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Contents
This owner’s manual should be considered a permanent part of the  
vehicle and should remain with the vehicle when it is sold.
This owner’s manual covers all models of the Civic 4-Door. You may 
find descriptions of equipment and features that are not on your 
particular model. 
Images throughout this owner’s manual (including the front cover)  
represent features and equipment that are available on some, but  
not all, models. Your particular model may not have some of these  features. 
This owner’s manual is for vehicles sold in the United States and  Canada. 
The information and specifications included in this publication were  
in effect at the time of approval for printing. Honda Motor Co., Ltd.  
reserves the right, however, to discontinue or change specifications  
or design at any time without notice and without incurring any  
obligation.2 Safe Driving  P. 23
For Safe Driving P. 24 Seat Belts P. 28 Airbags P. 35
2Instrument Panel  P. 65
Indicators P. 66 Gauges and Displays P. 78
2Controls  P. 97
Setting the Clock P. 98 Locking and Unlocking the Doors P. 99 
Opening and Closing the Moonroof *
 P. 116
Adjusting the Seats P. 126
2 Features  P. 143
Audio System *
 P. 144 Audio System Basic Operation *
 P. 147
Bluetooth ®
 HandsFreeLink ®*
 P. 177
2 Driving  P. 201
Before Driving P. 202 Towing a Trailer P. 207 
Refueling P. 234 Fuel Economy P. 237
2Maintenance  P. 239
Before Performing Maintenance P. 240 Maintenance Minder™ P. 243 
Checking and Maintaining Wiper Blades P. 278 
Heating and Cooling *
 System Maintenance P. 291
2 Handling the Unexpected  P. 297
Tools P. 298 If a Tire Goes Flat P. 299 
Overheating P. 311 Indicator, Coming On/Blinking P. 313
2Information  P. 323
Specifications P. 324 Identification Numbers P. 328 
Emissions Testing P. 331 Warranty Coverages P. 333
Main Menu2012 Civic 4D Online Reference Owner's Manual 
     
        
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Quick Reference GuideSafe Driving (P 23)
Airbags (P 35)
● Your vehicle is fitted with airbags to help protect you and  
your passengers during a moderate-to-severe collision.
Child Safety  (P 50)
● All children 12 and younger should be seated in the rear seat.
● Smaller children should be properly restrained in a forward-facing child seat.
● Infants must be properly restrained in a rear-facing child seat.
Exhaust Gas Hazard  (P 62)
● Your vehicle emits dangerous exhaust gases that contain carbon  
monoxide. Do not run the engine in confined spaces where carbon  
monoxide gas can accumulate.
Before Driving Checklist  (P 27)
● Before driving, check that the front seats, head restraints,  
steering wheel, and mirrors have been properly adjusted. Seat Belts 
(P 28)
● Fasten your seat belt and sit upright well  
back in the seat.
● Check that your passengers are wearing  
their seat belts correctly.
Fasten your lap belt as  
low as possible.  
     
        
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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
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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   
     
        
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28
Safe Driving
Seat Belts
About Your Seat Belts 
Seat belts are the single most effective safety device because they keep you  
connected to the vehicle so that you can take advantage of many built-in safety  
features. They also help keep you from being thrown against the inside of the  
vehicle, against other passengers, or out of the vehicle. When worn properly, seat 
belts also keep your body properly positioned in a crash so that you can take full  
advantage of the additional protection provided by the airbags. 
In addition, seat belts help protect you in almost every type of crash, including:
- frontal impacts
- side impacts
- rear impacts
- rollovers
■ Lap/shoulder seat belts
All five seating positions are equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts with emergency  
locking retractors. In normal driving the retractor lets you move freely while keeping 
some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop the retractor locks to  
restrain your body. The rear seat belts also have a lockable retractor for use with  
child seats. 2 Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt  P. 57
1About Your Seat Belts 
Seat belts cannot completely protect you in every  
crash. But in most cases, seat belts can reduce your  risk of serious injury. 
Most states and all Canadian provinces and territories  
require you to wear seat belts.
3WARNING
Not wearing a seat belt properly increases  
the chance of serious injury or death in a 
crash, even though your vehicle has  
airbags. 
Be sure you and your passengers always  
wear seat belts and wear them properly. 
     
        
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uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts
30
Safe DrivingThe front seats are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners to enhance safety. 
The tensioners automatically tighten the front seat belts during a moderate-to- 
severe frontal collision, sometimes even if the collision is not severe enough to 
inflate the front airbags.
■Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners1Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners 
The seat belt tensioners can only operate once. 
If a tensioner is activated, the SRS indicator will come  
on. Have a dealer replace the tensioner and 
thoroughly inspect the seat belt system as it may not  
offer protection in a subsequent crash. 
During a moderate-to-severe side impact, the  
tensioner on that side of the vehicle also activates.     
     
        
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uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt
Continued
Safe Driving
Fastening a Seat Belt 
After adjusting a front seat to the proper position, and while sitting upright and well  
back in the seat:2 Adjusting the Seats  P. 126
1.Pull the seat belt out slowly.
2. Insert the latch plate into the buckle, then  
tug on the belt to make sure the buckle is  secure.
uMake sure that the belt is not twisted or  
caught on anything.
1Fastening a Seat Belt 
No one should sit in a seat with an inoperative seat  
belt or one that does not appear to be working  
correctly. Using a seat belt that is not working 
properly may not protect the occupant in a crash.  
Have a dealer check the belt as soon as possible. 
Never insert any foreign objects into the buckle or  
retractor mechanism.
Pull out slowly.
Correct  Seated Posture.
Latch  
Plate
Buckle   
     
        
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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