2015 HONDA CIVIC COUPE ECO mode

291
Driving
This chapter discusses driving, refueling, and information on items such as accessories.
Before DrivingDriving Preparation .......................... 292
Maximum Load Limit........................ 295
Towing a Trailer
Towing Your Vehicle ........................ 297
When Driving Starting the Engine .................. 298, 300
Precautions While Driving................. 303
Continuously Variable Transmission.. 304
Shifting ............................ 305, 307, 311
ECON Button
*................................. 314 Cruise Control ................................. 315
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
®), aka Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), System ............... 318
LaneWatch
TM*.......................................... 320
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ... 322
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - Required Federal Explanation ............. 324Braking
Brake System ................................... 326
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ........... 328
Brake Assist System.......................... 329 Parking Your Vehicle
When Stopped ................................ 330
Rearview Camera
*............................ 331
Refueling Fuel Information .............................. 332
How to Refuel ................................. 333
Fuel Economy Improving Fuel Economy .................. 335
Accessories and Modifications Accessories ...................................... 336
Modifications................................... 336
* Not available on all models

299
uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
Driving
3. Turn the ignition switch to START
(e

without depressing the accelerator pedal.
1. Keeping your right foot on the brake pedal, release the parking brake. Check that
the parking brake indicator has gone off.
2 Parking Brake P. 326
2.Put the shift lever in
(D
. Select
(R
when reversing.
3. Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to pull
away.
■Hill start assist system
Hill start assist keeps the brake engaged briefly to help prevent the vehicle from
rolling on inclines as you move your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
Depress the clutch pedal, and shift to one of the forward gears when facing uphill,
or (R
when facing downhill, then release the brake pedal.
Move the shift lever to
(D
, (S
, or
(L
when facing uphill, or
(R
when facing
downhill, then release the brake pedal.
1 Starting the Engine
Do not hold the key in START
(e for more than 15
seconds.
•If the engine does not start right away, wait for at
least 10 seconds before trying again.•If the engine starts, but then immediately stops,
wait at least 10 seconds before repeating step 3
while gently depressing the acce lerator pedal.
Release the accelerator pedal once the engine
starts.
The immobilizer system protects your vehicle from
theft. If an improperly coded key (or other device) is
used, the engine's fuel system is disabled. 2 Immobilizer System P. 116
All models
■
Starting to DriveContinuously variable transmission modelsManual transmission modelsContinuously variable transmission models
1Hill start assist system
Hill start assist may not prevent the vehicle from
rolling downhill on a very steep or slippery slope, and
does not operate on small inclines.
Hill start assist is not a replacement for the parking
brake.

Continued
301
uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
Driving
3. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
without depressing the accelerator pedal.
You can turn the engine off when the vehicle is completely stopped.
1. Shift to
(P
.
2. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button.
• If the shift lever is in
(N
, press the ENGINE START/STOP button.
• If the shift lever is in any gear other than
(N
, depress the clutch pedal, then press
the ENGINE START/STOP button.
All models
■
Stopping the Engine
1Starting the Engine
Bring the smart entry remote close to the ENGINE
START/STOP button if the battery in the smart entry
remote is weak.
2 If the Smart Entry Remote Battery is Weak
P. 401
The engine may not start if the smart entry remote is
subjected to strong radio waves.
Do not hold the ENGINE START/STOP button to
start the engine.
If the engine does not start, wait at least 10 seconds
before trying again.
Continuously variable transmission modelsManual transmission models

uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
302Driving
1. Keeping your right foot on the brake pedal, release the parking brake. Check that
the parking brake indicator has gone off.
2 Parking Brake P. 326
2.Put the shift lever in
(D
. Select
(R
when reversing.
3. Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to pull
away.
■Hill start assist system
Hill start assist keeps the brake engaged briefly to help prevent the vehicle from
rolling on inclines as you move your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
Depress the clutch pedal, and shift to
(1
when facing uphill, or
(R
when facing
downhill, then release the brake pedal.
Move the shift lever to
(D
or
(S
when facing uphill, or
(R
when facing downhill,
then release the brake pedal.
■
Starting to DriveContinuously variable transmission modelsManual transmission modelsContinuously variable transmission models
1 Hill start assist system
Hill start assist may not prevent the vehicle from
rolling downhill on a very steep or slippery slope, and
does not operate on small inclines.
Hill start assist is not a replacement for the parking
brake.

