Gas HONDA CIVIC 2012 9.G Owners Manual

Contents
Child Safety P. 50 Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 62 Safety Labels P. 63
Opening and Closing the Trunk P. 109 Security System P. 112 Opening and Closing the Windows P. 114
Operating the Switches Around the Steering Wheel P. 117 Adjusting the Mirrors P. 125
Interior Lights/Interior Convenience Items P. 134 Heating and Cooling*
P. 140
Audio Error Messages *
P. 172 General Information on the Audio System *
P. 174
When Driving P. 211 Braking P. 229 Parking Your Vehicle P. 233
Accessories and Modifications P. 238
Maintenance Under the Hood P. 251 Replacing Light Bulbs P. 268
Checking and Maintaining Tires P. 280 Battery P. 289 Remote Transmitter Care *
P. 290
Cleaning P. 292
Engine Does Not Start P. 306 Jump Starting P. 307 Shift Lever Does Not Move P. 310
Fuses P. 318 Emergency Towing P. 321
Devices that Emit Radio Waves P. 329 Reporting Safety Defects P. 330
Authorized Manuals P. 335 Customer Service Information P. 336
Quick Reference GuideP. 2
Safe DrivingP. 23
Instrument PanelP. 65
ControlsP. 97
FeaturesP. 143
DrivingP. 201
MaintenanceP. 239
Handling the UnexpectedP. 297
InformationP. 323
IndexP. 337
2012 Civic 4D Online Reference Owner's Manual
Note: All page numbers referenced in this document are hyperlinked.

8
Quick Reference GuideSafe Driving (P 23)
Airbags (P 35)
● Your vehicle is fitted with airbags to help protect you and
your passengers during a moderate-to-severe collision.
Child Safety (P 50)
● All children 12 and younger should be seated in the rear seat.
● Smaller children should be properly restrained in a forward-facing child seat.
● Infants must be properly restrained in a rear-facing child seat.
Exhaust Gas Hazard (P 62)
● Your vehicle emits dangerous exhaust gases that contain carbon
monoxide. Do not run the engine in confined spaces where carbon
monoxide gas can accumulate.
Before Driving Checklist (P 27)
● Before driving, check that the front seats, head restraints,
steering wheel, and mirrors have been properly adjusted. Seat Belts
(P 28)
● Fasten your seat belt and sit upright well
back in the seat.
● Check that your passengers are wearing
their seat belts correctly.
Fasten your lap belt as
low as possible.

16
Quick Reference Guide
VSA®
OFF Button (P 224)
● The vehicle stability assist (VSA ®
) system
helps stabilize the vehicle during
cornering, and helps maintain traction
while accelerating on loose or slippery
road surfaces.
● VSA ®
comes on automatically every time
you start the engine.
● To turn VSA ®
on or off, press and hold
the button until you hear a beep.
Cruise Control *
(P 220)
● Cruise control allows you to maintain a
set speed without keeping your foot on
the accelerator pedal.
● To use cruise control, press the CRUISE
button, then press once you have
received the desired speed (above 25 mph or 40 km/h).
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) (P 225)
● TPMS monitors tire pressure.
● TPMS is turned on automatically every
time you start the engine.
–/SET
U.S. models only
Refueling (P 234)
a Push the fuel fill door
release handle.
b Turn the fuel fill cap
slowly to remove the cap.
c Place the cap in the
holder on the fuel fill
door.
d After refueling, screw
the cap back on until it
clicks at least once.
Fuel recommendation:
Unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number 87 or
higher required
Premium unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number
91 or higher recommended
Fuel tank capacity: 13.2 US gal (50 L)
1.8  engine models
2.4  engine models

20
Quick Reference Guide
Why do the doors lock
after I unlocked the doors
using a remote transmitter?If you do not open the doors within 30 seconds, the doors are
relocked automatically for security.
Why does the beeper
sound when I open the driver's door? The beeper sounds when: ●
The key is left in the ignition switch.
● The exterior lights are left on.
Why does the beeper
sound when I start driving? The beeper sounds when: ●
Driver and/or front passenger are not wearing their seat belts.
● The parking brake lever is not fully released.
Why do I hear a screeching
sound when I apply the
brake pedal? The brake pads may need to be replaced. Have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer.
Is it possible to use
unleaded gasoline with a Pump Octane Number
(PON) of 87 or higher on
this vehicle? Unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is recommended.
If premium unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is not
available, you can temporarily use the gasoline with a PON of 87 or higher.
This will result in decreased engine
performance, and can cause
occasional metallic knocking noise in the engine.
Models with remote transmitter
2.4  engine models

23
Safe Driving
You can find many safety recommendations throughout this chapter, and throughout this manual.
For Safe Driving
Important Safety Precautions ............. 24
Your Vehicle's Safety Features............ 26
Seat Belts
About Your Seat Belts ........................ 28
Fastening a Seat Belt .......................... 31
Seat Belt Inspection............................ 34
Airbags Airbag System Components ............... 35
Types of Airbags ................................ 38
Front Airbags (SRS) ............................ 38
Side Airbags....................................... 42 Side Curtain Airbags .......................... 45
Airbag System Indicators.................... 46
Airbag Care ....................................... 49
Child Safety
Protecting Child Passengers ............... 50Safety of Infants and Small Children ....... 52
Safety of Larger Children ................... 60
Exhaust Gas Hazard Carbon Monoxide Gas ....................... 62
Safety Labels
Label Locations .................................. 63

