HONDA CIVIC 1991 Owner's Manual

Seat Belts (cont'd)
3. To release the seat belt, push the "PRESS" button in the buckle;
the belt
should retract automatically when released. If the belt
does not fully retract, pull it out and check for kinks or twists.

CAUTION:

Make sure both rear shoulder belts are positioned in front of the rear seat-backs whenever the seat-backs are in their upright
position.

Rear Center Seat Belt
Adjust the center lap belt length to fit snugly but comfortably when
buckled.
A slack belt will greatly reduce the protection afforded to the wearer. Hold the tongue plate perpendicular to the belt as shown. * To shorten, pull the end of the belt away from the tongue plate.
* To lengthen, pull the tongue plate.
Push the tongue plate into the buckle until it clicks locked. Position
the belt across your lap, not your abdomen, as low on your hips as possible.
Avoid placing the lap belt across your abdomen. In the event of a
collision, the pressure of the belt on the abdomen may increase
the extent of injury.
BUCKLE

To lengthen
To shorten
TONGUE PLATEProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Child Restraint

Children riding in the car should be restrained to minimize the risk of
injury in an accident, sudden stop or sudden maneuver.
According to accident statistics provided to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front

seat.

For smaller children, we strongly recommend the use of a
commercially available child restraint system that meets the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) because it offers the most
protection against injury. All states now have laws which require
that small children must be seated in a child passenger seat restraint
system. Check local laws.
Before buying a particular child restraint system, make sure it fits
your car seat and seat belts, and fits your child. Follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions when installing the seat.
Children who have outgrown the child restraint system should useone of the seat belts.
Make sure the belt is snug against the child's body with the
shoulder portion going over the shoulder and across the body to
evenly distribute the belt's restraining force.
Check that the lap portion of the belt is positioned low on the
child's hipbone and below the abdomen.
This way if the car is involved in an accident, the child would be less likely to slide under the seat belts. If the belt is too close to the child's neck or throat, you may want
to consider putting the child in an automobile booster seat that meets the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS).
Children should never ride unrestrained in an automobile.
Never use an infant carrier or child safety seat that "hooks"
over a seat-back; it may not provide adequate security in an
accident. Never allow a child to be held in a person's arms while they are
in a moving vehicle. Holding a child in a moving vehicle does not
provide the child with any means of protection during an
accident, even if the person holding the child is wearing a seat
belt.

(cont'd)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Seat Belts (cont'd)

[Hatchback]
Installation of Child Seat

All child restraint systems are designed to be secured by lap belts or
the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt. Children could be endangered in a crash, if their child restraints are not properlysecured. Follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions when
installing the seat.
Your Honda automobile is equipped with attachment points
specifically for a rear seat mounted child restraint system which
uses a top tether.

The tether attachment points are located on the rear panel beside
the taillight bulb inspection cover.
The automatic lap/shoulder restraint system at the front passengerseat cannot be used to secure a child restraint system. Instead, an
optional lap belt must be installed specifically for securing a child restraint system. Two anchor points have been provided behind the
front passenger seat for installation. The optional lap belt is available
from your Honda dealer.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

To Install A Child Seat
1. Remove the anchor point plugs with a coin or a screwdriver and
install the optional lap belt with
the fasteners that came with the
belt.

2. Once the optional lap belt is installed, follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint system for proper attachment.
Do not use the automatic lap/shoulder belt to secure the child
seat. It will not give enough protection to the child seat and the
child on it. The optional lap belt is for a child seat only. Do not use it for any
other purpose. When the child restraint system is not in use, remove it from
the car or secure it with the seat belt to keep it from becoming a
projectile in the event of an accident.
NOTE: See your Honda dealer for installation of the optional lap belt orthe child restraint system. When not in use, make sure the optional lap belt does not get
caught in the passenger's door or seat mechanism.

(cont'd)

ANCHOR POINTS

PLUGSProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Seat Belts (cont'd)

[Sedan]

Installation of Child Seat
All child restraint systems are designed to be secured by lap belts or
the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt. The automatic shoulder belt system at the front passenger seat should not be used to
secure the child restraint system. If a child seat must be installed on
the front seat, place the shoulder portion of the belt behind the child seat and secure the child seat with the lap belt only.
Children could be endangered in a crash, if their child restraints are
not properly secured. Follow the child seat manufacturer's
instructions when installing the seat.
Your Honda automobile is equipped with attachment pointsspecifically for a rear seat mounted child restraint system which

uses a top tether.

The tether attachment points are located on the rear tray, just behind the rear seat-back.
When the child restraint system is not in use, remove it from the
car or secure it with the seat belt to keep it from becoming aprojectile in the event of an accident.
NOTE:
See your Honda dealer for installation of the child restraint system.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Pregnant Women
A pregnant woman should use the shoulder and lap belts to help lessen the chance of injury and/or the amount of injury in anaccident.
It is desirable that a pregnant woman ask her doctor at each
medical check-up if she can drive, and also ask about the most
appropriate way of wearing the lap/shoulder belt.Lap belts should be worn as low and snugly as possible over the

hips.

