2008 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN service

Honda dealership personnel are
trained prof essionals. They should
be able to answer all your questions.
If you encounter a problem that your
dealership does not solve to your
satisf action, please discuss it with
the dealership’s management. The
service manager or general manager
can help. Almost all problems are
solved in this way.
If you are dissatisf ied with the
decision made by the dealership’s
management, contact your Honda
Customer Service Office.
U.S. Owners:Canadian Owners: When you call or write, please give
us this inf ormation:
Vehicle Identif ication Number
(see page )
Name and address of the dealer
who services your vehicle
Date of purchase
Mileage on your vehicle
Your name, address, and tele-
phone number
A detailed description of the
problem
Name of the dealer who sold the
vehicle to you
In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands: 290
Customer Service Inf ormation
306
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Automobile Customer Service
Mail Stop 500-2N-7A
1919 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, California 90501-2746
Tel: (800) 999-1009Honda Canada Inc.
715 Milner Avenue
Toronto, ON
M1B 2K8
Tel: 1-888-9-HONDA-9
Fax: Toll-free 1-877-939-0909
Toronto (416) 287-4776
Bella International
P.O. Box 190816
San Juan, PR 00919-0816
Tel: (787) 620-7546 Customer Relations
——y
y
(#y

y
2008 Civic Sedan

T he publications shown below can be purchased f rom Helm
Incorporated. You can order by phone or online:Call Helm Inc. at 1-800-782-4356 (credit card orders only)
Go online at
If you are interested in other years or models, contact Helm Inc.
at 1-800-782-4356.
Covers maintenance and recommended procedures f or
repair to engine and chassis components. It is written
f or the journeyman mechanic, but it is simple enough
f or most mechanically inclined owners to understand.
Complements the Service Manual by providing in-depth
troubleshooting inf ormation f or each electrical circuit
in your vehicle.
Describes the procedures involved in the replacement
of damaged body parts.
Purchasing Factory Authorized Manuals Service Manual:
Electrical T roubleshooting Manual:
Body Repair Manual:
(U.S. only)
Authorized Manuals
Authorized Manuals
309
Form Description
2006-2008 Honda Civic 2/4 Door Service Manual
2006-2008 Honda Civic 2/4 Door
Electrical Troubleshooting Manual
2006 Model Series Honda Civic 2/4 Door Body Repair Manual
2008 Honda Civic 4 Door Owner’s Manual 2008 Honda Civic
Navigation System Owner’s Manual
2008 Honda Civic Honda Service History
2008 Honda Civic 4 Door Quick Start Guide Order Form for Previous Years-
Indicate Year and Model Desired
Publication
Form Number 61SNA05
61SNA05EL 61SNA30
31SNA621
31SNA810
31SNAM20 31SNAQ20 HON-R
www. helminc. com
—
—y

y
(#y
y
2008 Civic Sedan

CONT INUED
...
Accessories and Modif ications .189
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key
.......................................
Position) .78
.............
Accessory Power Socket .106
..................
Active Head Restraints .94
....................
Additives, Engine Oil .233
...............................
Airbag (SRS) .9, 21
...
Airbags, Additional Information .21
...
Additional Safety Precautions .32
..........
AdvancedAirbagSystem .26
.............................
Airbag Service .31
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
......................
Indicator Works .30
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .30
..
How the SRS Indicator Works .29
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work .24
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .27
How Your Side Curtain Airbags
.........................................
Work .29
........................
SRS Components .21
..............
Air Conditioning System .108
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .255 ......................................
Antif reeze .236
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............................
Indicator .60, 208
...................................
Operation .208
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System .173
Anti-thef t Steering Column
..............................................
Lock .78
............................................
Armrest .95
................................
Audio System .112
.....
Auto Door Locking/Unlocking .81
.........................
Auto Door Locking .81
.....................
Auto Door Unlocking .83
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners .19
.............
Automatic Speed Control .176
..............
Automatic Transmission .202
..........................
Capacity, Fluid .293
...............
Checking Fluid Level .240
.......................................
Shif ting .202
Shif t Lever Position
...............................
Indicators .202
................
Shif t Lever Positions .203
....................
Shif t Lock Release .205
......................
Auxiliary Input Jack .172 Battery
Charging System ...........................
Indicator .65, 277
............................
Jump Starting .273
..............................
Maintenance .262
............................
Specif ications .294
..............................
Bef ore Driving .179
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,18
.........................
Beverage Holders .106
Brakes
...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) .208
.............
Break-in, New Linings .180
....................
Bulb Replacement .247
...........................................
Fluid .242
.................
Pad Wear Indicators .207
.......................................
Parking .103
.................
System Indicator .59, 279
.............................
Braking System .207
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle .180
..
Brightness Control, Instruments .73
........................
Brights, Headlights .72
Index
A B
INDEX
I
—
—y
y
(#y
y
2008 Civic Sedan

