Page 111 of 228

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 the speed in very
small amounts, tap the RESUME/
accel button. Each time you do
this, your vehicle speeds 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).
Cruise control may not hold the 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 cruise
control. To resume the set speed,
press the RESUME/accel button.
The indicator on the instrument
panel will come back on.
When climbing a steep hill, the
automatic transmission may
downshif t to hold the set speed.
Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your f oot. The
CRUISE CONTROL indicator on
the instrument panel goes out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the SET/
decel button.
CONT INUED
Changing the Set Speed
Cruise Control
Features
109
Page 119 of 228

Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. See(see page
).
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more f uel. 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
(manual transmission only) on the
instrument panel show when to shif t
toahigherorlowergear.Byshifting
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 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. Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
fuel.Usethecruisecontrolwhen
appropriate.
Wind resistance causes vehicles to
usemorefuelathigherspeeds.
Driving at moderate speeds on the
highway also reduces wind
resistance and conserves f uel.
The current f uel mileage display
allows you to monitor your f uel
mileage and adjust your driving
habits to save fuel.
Using the ECON mode with the
A/C off is the most effective way
to get the best f uel economy.
Combine several short trips into
one.
144
For example,
CONT INUED
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
117
Page 127 of 228
This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
and the braking system.........................
Preparing to Drive .126
.......................
Starting the Engine .127
...................
Manual Transmission . 128
.
Automatic Transmission (CVT) . 131
...........................................
Parking .137
.............................
Braking System .138
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 139
...........................
Towing a Trailer .140
Driving
Driving
125
Page 129 of 228

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. START (III) does not
f unction unless the clutch pedal is
depressed.
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. Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.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.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission (CVT) 71
Starting the Engine
Starting in Cold Weather
Driving
127
Immobilizer System T he Immobilizer System protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. See
on page . The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
Page 130 of 228

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 shift 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.’’
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.
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 engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
Engine Speed L imiter
Manual T ransmission
128
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.
Page 132 of 228

This indicator will blink, and you will
hear a continuous beep, if you open
the door when Auto Stop is active.
The beep will stop when you close
the door.
Always turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0) and remove the key if you
are getting out of the vehicle.
This indicator comes on as a
reminder that the engine has
stopped because of the Auto Idle
Stop f unction. When the indicator is
of f , it means that Auto Idle Stop is
not active. When the indicator is on,
but the engine is not running, it
means the clutch pedal is depressed,
but the transmission is not in gear.
When the indicator is blinking, it
means the clutch pedal is not
depressed completely. You cannot restart the engine with the ignition
switch when this indicator is blinking.
Either the Shift Up or Shift Down
indicator will light to show the best
time to shift to a higher or lower
gear. You can achieve the best f uel
economy by accelerating and
decelerating slowly, and shif ting
when prompted by the Shif t Up
indicator.
Road and traffic conditions may
require you to shif t at times other
than those indicated.
A uto Idle Stop Indicator
Shif t Up/Shif t Down Indicators
Manual T ransmission
130
AUTO IDLE STOP INDICATOR SHIFT UP INDICATOR
SHIFT DOWN INDICATOR
Page 133 of 228
Honda’s Continuously Variable
Transmission’s unique design
provides a smooth, constant f low of
power. It is electronically controlled
f or more precise operation and
better f uel economy.These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shif t
lever is in.The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II). If it
f lashes while driving (in any shif t
position), it indicates a possible
problem in the transmission.
If the malf unction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicator, there is a problem in the
automatic transmission control
system. Avoid rapid acceleration and
have the transmission checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
Continuously Variable
T ransmission (CVT )
Shif t L ever Position Indicators
Automatic Transmission (CVT)
Driving
131
Page 134 of 228

µ
To shif t f rom any position, press
f irmly on the brake pedal and press
the release button on the front of the
shiftlever.Youcannotshiftoutof
Park when the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) or ACCESSORY (I)
position. This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal. Press the release
buttononthefrontof theshiftlever
to move it. If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see
on
page .
You must also press the release
button to shift into Park. To avoid
transmission damage, come to a
complete stop bef ore shif ting into
Park. The shif t lever must be in Park
bef ore you can remove the key f rom
the ignition switch. 134
To shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR StoL
LtoS
StoD
DtoN DtoS
NtoD RtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal and
press the release button.
Press the release button.
Move the lever.
Automatic Transmission (CVT)
Park (P) Shif t L ock Release
Shif ting
132
SHIFT LEVER
RELEASE BUTTON