62
Safe Driving
Exhaust Gas Hazard
Carbon Monoxide Gas
The engine exhaust from this vehicle contains carbon monoxide, a colorless,
odorless, and highly toxic gas. As long as you properly maintain your vehicle, carbon
monoxide gas will not get into the interior. ■Have the exhaust system inspected for leaks whenever
• The exhaust system is making an unusual noise.
• The exhaust system may have been damaged.
• The vehicle is raised for an oil change.
When you operate a vehicle with the trunk open, airflow can pull exhaust gas into
the interior and create a hazardous condition. If you must drive with the trunk open,
open all the windows and set the heating and cooling *
system as shown below.
1. Select the fresh air mode.
2. Select the mode.
3. Set the fan speed to high.
4. Set the temperature control to a comfortable setting.
Adjust the heating and cooling *
system in the same manner if you sit in your parked
vehicle with the engine running.
1Carbon Monoxide Gas
An enclosed area such as a garage can quickly fill up with carbon monoxide gas.
Do not run the engine with the garage door closed.
Even when the garage door is open, drive out of the
garage immediately after starting the engine.
3WARNING
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause unconsciousness and
even kill you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or activities that
expose you to carbon monoxide.
* Not available on all models

109
Continued
Controls
Opening and Closing the Trunk
Precautions for Opening/Closing the Trunk ■
Opening the trunk
Open the trunk all the way.
uIf it is not fully opened, the trunk lid may begin to close under its own weight.
■ Closing the trunk
Keep the trunk lid closed while driving to:
uAvoid possible damage.
uPrevent exhaust gas from leaking into the vehicle.
2 Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 62
Using the Trunk Opener
Pulling the trunk release to the lower left of
the driver's seat unlocks and opens the trunk.
Trunk
Release

132
uuAdjusting the SeatsuRear Seats
Controls
Rear Seats1.Remove the center shoulder belt from the
guide.
2. Pull the release lever in the trunk to release
the lock.
3. Fold the seat-back down.
If the rear head restraints get caught on the
front seat-backs, remove the head restraints. 2 Removing and Reinstalling the Head
Restraints P. 130
■Folding Down the Rear Seats1Folding Down the Rear Seats
The rear seat-back(s *
) can be folded down to
accommodate bulkier items in the trunk.
Never drive with the seat-back folded down and the
trunk lid open.
2 Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 62
To lock the seat-back upright, push it backwards until
it locks.
When returning a seat-back to its original position,
push it firmly back. Also, make sure all rear shoulder
belts are positioned in front of the seat-back, and the
center shoulder belt is re-positioned in the guide.
Make sure that the folded seat-back does not press against the front passenger seat, as this can cause the
weight sensors in the front passenger seat to work
improperly. 2 Passenger Airbag Off Indicator P. 47
Also make sure all items in the trunk or items
extending through the opening into the rear
seats are properly secured. Loose items can fly
forward if you have to brake hard.
Guide
Center
Shoulder
Belt
Release Lever
* Not available on all models

211
Continued
Driving
When Driving
Starting the Engine
1.Make sure the parking brake is applied.
2. Check that the shift lever is in
(P , then
depress the brake pedal.
uAlthough it is possible to start the vehicle
in
(N , it is safer to start it in (P.
2. Check that the shift lever is in
(N . Then
depress the brake pedal with your right
foot, and the clutch pedal with your left foot.
uThe clutch pedal must be fully depressed
to start the engine.
1Starting the Engine
Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal when
starting the engine.
The engine is harder to start in cold weather and in
thinner air found at altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters).
When starting the engine in cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories such as the lights, heating and cooling *
system, and rear defogger in order to reduce
battery drain.
If the exhaust system sounds abnormal or you can
smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle, have your vehicle
checked by a dealer. There may be a problem with
the engine or exhaust system.
Brake PedalAutomatic transmission models
Brake Pedal
Clutch Pedal
Manual transmission models
* Not available on all models

234
Driving
Refueling
Fuel Information ■Fuel recommendation
Use of a lower octane gasoline can cause a persistent, heavy metallic knocking noise
that can lead to engine damage.
Use of a lower octane gasoline can cause occasional metallic knocking noise in the
engine and will result in decreased engine performance.
Use of a gasoline with a pump octane less than 87 can lead to engine damage. ■ Top tier detergent gasoline
Because the level of detergency and additives in gasoline vary in the market, Honda
endorses the use of “TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline” where available to help
maintain the performance and reliability of your vehicle. TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline meets a new gasoline standard jointly established by leading automotive
manufacturers to meet the needs of today’s advanced engines.
Unleaded gasoline, pump octane number 87 or higher
Unleaded premium gasoline, pump octane number 91 or higher
1Fuel Information
NOTICE
We recommend quality gasoline containing
detergent additives that help prevent fuel system and
engine deposits. In addition, in order to maintain
good performance, fuel economy, and emissions
control, we strongly recommend the use of gasoline
that does NOT contain harmful manganese-based
fuel additives such as MMT, if such gasoline is available.
Use of gasoline with these additives may adversely
affect performance, and cause the malfunction
indicator lamp on your instrument panel to come on.
If this happens, contact a dealer for service.
Some gasoline today is blended with oxygenates such
as ethanol. Your vehicle is designed to operate on
oxygenated gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol
by volume. Do not use gasoline containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable operating symptoms, try
another service station or switch to another brand of
gasoline.1.8  engine models
2.4  engine models