Î
Bulb Replacement..........................
Back-up Lights .247
..............................
Brake Lights .247
........
Front Side Marker Lights .246
.........
Front Turn Signal Lights .246
.........................
Headlights .244, 245
.........
High-mount Brake Light .249
..........................
Parking Lights .246
.........
Rear Side Marker Lights .247
..........
Rear Turn Signal Lights .247
............................
Specif ications .293
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen .244 ...............
DANGER, Explanation of .iii
...................................
Dashboard .3, 56
................
Daytime Running Lights .73
.........
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety .308
........................
Def og and Def rost .111
................
Def ogger, Rear Window .74
..............
Def rosting the Windows .111
....................................
Dimensions .292
...............
Dimming the Headlights .72
Dipstick
..........
Automatic Transmission .240
..................................
Engine Oil .183
..........................
Directional Signals .72
Disc Brake Pad Wear
...................................
Indicators .207
............................
Disc Player .124, 144
..................
Display Change Button .66
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil .236
.........................................
Card, PC .153
............................
Capacities Chart .293
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard .51
.............................
Carrying Cargo .191
.............
CAUTION, Explanation of . iii
..............................
CD Player .124, 144
..................................
Ceiling Light .104
........................
Certif ication Label .290
............................................
Chains .261
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .267 Changing Oil
........................................
How to .234
......................................
When to .223
...
Charging System Indicator .65, 277
..............
Check Fuel Cap Message .68
............
Checklist, Bef ore Driving .197
.....................................
Child Saf ety .33
Child Seats
.............
LATCH Anchor System .42
...........................
Lower Anchors .42
................
Tether Anchor Points .45
..................
Childproof Door Locks .80
.........................
Clock, Setting the .174
...................................
Clutch Fluid .243
........................
CO in the Exhaust .300
............
Cold Weather, Starting in .198
..............................
Compact Spare .266
.................
Console Compartment .106
.................
Consumer Inf ormation .306
.............
Controls, Instruments and .55
Coolant
........................................
Adding .236
....................................
Checking .185
.........................
Proper Solution .236
...................
Temperature Gauge .67 Crankcase Emissions Control
........................................
System .300
............
Cruise Control Operation .176
....
Customer Service Inf ormation .306
Index
C D
II
—
—y
y
(#y
y
2008 Civic Sedan

Î
CONT INUED
Taillights, Changing..................................
Bulbs .247, 248
.
Taking Care of the Unexpected .265
Seat Belts
...................
System Components .18
...............
Use During Pregnancy .16
...
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt .14
........................
Seats, Adjusting the .91
............................
Security System .175
...............................
Serial Number .290
...........................
Service Intervals .223
...........................
Service Manual .309
.........
Service Station Procedures .181
..........................
Setting the Clock .174
...
Shif t Lever Position Indicators .202
........................
Shif t Lock Release .205
................................
Side Airbags .9, 27
..........................
Of f Indicator .30, 60
..................
Side Curtain Airbags .9, 29
Side Marker Lights, Bulb
......................
Replacement .246, 247
...............................
Signaling Turns .72
.....................................
Snow Tires .261
................................
Sound System .112
Spare Tire
......................................
Inf lating .266
............................
Specif ications .294
....................
Specif ications Charts .292
................................
Speed Control .176 Speed-sensitive Volume
.......
Compensation (SVC) .118, 142
.......................................
Spotlights .104
..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation .21
...
Additional Safety Precautions .32
..........
AdvancedAirbagSystem .26
.............................
Airbag Service .31
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
......................
Indicator Works .30
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .30
How the SRS Indicator .......................................
Works .29
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .24
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .27
How Your Side Curtain Airbags
.........................................
Work .29
........................
SRS Components .21
.............................
SRS Indicator .29, 60
....
START (Ignition Key Position) .78
.......................
Starting the Engine .198
In Cold Weather at High
..................................
Altitude .198
................
With a Dead Battery .273
........
Steam Coming f rom Engine .275 Steering Wheel
..................................
Adjustment .75
.............
Anti-theft Column Lock .78
...................
Stereo Sound System .112
....................
Storing Your Vehicle .264
Supplemental Restraint
..................................
System .9,21
......................................
Servicing .31
.........................
SRS Indicator .29, 60
...................
System Components .21
.........................................
SVC .118, 142
..................................
Synthetic Oil .233
Index
T
INDEX
VII
—
—y

