HONDA CIVIC SEDAN 2011 Owner's Manual (in English)

Towing can require a variety of
equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, how
much load you are towing, and
where you tow. If you choose electric brakes, besure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle’s hydraulic system. No
matter how successf ul it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle’s hydraulic system
will lower braking ef f ectiveness and
create a potential hazard.
Seeyourtrailerdealerorrental
agency f or more inf ormation on
installing electric brakes.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and that it meets
f ederal, state, provincial, territorial,
and local regulations. Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody.
Always use saf ety chains when you
tow a trailer. Make sure the chains
are secured to the trailer and hitch,
and that they cross under the tongue
and can catch the trailer if it
becomes unhitched. Leave enough
slack to allow the trailer to turn
corners easily, but do not let the
chains drag on the ground.
There are two common types of
trailer brakes: surge and electric.
Surge brakes are common f or boat
trailers, since the brakes will get wet.
CONT INUED
T owing Equipment and
A ccessoriesTrailer Brakes
Hitches
Saf et y Chains
Towing a Trailer
Driving
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Trailer lights and equipment must
comply with f ederal, state, provincial,
territorial, and local regulations.
Check with your local trailer dealer
or rental agency for the
requirements in the area where you
plan to tow, and use only equipment
designed f or your vehicle.Many states and Canadian
provinces/territories require special
outside mirrors when towing a trailer.
Even if they don’t, you should install
special mirrors if you cannot clearly
see behind you, or if the trailer
creates a blind spot.Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation.
Since lighting and wiring vary by
trailer type and brand, you should
have a qualif ied technician install a
suitable connector between the
vehicle and the trailer. Improper
equipment or installation can cause
damage to your vehicle’s electrical
system and af f ect your vehicle
warranty.
A ddit ional T owing Equipment
T railer L ights
Towing a Trailer
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When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering wheel,
then turn the wheel to the left to get
the trailer to move to the lef t, and
turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause the trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections.
The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the suspension,
cooling system, and lights are in
good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated, and the trailer
tires and spare are inflated as
recommended by the trailer
maker.
273 274
bottom
Pre-T ow ChecklistBacking Up
Parking
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Towing a Trailer
Driving
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The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .If youmuststopwhenfacinguphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shif t down to second
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use the D position
when towing a trailer on level roads.
D is the proper shif t lever position
to use when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain. (See ‘‘ ’’ in the
f ollowing column f or additional gear
inf ormation.) Your vehicle is not designed to be
towed behind a motor home. If your
vehicle needs to be towed in an
emergency, see page .
349
3
3
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Towing Your Vehicle
T owing Speeds and GearsMaking T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
Towing a Trailer
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This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
Maintenance Minder messages on
the information display, and
instructions f or simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.U.S. Vehicles: ......................
Maintenance Saf ety . 280
.................
Maintenance Minder . 281
..............................
Fluid Locations . 288
........................
Adding Engine Oil . 290
Changing the Engine Oil
....................................
and Filter . 292
..............................
Engine Coolant . 294
....................
Windshield Washers . 297
.......................
Transmission Fluid . 298
..........
Automatic Transmission . 298
..............
Manual Transmission . 299
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 300
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 301
.............................................
Lights . 302
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts . 309
.....................................
Floor Mats . 310
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 310
.................................
Wiper Blades . 311
...........................................
Wheels . 313
...............................................
Tires . 314
...................
Checking the Battery . 322
.............................
Vehicle Storage . 324
..................................
Interior Care . 325
373
Maintenance
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are ‘‘certif ied’’ to EPA
standards.
Maint enance
279
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To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or qualif ied
mechanic.
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and flames away from the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air. Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down bef ore touching any parts.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions Injury f rom moving parts.
Potential Vehicle Hazards Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
280
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’s
manual.
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 maintenance
recommendations and
schedules in this owner’s
manual.
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CONT INUED
Displayed
Engine Oil Lif e (%) 100%90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
15%
10%5%
0%
Calculated Engine
Oil Lif e (%)
100% 91% 90% 81%
80% 71%
70% 61%
60% 51%
50% 41%
40% 31%
30% 21%
20% 16%
15% 11%10% 6% 5% 1% 0%
Your vehicle displays engine oil lif e
and maintenance service items on
the inf ormation display to show you
when you should have your dealer
perf orm engine oil replacement and
indicated maintenance service.
Based on the engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil lif e and displays it as a
percentage.
To see the current engine oil lif e,
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position, and press the SEL/
RESET button repeatedly until the
engine oil lif e display appears (see
page ).The remaining engine oil lif e is
displayed on the inf ormation display
according to this table:
66
Engine Oil L if e Display
Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
281
SEL/RESET BUTTON
ENGINE OIL LIFE DISPLAY
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If the remaining engine oil lif e is 15
to 6 percent, you will see the engine
oil lif e indicator every time you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. The Maintenance Minder
indicator will also come on, and the
maintenance item code(s) for other
scheduled maintenance items
needing service will be displayed
next to the engine oil lif e indicator.When the remaining engine oil lif e is
5 to 1 percent, you will see a
‘‘SERVICE’’ message along with the
same maintenance item code(s),
every time you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
The 15 and 10 percent oil lif e
indicators remind you that your
vehicle will soon be due f or
scheduled maintenance.
Maintenance Minder
282
ENGINE OIL LIFE
INDICATOR
SERVICE MESSAGE
MAINTENANCE MINDER INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE
ITEM CODE(S)
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If you do not perf orm the indicated
maintenance, negative distance
traveled is displayed and begins to
blink af ter the vehicle has been
driven 10 miles (10 km) or more.
Negative distance traveled means
your vehicle has passed the
maintenance required point.
Immediately have the indicated
maintenance done by your dealer.
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
0 percent, the engine oil lif e indicator
will blink. The display comes on
everytimeyouturntheignition
switch to the ON (II) position. The
Maintenance Minder indicator
( ) also comes on and remains
on in the instrument panel. When
you see this message, immediately
have the indicated maintenance done
by your dealer.
The maintenance item code or codes
indicate the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil change
(see page ).
You can switch the display to the
odometer, the trip meter, and the
outside temperature indicator (if
equipped) by pushing the SEL/
RESET button on the dashboard
repeatedly.
Whentheengineoillifeis15to1
percent, the Maintenance Minder
indicator ( ) comes on every
time you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, then it goes out
if you switch the inf ormation display.
When you see this message, have
the indicated maintenance
perf ormed by your dealer as soon as
possible.
284
CONT INUED
Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
283
NEGATIVE DISTANCE TRAVELED
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Your dealer will reset the display
af ter completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘OIL LIFE 100%’’ on the inf ormation
display the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
Press the SEL/RESET button
repeatedly until the engine oil lif e
indicator is displayed.
All maintenance items displayed on
the inf ormation display are in code.
For an explanation of these
maintenance codes, see page .
You can change the inf ormation
display f rom the engine oil lif e
display to the odometer, the trip
meter, or the outside temperature (if
equipped) every time you press and
release the SEL/RESET button.
When the engine oil lif e is 0 percent
or negative distance traveled, the
Maintenance Minder indicator
( )remainsonevenif you
change the inf ormation display.
Immediately have the service done,
andmakesuretoresetthedisplay
(see Resetting the Engine Oil Lif e
Display).
If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the Maintenance Minder as
f ollows:
1.
2.
287
Maintenance Minder
Resetting the Engine Oil Lif e
Display
Maintenance Main Items and Sub
Items
284
MAINTENANCE MAIN ITEM
MAINTENANCE SUB ITEM
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