battery HONDA CIVIC 2011 8.G User Guide

To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or qualif ied
mechanic.
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and f lames away f rom the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air. Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down bef ore touching any parts.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions Injury f rom moving parts.
Potential Vehicle Hazards Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
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Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner’smanual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle, or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection
and maintenance
recommendations and
schedules in this owner’smanual.
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Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors.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.
The location of the test indicator
window varies between
manuf acturers.
Checking the Battery
Tires, Checking the Battery
322
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
Except Si SiUsing the wrong chains, or not
properly installing chains, can
damage the brake lines and
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously injured or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding the
selection and use of tire chains.
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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.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the
audio system will disable itself . The
nexttimeyouturnontheradio,you
may see ‘‘ENTER CODE’’ in the
f requency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the code (see page
).
The navigation system will also
disableitself.Thenexttimeyouturn
on the ignition switch, the system
will require you to enter a PIN
bef ore it can be used. Ref er to the
navigation system manual.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the time
setting will be reset to 1:00. To set
the time again, f ollow the setting
procedure (see page ).
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207
On vehicles with navigation system
On vehicles without navigation system
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
Maint enance
323
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
technician do the batterymaintenance.
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Fill the f uel tank.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.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than 1
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. Non-porous 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 possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f an cycles twice).
Pref erably, do this once a month.
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
(manual) or Park (automatic).
Vehicle Storage
324
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Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position: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
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Check these things:
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 the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
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 .336
349
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
Emergency T owing
If theEngineWon’tStart
334
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If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. Seeon page .
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to
on page .
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged 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
).
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256
336
343
349Emergency
Towing
Starting the
Engine
T he Starter Operates Normally
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
335
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.To jump start your vehicle:
The numbers in the illustrations
show you the order to connect the
jumper cables.
Turn of f all the electrical
accessories: heater, A/C, audio
system, lights, etc. Put the
transmission in neutral (manual)
or Park (automatic), and set the
parking brake.
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 f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
You cannot start a vehicle with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. 1. 2.
Jump Starting
336
Except Si
BOOSTER BATTERY
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 the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
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.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
6.
4. 5.
3.
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
337
Si
Except SiSi
BOOSTER BATTERY
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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,
then from 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 reading of the 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 the 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.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in neutral
(M/T) or Park (A/T), and set the
parking brake. Turn of f all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning lights.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
7.
1. 2.
Jump Starting, If the Engine Overheats
If the Engine Overheats
338
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
reading at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.
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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 10 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).
Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
This indicator should never come on
when the engine is running. If it
starts flashing or stays on, the oil
pressure has dropped very low or
lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action. 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.
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290
349 Emergency T owing
L ow Oil Pressure
Indicator
Charging System
Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
340
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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