2009 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN brakes

This indicator has two f unctions:Itcomesonwhenyouturnthe
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. It is a reminder to check
the parking brake. A beeper
sounds if you drive with the
parking brake not f ully released.
Driving with the parking brake not
fully released can damage the
brakes and tires.
If it stays on after you have fully
released the parking brake while
the engine is running, or if it
comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the brake
system. For more inf ormation, see
page .
The instrument panel has many
indicators to give you important
inf ormation about your vehicle.
If your f ront passenger does not
f asten their seat belt, the indicator
comes on about 6 seconds af ter the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position.
This indicator reminds you and your
passengers to f asten your seat belts.
If either of you do not f asten your
seat belt while driving, the beeper
will sound and the indicator will f lash
again at regular intervals. For more
inf ormation, see page .
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position bef ore f astening
your seat belt, the beeper sounds,
and the indicator f lashes. If you do
notfastenyourseatbeltbeforethe
beeper stops, the indicator stops
f lashing but remains on.1.
2.
18 351Parking Brake
and Brake
System
Indicator
Seat Belt Reminder
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
59
U.S. Canada
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2009 Civic Sedan

To apply the parking brake, pull the
lever up f ully. To release it, pull up
slightly, push the button, and lower
the lever. The parking brake
indicator on the instrument panel
should go out when the parking
brake is f ully released (see page ).
The outside mirrors are heated to
remove fog and frost. With the
ignition switch in the ON (II)
position, turn on the heaters by
pressing the button. The indicator in
the button comes on as a reminder.
Press the button again to turn the
heaters off. Pressing this button also
turns the rear window def ogger on
and off. 59On All EX-L, Canadian Sport and Si
models
Parking Brake
Heated Mirrors
Mirrors, Parking Brake
Inst rument s and Cont rols
105
PARKING BRAKE LEVER
HEATED MIRROR BUTTON
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake applied can damage the rear
brakes and hubs. A beeper will sound if
the vehicle is driven with the parking
brake on.
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Push the CRUISE button on the
steering wheel. The CRUISE
MAIN indicator on the instrument
panel comes on.
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speedabove25mph(40km/h).
Cruise control allows you to maintain
asetspeedabove25mph(40km/h)
without keeping your f oot on the
accelerator pedal. It should be used
f or cruising on straight, open
highways. It is not recommended f or
city driving, winding roads, slippery
roads, heavy rain, or bad weather.
Cruise control may not hold the set
speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to
slow down. This will cancel cruise
control. To resume the set speed,
press the RES/ACCEL button. The
indicator on the instrument panel will
come back on.
When climbing a steep hill, the
automatic transmission may
downshifttoholdthesetspeed.Press and release the SET/
DECELbuttononthesteering
wheel. The CRUISE CONTROL
indicator on the instrument panel
comes on to show the system is
now activated.
1.
2. 3.
If equippedUsing the Cruise Control
Cruise Control
208
CANCEL
BUTTON
RES/ACCEL
BUTTON
CRUISE BUTTON
SET/DECEL
BUTTON
Improper use of the cruise
control can lead to a crash.
Use the cruise control only
when traveling on open
highways in good weather.
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Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time. We recommend using quality
gasolines containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy, metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause occasional metallic knocking
noises in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance. Use
of a gasoline with a pump octane
number less than 87 can lead to
engine damage.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Do not tow a trailer.
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
A ll models except Si
Si model only
248
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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. 352
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
257
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
258
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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 .264
........................
Preparing to Drive .265
.......................
Starting the Engine .266
...................
Manual Transmission .267
..............
Automatic Transmission .270
...........................................
Parking .274
.............................
Braking System .275
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .276
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
),
aka Electronic Stability ........
Control (ESC), System .278
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .280
...........................
Towing a Trailer .283
Driving
Driving
263
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Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th
5th to 6th
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 long time 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) 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)
With 5-speed manual transmission With 6-speed manual transmission
On Si model
Recommended Shif t Points
Manual T ransmission
268
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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