tow HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1998 User Guide

Wiper Blades
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months. Look for signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you find these signs, or they leave streaks
and unwiped areas when used.
To replace the blade:1. Raise the wiper arm off the windshield. 2. Disconnect the blade assembly
from the wiper arm by pushing inthe lock tab. Hold it in while youpush the blade assembly toward
the base of the arm.
CONTINUED

Maintenance

WIPER ARMS
LOCK TABMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Storing Your Vehicle

If you need to park your vehicle for
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.
Fill the fuel tank.Change the engine oil and filter (see page 157).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.

Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse (5- speed manual) or Park (automatic). Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).

Disconnect the battery.
Support the front wiper bladearms with a folded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehicle body wax to the painted surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals. Cover the vehicle with a
"breathable" vehicle cover, one
made from a porous material such
as cotton. Nonporous materials, such as plastic sheeting, trap
moisture, which can damage the

paint.

If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month).
If you store your vehicle for 12
months or longer, have your Honda dealer perform the inspections called
for in the 24 months/30,000 miles (48,000 km) maintenance schedule
(Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page 146).
The replacements called for in the maintenance schedule are riot
needed unless the vehicle has actually reached that time or mileage.

MaintenanceMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Exterior Care

Washing
Frequent washing helps preserve
your vehicle's beauty. Dirt and grit can scratch the paint, while tree sap
and bird droppings can permanently
ruin the finish.
Wash your vehicle in a shady area, not in direct sunlight. If the vehicle is
parked in the sun, move it into the shade and let the exterior cool down
before you start.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommended in this Owner's
Manual.

Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your vehicle.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with
cool water to remove loose dirt. Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix
in a mild detergent, such as
dishwashing liquid or a product
made especially for vehicle

washing.

Wash the vehicle using the water and detergent solution and a soft-
bristle brush, sponge, or soft cloth.
Start at the top and work your way down. Rinse frequently.
Check the body for road tar, treesap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it off immediately so it does not
harm the finish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of the vehicle does not need waxing.
When you have washed and rinsed the whole exterior, dry it with a
chamois or soft towel. Letting itair-dry will cause dulling and water

spots.
As you dry the vehicle, inspect it for
chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page 201).
Waxing Always wash and dry the wholevehicle before waxing it. You should
wax your vehicle, including the metal
trim, whenever water sits on the surface in large patches. It should
form into beads or droplets after
waxing.
You should use a quality liquid or paste wax. Apply it according to the
instructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of
products:
Waxes — A wax coats the finish and protects it from damage by exposure
to sunlight, air pollution, etc. Youshould use a wax on your Honda
when it is new.

Appearance Care

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Interior Care, Corrosion Protection

Windows Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass cleaner. You can also use a mixture
of one part white vinegar to ten parts
water. This will remove the haze that builds up on the inside of the
windows. Use a soft cloth or paper towels to clean all glass and clear
plastic surfaces.
The rear window defogger wires are
bonded to the inside of the glass. Wiping vigorously up-and-down can
dislodge and break the defogger wires. When cleaning the rear window, use
gentle pressure and wipe side-to-side. Air Fresheners
If you want to use an air freshener/deodorizer in the interior of your
vehicle, it is best to use a solid type. Some liquid air fresheners contain
chemicals that may cause parts of
the interior trim and fabric to crackor discolor.
If you use a liquid air freshener,
make sure you fasten it securely so itdoes not spill as you drive. Corrosion Protection
Two factors normally contribute to causing corrosion in your vehicle:
1. Moisture trapped in body cavities. Dirt and road salt that collects in
hollows on the underside of the
vehicle stays damp, promoting corrosion in that area.
2. Removal of paint and protective coatings from the exterior and
underside of the vehicle.
Many corrosion-preventive measures
are built into your Honda. You can
help keep your vehicle from
corroding by performing some simple periodic maintenance:
Repair chips and scratches in the
paint as soon as you discover them.

CONTINUED

Appearance Care

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Taking Care of the Unexpected

This section covers the more- common problems that motoristsexperience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructionson getting your vehicle towed. Compact Spare Tire....................... 206
Changing a Flat Tire..................... 207
If Your Engine Won't Start........... 212
Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor OperatesVery Slowly............................. 212
The Starter Operates
Normally.................................213

Jump Starting................................. 213
If Your Engine Overheats............. 215
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 217
Charging System Indicator........... 218
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........ 219
Brake System Indicator................ 220
Closing the Moonroof................... 221
Fuses............................................... 222
Checking and Replacing........... 223
Emergency Towing....................... 227

Taking Care of the UnexpectedMain Menu s t

If Your Engine Won't Start

Diagnosing why your engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almostnothing. 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
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run. Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
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 these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the floor 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

Jump Starting on page 213.
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 227).

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 173). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
from a booster battery (see page 213).
Taking Care of the UnexpectedMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting

The Starter Operates Normally In this case, the starter motor'sspeed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper startingprocedure? Refer to Starting the
Engine on page 121.
Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you were
not reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 223).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency Towing on page 227. Jump Starting
If your vehicle's battery has rundown, you may be able to start the
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple procedure, you should take several

precautions.

You cannot start a Honda with anautomatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your vehicle, follow
these directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 150). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushyor like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.

If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.

Attempting to jump start with a frozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.

Put the transmission in Neutral or

Park and set the parking brake.
CONTINUED

Taking Care of the Unexpected

A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
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If Your Engine Overheats

4. If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the

hood.

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 227).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page112). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check- ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushingdown, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes off. 10.Start the engine and set the
temperature control lever tomaximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water. Remember to have the coolingsystem drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.

11.Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engineneeds repair. (See EmergencyTowing on page 227).
12.1f the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Low Oil Pressure Indicator

This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it indicates that the oil pressuredropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safety get
the vehicle stopped.

1. Safety pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the vehicle sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil
level (see page 111). Although oil
level and oil pressure are not directly connected, an engine that
is very low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 155). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving (See Emergency
Towing on page 227).

Taking Care of the Unexpected
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

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Brake System Indicator

The Brake System indicator light should normally come on only when
the parking brake is not fully

released.

If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the vehicle's
brake system. In most cases, the
problem is a low fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it feels
normal. If it does, check the brake
fluid level the next time you stop at a service station (see page 167). If the
fluid level is low, take the vehicle to
your dealer and have the brake system inspected for leaks or worn
brake pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
feel normal, you should take immediate action. Because of the
brake system's dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will feel the brake pedal
go down much farther before the
vehicle begins to slow down, and you will have to press harder on the
pedal. The distance needed to stop
will be much longer.
Slow down by shifting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is safe. Because of the
longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You should have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive

slowly and cautiously.

Taking Care of the Unexpected BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR*
* U.S. indicator shownMain Menu Table of Contents s t