2012 HONDA CIVIC Door

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uuFor Safe DrivinguYour Vehicle's Safety Features
Safe Driving
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
The following checklist will help you take an active role in protecting yourself and
your passengers.
1Your Vehicle's Safety Features
Your vehicle is equipped with many features that
work together to help protect you and your
passengers during a crash.
Some features do not require any action on your part.
These include a strong steel framework that forms a
safety cage around the passenger compartment,
front and rear crush zones, a collapsible steering
column, and tensioners that tighten the front seat belts in a sufficient crash.
However, you and your passengers cannot take full
advantage of these features unless you remain seated
in the correct position and always wear your seat
belts. In fact, some safety features can contribute to
injuries if they are not used properly.
Safety Cage
Crush Zones
Seats and Seat-Backs
Head Restraints
Collapsible Steering Column
Seat Belts
Front Airbags
Side Airbags
Side Curtain Airbags
Door Locks
Seat Belt Tensioners
Occupant Position Detection
System (OPDS) Sensor
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
6
912
10
11
7
8
7
10
8
9

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uuFor Safe DrivinguYour Vehicle's Safety Features
Safe DrivingFor the safety of you and your passengers, make a habit of checking these items
each time before you drive. •After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure all doors are closed and locked.
Locking the doors helps prevent an occupant from being ejected and an outsider
from unexpectedly opening a door.
2 Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 103
• Adjust your seat to a position suitable for driving. Be sure the front seats are
adjusted as far to the rear as possible while allowing the driver to control the
vehicle. Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious or fatal injury in a crash.
2 Adjusting the Seats P. 126
• Adjust head restraints to the proper position. Head restraints are most effective
when the center of the head restraint aligns with the center of your head. Taller
persons should adjust their head restraint to the highest position.
2 Adjusting the Head Restraints P. 129
• Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly. Confirm that any
passengers are properly belted as well.
2 Fastening a Seat Belt P. 31
• Protect children by using seat belts or child seats according to a child's age, height
and weight.
2 Child Safety P. 50
■Safety CheckList1Safety CheckList
If the door open indicator is on, a door is not
completely closed. Close all doors tightly until the indicator goes off.
2 Door Open Indicator P. 70
*
* Not available on all models

uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt
32
Safe Driving
3. Position the lap part of the belt as low as
possible across your hips, then pull up on
the shoulder part of the belt so the lap part
fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic
bones take the force of a crash and reduces
the chance of internal injuries.
4. If necessary, pull up on the belt again to
remove any slack, then check that the belt
rests across the center of your chest and
over your shoulder. This spreads the forces
of a crash over the strongest bones in your
upper body.
The front seats have adjustable shoulder anchors to accommodate taller and shorter
occupants. 1.Move the anchor up and down while holding the release button.
2. Position the anchor so that the belt rests
across the center of your chest and over
your shoulder.1Fastening a Seat Belt
To release the belt, push the red PRESS button then
guide the belt by hand until it has retracted completely.
When exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt is out of
the way and will not get caught by closing the door.
3WARNING
Improperly positioning the seat belts can
cause serious injury or death in a crash.
Make sure all seat belts are properly
positioned before driving.Lap belt as low as
possible
■Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor1Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor
The shoulder anchor height can be adjusted to four
levels. If the belt contacts your neck, lower the height
one level at a time.
After an adjustment, make sure that the shoulder
anchor position is secure.
Push

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uuChild SafetyuProtecting Child Passengers
Safe Driving
•Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an
approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using either the lap belt
portion of the lap/shoulder belt or the lower anchors of the LATCH system.
• Never hold a child on your lap because it is impossible to protect them in the
event of a collision.
• Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would
likely press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.
• Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows or seat adjustments.
• Do not leave children in the vehicle unattended, especially in hot weather when
the inside of the vehicle can get hot enough to kill them. They could also activate
vehicle controls causing it to move unexpectedly.1Protecting Child Passengers
To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
To remind you of the passenger's front airbag
hazards and child safety, your vehicle has warning
labels on the dashboard (U.S. models) and on the
front visors. Please read and follow the instructions
on these labels.
2 Safety Labels P. 63
3WARNING
Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or
wrap one around their neck can result in
serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat
belt and make sure any unused seat belt a
child can reach is buckled, fully retracted,
and locked.

