 11.
7.
186Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
176 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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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 10 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.
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing
or stays on, the oil pressure has
dropped very low. Serious engine
damage is possible and you should
take immediate action. 1. 2. 3. 4.113
138
186
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
177
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 your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
If the indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions
control systems may have a problem.
Even though you may f eel no
dif f erence in your vehicle’s
perf ormance, it can reduce your f uel
economy and cause increased
emissions. Continued operation may
cause serious damage.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to 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 of f immediately; it takes at
least three days of normal driving. If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn of f as you
continue driving, have the vehicle
checked by your 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.
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 itthengoesoff,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 f or more inf ormation (see
page ).
199
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness Code
178 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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