2009 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID service

Fill the f uel tank.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than 1
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc., are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park.
Block the rear wheels. If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Disconnect the 12 volt battery.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals.
Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, suchas plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
Reconnect the 12 volt battery and
drive your vehicle every month f or
about 30 minutes. This will keep
the IMA battery charged and in
good condition.
If possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f ans cycle on and of f
twice). Pref erably, do this once a
month.
Vehicle Storage
322
If this vehicle is unused f or over one
month, the service lif e of the 158V
Nickel-Metal Hydride battery will be
reduced and the battery may be
permanently damaged.
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2009 Civic Hybrid

Tighten the wheel nuts securely in
the same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
f acility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:Place the flat tire face down in the
spare tire well.
Remove the spacer cone f rom the
wing bolt, turn it over, and put it
back on the bolt.
Securetheflattirebyscrewing
the wing bolt back into its hole.Store the jack in the tool case.
Store the center cap in the trunk.
Make sure it does not get
scratched or damaged.
Lower the trunk f loor, then close
the trunk lid.
14.
15.
16.
17.18.
19.
20.
Changing a Flat Tire
328
SPACER CONE
WING BOLT
For
spare
tire
For
normal
tire
80 lbf·ft (108 N·m , 11 kgf·m) Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
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If theAutoIdleStopisactiveforan
extended period, the charging
system indicator may come on. If it
happens, start the engine.
The charging system indicator may
also come on if the Integrated Motor
Assist (IMA) battery charge drops
below a desired level and the engine
starts to recharge the battery.
This indicator may blink af ter you
start the vehicle in the morning
when the temperature is below 20
°F ( 30°C). It will stop blinking
when the IMA battery warms up.
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the 12
volt battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
Charging System Indicator
336
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If the ABS indicator comes on with
the brake system indicator, have
your vehicle inspected by your
dealer immediately.
However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.
Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed and repaired as
soon as possible (see
on page ).
If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and caref ully.
The brake system
indicator normally
comes on when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position and as a reminder to
check the parking brake. It will stay
on if you do not f ully release the
parking brake.
If the brake system indicator comes
on while driving, the brake f luid level
is probably low. Press lightly on the
brake pedal to see if it f eels normal.
If it does, check the brake f luid level
thenexttimeyoustopataservice
station (see page ).
If the f luid level is low, take your
vehicle to a dealer, and have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads. If the brake system indicator
(amber) comes on with the parking
brake system indicator (red) with
the parking brake released, there
may be a malfunction with the
power-assist f eature. When the
power-assist f eature malf unctions,
the brake indicator (red) comes on
and a buzzer sounds f or a second.
The power-assist f eature may stop
when the brake ef f ect is weak. Stop
your vehicle immediately at a saf e
place and contact a dealer.
304
345Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
338
U.S. Canada
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CONT INUED
If , due to damage, your vehicle must
be towed with the f ront wheels on
the ground, do this:
With the f ront wheels on the ground,
it is best to tow the vehicle no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep the
speedbelow35mph(55km/h).
If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a prof essional towing service or
organization. Never tow your vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.
Therearetwowaystotowyour
vehicle:
The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the tires (f ront) and lif t them
of f the ground. The other two tires
remain on the ground. The operator
loads your vehicle on the back of a
truck. Start the engine.
Press on the brake pedal. Move
the shif t lever through all its
positions.
Shif t to D position f or 5 seconds,
then to N.
Turn of f the engine.
Release the parking brake.
Leave the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) position so the
steering wheel does not lock.
Wheel-lif t Equipment
Flat -bed Equipment
T his is an
acceptable way to tow your
vehicle. T his is the best way to
transport your vehicle.
Emergency Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
345
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shif t the transmission or start the
engine, your vehicle must be
transported with the f ront wheels of f
the ground.
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2009 Civic Hybrid

Quality grades can be f ound where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:
All passenger car tires must conf orm
to Federal Saf ety Requirements in
addition to these grades.The traction grades, f rom highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specif ied government test surf aces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
perf ormance.
Warning: The traction grade
assignedtothistireisbasedon
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
The tires on your vehicle meet all
U.S. Federal Saf ety Requirements.
All tires are also graded f or
treadwear, traction, and temperature
perf ormance according to
Department of Transportation
(DOT) standards. The f ollowing
explains these gradings.
The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specif ied government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-
half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded
100. The relative perf ormance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart signif icantly f rom the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and dif f erences in
road characteristics and climate.
Unif orm T ire Quality Grading
T readwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A T readwear
T raction
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
352
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Customer Service Inf ormation .364
....................
Warranty Coverages .365
Reporting Saf ety Def ects ..........................
(U.S. Vehicles) .366
.....................
Authorized Manuals .367
Warranty and Customer Relations
Warrant y and Cust omer Relat ions
363
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2009 Civic Hybrid

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 Honda
Customer Service.
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:
348
Customer Service Inf ormation
364
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Honda 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
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