62
Safe Driving
Exhaust Gas Hazard
Carbon Monoxide Gas
The engine exhaust from this vehicle contains carbon monoxide, a colorless,
odorless, and highly toxic gas. As long as you properly maintain your vehicle, carbon
monoxide gas will not get into the interior. ■Have the exhaust system inspected for leaks whenever
• The exhaust system is making an unusual noise.
• The exhaust system may have been damaged.
• The vehicle is raised for an oil change.
When you operate a vehicle with the trunk open, airflow can pull exhaust gas into
the interior and create a hazardous condition. If you must drive with the trunk open,
open all the windows and set the heating and cooling *
system as shown below.
1. Select the fresh air mode.
2. Select the mode.
3. Set the fan speed to high.
4. Set the temperature control to a comfortable setting.
Adjust the heating and cooling *
system in the same manner if you sit in your parked
vehicle with the engine running.
1Carbon Monoxide Gas
An enclosed area such as a garage can quickly fill up with carbon monoxide gas.
Do not run the engine with the garage door closed.
Even when the garage door is open, drive out of the
garage immediately after starting the engine.
3WARNING
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause unconsciousness and
even kill you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or activities that
expose you to carbon monoxide.
* Not available on all models

63
Safe Driving
Safety Labels
Label Locations
These labels are in the locations shown. They warn you of potential hazards that can cause serious injury or death. Read these labels
carefully.
If a label comes off or becomes hard to read (except for the U.S. dashboard label which may be removed by the owner), contact a dealer
for a replacement.
Sun Visor
U.S. models Canadian models
Radiator Cap DoorjambsU.S. models
U.S. models only Dashboard
Canadian models
Doorjambs

70
uuIndicatorsu
Instrument Panel
IndicatorNameOn/BlinkingExplanationMessage*
VSA®
(Vehicle
Stability Assist)
System Indicator
● Comes on for a few seconds when
you turn the ignition switch to ON
(w , then goes off.
● Blinks when VSA ®
is active.
● Comes on if there is a problem with the VSA ®
system.
● Stays on constantly - Have the vehicle
checked by a dealer. 2VSA ®
(Vehicle Stability Assist)
System P. 223
VSA®
(Vehicle
Stability Assist)
OFF Indicator
● Comes on for a few seconds when
you turn the ignition switch to ON
(w , then goes off.
● Comes on when you deactivate VSA ®
.2 VSA ®
(Vehicle Stability Assist)
System P. 224—
Door Open
Indicator
●
Comes on for a few seconds if you
turn the ignition switch to ON
(w ,
then goes off.
● Comes on if any door is not completely closed.
● The beeper sounds and the indicator
comes on if any door is opened
while driving.
●Goes off when all doors are closed.
* Not available on all models

73
uuIndicatorsu
Continued
Instrument Panel
IndicatorNameOn/BlinkingExplanationMessage*
Turn Signal
Indicators
●
The turn signal indicators blink when
you operate the turn signal lever.
● If you press the hazard warning
button, both indicators and all turn
signals blink at the same time.● Does not blink or blinks rapidly - A
turn signal light bulb has blown.
Change the bulb immediately. 2Replacing Light Bulbs
P. 273, 275
—
High-Beam
Indicator●
Comes on when the high beam
headlights are on.
——
Lights On
Indicator
●Comes on whenever the light switch
is on, or in AUTO *
when the exterior
lights are on.● If you remove the key from the ignition
switch while the exterior lights are on, a
chime sounds when the driver's door is
opened.
—
Fog Light
Indicator *●
Comes on when the fog lights are
on.
——
Side Airbag Off
Indicator
●
Comes on for a few seconds when
you turn the ignition switch to ON
(w , then goes off.
● Comes on when the passenger side
airbag system is automatically shut
off.
● It does not mean there is a problem
with your side airbags.
● Comes on when nobody is sitting in
the passenger seat - Have the vehicle
checked by a dealer.
● Comes on when someone is sitting
in the seat - Have the passenger sit
properly.U.S.
Canada
* Not available on all models