Inspection
All parts of the seat belts, including the belt fabric, should beregularly inspected for fraying, loosening, wear and other damage.Keep the belts in good condition at all times to reduce the chance of
being injured in an accident, and to minimize any injuries that dooccur. Make sure the buckles, retractors, tongue plates, guides and
anchors all work properly.
Don't let anything get inside the buckle or the retractor; it could
cause latch or retractor failure.

Cleaning

The belts should always be kept clean and dry; wet or damp belts can cause rewinding problems. To clean the belts, pull them all the
way out of their retractors and use warm water and a mild soap;
then let them air-dry fully extended, in the shade, with the carwindows open.
Never bleach, dye or clean the belts with chemical solvents; itwill weaken the fabric. Do not remove the seat belts from the car to wash them.

Replacement
Replace the seat belt if:
1. The belting is cut, punctured, burned, etc.
2.The buckle or retractor does not work properly.
3. It was being worn at the time of a collision (also check for deformation damage at all seat belt anchor points).
4. Its condition is questionable.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Instrument Panel

CRUISE

CONTROL
MASTER SWITCH (LX/EX Sedan) WIPER/
WASHER
SWITCH
DIGITAL CLOCK
(Si Hatchback
and LX/EX Sedan)

REAR

WINDOW
DEFOGGER
SWITCH
HAZARD
WARNING
LIGHT
SWITCH
GLOVE BOX

ASHTRAY
HEATING/

COOLING
CONTROL
PANEL
CIGARETTE
LIGHTER (Except for STD
Hatchback)

POWER

MIRROR
ADJUSTMENT
SWITCH
(LX/EX Sedan)

IGNITION
SWITCH

HORN
BUTTON
PANEL
BRIGHTNESS CONTROLDIAL
LIGHT SWITCH/
TURN SIGNAL/ HI/LO BEAM SWITCH FUSE
BOX
HOOD

RELEASE

HANDLEProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Si Hatchback and LX/EX Sedan

STD/DX Hatchback and DX Sedan

TACHOMETER
SHIFT LEVER
POSITION
INDICATOR
(Automatic
Trans. only) FUEL GAUGEODOMETER
SPEEDOMETER
TRIP METER TRIP METER
RESET BUTTON
COOLANT
TEMPERATURE GAUGE
SHIFT LEVER
POSITION
INDICATOR (Automatic
Trans. only) SPEEDOMETER
ODOMETER
COOLANT
TEMPERATURE GAUGE FUEL GAUGE
TRIP METERTRIP METER
RESET BUTTONProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Speedometer

The speed is indicated in miles per hour (outside scale) and kilometers per hour (inside).

Odometer

The numbers on the odometer indicate miles.
The odometer registers total distance traveled, and serves as your guide for determining when periodic maintenance is due. Federal lawmakes it illegal to alter the odometer of any motor vehicle with the
intent to change the number of miles indicated.
Trip Meter The numbers on the trip meter indicate miles.
The trip meter can be returned to zero by pushing in the reset button. Use it for checking fuel consumption or distance traveled
per trip.

Tachometer (Si Hatchback and LX/EX Sedan) The tachometer indicates engine speed in revolutions per minute.
The beginning of the RED ZONE indicates the maximum allowableengine R.P.M. Do not run the engine with the tachometer indicator
needle in the RED ZONE.

Fuel Gauge
FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 45 (11.9 US gal ,9.9 Imp gal)
As a convenience, the gauge continues to show the same fuel level
as when the ignition was last on. After refueling, the gauge will
slowly change to the new fuel level when the ignition is switched on.
When the needle first indicates E (empty), you have a usable

reserve left in the tank of about:
4 (1.1 US gal, 0.9 Imp gal)
Coolant Temperature Gauge
CAUTION:
The needle should stay within the white range. If the needle reaches the red line at "H" (Hot), pull safely off the road, stop theengine and check the coolant level in the reserve tank on the
driver's side of the radiator under the hood.
Do not remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot. The
coolant is under pressure and may blow out and scald you.

GaugesProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Warning and Indicator Lights

Si Hatchback and LX/EX Sedan
STD/DX Hatchback and DX Sedan
Shift Lever Position Indicator (Automatic Transmission only)A lighted indicator between the fuel and coolant temperature
gauges shows which gear you have selected.
Turn Signal/Hazard Warning Indicator Lights
When the turn signal lever is pushed for left or right turns, the
appropriate green indicator arrow on the instrument panel will blink along with the signal. Pushing the hazard warning switch will make
all turn signals and both arrows blink (see page 37 ).

Headlight High Beam Indicator Light
This blue indicator light will go on whenever the high beams are switched on (see page 36 ).

(cont'd)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t