303
uuWhen Driving uPrecautions While Driving
Driving
Precautions While DrivingAvoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine or
driveline, or cause electrical component failure.
If there is a strong impact with something under the vehicle, stop in a safe location.
Check the underside of the vehicle for damage or any fluid leaks.*1: Models with the smart entry system have an ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an
ignition switch.■
In Rain
■
Other Precautions
1 Precautions While DrivingNOTICEDo not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.
If the ignition switch is turned to ACCESSORY
(q*1
while driving, the engine will shut down and all
steering and brake power assist functions will stop,
making it difficult to control the vehicle.
Do not put the shift lever in
( N, as you will lose
engine braking (and acceleration) performance.
During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as not to damage the engine or powertrain.
Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
You should also follow this when the brake pads are
replaced.
NOTICEIf you repeatedly turn the steering wheel at an
extremely low speed, or hold the steering wheel on
the full left or right position for a while, the electric
power steering (EPS) system heats up. The system
goes into a protective mode, and limits its
performance. The steering wheel becomes harder
and harder to operate. Once the system cools down,
the EPS system is restored.
Repeated operation under these conditions can
eventually damage the system.

Continued
309
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
Use the paddle shifters to change between 1st and 7th speeds without removing
your hands from the steering wheel. The transmission switches to the 7-speed
manual shift mode when you pull a paddle shifter while driving. This mode is useful
when engine braking is needed.■When the shift lever is in
(D
:
The shift mode goes into the 7-speed manual shift mode temporarily, and the
number is displayed in the shift indicator.
The 7-speed manual shift mode is canceled automatically if you drive at constant
speed or accelerate, and the number in the shift indicator goes off.
You can cancel this mode by pulling the
(+
paddle shifter for a few seconds.
The 7-speed manual shift mode is especially useful when reducing the vehicle speed
temporarily before making a turn.
■When the shift lever is in
(S
:
The shift mode goes into the 7-speed manual shift mode. The M indicator and the
speed number are displayed in the shift indicator. As the vehicle speed slows down,
the transmission automatically shifts down accordingly. When the vehicle comes to
a stop, it automatically shifts down into 1st.
If the vehicle speed increases and the engine speed reaches near the tachometer’s
red zone, the transmission automatically shifts up.
You can only pull away in 1st speed.
When canceling the 7-speed manual shift mode, move the shift lever from
(S
to
(D
. When the 7-speed manual shift mode is canceled, the M indicator and shift
indicator go off.
■
7-Speed Manual Shift Mode
1 7-Speed Manual Shift Mode
In the 7-speed manual shift mode, the transmission
shifts up or down by operating either paddle shifter
under the following conditions:
Shift Up: The engine speed reaches the lowest
threshold of the higher speed position.
Shift Down: The engine speed reaches the highest
threshold of the lower speed position.
When the engine speed reaches near the
tachometer’s red zone, the transmission shifts up
automatically.
When the engine speed reaches the lowest threshold
of the selected speed position, the transmission shifts
down automatically.
Operating the paddle shifters on slippery surfaces
may cause the tires to lock up. In this case, the 7-
speed manual shift mode is canceled and goes back
to the normal D driving mode.

uuWhen Driving uShifting
310Driving
■
7-Speed Manual Shift Mode Operation
17-Speed Manual Shift Mode Operation
Each paddle shift operation makes a single speed
change.
To change continuously, release the paddle shifter
before pulling it again for the next speed.
Recommended Shift Points
Use this table as a guideline for efficient fuel
economy and effective emission control.
The shift indicator blinks when you cannot shift up or
down. It indicates that your vehicle speed is not in its
allowable shifting range.
Slightly accelerate to shift up and decelerate to shift
down while the indicator is blinking. Shift Up Normal Acceleration
1 to 2
15 mph (24 km/h)
2 to 3 25 mph (40 km/h)
3 to 4
40 mph (64 km/h)
4 to 5 45 mph (72 km/h)
5 to 6
50 mph (80 km/h)
6 to 7 55 mph (89 km/h)
(- Paddle Shifter
(Shift down)
( + Paddle Shifter
(Shift up)
Downshifting when pulling
the
( - paddle shifter
(Changes to lower speed
number) Upshifting when pulling
the
(
+ paddle shifter
(Changes to higher speed
number)

311
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
ShiftingFully depress the clutch pedal to operate the shift lever and change gears, then
slowly release the pedal.
Depress the clutch pedal, and pause for a few seconds before shifting into
(R
, or
shift into one of the forward gears for a moment. This stops the gears so they do not
“grind.”
■
Shift Lever OperationManual transmission models
1 ShiftingNOTICEDo not shift to
(R before the vehicle comes to a
complete stop.
Shifting to
( R before stopping can damage the
transmission.
NOTICEBefore downshifting, make sure the engine will not
go into the tachometer's red zone. Should this occur,
it can severely damage your engine.
There is a metallic part on the shift lever. If you leave
the vehicle park ed outside for a long time on a hot
day, be careful before moving the shift lever. Because
of heat, the shift lever may be extremely hot. If the
outside temperature is low, the shift lever may feel
cold.