maintenance HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2003 7.G Owners Manual

2003 Civic Hybrid 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
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Car at a Glance ........................................................................\
.............................................................. 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5
Proper use and care of your car's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
.................................................. .57
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
...............................107
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
.....................................................................143
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new car, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................... .............................159
The proper way to start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
...................................................... ...................181
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your car to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
.................................................................245
Tips on cleaning and protecting your car. Things to look for if your car ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................255
This section covers several problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
...................................................... .285
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)......................................................................299
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.......................................303
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need wh en you pull up to the fuel pump.

Several warranties protect your new Honda. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.As you read this manual, you will
f ind inf ormation that is preceded by
a
symbol. This
inf ormation is intended to help you
avoid damage to your Honda, other
property, or the environment.
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. Af terwards, keep this owner’s manual in your car so you
can ref er to it at any time.
Maintaining your car according to the schedules given in this manual helps
to keep your driving trouble-f ree while it preserves your investment. When
your car needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Honda dealer’s staf f is
specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to your Honda. Your
Honda dealer is dedicated to your satisf action and will be pleased to answer
any questions and concerns.
Calif ornia Proposition 65 Warning
This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of
Calif ornia to cause cancer and birth def ects or other reproductive harm. Congratulations! Your selection of a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid was a wise
investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.
Introduction
WARNING:
i

This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain inf ants
andchildreninyourcar..........
Important Safety Precautions . 6
.............
Your Car’s Saf ety Features . 7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
.........................................
Airbags .10
.....................
Seats & Seat-Backs .11
..........................
Head Restraints .11
..................................
Door Locks .11
........
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist . 12
............................
Protecting Adults .13
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors . 13 ...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats . 13
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 15
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 16
5. Fasten and Position the Seat .....................................
Belts .16
....
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel . 18
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .19
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 20
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 20
........................
Protecting Children .22
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .22
Children Should Sit in the Back ...........................................
Seat .23
The Passenger’s Front Airbag Poses Serious Risks to ...............................
Children .23
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .25
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .26
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 26
General Guidelines f or Using ...............................
Child Seats .27
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .31 .........
Protecting Small Children . 35
.......
Protecting Larger Children . 38
Using Child Seats with .....................................
Tethers .42
.............................
Using LATCH .43
Additional Inf ormation About Your .................................
Seat Belts .45
..
Seat Belt System Components . 45
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .45
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .46
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 47
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags .48
........................
SRS Components .48
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .48
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 50
How the SRS Indicator Light .......................................
Works .51
How the Side Airbag Cutof f ...........
Indicator Light Works . 52
.............................
Airbag Service .53
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 53
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 54
...................................
Saf ety Labels .55
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
5

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
.)
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.
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 .) 16
22 10
186
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

For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out f ully and look f or
f rays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
that the lap/shoulder belts retract
easily. Any belt not in good condition
or not working properly will not
provide good protection and should
be replaced as soon as possible.
Honda provides a lif etime warranty
on seat belts. Honda will repair or
replace any seat belt component that
f ails to f unction properly during
normal use. Please see yourbooklet f or
details. If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
it must be replaced by the dealer. A
belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the
anchors f or damage and replace
them if needed.
Automatic seat belt tensioners that
deployed during a crash must be
replaced.
For inf ormation on how to clean your
seat belts, see page .
250
Honda
Warranty Inf ormation
Seat Belt Maintenance
U.S. Models
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety47
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.

Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury. See page f or f urther inf ormation
and precautions relating to your
airbags.
If rain or spilled water
soaks into a seat-back, it can
prevent the side airbag system
f rom working properly. Improperly
replacing or covering f ront seat-
back covers can prevent your side
airbags f rom inf lating during a
collision.
Your f ront and side airbag systems
(if equipped) are virtually
maintenance-f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your car
serviced if :
Take your car to an
authorized Honda dealer as soon
as possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inf late when you need them. Any
airbag that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit, automatic seat belt
tensioners, and other related parts.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by a Honda dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop. 153
Airbag Service
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
Do not expose t he f ront seat -backsto water. Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ing aHonda dealer.
T he SRS indicat or light alert s you t o a problem.
Your airbags ever inf late.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety53

Î
Î
Î
The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or the Canadian models are noted in the text.CONT INUED
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Automatic Transmission (CVT)
59
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
(P.
64)
CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR
(P. 65)
SEAT BELT REMINDER LIGHT
(P. 61)
SIDE AIRBAG CUTOFF INDICATOR
(P. 61)
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P. 61)
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P. 62, 272)
AUTO IDLE STOP
INDICATOR
(P. 172)
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P. 63)
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
(P. 273)
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
(P.62, 271)
(P.63)
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) INDICATOR (P.
166)
SHIFT LEVER POSITION
INDICATOR
(P.
65)
TRUNK-OPEN INDICATOR (P.
63)
IMA SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.
65)
LOW FUEL INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.
62)
(P.
66)
MAINTENANCE REQUIRED INDICATOR
(P.
62)
PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR

Î
Î
Î
Î
The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or the Canadian models are noted in the text.
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Manual Transmission
60
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
(P.
64)
(P. 65)
CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR
SEAT BELT REMINDER LIGHT
(P. 61)
SIDE AIRBAG CUTOFF INDICATOR
(P. 61)
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P. 61)
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P. 62, 272)
AUTO IDLE STOP
INDICATOR
(P. 164)
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P. 63)
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
(P. 273)
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
(P. 62, 271)
(P.63)
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS)
INDICATOR SHIFT UP/SHIFT DOWN
INDICATORS
(P.165) TRUNK-OPEN INDICATOR
(P.
65) IMA SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.
63)
(P.
65)
LOW FUEL INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.
62)
MAINTENANCE REQUIRED
INDICATOR
(P.
66)
(P.
62)
PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR

µBetween 8,000 miles (12,800 km)
and 10,000 miles (16,000 km) this
indicator will light f or two seconds
when you first turn the ignition
switch ON (II), and then f lash f or
ten seconds.
If you exceed 10,000 miles (16,000
km) without having the scheduled
maintenance perf ormed, this
indicator will remain on as a constant
reminder.
For the f irst 8,000 miles (12,800 km)
af ter the Maintenance Required
Indicator is reset, it will come on f or
two seconds when you turn the
ignition switch ON (II). Ref er to the Maintenance Schedules
f or Normal and Severe Driving
Conditions on pages
.
This indicator reminds you that it is
time to take your car in for
scheduled maintenance.
Your dealer will reset this indicator
af ter completing the scheduled
maintenance. If this maintenance is
done by someone other than your
Honda dealer, reset the indicator as
f ollows.Turn of f the engine. Hold the button until the indicator
resets (approximately ten
seconds). Press and hold the select/reset
buttonintheinstrumentpanel,
then turn the ignition switch ON
(II).
184 190
1. 2.
3.
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Maintenance Required
Indicator
66

During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbraking.Newbrakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use f or the f irst 200 miles (300
km). Your Honda is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise in the engine that can lead to
mechanical damage.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
f uel system and engine deposits.
In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emission control system
perf ormance may deteriorate and
the Malf unction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.
If this happens, contact your
authorized Honda dealer f or service.
Help assure your car’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your car’s emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
Youshouldfollowthesesamere-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined. Do not change the oil until the
recommended time or mileage
intervalshowninthemaintenance
schedule.
Break-in Period, Gasoline
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period
Gasoline
144