tire pressure HONDA CIVIC COUPE 2003 7.G Owners Manual

Excessive speed is a major f actor 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
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page
.)
Children are saf est when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
notthefrontseat.Achildwhoistoo
smallforaseatbeltmustbeproperly
restrained in a child saf ety seat. (See
page .) Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page .)
You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inf late only in a
moderate to severe f rontal collision.
So even though your car is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and
your passengers always wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
(See page .)
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
16
21 14
194
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat BeltBe Aware of Airbag Hazards Control Your Speed
Restrain All Children K eep Your Car in Saf e Condition
Don’t Drink and Drive
6
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A cold engine uses more f uel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
‘‘warm-up’’ a cold engine by letting it
idle f or a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up f aster, and you get
better f uel economy. To cut down on
the number of ‘‘cold starts,’’ try to
combine several short trips into one.
You can improve f uel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Turnoff theA/Cto
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the f low-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Always maintain your car according
to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
Depending on traf f ic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra f uel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase f uel economy.
An important part of that mainte-
nance is the
(see page ). For
example, an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel. It also wears out
f aster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car’s underside adds weight and
rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your f uel mileage and reduces
thechanceof corrosion. 201
Vehicle Condition
Driving Habits
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Bef ore Driving
Fuel Economy
162
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Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood and trunk are
f ully closed.Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
steering wheel (see page ).Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
Start the engine (see page ).
Check the gauges and indicator
lights in the instrument panel (see
page ).
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your car. 1. 2. 3. 4.
9.
10.
8.
7.
6.
5.
11.
12. 16
90
99 79 171
61
Preparing to Drive
Driving170
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The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work f or you by always keeping f irm,
steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes ref erred to as
You will f eel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is
normal; it is the ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
The U.S. EX model and Canadian
Si-G model have an Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS) as standard
equipment.
When the f ront tires skid, you lose
steering control; the car continues
straightaheadeventhoughyouturn
the steering wheel. The ABS helps to
prevent lock-up and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly; much f aster than a
person can do it.
ABS helps to prevent the wheels
f rom locking up and skidding during
hard braking, allowing you to retain
steering control.
‘‘stomp and steer.’’
Brake System Design A nti-lock Brakes You should never pump the
brake pedal;
The Braking System
Driving184
Front
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µCheck your tires
f requently f or 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 f our
wheels f or the best handling.
Watch road conditions caref ully,
they can change f rom 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 the
outside temperature is near f reezing.
The road surf ace can become
covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be caref ul when downshif ting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the
drive wheels f or a moment and cause
askid. Be very cautious when passing, or
beingpassedbyothervehicles.The
spray f rom large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buf f eting
can cause you to lose control.Your vehicle is not designed to tow a
trailer. Attempting to do so can void
your warranties.
Towing a Trailer
Traction
Driving in Bad Weather, Towing a Trailer
Driving188
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µµµ µ
µ
µ
µ
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you f ill the f uel tank. See page .
Windshield washer f luid Check
the level in the reservoir monthly.
If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers f requently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
f or f uel. See page .
Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the page given.
Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page .
Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See page .
Brakes Check the f luid level
monthly. See page . 160
161
213
214 217 232
239
Owner Maintenance Checks
Maint enance201
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We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
To saf ely operate your car, your tires
must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread,
and correctly inf lated. The f ollowing
pages give more detailed inf ormation
on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort. Underinf lated tires wear
unevenly, adversely af f ect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to
damage f rom road hazards, and wear
unevenly.Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car
has been parked f or at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
bef ore checking the tire pressure,
the tires can still be considered
‘‘cold’’ if you drive less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the car has been driven
several miles), you will see readings
4 to 6 psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4
kgf /cm ) higher than the cold
reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be
underinf lated.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose 1 to 2 psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2
kgf /cm ) per month. Remember to
checkthesparetireatthesametime
you check all the other tires.
Inf lation
Tires
Maint enance232
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
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Youshouldgetyourowntire
pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier f or you to tell if a
pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.
The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions and
speeds.Thecompactsparetirepressureis:
These pressures are also given on
thetireinformationlabelonthe
driver’s doorjamb.
Tubeless tires have some ability to
self -seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is of ten
very slow, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.
Honda strongly recommends that
you not drive f aster than posted
speed limits and conditions allow. If
you decide it is safe to drive at high
speeds, be sure to adjust the cold tire
pressuresasshowninthenext
column. If you do not adjust the tire
pressure, excessive heat can build up
and cause sudden tire f ailure.When you return to normal speed
driving, be sure to readjust the tire
pressure f or normal driving. You
should wait until the tires are cold
bef ore adjusting the tire pressure.
Tire Pressures f or high speed
driving are the same as f or normal
driving.
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure for Normal Driving Cold Tire Pressure for
Speeds over 100 mph
(160 km/h)
Tire SizeU.S. DX, HX, LX and Canadian DX
models only U.S. EX and Canadian LX, Si models
only(U.S.: DX, HX, LX, Canada: DX)
(U.S.: EX, Canada: LX, Si) (U.S.: DX, HX, LX, Canada: DX)
Tires
Maint enance
Recommended T ire Pressures f or
Normal Driving
T ire Pressure A djust ment f or HighSpeed Driving
233
30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1kgf/cm
)
P185/70R14 87S
P185/65R15 86H 30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm
) P185/70R14 87S 35 psi (240 kPa , 2.4
kgf/cm
)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
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The tires that came with your car
were selected to match the perform-
ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comf ort, and long lif e.
Youshouldreplacethemwithradial
tires of the same size, load range,
speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce
its braking ability, traction, and
steering accuracy. It is best to replace all f our tires atthesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, then replace the two
f ront tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously af f ect your car’s handling.TheABSworksbycomparingthe
speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally
supplied with the car. Tire size and
construction can af f ect wheel speed
and may cause the system to work
inconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your car. Replacement
wheels are available at your Honda
dealer.
Replacing T ires and Wheels
Tires
Maint enance236
Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.
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Follow these precautions whenever
you are using the compact spare tire:Thecompactsparetirehasashorter
tread lif e than a regular tire. Replace
it when you can see the tread wear
indicator bars. The replacement
should be the same size and design
tire, mounted on the same wheel.
Thecompactsparetireisnot
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the compact wheel is not
designed f or mounting a regular tire.
Check the inf lation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances.
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
f aces than the regular tire. Use
greater caution while driving on
this tire.
Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare.
Your car has a compact spare tire
that takes up less space. Use this
sparetireasatemporaryreplace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put it back
on your car as soon as you can.
The wheel of the compact spare
tire is designed especially to f it
your car. Do not use your spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel.
Compact Spare Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed258
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
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