2008 HONDA CIVIC COUPE engine

Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, seeon page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant. Refer to
on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
vehicle. 230
238 A dding
Engine Coolant Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
Engine Coolant Check
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
191
RESERVE TANK
SiRESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
MAX
MIN
DX, Canadian DX-G, LX, EX, EX-L
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Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traf f ic
Cold engine operation (engines
aremoreefficientwhenwarmedup)
Driving with a heavy load or the
air conditioner running
Improperly inf lated tires
The f ollowing f actors can lower your
vehicle’s f uel economy:
A properly maintained vehicle
maximizes f uel economy. Poor
maintenance can signif icantly reduce
f uel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the
inf ormation display (see
on page ).
For example: Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking increase fuel
consumption.
Aerodynamic drag has a big ef f ect
on f uel mileage at speeds above 45
mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your f uel economy by up
shif ting as early as possible.
Idling
results in 0 miles per gallon.
An under-inf lated tire increases
‘‘rolling resistance,’’ which reduces
f uel economy.
It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing f uel
consumption.
In
particular, a build-up of snow or
mud on your vehicle’s underside
adds weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
economy.
230
CONT INUED
Fuel Economy
Fuel Economy Factors Use the recommended viscosity motor oil, displaying the A PI
Certif ication Seal (see page).
Improving Fuel Economy Owner’s
Maintenance Checks Drive moderately
Observe the speed limit
Always drive in the highest gear
possible
Avoid excessive idling
Maintain proper tire inf lation
A void carrying excess weight in
your vehicle
K eep your vehicle clean
234
Vehicle Maint enance Drive Ef f icient ly
Bef ore Driving
193
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Fill the f uel tank until the nozzle automatically clicks of f .
Reset trip counter to zero.
Record the total gallons (liters) needed to ref ill.
Follow one of the simple calculations above.
The A/C
puts an extra load on the engine
which makes it use more f uel. Use
the f resh-air ventilation when
possible.
Combine several short trips into
one. A warmed-up engine is more
f uel ef f icient than a cold one.
Direct calculation is the
recommended source of inf ormation
about your actual f uel economy.
Using f requency of f ill-ups or taking
f uel gauge readings are NOT
accurate measures of f uel economy.
Fuel economy may improve over the
f irst several thousand miles. 1)2)3)4)
Fuel Economy
Checking Your Fuel Economy
Measuring T echniquesMinimize the use of the air
conditioning system
Plan and combine trips
Calculating Fuel Economy
194
Miles driven Gallons of
fuel Miles per
Gallon
100 KilometersL per 100 km
Liter
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Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position f or more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for 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 fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
down, and hold it there while
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
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.
Press the clutch pedal down all the
way. The START (III) position
does not f unction unless the clutch
pedal is pressed.
5. 6.
1. 2. 3. 4.
Manual transmission:
Automatic transmission:
Starting the Engine
204
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.
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. For
more inf ormation, see page .
77
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CONT INUED
The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from fifth to
reverse.On vehicles with 6-speed manual
transmission, the lockout system
prevents you f rom shif ting directly
from any forward gear to reverse
while the vehicle is moving at a
certain speed (see page ).
When shif ting up or down, make
sure you push the clutch pedal down
all the way, shif t 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 cancause your clutch to wear out f aster.
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.’’
207
The engine can be damaged if
you inadvertently downshif t into the
wrong gear (f or example, going f romthird gear at high rpms to second gear
instead of upshif ting to f ourth gear; theengine speed limiter will not work in thissituation).
On Si model
Manual T ransmission
Driving
205
Note:
Si
DX, Canadian DX-G, LX, EX, EX-L
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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.
Your vehicle is equipped with an
aluminum shif t lever. If you leave the
vehicle parked outside f or a longtime on a hot day, be caref ul bef ore
moving the shift lever. Because of
the heat, the shift lever may be
extremely hot. If the outside
temperature is low, the shif t lever
f eels cold.
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you good
f uel economy and ef f ective
emissions control. The f ollowing
shif t points are recommended:
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd
3rd to 4th4th to 5th Normal acceleration
15 mph (24 km/h)
27 mph (43 km/h)
39 mph (63 km/h)
53 mph (85 km/h) Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th
4th to 5th
5th to 6th Normal acceleration
17 mph (27 km/h)
29 mph (47 km/h)
37 mph (60 km/h)
43 mph (69 km/h)
49 mph (79 km/h)
On Si model On models with 6-speed manual
transmission
On models with 5-speed manual transmission
Recommended Shif t Points
Manual T ransmission
206
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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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.
Your vehicle has a rev limit indicator
to show you when the engine speed
is near the tachometer’s red zone
(see page ).If you are still unable to shif t to
reverse, apply the parking brake,
and turn the ignition key to the
ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0)
position.
With the clutch pedal still pressed,
start the engine.
Press the clutch pedal, and shif t to
reverse.
If you need to use this procedure to
shif t to reverse, your vehicle may be
developing a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your dealer.
The manual transmission has
lockout so you cannot accidentally
shif t f rom any f orward gear to
reverse while the vehicle is moving
at a certain speed. If you cannot shif t
to reverse when the vehicle is
stopped, do the f ollowing.
With the clutch pedal pressed,
move the shift lever to the first/
second gear side of the neutral
gate, then shif t to reverse.
1. 2. 3. 4.
61
On Si model 6-speed manual transmission
Engine Speed L imiter Reverse L ockout
Manual T ransmission
Driving
207
Move the shift lever in sequence.
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If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop bef ore shif ting
into Park. You must also press the
release button to shift into Park. The
shif t lever must be in Park bef ore
you can remove the key f rom the
ignition switch. Press the brake
pedal and press the release button
on the f ront of the shif t lever to shif t
f rom Park to reverse. To shif t f rom
reverse to neutral, come to a
completestop,andthenshift.Press
the release button bef ore shif ting
into reverse f rom neutral.
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. Use neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from neutral to
another gear.
Use this position f or
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 5) f or your
speed and acceleration. You may
notice the transmission shifting up at
higher engine speeds when the
engine is cold. This helps the engine
warm up f aster.
211To shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR
Dto2
2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoD
DtoN
DtoD NtoD
RtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
press the shift lever release
button.
Press the shift lever release
button.
Move the shift lever.
3
3
3
3
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ock Release
Reverse (R)
Park (P) Neutral (N)
Drive (D)
Driving
209
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