2012 HONDA CIVIC Owners Manual

16
Quick Reference Guide
VSA®
OFF Button (P 224)
● The vehicle stability assist (VSA ®
) system
helps stabilize the vehicle during
cornering, and helps maintain traction
while accelerating on loose or slippery
road surfaces.
● VSA ®
comes on automatically every time
you start the engine.
● To turn VSA ®
on or off, press and hold
the button until you hear a beep.
Cruise Control *
(P 220)
● Cruise control allows you to maintain a
set speed without keeping your foot on
the accelerator pedal.
● To use cruise control, press the CRUISE
button, then press once you have
received the desired speed (above 25 mph or 40 km/h).
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) (P 225)
● TPMS monitors tire pressure.
● TPMS is turned on automatically every
time you start the engine.
–/SET
U.S. models only
Refueling (P 234)
a Push the fuel fill door
release handle.
b Turn the fuel fill cap
slowly to remove the cap.
c Place the cap in the
holder on the fuel fill
door.
d After refueling, screw
the cap back on until it
clicks at least once.
Fuel recommendation:
Unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number 87 or
higher required
Premium unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number
91 or higher recommended
Fuel tank capacity: 13.2 US gal (50 L)
1.8  engine models
2.4  engine models

17
Quick Reference GuideMaintenance (P 239)
Under the Hood (P 251)
● Check engine oil, engine coolant, and windshield washer
fluid. Add when necessary.
● Check brake fluid and clutch fluid.
● Check the battery regularly.
a Pull the hood release handle under the corner of the
dashboard.
b Locate the hood latch lever, pull the lever up, and lift up
the hood.
c When finished, close the hood and make sure it is firmly
locked in place.
Lights (P 268)
● Inspect all lights regularly.
Wiper Blades
(P 278)
● Replace blades if they leave streaks
across the windshield.
Tires (P 280)
● Inspect tires and wheels regularly.
● Check tire pressures regularly.
● Install snow tires for winter
driving.
* Not available on all models

18
Quick Reference GuideHandling the Unexpected (P 297)
Flat Tire (P 299)
● Park in a safe location and replace the
flat tire with the compact spare tire in the
trunk.
Indicators Come On
(P 313) ● Identify the indicator and consult the
owner's manual.
Engine Won't Start
(P 306) ●If the battery is dead, jump start using a
booster battery.
Blown Fuse (P 318)
● Check for a blown fuse if an electrical
device does not operate.Overheating (P 311)
● Park in a safe location. If you do not see
steam under the hood, open the hood,
and let the engine cool down.
Emergency Towing
(P 321) ● Call a professional towing service if you
need to tow your vehicle.

19
Quick Reference GuideWhat to Do IfThe ignition switch does not turn from
(0 to (q .
Why? ●
The steering wheel may be locked.
● Try to turn the steering wheel left and right
while turning the ignition key.
The ignition switch does not turn from
(q to (0 and
I cannot remove the key.
Why? The shift lever should be moved to
(P
.
Why does the brake pedal pulsate slightly when
applying the brakes? This can occur when the ABS activates, and does not indicate a
problem. Apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal. Never
pump the brake pedal.
The rear door cannot be
opened from inside the
vehicle. Why? Check if the childproof lock is in the
LOCK position. If so, open the rear door with the outside door handle.
To cancel this function, push the lever
to the UNLOCK position.

20
Quick Reference Guide
Why do the doors lock
after I unlocked the doors
using a remote transmitter?If you do not open the doors within 30 seconds, the doors are
relocked automatically for security.
Why does the beeper
sound when I open the driver's door? The beeper sounds when: ●
The key is left in the ignition switch.
● The exterior lights are left on.
Why does the beeper
sound when I start driving? The beeper sounds when: ●
Driver and/or front passenger are not wearing their seat belts.
● The parking brake lever is not fully released.
Why do I hear a screeching
sound when I apply the
brake pedal? The brake pads may need to be replaced. Have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer.
Is it possible to use
unleaded gasoline with a Pump Octane Number
(PON) of 87 or higher on
this vehicle? Unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is recommended.
If premium unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is not
available, you can temporarily use the gasoline with a PON of 87 or higher.
This will result in decreased engine
performance, and can cause
occasional metallic knocking noise in the engine.
Models with remote transmitter
2.4  engine models

21
Quick Reference Guide
California Proposition 65 Warning Event Data Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder (EDR).
The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding how a vehicle’s
systems performed. The EDR is designed to record data related
to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle is
designed to record such data as: • How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator
and/or brake pedal; and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data
are recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and
crash location) are recorded. However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
WARNING: This product contains or emits
chemicals known to the state of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is required,
and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as law enforcement, that
have the special equipment, can read the information if they have
access to the vehicle or the EDR.
The data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by
anyone else except as legally required or with the permission of the
vehicle owner.
Service Diagnostic Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record
information about powertrain performance. The data can be used
to verify emissions law requirements and/or help technicians
diagnose and solve service problems. It may also be combined with
data from other sources for research purposes, but it remains
confidential.
California Perchlorate Contamination Prevention Act
The airbags, seat belt tensioners, and CR type batteries in this
vehicle may contain perchlorate materials - special handling may apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate/
As you read this manual, you will find information that is preceded
by a symbol. This information is intended to help you avoid
damage to your vehicle, other property, or the environment.
NOTICE

22
Quick Reference Guide
A Few Words About Safety
Your safety, and the safety of others, is very important. And
operating this vehicle safely is an important responsibility.
To help you make informed decisions about safety, we have
provided operating procedures and other information on labels and
in this manual. This information alerts you to potential hazards that
could hurt you or others.
Of course, it is not practical or possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or maintaining your vehicle. You
must use your own good judgement.You will find this important safety information in a variety of forms,
including: ●
Safety Labels - on the vehicle.
● Safety Messages - preceded by a safety alert symbol
3 and
one of three signal words: DANGER, WARNING , or CAUTION .
These signal words mean:
● Safety Headings - such as Important Safety Precautions.
● Safety Section - such as Safe Driving.
● Instructions - how to use this vehicle correctly and safely.
This entire book is filled with important safety information - please read it carefully.
3 DANGERYou WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if
you don't follow instructions.
3WARNINGYou CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if
you don't follow instructions.
3CAUTIONYou CAN be HURT if you don't follow instructions.

23
Safe Driving
You can find many safety recommendations throughout this chapter, and throughout this manual.
For Safe Driving
Important Safety Precautions ............. 24
Your Vehicle's Safety Features............ 26
Seat Belts
About Your Seat Belts ........................ 28
Fastening a Seat Belt .......................... 31
Seat Belt Inspection............................ 34
Airbags Airbag System Components ............... 35
Types of Airbags ................................ 38
Front Airbags (SRS) ............................ 38
Side Airbags....................................... 42 Side Curtain Airbags .......................... 45
Airbag System Indicators.................... 46
Airbag Care ....................................... 49
Child Safety
Protecting Child Passengers ............... 50Safety of Infants and Small Children ....... 52
Safety of Larger Children ................... 60
Exhaust Gas Hazard Carbon Monoxide Gas ....................... 62
Safety Labels
Label Locations .................................. 63