battery HONDA CIVIC 2004 7.G User Guide

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Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors. If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your Honda dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f urther corrosion.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
Maint enance
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking Your Battery
167
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normaloperation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the batterymaintenance.
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Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic).
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors. Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
Disconnect the battery.
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Honda
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months/30,000 miles
maintenance schedule (Normal
Conditions) as soon as you take it
out of storage (see page ). The
replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the vehicle has
actually reached that time or mileage.If possible, run the engine
periodically until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f an cycles on and of f
twice) pref erably once a month.
139
Maint enance
Vehicle Storage
168
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Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page . Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
the f uses are OK, there is
probably something wrong with
the electrical circuit f or the
ignition switch or starter motor.
You will need a qualif ied
technician to determine the
problem (see
on page ).
Check these things:
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page).
178 167
190
178
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
176
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or like ice, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc. Put the transmission in
Neutral or Park, and set the
parking brake.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
1. 2. 3.
4. 5.
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
178
NOTICE:
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyonenearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme
cold, the electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
and then the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short. The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.)
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
7.
6.
Jump Starting, If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Overheats
179
NOTICE: Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the
temperature gauge pointer at the red
mark can cause serious damage to
your engine.
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This light should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing
or stays on, the oil pressure has
dropped very low or lost pressure.
Serious engine damage is possible
and you should take immediate
action. Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within ten seconds, turn of f
the engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving.
(See on page
). If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running,
the battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
1. 2. 3. 4.
115
190 144
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
182
NOTICE:
Running the engine with low
oil pressure can cause serious
mechanical damage almost immediately.
Turn of f the engine as soon as you can
saf ely get the vehicle stopped.
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If the indicator remains on, or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have the vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.If your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. If takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition to ON (II), without starting
the engine. The Malf unction
Indicator Lamp will come on f or 20
seconds. If it then goes of f , the
readiness codes are set. If it blinks 5
times, the readiness codes are not
set. If possible, do not take your
vehicle f or a state emissions test
until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to State Emissions Testing for
more inf ormation (see page ).
If the indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emission
control systems may have a problem.
Even though you may f eel no
dif f erence in your vehicle’s
perf ormance, continued operation
may cause serious damage.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be a loose or missing f uel f ill
cap. Tighten the cap until it clicks at
least three times. Tightening the cap
will not turn the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving. 205
Malf unct ion Indicat or L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Readiness Code
183
NOTICE:If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emission
controls and the engine. Those repairs
may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
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The under-hood f use box is located
onthepassenger’ssidenexttothe
battery.Turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0). Make sure the headlights and
all other accessories are off.
Remove the cover f rom the f use
box.
Check each of the large f uses in
the under-hood f use box by
looking through the top at the wire
inside. Remove the screws with a
phillips-head screwdriver.
The vehicle’s f uses are located in
two fuse boxes. The interior fuse
box is located underneath the
steering column. To open it, turn the
knobsasshown.
If something electrical in your
vehicle stops working, check f or a
blown f use f irst. Determine f rom the
chart on pages and or the
diagram on the f use box lid, which
f uses control that device. Check
those fuses first, but check all the
f uses bef ore deciding that a blown
f use is the cause. Replace any blown
f uses, and check if the device works.1. 2. 3.
189
188
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Checking and Replacing Fuses
186
UNDER-HOOD
TAB
INTERIOR
FUSE
BLOWN
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No. Amps. Circuits Protected
1 23456789
1011121314151617181920 20 A
15 A
7.5 A 20 A
10 A
15 A
15 A
20 A
10 A
40 A
30 A
40 A
40 A
40 A
20 A
20 A
20 A
80 A
40 A Condenser Fan
Small Light
Interior Light
Cooling Fan
Hazard
FI ECU
Horn, Stop
ABS F/S
Back Up
ABS Motor
Rear Defroster
Heater Motor
Power Window
Option
Lef t Headlight
Door Lock
Right Headlight
Not Used
Battery
Ignition 1
Spare Fuses
21 257.5A 30A
Fuse Locations
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed188
UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOX
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With the f ront wheels on the ground,
it is best to tow the car no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep the
speedbelow35mph(55km/h).
If your car is equipped with a f ront
spoiler, remove it bef ore towing so it
is not damaged.If you decide to tow your vehicle
with all f our wheels on the ground,
make sure you use a properly-
designed and attached tow bar.
Prepare the vehicle for towing as
described above, and leave the
ignition switch in Accessory (I) so
the steering wheel does not lock.
Make sure the radio and any items
plugged into the accessory power
socket are turned of f so they do not
rundownthebattery.
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed191
NOTICE:
NOTICE: Trying to lif t or tow your
vehicle by the bumpers will cause
serious damage. The bumpers are not
designed to support the vehicle’s weight.
T he steering system can be
damaged if the steering wheel is locked.
Leave the ignition switch in Accessory
(I), and make sure the steering wheel
turns f reely bef ore you begin towing.
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