2011 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID Owners Manual

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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. 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.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.
Fill the f uel tank.
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.
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WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling. Vehicle Storage
Checking the 12 Volt Battery, Vehicle Storage
Maint enance
309
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normaloperation.
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 batterymaintenance.
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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, such
as 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.
Vacuum dirt and dust f rom the
leather f requently. Pay close
attention to the pleats and seams.
Clean the leather with a sof t cloth
dampened with a 90% water and 10%
neutral wool detergent solution.
Then buf f it with a clean, dry cloth.
Remove any dust or dirt on leather
surf aces immediately.
Vehicle Storage, Interior Care
Leather
310 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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This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire . 312
....................
Changing a Flat Tire . 313
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start . 317
................................
Jump Starting . 319
..............
If the Engine Overheats . 321
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 323
..........
Charging System Indicator . 324
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 325
...............
Brake System Indicator . 326
..............................................
Fuses . 327
..............................
Fuse Locations . 331
......................
Emergency Towing . 333
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
311
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Check the air pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road
surf aces. Use greater caution
while driving.
Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indicator bars. The
replacement tire should be the same
size and design, mounted on the
samewheel.Thesparetireisnot
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the spare wheel is not
designed f or mounting a regular tire.
Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare tire.
Do not use your compact spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel.
Use the compact spare tire as a
temporary replacement only. Get
your regular tire repaired or replaced,
and put it back on your vehicle as
soon as you can.
On vehicles with the TPMS
system, the low tire pressure
indicator comes on and stays on
af ter you replace the flat tire with
the compact spare tire. Af ter
several miles (kilometers) driving
with the compact spare tire, the
TPMS indicator comes on and the
low tire pressure indicator goes of f .
Compact Spare Tire
312 INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm
)
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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 T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
313
JACK
SPARE TIRE
TRUNK 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 thejack.
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Loosen each wheel nut 1/2 turn
with the wheel nut wrench.
Remove the center cap from the
wheel with the extension. Place the jack under the jacking
point nearest the tire you need to
change. Turn the end bracket
clockwise until the top of the jack
contacts the jacking point. Make
sure the jacking point tab is
restinginthejacknotch.
6.
7.8.
Changing a Flat T ire
314 WHEEL NUT WRENCH
JACKING POINTS
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Use the extension and the wheel
nut wrench as shown to raise the
vehicle until the f lat tire is of f the
ground.
Remove the wheel nuts, then
remove the f lat tire. Handle the
wheel nuts caref ully; they may be
hot f rom driving. Place the f lat tire
on the ground with the outside
surface f acing up.Bef ore mounting the spare tire,
wipeanydirtoff themounting
surface of the wheel and hub with
a clean cloth. Wipe the hub
carefully;itmaybehotfrom
driving.Put on the spare tire. Put the
wheel nuts back on f inger-tight,
then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel nut wrench
until the wheel is f irmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten the
wheel nuts f ully.
Lower the vehicle to the ground,
and remove the jack.
9.
10. 11.12. 13.
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Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
315
BRAKE HUB
WHEEL NUT WRENCH EXTENSION
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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 T ire
316 SPACER CONE
WING BOLT
For
sparetire
For
normaltire
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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