2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID ignition

The maintenance item code or codes
indicate the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil change
(see page ).
If the remaining engine oil lif e is 15
to 6 percent, you will see the engine
oil lif e indicator every time you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. The maintenance minder
indicator will also come on, and the
maintenance item code(s) for other
scheduled maintenance items
needing service will be displayed
next to the engine oil lif e indicator. When the remaining engine oil lif e is
5 to 1 percent, you will see a
‘‘SERVICE OIL LIFE’’ message
along with the same maintenance
item code(s), every time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
213
Maintenance Minder
208
ENGINE OIL
LIFE DISPLAY
MAINTENANCE
MINDER INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE ITEM CODE(S)
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2008 Civic Hybrid

If you still do not perf orm the
indicated maintenance, you will see
negative mileage. It is displayed
when you drive more than 10 miles
(f or U.S. models) or 10 km (f or
Canadian models) af ter seeing the 0
percent message. Af terward, it
shows your driving distance if you
continue to drive. Immediately have
the indicated maintenance done by
your dealer.
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
0 percent, the engine oil lif e indicator
will blink. The display comes on
everytimeyouturntheignition
switch to the ON (II) position. When
you see this message, have the
indicated maintenance perf ormed by
your dealer as soon as possible. You can change the inf ormation
display f rom the engine oil lif e
display to the odometer, the trip
meter, or the outside temperature
every time you press and release the
SEL/RESET button.
When the engine oil lif e is 0 percent
or negative mileage, the
maintenance minder indicator
remainsonevenif youchangethe
inf ormation display.
Immediately have the service done,
and make sure to reset the display as
described on the next page.
Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
209
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2008 Civic Hybrid

Your dealer will reset the display
af ter completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘OIL LIFE 100%’’ on the inf ormation
display the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.Press the SEL/RESET button
repeatedly until the engine oil lif e
is displayed.
All maintenance items displayed on
the inf ormation display are in code.
For an explanation of these
maintenance codes, see page . Press the SEL/RESET button f or
about 10 seconds. The engine oil
lif e and the maintenance item
code(s) will blink.
If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the maintenance minder as
f ollows:
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
1.
2. 3.
213
Maintenance Minder
Maintenance Main Items and Sub
Items Resetting the Engine Oil Lif e
Display
210
MAINTENANCE MAIN ITEM
MAINTENANCE
SUB ITEM
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2008 Civic Hybrid

Check the brake f luid level in the
reservoirs monthly.
Replace the brake f luid every 3 years,
independent of mileage.
Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement.
Using any non-Honda brake f luid can
cause corrosion and decrease the lif e
of the system. Have the brake
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 as soon as possible.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your vehicle’s
braking system and can cause
extensive damage.
Insert the dipstick all the way back
into the transmission securely.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid when this
service is indicated by a maintenance
message on the inf ormation display.
If you are not sure how to add f luid,
contact your dealer.
Check the f luid level several seconds
after you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position. The f luid level
should be between the MIN and
MAXmarksonthesideof the
reservoir. If the level is at or below
the MIN mark, your brake system
needs attention. Have the brake
system inspected f or leaks or worn
brake pads.
6.
T ransmission Fluid, Brake Fluid
Brake Fluid
222
MAX
MIN
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2008 Civic Hybrid

µ
Check the condition of the 12 volt
battery monthly by looking at the
test indicator window. The label on
the battery explains the test
indicator’s colors.
If your vehicle’s 12 volt battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the IMA
battery level gauge reading will not
be correct the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. It will show less than the
actual level temporarily. It will show
the correct level af ter you drive f or
at least 30 minutes.
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f urther corrosion.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the 12 Volt Battery
Maint enance
239
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.
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CONT INUED
If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.
Park the vehicle on f irm, level, and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park. Apply the
parking brake.
Open the trunk. Raise the trunk
f loor by lif ting up on the back edge.
Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Have all
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.
Take the tool case out of the spare
tire.
Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of its well.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
243
JACK
SPARE TIRETRUNK FLOOR
TOOL CASE
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.
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2008 Civic Hybrid

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the 12 volt battery and terminal
connections (see page ). You
canthentryjumpstartingthe
vehicle from a booster battery
(see page ).
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
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
or neutral or the starter will not
operate. Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
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 .
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page .249 263
239
249
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
247
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2008 Civic Hybrid

Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er toon page .
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
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.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
191 257
263
59
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
If theEngineWon’tStart
248
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2008 Civic Hybrid