tires HONDA CIVIC 1991 Owners Manual

Gasoline (cont'd)
Fuel vapor is extremely hazardous under certain conditions.
Always stop the engine before refueling, and never refuel near
sparks or open flames. CAUTION:
When reinstalling the fuel cap, be sure both tabs on the cap are
engaged in the slots of the filler neck and turn the cap until it stops. If you replace the cap, use only a genuine Honda replacement part
or its equivalent. Failure to use the proper part could cause serious
fuel system problems.
How to Improve Your Gas Mileage: Drive at a smooth, steady pace to avoid unnecessary decele-
rations and stops — accelerating back to speed uses more fuel.Plan trips to avoid rush hour traffic if possible. Make sure the parking brake is completely released.
Consolidate trips whenever possible.
Keep vehicle weight to a minimum by removing unnecessary
items from the luggage area.
Whenever possible, use fresh air from the dash vents to keep
cool when driving; open windows, or use of the optional air
conditioning both affect fuel economy.
Keep the tires adjusted to the recommended pressure.
Tire Pressure (measured cold): STD Hatchback front 240 kPa (35 psi)
rear 220 kPa (32 psi)
DX Hatchback front 220 kPa (32 psi)

rear 220 kPa (32 psi)

Si Hatchback front 195 kPa (28 psi)

rear 195 kPa (28 psi)

DX Sedan front 220 kPa (32 psi)

rear 220 kPa (32 psi)

LX Sedan front 180 kPa (26 psi)
rear 180 kPa (26 psi)
EX Sedan front 180 kPa (26 psi)

rear 180 kPa (26 psi)

Condition of Your Car You can only get maximum fuel economy if your car is in toprunning condition. Have all required maintenance done at the proper
intervals. Check tire pressures and tire wear frequently. If tire wear is uneven, have the alignment checked by your Honda dealer.
Proper alignment saves gasoline and prolongs tire life.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Check the following items at each fuel stop:

1. Engine oil level.

2. Radiator coolant level.
Check the following items periodically: 1. Brakes: for braking efficiency, brake pedal travel and hydraulic
fluid level.

2. Lights: for operation of headlights, taillights, side marker lights, stoplights, turn signals and back-up lights.
3. Tires: for correct pressures (including spare); inspect for cuts and uneven or excessive wear. Rotate every 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
in the pattern shown on page 97.
4. Steering: for excessive play or vibration while driving. 5. Exhaust system: for leaks or loose mounts.
6. Wipers: for operation of windshield wipers and washer, and condition of wiper blades.
7. Seat belts: for condition of fabric and buckles, and operation of the restraint mechanism.

8. Battery condition.

9. Clutch adjustment (clutch pedal free travel).

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The factory installed tires on your car were selected to match the
car's performance capabilities and to provide the best combination
of handling, ride comfort and tread wear.
We recommend that you get the same size, type, and grade of tires when replacement is necessary. If your tires have an all-season
tread design, the model name will be followed by the marking: "M + S" (mud and snow) or "all-season".
If you decide not to get the same brand of tires as those originally
installed, you should make sure that the replacements are the radial
type, of the same size, load range and speed rating as the original

tires.
If you have any questions about your car's tires, please contact
your Honda dealer.

Inflation Pressures

The tire label in the glove box lists recommended tire pressures for
carrying loads up to the limit shown. (Tire pressures are also listedon the back cover of this manual.)
These pressures were chosen to provide you with the best combi- nation of tread life, riding comfort and stability under normal driving

conditions.

Improper inflation can reduce both tire life and load carrying
capacity. Check the tire pressures at least once a month, including
the spare. Lower pressure than recommended lets the tread and side walls flex
too much, causing increased tire temperatures, uneven wear, and poor handling. Pressure higher than recommended can make the tire
too stiff, increasing the chance of damage from road hazards, and also causing uneven wear.

Tires
TIRE LABELProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

CAUTION:
Check tire pressure when the tires are cold.(After the car has been parked for more than 3 hours or driven
less than 1 mile/1.6 km.)
Tire pressure may increase as much as 41 kPa (6 psi) when the
tire is hot, so NEVER ADJUST tire pressure when the tires are hot.
Never inflate load range B tires to more than 220 kPa (32 psi)

cold.

Cars with luggage racks or cartop carriers DO NOT have greater
load limits than those on the label.
Winter Driving Tires marked "M + S" or "all season" have an all-weather treaddesign and should be suitable for most driving conditions. However,
snow tires and tire chains may be required under some conditions. Ifyour tires do not have these markings, they may not be suitable forwinter driving conditions. We recommend snow tires or tire chainsfor snow and icy conditions.
Snow TiresIf you use snow tires, they should be of the same size, construction
and load capacity as the original tires on your car. Snow tires must
be installed in sets of four, or they may cause poor handling. Driving
with snow tires on dry roads can reduce your car's performance
during acceleration, turning and stopping.
If you need further information on snow tires, please contact your

Honda dealer.

Tire Chains
Use chains only when you have to. Check with local authorities or
Provinces for requirements prior to installing tire chains. Make sure
the chains are the right size for your tires. Install them only on the
drive wheels of your car, and do so as tightly as possible, following
the manufacturer's instructions. If metal chains are used, they must
be SAE Class "S." Cable type traction devices can also be used.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If you hear the chains contacting
your car's body or chassis, stop and tighten them.

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Tires (cont'd)
CAUTION:
If the contact continues, slow down until it stops or your car can
be damaged. Chains that are the wrong size or improperly installed can
damage your car's brake lines, suspension, body, and wheels.
If you need further information on tire chains, please see your

Honda dealer.

