maintenance schedule HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1998 Owners Manual

1998 Civic Coupe Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.

Contents

Introduction ........................................................................\
........................ .........................................
i


A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
......................................3
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
.........................................49
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
...................... 85
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
......................................................... 107
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... 119
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................141
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
......................................................199
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................205
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
.............................................229
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................243
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................249
How to order manuals and other technical literature.

Index........................................................................\
............................................................................. I
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump. Service Information Summary Owner's Identification

Introduction
Congratulations ! Your selection of a 1998 Honda Civic was a wise
investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Honda is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and convenience items. Afterwards, keep this owner's manual in your vehicle so
you can refer to it at any time.
Several warranties protect your new Honda. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights and responsibilities.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the schedules given in this manual
helps to keep your driving trouble-free while it preserves your investment.
When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Honda dealer's staff is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to
your Honda. Your Honda dealer is dedicated to your satisfaction and will be pleased to answer any questions and concerns. As you read this manual, you will
find information that is preceded by symbol. This
information is intended to help you
avoid damage to your Honda, other
properly, or the environment.
NOTICE

aMain Menu s t

Important Safety Precautions
You'll find many safety recommendations throughout thissection, and throughout this manual.
Following are a few
recommendations we consider most important.

Always Wear Your Seat Belt

A seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inflate only in a
severe frontal collision. So even with
airbags, make sure you and your
passengers always wear your seat
belts, and wear them properly. (See
page 13.)
Restrain All Children Children are safest when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
not the front seat. A child who is too small for a seat belt must be properly
restrained in a child safety seat. (See
page 19.) Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
While airbags save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,or are not properly restrained.
Infants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Besure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page 5.)

Don't Drink and Drive

Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions. Reaction time gets worse with every
additional drink. So don't drink and
drive, and don't let your friends drink
and drive, either. Control Your Speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in
crash injuries and deaths, Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also occur at lower speeds. Never drive
faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe
Condition
Having a
tire blowout or a
mechanical failure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition frequently, and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page 146.)

Driver and Passenger SafetyMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Gauges

Maintenance Required Indicator

U.S. Models

This indicator reminds you that it is nearing 7,500 miles (12,000 km)since the last scheduled maintenance.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules
for Normal and Severe Driving
Conditions on pages 146 — 150.
When the distance driven since the
last scheduled maintenance nears 7,500 miles (12,000 km), the
indicator will turn yellow. If you
exceed 7,500 miles (12,000 km), the
indicator will turn red.
Your dealer will reset the indicator when he performs the scheduledmaintenance. If someone else
performs the maintenance, reset theindicator by inserting your key in theslot beside the indicator.
Instruments and Controls
SLOT

INDICATORMain 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

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

Maintenance Safety
Regularly maintaining your vehicle is
the best way to protect your
investment. Proper maintenance is essential to your safety and the
safety of your passengers. It will also
reward you with more economical,
trouble-free driving and help reduce
air pollution. This section includes instructions for
simple maintenance tasks, such as
checking and adding oil. Any service
items not detailed in this section should be performed by a Honda
technician or other qualified mechanic. Some of the most important safety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every conceivable hazard that can arise in
performing maintenance. Only youcan decide whether or not you
should perform a given task.

Maintenance

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 maintenancerecommendations and
schedules in this owner's manual. 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.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance Schedule

The Maintenance Schedule specifies how often you should have your

vehicle serviced and what things
need attention. It is essential that

you have your vehicle serviced as scheduled to retain its high level of

safety, dependability, and emissions

control performance.
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenanceschedule assume you will use your
vehicle as normal transportation for passengers and their possessions.
You should also follow these
recommendations:

Avoid exceeding your vehicle'sload limit. This puts excess stresson the engine, brakes, and many
other parts of your vehicle. The
load limit is shown on the label on
the driver's doorjamb.
Operate your vehicle on
reasonable roads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your vehicle regularly over a
distance of several miles (kilometers). Always use unleaded gasoline with
the proper octane rating (see page
108).
Which Schedule to Follow:

Service your vehicle according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule
for "Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done under one or more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for "Normal Conditions."

MaintenanceMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance Schedule

Your authorized Honda dealer knows your vehicle best and can
provide competent, efficient service.However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualified service facility or
person who is skilled in this type of automotive service. Keep all the
receipts as proof of completion, and
have the person who does the work
fill out the Maintenance Record. Check your warranty booklet for
more information. We recommend the use of Genuine
Honda parts and fluids whenever you
have maintenance done. These are
manufactured to the same high- quality standards as the originalcomponents, so you can be confident
of their performance and durability.
U.S. Vehicles:
Maintenance, replacement or
repair of emission control devices
and systems may be done by any
automotive repair establishment or individual using parts that are
"certified" to EPA standards. According to state and federal
regulations, failure to perform
maintenance on the items marked
with # will not void your emissions
warranties. However, Honda recommends that all maintenance
services be performed at the
recommended time or mileage
period to ensure long-term reliability.
MaintenanceMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance Schedule (Normal Conditions)

Follow the Normal Maintenance
Schedule if the severe drivingconditions specified in the
Severe Conditions MaintenanceSchedule do not apply.
NOTE: If you only
OCCASIONALLY drive under a

"severe" condition, you should
follow the Normal Conditions Maintenance Schedule.

MaintenanceMain Menu Table of Contents s t