four wheel drive HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1998 Owners Manual

Controls Near the Steering Wheel

Hazard Warning
Push the red button to the left of the
center vents to turn on the hazard
warning lights (four-way flashers).
This causes all four outside turn signals and both indicators in the
instrument panel to flash. Use the
hazard warning lights if you need to
park in a dangerous area near heavy
traffic, or if your vehicle is disabled. Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger will clear fog, frost, and thin ice from the
window. Push the defogger button to turn it on and off. The light in the
button lights to show the defogger ison. If you do not turn it off, the
defogger will shut itself off after
about 25 minutes. It also shuts off
when you turn off the ignition. You have to turn it on again when you
restart the vehicle. Make sure the rear window is clear
and you have good visibility before
starting to drive.
The defogger wires on the inside of the rear window can be accidentallydamaged. When cleaning the glass,
always wipe side to side.

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Driving in Bad Weather, Towing a Trailer

Traction — Check your tires frequently for wear and proper
pressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss oftraction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four
wheels for the best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully, they can change from moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when theoutside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the drive wheels for a moment and cause

a skid.
Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other vehicles. The
spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.
Towing a Trailer

Your vehicle is not designed to tow atrailer. Attempting to do so can void
your warranties.

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Tires

Wheels and Tires

Wheels:
(U.S.: DX, EX, Canada: Si)14x5J
(U.S.: HX)
14x51/2 JJ

Tires:

P185/65R1485S

See Tire Information o
n page 235 for
additional information about tire and
wheel size designations. See page 231 for information about DOT Tire
Quality Grading.
Winter Driving

Tires that are marked "M + S" or
"All Season" on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They should be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate performance in winter driving.For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should installsnow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions.
Snow Tires

If you mount snow tires on your
Honda, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels to balance
your vehicle's handling in all weather conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads may not be as high as your vehicle's
original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommenda-
tions.

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