2008 Civic Sedan Online Reference Owner's Manual
Refer to 2008 Civic GX Supplement for topics specific to the Civic GX. Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction .............................................................................................................................\
............................. i
A Few Words About Safety ......................................................................\
........................................................ iii
Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) ....................................................\
................................................ 3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) ......................\
.............................. 5
Instruments and Controls (indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column) ................................ 55
Features (heating and cooling, audio, steering wheel, security, and cru\
ise control) ............................ 107
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break- in, and cargo loading) ................\
..................................................... 179
Driving (engine and transmission operation) .........................................\
....................................................... 195
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 221
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) ............................. 265
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 289
Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 305
Authorized Manuals (U. S. only) (how to order) ..............................................\
........................................... 309
Index ......................................................................\
......................................................... ........................................ I
Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)
\
\
1 00X31-SNA-6210
µ
You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags are
designed to supplement seat belts,
not replace them. So even though
your vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your passengers
always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly (see page ).
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse withevery additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat, not the front seat. Infants and
smallchildrenshouldberestrained
in a child seat. Larger children
should use a booster seat and a lap/
shoulder belt until they can use the
belt properly without a booster seat
(see pages ). Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
14
33 50
223
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Don’t Drink and Drive Be Aware of Airbag Hazards Restrain All ChildrenControl Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
6
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The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or Canadian models are noted in the text.
Canadian DX-G model with M/T has the electric power steering (EPS) indicator (see page62)next to the immobilizer system indicator.
Instrument Panel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
DX, DX-G (Canada), L X, EX, EX-L
57
LOW FUEL
INDICATOR
(P.63) (P.64)
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATOR
LOW OIL PRESSURE
INDICATOR CRUISE CONTROL
INDICATOR CRUISE MAIN
INDICATOR SECURITY SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P.65)
(P.64)
(P.64)
(P.60)
CHARGING
SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.65, 277)
(P.65, 277) (P.59)
(P.61) DAYTIME
RUNNING
LIGHTS
INDICATOR
TRUNK-OPEN
INDICATOR(P.61)
SEAT BELT REMINDER
INDICATOR
DOOR-OPEN
INDICATOR (P.61)
SIDE AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR
(P.60)
LIGHTS ON
INDICATOR
(P.61)HIGH BEAM
INDICATOR
(P.61) SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.60)
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (P.65, 278) MAINTENANCE MINDER INDICATOR(P.65, 223)(P.63)
PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE
SYSTEM (ABS)
INDICATOR
(P.60)
(P.59)
LOW TIRE PRESSURE
INDICATOR
TIRE PRESSURE
MONITORING SYSTEM
(TPMS) INDICATOR
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Instrument Panel
Si
58
LOW FUEL
INDICATOR
(P.64)
MAINTENANCE MINDER
INDICATOR
(P.62)
(P.61)(P.62)
(P.64)
CRUISE CONTROL
INDICATOR
(P.60)
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM INDICATORCRUISE MAIN
INDICATOR
(P.64)
LIGHTS ON
INDICATOR
HIGH BEAM
INDICATOR
(P.61)(P.60) SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.60)
TRUNK-OPEN INDICATOR
VSA ACTIVATION
INDICATOR
DAYTIME RUNNING
LIGHTS INDICATOR
VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST
(VSA) SYSTEM INDICATOR
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
(EPS) INDICATOR
LOW OIL PRESSURE
INDICATOR
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P.62)
(P.65, 277)
(P.65, 277) (P.65, 278)(P.65, 223) (P.61)
(P.61)
(P.63)(P.63)
(P.60) (P.61)
SECURITY SYSTEM INDICATOR (P.65)REV LIMIT INDICATOR (P.64)
SEAT BELT REMINDER
INDICATORDOOR-OPEN INDICATOR (P.59)
SIDE AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS)
INDICATOR
PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR (P.59)
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS) INDICATOR
LOW TIRE PRESSURE
INDICATOR
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If you turn the steering wheel to the
f ull lef t or right position repeatedly
while stopping or driving at very low
speed, you may f eel slightly harder
steering due to overheating of the
steering gear box.This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
If this indicator comes on and stays
on at any other time, or if it does not
come on when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position, there
is a problem with the TPMS. With
this indicator on, the low tire
pressure indicator will not come on
when a tire loses pressure. Take the
vehicle to your dealer to have the
system checked.
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle’s tires are signif icantly low
on pressure.
If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is saf e, check which tire
has lost the pressure, and determine
the cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page ), and have the
f lat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinf lated,
call a prof essional towing service
(see page ). For more
inf ormation, see page .
267
286 212
U.S. models only
U.S. models only
Instrument Panel Indicators
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (T PMS) Indicator
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
Inst rument s and Cont rols
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Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make it unsaf e. Bef ore you make any
modif ications or add any accessories,
be sure to read the f ollowing
inf ormation.
Your dealer has Honda accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle, or improve its perf ormance.
These accessories have been
designed and approved f or your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.
Although non-Honda accessories
may f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability.When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags, anti-lock brakes, and
tire pressure monitoring system (if
equipped).Bef ore installing any accessory:
Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
the proper operation of your
vehicle.
Bef ore installing any electronic
accessory, have the installer
contact your dealer for assistance.
If possible, have your dealer
inspect the f inal installation.
Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows. Accessories installed in
theseareasmayinterferewith
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags. 280
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
189
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
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Î
Î
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with
non-Honda components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Some examples are:
Lowering your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Raising your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
safety features can make the
systems inef f ective.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer. Non-Honda wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components and will not be
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) .
: If equipped
Modif ying Your Vehicle
A ccessories and Modif ications
190
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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,
the braking system, the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system, the tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS),
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer.........................
Driving Guidelines .196
........................
Preparing to Drive .197
.......................
Starting the Engine .198
...................
Manual Transmission .199
..............
Automatic Transmission .202
...........................................
Parking .206
.............................
Braking System .207
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .208
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
........................................
System .210
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .212
...........................
Towing a Trailer .215
Driving
Driving
195
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