snow chains HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1998 Owners Manual

Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 219 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Honda

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 142
Important Safety Precautions.. 143

Maintenance Schedule.................. 144

Maintenance Record..................... 151
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 153

Fluid Locations............................... 154

Engine Oil....................................... 155 Adding Oil................................... 155Recommended Oil..................... 155Synthetic Oil............................... 156

Additives..................................... 156
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 157

Cooling System.............................. 159
Adding Engine Coolant............. 159Replacing Engine Coolant........ 161

Windshield Washers..................... 164

Transmission Fluid........................ 164
Automatic
Transmission.......................... 164

5-speed Manual
Transmission.......................... 166

Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 166
Brake System............................. 167Clutch System............................ 167

Power Steering............................... 168

Air Cleaner Element...................... 169 Spark Plugs..................................... 171

Replacement............................... 171

Specifications............................. 172

Battery............................................ 173

Wiper Blades.................................. 175
Air Conditioning System............... 177 Drive Belts...................................... 178

Timing Belt..................................... 178

Tires................................................ 179 Inflation....................................... 179
Recommended Tire Pressures
for Normal Driving............ 180
Inspection................................... 181
Maintenance............................... 181
Tire Rotation.............................. 182
Replacing Tires and Wheels ....
183

Wheels an d
Tires....................... 184
Winter Driving........................... 184 Snow Tires.............................. 184
Tire Chains............................. 185
Lights.............................................. 186 Headlight Aiming...................... 188
Replacing Bulbs......................... 189

Storing Your Vehicle..................... 197

MaintenanceMain Menu s t

Tires

Wheels and Tires

Wheels:
(U.S.: DX, EX, Canada: Si)14x5J
(U.S.: HX)
14x51/2 JJ

Tires:

P185/65R1485S

See Tire Information o
n page 235 for
additional information about tire and
wheel size designations. See page 231 for information about DOT Tire
Quality Grading.
Winter Driving

Tires that are marked "M + S" or
"All Season" on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They should be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate performance in winter driving.For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should installsnow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions.
Snow Tires

If you mount snow tires on your
Honda, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels to balance
your vehicle's handling in all weather conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads may not be as high as your vehicle's
original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommenda-
tions.

MaintenanceMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Tires

Tire Chains

Mount snow chains on your vehicle
when warranted by driving condi- tions or required by local laws. Makesure the chains are the correct size
for your tires. Install them only on
the front tires. If metal chains are
used, they must be SAE class "S".Cable type traction devices can also
be used.
When installing chains, follow the manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If
you hear the chains contacting the body or chassis, stop and investigate
them. Make sure the chains areinstalled tightly, and that they are
not contacting the brake lines or
suspension. Remove the chains as
soon as you begin driving on cleared

roads.
Chains of the wrong size or that are
improperly installed can damage your
vehicle's brake lines, suspension, body,
and wheels. Stop driving if you hear the chains hitting any part of the

vehicles.

Maintenance

NOTICEMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Compact Spare Tire

Your vehicle has a compact spare tire that takes up less space. Use this spare tire as a temporary replace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put back on
your vehicle as soon as you can.
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to:
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm2)
Follow these precautions whenever
you are using the compact spare tire:
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances.
This tire gives a harsher ride and less traction on some road sur-
faces than the regular tire. Use
greater caution while driving on
this tire.

Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare.
The wheel of the compact spare tire is designed especially to fit
your vehicle. Do not use your spare tire on another vehicle

unless it is the same make and

model.
The compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular tire. Replaceit when you can see the tread wear
indicator bars. The replacement should be the same size and design
tire, mounted on the same wheel.
The compact spare tire is not designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the compact wheel is not designed for mounting a regular tire.
Taking Care of the Unexpected INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BARMain Menu Table of Contents s t