air conditioning HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1998 Owners Manual

Comfort and Convenience Features

The heating and air conditioning* systems in your Honda provide a
comfortable driving environment in
all weather conditions.
The standard audio system has many features. This section de-
scribes those features and how to
use them. (If you selected an optional audio system, refer to the
operating instructions that came
with it.)
* Air conditioning is standard on the
EX model in the U.S. It is optional on
other models.
Heating and Cooling........................ 86
What Each Control Does............ 86How to Use the System............... 88
To Turn Everything Off............. 93
Audio System................................... 94 Operating the Radio.................... 94
Adjusting the Sound.................... 96 Radio Frequencies....................... 97
Radio Reception........................... 97
Digital Clock................................. 99Operating the Cassette Player...................................... 100
Tape Search Functions............. 100 Caring for the Cassette Player...................................... 102
Operating the Optional
CD Player/Changer.............. 103
Protecting Compact Discs........ 105
CD Changer Error Indications.............................. 106
Comfort and Convenience FeaturesMain Menu s t

Heating and Cooling

Proper use of the Heating and
Cooling system can make the

interior dry and comfortable, and

keep the windows clear for best

visibility.

If your vehicle does not have air

conditioning, it can be installed at

any time. Your dealer will install a
Genuine Honda air conditioning

system that meets Honda's high

quality standards and is designed to

exactly fit your vehicle. Please

contact your dealer for more

information.
What Each Control Does Fan Control Lever
Sliding this lever to the right
increases the fan's speed, which
increases air flow.
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS
RECIRCULATION
BUTTON AIR CONDITIONING
BUTTON

TEMPERATURE
CONTROL LEVER FAN CONTROL

LEVER

Temperature Control Lever
Sliding this lever to the right
increases the temperature of the air

flow.

Air Conditioning (A/C) Button
This button turns the air condi- tioning ON and OFF. The indicatorin the button lights when the A/C is

on.
Recirculation Button
This button controls the source of the air going into the system. When
the indicator in this button is lit, air
from the vehicle's interior is sent through the system again (Recircula-
tion mode). When the indicator is off,air is brought in from outside the
vehicle (Fresh Air mode).Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

Vent Controls
You can adjust the direction of the air coming from the dashboard vents
by moving the tab in the center of
each vent up-and-down and side-to-

side.
The vents in the corners of the
dashboard can be opened and closed
with the dials next to them. How to Use the System
This section covers how to set up the system controls for ventilation,
heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and defrosting.
The engine must be running for the heater and air conditioning to
generate hot and cold air. The heater uses engine coolant to warm the air.
If the engine is cold, it will be several
minutes before you feel warm air
coming from the system.
The air conditioning does not rely on engine temperature.
Comfort and Convenience Features
CENTER VENT
SIDE VENT
Open

CloseMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

It is best to leave the system in Fresh
Air mode under almost all conditions. Keeping the system in Recirculation
mode, particularly with the A/C off,
can cause the windows to fog up.
Switch to Recirculation mode when
you are driving through smoky or dusty conditions, then switch back toFresh Air mode when the condition

clears.

The outside air intakes for the heating and cooling system are at
the base of the windshield. Keep
these clear of leaves and other
debris.
Ventilation

The flow-through ventilation system draws in outside air, circulates it
through the interior, then exhausts it
through vents near the rear window. 1. Slide the temperature control lever
all the way to the left.
Make sure the A/C is off. 2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
CONTINUED
Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUTTONS


RECIRCULATION

BUTTON
AIR CONDITIONING

BUTTON

TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL

LEVERMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

To Cool with A/C

1. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. The light in the buttonshould come on.
2. Make sure the temperature control lever is all the way to the

left.
3. Select
4. If the outside air is humid, select Recirculation mode. If the outside
air is dry, select Fresh Air mode.
5. Set the fan to the desired speed.
If the interior is very warm from
being parked in the sun, you can cool it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way:
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. Make sure the tempera-
ture control lever is all the way to
the left.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select and Fresh Air mode. When the interior has cooled down
to a more comfortable temperature,close the windows and set the
controls as described for normal

cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 56) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turn
off the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS


RECIRCULATION

BUTTON AIR CONDITIONING
BUTTON

TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL

LEVERMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

To Heat

To warm the interior:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control lever.
To Heat and Dehumidify with Air
Conditioning

Air conditioning, as it cools, removes moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, it
makes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and Fresh Air mode.
4. Adjust the temperature control lever so the mixture of heated and
cooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32° F (0°C).
To Defog and Defrost

To remove fog from the inside of the windows:
1. Switch the fan on. 2. Select
When you select , the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Adjust the temperature control lever so the air flow from thedefroster vents feels warm.
4. Turn on the rear window defogger to help clear the rear window.
When you switch to another mode
from , the A/C stays on. Press the A/C button to turn it off.

CONTINUED

Comfort and Convenience FeaturesMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the vehicle has been sitting out
in cold weather:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select
When you select the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Switch the fan and temperature controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield (on very cold
days), first select the Recirculation
mode. Once the windshield is clear, select the Fresh Air mode to avoid
fogging the windows.

Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUTTONS


RECIRCULATION

BUTTON
AIR CONDITIONING

BUTTON

TEMPERATURE
CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL
LEVERMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Fuel Economy

The condition of your vehicle and your driving habits are the two mostimportant things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicle Condition Always maintain your vehicle accord- ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.

An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owner Maintenance
Checks (see page 153). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your fuel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion. Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to "warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try tocombine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes ituse more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is moderate.

Before DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Driving in Bad Weather

Rain, fog, and snow conditions re-
quire a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your vehicle well- maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control should not be used in these condi-
tions. Driving Technique — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your vehicle longer
to react, even in conditions that may seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious for the first few miles (kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery. Visibility — Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This ismore difficult in bad weather. To beseen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defrosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see

page 91).

DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 219 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Honda

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 142
Important Safety Precautions.. 143

Maintenance Schedule.................. 144

Maintenance Record..................... 151
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 153

Fluid Locations............................... 154

Engine Oil....................................... 155 Adding Oil................................... 155Recommended Oil..................... 155Synthetic Oil............................... 156

Additives..................................... 156
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 157

Cooling System.............................. 159
Adding Engine Coolant............. 159Replacing Engine Coolant........ 161

Windshield Washers..................... 164

Transmission Fluid........................ 164
Automatic
Transmission.......................... 164

5-speed Manual
Transmission.......................... 166

Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 166
Brake System............................. 167Clutch System............................ 167

Power Steering............................... 168

Air Cleaner Element...................... 169 Spark Plugs..................................... 171

Replacement............................... 171

Specifications............................. 172

Battery............................................ 173

Wiper Blades.................................. 175
Air Conditioning System............... 177 Drive Belts...................................... 178

Timing Belt..................................... 178

Tires................................................ 179 Inflation....................................... 179
Recommended Tire Pressures
for Normal Driving............ 180
Inspection................................... 181
Maintenance............................... 181
Tire Rotation.............................. 182
Replacing Tires and Wheels ....
183

Wheels an d
Tires....................... 184
Winter Driving........................... 184 Snow Tires.............................. 184
Tire Chains............................. 185
Lights.............................................. 186 Headlight Aiming...................... 188
Replacing Bulbs......................... 189

Storing Your Vehicle..................... 197

MaintenanceMain Menu s t