y
(#yy
2008 Civic Sedan

Î
Î
Î
Î
Î
Î
Î Î
Unexpected, Taking Care
..........................................
of the .265
..
Unif orm Tire Quality Grading .295
........................
Unleaded Gasoline .180
.......
Used Oil, How to Dispose of .236
Technical Descriptions
....
DOT Tire Quality Grading .295
.....
Emissions Control Systems .300
....................
Emissions Testing .303
.....................
Oxygenated Fuels .181
Three Way Catalytic
...............................
Converter .301
.................................
Tire Labeling .297
.......................
Temperature Gauge .67
.....................
Tether Anchor Points .45
............................
Thef t Protection .175
..
Three Way Catalytic Converter .302
..........................
Time, Setting the .174
....................................
Tire Chains .261
.........
Tire, How to Change a Flat .267
.........................
Tire Inf ormation .295
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
................................
(TPMS) .212
.............................
Indicator .63, 213
Required Federal
..........................
Explanation .298
...............................................
Tires .254
..............................
Air Pressure .255
.........................
Checking Wear .256
..........................
Compact Spare .266
....
DOT Tire Quality Grading .295 ..................
High Speed Driving .256
......................................
Inf lation .254
..................................
Inspection .256
..............................
Maintenance .258
...................................
Replacing .259
......................................
Rotating .258
................................
Service Lif e .257
...........................................
Snow .261
....................
Specif ications .260, 294
................................
Tire Chains .261
...................
Tools, Tire Changing .267
Towing
.....................................
A Trailer .215
..................
Emergency Towing .286
...........................
Traction Devices .261
Transmission
Checking Fluid Level, ..............................
Automatic .240
Checking Fluid Level, ...................................
Manual .241
..................
Fluid Selection .240, 241
..............
Identif ication Number .290
.............
Shif ting the Automatic .202
..................
Shif ting the Manual .199
...................................
Treadwear .295
.......................................
Trip Meter .67 ................................................
Trunk .86
........................................
Opening .86
...................
Open Monitor Light .61
....................................
Turn Signals .72
................................
Vanity Mirror .105
.................
Vehicle Capacity Load .192
......................
Vehicle Dimensions .292
....
Vehicle Identif ication Number .290
.............................
Vehicle Storage .264
.................................................
VIN .290
..................................
Viscosity, Oil .233
Index
U
V
VIII
—
—y

y
(#yy
2008 Civic Sedan

Service Inf ormation Summary
Automatic Transmission Fluid: Brake Fluid:
Gasoline:
Tire Pressure (measured cold):
Recommended Engine Oil: Fuel Tank Capacity: Manual Transmission Fluid:
Power Steering Fluid:Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 preferred, or a DOT 3 or
DOT 4 brake fluid as a temporary
replacement (see page ).
Honda ATF-Z1 (Automatic
Transmission Fluid) (see page
).
Front/Rear:30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm
)
32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
)
Unleaded gasoline, pump octane
number of 87 or higher.
Premium unleaded gasoline,
pump octane number of 91 or
higher.
4.6 US qt (4.4
)
Oil change capacity (including
filter): API Premium grade 5W-30
detergent oil (see page ). 3.9 US qt (3.7
)
Oil change capacity (including
filter): API Premium grade 5W-20
detergent oil (see page ). 13.2 US gal (50
)
33 psi (230 kPa , 2.3 kgf/cm
)
Spare Tire: 60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm
)
Honda Manual Transmission
Fluid preferred, or an SAE 10W-30
or 10W-40 motor oil as a
temporary replacement (see page
).
Capacity (including differential): 1.5 US qt (1.4
)
1.6 US qt (1.5
)
Honda Power Steering Fluid
preferred, or another brand of
power steering fluid as a
temporary replacement. Do not
use ATF (see page ). DX, Canadian DX-G
Except Si
Si
Except Si
Si
233
233 Except Si
Si 242
LX, EX, EX-L
Si
240
241
All models except Si and
Canadian DX-G (M/T) 243
—
—y
y
(#yy
2008 Civic Sedan