traction control HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2012 9.G Owners Manual

19Quick Reference Guide
VSA
® OFF Button
(P209)
● The vehicle stability assist (VSA
®) system
helps stabilize the vehicle during
cornering, and helps maintain traction
while accelerating on loose or slippery
road surfaces.
● VSA
® comes on automatically every time
you start the engine.
● To turn VSA
® on or off, press and hold
the button until you hear a beep.
Cruise Control
(P205)
● Cruise control allows you to maintain a
set speed without keep ing your foot on
the accelerator pedal.
● To use cruise control, press the CRUISE
button, then press once you have
received the desired speed (above 25 mph
or 40 km/h).
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
(P210)
● TPMS monitors tire pressure.
● TPMS is turned on automatically every
time you start the engine.
−/SET
U.S. models only
Refueling
(P222)
a
Push the fuel fill door
release handle.
b
Turn the fuel fill cap
slowly to remove the
cap.
c
Place the cap in the
holder on the fuel fill
door.
d
After refueling, screw
the cap back on until it
clicks at least once.
Fuel recommendation: Unle aded gasoline with a pump octane number 87 or
higher
Fuel tank capacity: 13.2 US gal (50 L)

208
uuWhen Driving uVSA
® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Driving
VSA
® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic
Stability Control), SystemVSA
® helps to stabilize the vehicle during cornering if the vehicle turns more or less
than what was intended. It also assists in maintaining traction on slippery surfaces.
It does so by regulating engine output and selectively applying the brakes.
When VSA
® activates, you may notice that the
engine does not respond to the accelerator.
You may also notice some noise from the
hydraulic system. You will also see the
indicator blink.
■
VSA
® Operation
1 VSA
® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability
Control), System
The VSA
® may not function properly if tire type and
size are mixed. Make sure to use the same size and
type of tire, and the ai r pressures as specified.
When the VSA
® indicator comes on and stays on
while driving, there may be a problem with the
system. While this may not interfere with normal
driving, have your vehicle checked by a dealer
immediately.
VSA
® cannot enhance stability in all driving situations
and does not control the entire braking system. You
still need to drive and cor ner at speeds appropriate
for the conditions and always leave a sufficient
margin of safety.
The main function of the VSA
® system is generally
known as Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The
system also includes a traction control function.
VSA
® System
Indicator

209
uuWhen Driving uVSA
® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Driving
This button is on the driver side control panel.
To turn the VSA
® system on and off, press and
hold it until you hear a beep.
VSA
® will stop and the indicator will come on.
To turn it on again, press the (VSA
® OFF)
button until you hear a beep.
VSA
® is turned on every time you start the
engine, even if you turned it off the last time
you drove the vehicle.
■
VSA
® On and Off
1 VSA
® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability
Control), System
Without VSA
®, your vehicle will have normal braking
and cornering ability, but it will not have VSA
®
traction and stability enhancement.
In certain unusual conditions when your vehicle gets
stuck in shallow mud or fresh snow, it may be easier
to free it with the VSA
® temporarily switched off.
When the VSA
® system is off, the traction control
system is also off. You should only attempt to free
your vehicle with the VSA
® off if you are not able to
free it when the VSA
® is on.
Immediately after freeing your vehicle, be sure to
switch VSA
® on again. We do not recommend driving
your vehicle with the VSA
® and traction control
systems switched off.
If the low tire pressure /TPMS indicator, comes on or
blinks, the VSA
® system comes on automatically. In
this case, you cannot turn the system off by pressing
the button.
You may hear a motor sound coming from the
engine compartment while system checks are being
performed immediatel y after starting the engine or
while driving. This is normal.
VSA
® OFF
Indicator

257
uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uDOT Tire Quality Gra ding (U.S. Vehicles)
Continued
Maintenance
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)The tires on your vehicle meet all U.S. Federal Safety
Requirements. All tires are also graded for treadwear, traction,
and temperature performance according to Department of
Transportation (DOT) standards. The following explains these
gradings.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and maximum section width.
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significa ntly from the norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.■
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
■
Treadwear
1 Uniform Tire Quality GradingFor example:
Treadwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A
All passenger car tires must conform
to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades.

uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uDOT Tire Quality Gra ding (U.S. Vehicles)
258Maintenance
The traction grades, from high est to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire 's ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under contro lled conditions on specified
government test surfac es of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction performance.
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when test ed under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laborator y test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which
all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laborator y test wheel than the minimum
required by law.■
Traction
■
Temperature
1 TractionWarning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.1TemperatureWarning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading,
either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.