Remove the chains as soon as the road is clear of ice and snow.
Tire Replacement Honda recommends that you replace tires in sets of four, or in pairs,
front or rear. If you need to replace only one tire, mount the new
tire opposite the tire showing the least amount of wear. For instance, if the left front tire shows the least amount of wear,
mount the new tire on the front right side.
The original tires on your car have
tread wear indicators to indicate when they should be replaced. The

indicators appear as bands about
12.7 mm (1/2 in) wide when the tire

tread depth is less than 1.6mm

(1/16 in). When indicators appear
across two or more grooves in a row, you should replace the tire.
Driving on worn-out tires is very hazardous, and will reduce
braking effectiveness, steering accuracy and traction.
When replacing tires, use only the recommended tire size. Wheel rim widths and offsets must be those recommended by American
Honda Motor Co., Inc. Contact the Zone Office nearest you as
shown on the inside of the back cover.
Tires and wheels other than those recommended may be unsafe. Do not mix radial and bias ply tires on the same car. INDICATOR
LOCATION
MARKS TREAD WEAR

INDICATORSProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Tire Balancing
Unbalanced tires may affect handling and tire wear. A tire should
always be rebalanced after it has been dismounted from the wheel.
Your original tires were properly balanced before the car left the
factory, but may need rebalancing at some time during the life of the
tire. Tire balancing for the COMPACT spare is not necessary.
Tire Rotation
Tires may wear unevenly when used for a long time in the same position on the car. To avoid this, rotate the tires every 7,500 miles(12,000 km). If abnormal or uneven wear develops between
rotations, the cause should be found and corrected as soon as possible. The illustration shows how the tires can be rotated. The
COMPACT spare tire must not be included in tire rotation.

NOTE:

Front brake pads should be inspected for wear whenever the tires
are rotated.
Tire Traction
Worn tires or slippery road surfaces can reduce driving, cornering
and braking traction. To reduce the possibility of losing traction, slow down when the road gets slippery, replace tires when wear
indicators are visible, and KEEP TIRES PROPERLY INFLATED. FrontProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Spare Tire
COMPACT Spare Tire
Your car is supplied with a COMPACT spare tire and wheel for

temporary use only in the event of a flat tire. Use the COMPACT
spare only when you have to, and only to go as far as the next
garage or dealer to have the regular tire repaired and reinstalled.
Because you will rarely use the COMPACT spare, be sure to
regularly check its condition and air pressure (415 kPa, 60 psi), so it
will be ready when you need it. This type of tire holds less air at
higher pressure than a regular tire, so it will inflate (or deflate if there is a leak) more rapidly; check its pressure often and add air gradually
if it needs any.
The COMPACT spare tire has adifferent tire size, air pressure re-
quirement, tread life and maxi- mum speed rating than the four
regular tires on your car. Disre-
garding these warnings may re-
sult in tire failure, loss of vehicle
control and possible injury to
vehicle occupants.Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances when
using the COMPACT spare.
Do not mount snow chains on the COMPACT spare. They will
not fit properly and will damage the tire and possibly your car. Ifyou must use the COMPACT spare when driving on roads
covered with snow or ice, use it as one of the rear tires and
mount chains only on the front two regular tires.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

The COMPACT spare tire has a
much shorter tread fife than regu-
lar tires. Replace the tire as soon
as tread wear indicators appear
as solid bands across the tread. Replace with a tire of exactly the
same size and construction. TREAD
WEARINDICATOR INDICATOR
LOCATIONMARK
The COMPACT spare tire and wheel set was designed espe- cially for your car; do not use it on any other vehicle; do not in-stall any other tire on this wheel which is not identical to the
original in size and construction, and do not use the COMPACT
spare tire on any other wheel.
Because the COMPACT spare is smaller in size and higher in air
pressure than a regular tire, it will ride more harshly with less
ground clearance and may have less traction on some road
surfaces. Drive cautiously.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Changing a Flat Tire
Do not attempt to change a tire unless the car is on firm, level
ground and well out of the flow of traffic.
Park the car on a firm, level surface, apply the parking brake, turn
on the hazard warning switch and put the transmission in gear (Park

for automatic).

1. Remove the jack, lug wrench/jack handle and jack handle extension (in the tool bag) from the location shown.

NOTE:

To remove the jack, release its tension against the mount by turning

the screw counterclockwise.

JACK TOOL BAG
Follow tire changing preparations and procedures carefully to reduce the possibility of injury. The jack is designed for changing
tires only. STAND CLEAR, DO NOT get under the car and DO NOT run the engine when the car is supported only by the jack.
5. Place the jack under the jack point nearest the wheel you are removing; align the jack head so the car frame will fit in the recess
as you raise the jack.

Hatchback

SPARE TIRE COVER
Sedan

TOOL BAG SPARE TIRE COVER
JACK
COMPACT SPARE COMPACT SPARE
2. Remove the spare tire.
3. Place blocks in front and back of the wheel diagonally opposite the tire you are changing.
4. Use the lug wrench/jack handle to loosen the wheel lug nuts counterclockwise one-half turn.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

DOT Tire Quality Grades
The tires on your car meet Federal Safety Requirements. All tires are also "graded" according to Department of Transportation (DOT)
standards for tread wear, traction and temperature.
Tread Wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one half (1-1/2) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differences in road characteristics and climate.

Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and C, andthey represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor

traction performance.

The traction grades assigned are based on braking (straight ahead)
traction tests and do not include cornering (turning) traction. Three grades
are shown on the
tire sidewall

TIRE

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