tow HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1999 Owners Manual

1999 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.helminc.com.

Contents
Introduction........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance ........................................................................\
....................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5
Pr op

er use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
...................................................51
Instrument panel in

dicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
.................................87
How to op

erate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
.....................................................................123
What gasoli n
e to u

se, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................135
The proper way t o

start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.........................................................................157
T h
e Ma

intenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
.................................................................213
T i
ps on cl

eaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your car ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................219
This section covers sever
a

l problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
.......................................................243
ID numbers, dimens ions, capacities, and techn

ical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)......................................................................257
A summary of th
e warr

anties covering your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.......................................263
How t o
order

manuals and other technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Servic e Inf

ormation Summary
A summary of informa

tion you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.


Owner's Identification

Protecting Adults

6.Adjust the Steering Wheel
Adjust the steering wheel, if needed, so that the wheel points toward your
chest, not toward your face.

Pointing the steering wheel toward

your face decreases the protective capability of the driver's airbag.
See page 65 for how to adjust the

steering wheel.
7.Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on seat belts, it is
very important that they continue to sit upright, well back in their seats,
with their feet on the floor, until the car is parked and the engine is off.
Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example, if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is
greatly increased.
In addition, an occupant who is out of
position in the front seat can be seriously or fatally injured by
striking interior parts of the car, or
by being struck by an inflating airbag. Remember, to get the best
protection from your car's airbags and other safety features, you must
sit properly and wear your seat belt
properly.
Driver and Passenger Safety Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the

floor.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

Installing a Rear-Facing Child Seat
with the Lap Belt

To install a rear-facing child seat in the center back seat with the lap belt,follow instruction number 1 on page 30 for routing and latching the seat
belt. Then pull hard on the loose end
of the belt to remove any slack (it may help to put weight on the child
seat while pulling on the belt).
Finally, follow instruction number 5
on page 31 to verify that the child
seat is secure.
Rear-Facing Child Scat Installation
Tips

For proper protection, an infant must
ride in a reclined, or semi-reclined
position. To determine the properreclining angle, check with the baby's
doctor or follow the seat maker's
recommendations.
To achieve the desired reclining angle, it may help to put a rolled up
towel under the toe of the child seat,

as shown.
When properly installed, a rear-
facing child seat may prevent the
driver or a front-seat passenger from moving the seat as far back as
recommended (see page 12). Or it may prevent them from locking the
seat-back in the desired upright
position (see page 13).
In either case, we recommend that
you place the child seat directly
behind the front passenger seat, move the front seat as far forward as
needed, and leave it unoccupied. Or
you may wish to get a smaller child seat that allows you to safely carry afront passenger.

Driver and Passenger SafetyMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Steering Wheel Adjustment
See page 18 for important safety

information about how to properly

position the steering wheel.
Make any steering wheel adjustment
before you start driving.
To adjust the steering wheel upward or downward: 1. Push the lever under the steering
column all the way down.
2. Move the steering wheel to the desired position, making sure the
wheel points toward your chest, not toward your face. Make sure
you can see the instrument panel gauges and the indicator lights. 3. Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in that position.
4. Make sure you have securely locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.

Instruments and Controls

Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
car and be seriously injured in a crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the car is stopped.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Service Station Procedures

3. Pull the support rod out of its clip and insert the end into the hole on
the left side of the hood.
To close the hood, lower it to about a foot (30 cm) above the fender, thenpress down firmly with your hands.
After closing the hood, make sure it is securely latched.
After closing the hood, make sure it is securely latched. Check the engine oil level every time
you fill the car with fuel. Wait a few minutes after turning the engine off
before you check the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (orange handle). 2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.

CONTINUED

Before Driving

SUPPORT ROD

CLIP
Oil Check

DIPSTICKMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Carrying Cargo

Your car has several convenientstorage areas so you can stow cargo

safely.

The glove box, and the pockets in the front doors and seat-backs, aredesigned for small, lightweight items.
The trunk is intended for larger, heavier items. In addition, the backseat can be folded down to allow you
to carry more cargo or longer items.
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can affect
your car's handling, stability and operation and make it unsafe. Before
carrying any type of cargo, be sure to
read the following pages.

Before Driving

CONSOLE COMPARTMENT
FRONT DOOR POCKET
TRUNK SEAT-BACK POCKET
GLOVE BOXMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Driving

This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes impor-
tant information on parking your car,
and the braking system. Preparing to Drive......................... 136
Starting the Engine........................ 137
Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 137
5-speed Manual Transmission..... 138 Recommended Shift Points...... 139
Engine Speed Limiter............... 139
Automatic Transmission............... 140 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 141
Shift Lever Positions................. 141
Engine Speed Limiter............... 144
Shift Lock Release..................... 144Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)............. 145

Parking............................................ 149

Parking Tips............................... 149
The Braking System...................... 150 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 150
Brake System Design................ 151
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 151 Important SafetyReminders.......................... 152
ABS Indicator......................... 153
Driving in Bad Weather................ 154
Towing a Trailer............................ 155
DrivingMain Menu s t

Parking

Always use the parking brake when
you park your car. The indicator on the instrument panel shows that theparking brake is not fully released; it
does not indicate that the parking
brake is firmly set. Make sure the parking brake is set firmly or your
car may roll if it is parked on an
incline.

If your car has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
before you put the transmission inPark. This keeps the car from
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission — making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the car is facing uphill, turn the
front wheels away from the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put it in first gear.
If the car is facing downhill, turn the
front wheels toward the curb. If you
have a manual transmission, put it in reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Parking Tips Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed. Turn off the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you. Lock the doors with the key or the
remote transmitter.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on

fire.

DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Driving in Bad Weather, Towing a Trailer

Traction — Check your tires frequently for wear and proper
pressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction 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 conditionscan be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddlesmixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up thedrive 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.

DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Battery

Check the condition of your car's
battery monthly. You should check
the color of the test indicator window, and for corrosion on the terminals.
Check the battery condition by
looking at the test indicator window on the battery.
The label on the battery explains the test indicator's colors. Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish
powder). To remove it, cover the
terminals with a solution of baking soda and water. It will bubble up and
turn brown. When this stops, wash it off with plain water. Dry off the
battery with a cloth or paper towel. Coat the terminals with grease to
help prevent future corrosion.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

TEST INDICATOR WINDOWMain Menu Table of Contents s t