HONDA CIVIC SEDAN 2013 Owner's Manual (in English)

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uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
Shifting
Fully depress the clutch pedal to operate the shift lever and change gears, then
slowly release the pedal.
Depress the clutch pedal, and pause for a few seconds before shifting into
( R, or
shift into one of the forward gears for a moment. This stops the gears so they do not
“grind.”
■Shift Lever Operation
Manual transmission models
1 Shifting
NOTICEDo not shift to (R before the vehicle comes to a
complete stop.
Shifting to
( R before stopping can damage the
transmission.
NOTICEBefore downshifting, make sure the engine will not
go into the tachometer's red zone. Should this occur,
it can severely da mage your engine.
There is a metallic part on the shift lever. If you leave
the vehicle parked outside for a long time on a hot
day, be careful before movi ng the shift lever. Because
of heat, the shift lever may be extremely hot. If the
outside temperature is low, the shift lever may feel
cold.

uuWhen Driving uShifting
230
Driving
When you are not shifting, do not rest your
foot on the clutch pedal. This can cause your
clutch to wear out faster. 5-speed manual
transmission1Shifting
Recommended Shift Points
Driving in the highest gear that allows the engine to
run and accelerate smoothly helps to optimize fuel
economy and effective emissions control. The
following shift points are recommended:
If you exceed the maximu m speed for the gear you
are in, the engine speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. Wh en this happens, you may
experience a slight jolt. Shift Up Normal Acceleration
1st to 2nd15 mph (24 km/h)
2nd to 3rd 27 mph (43 km/h)
3rd to 4th39 mph (63 km/h)
4th to 5th 53 mph (85 km/h)
Shift Up Normal Acceleration
1st to 2nd17 mph (27 km/h)
2nd to 3rd 29 mph (46 km/h)
3rd to 4th37 mph (59 km/h)
4th to 5th 43 mph (69 km/h)
5th to 6th49 mph (79 km/h)
5-speed manual transmission models
6-speed manual transmission models
6-speed manual
transmission

231
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
The manual transmission has a lockout mech anism that stops you from accidentally
shifting into
(R from a forward gear while the vehicle is moving above a certain
speed.
If you cannot shift to
(R when the vehicle is stopped, do the following:
1.Depress the clutch pe dal, move the shift
lever all the way to the left, and shift to
(R.
2. If you still cannot shift into
(R, apply the
parking brake, and turn the ignition switch
to ACCESSORY
(q or LOCK (0.
3. Depress the clutch pedal and shift into
(R.
4. Keep depressing the cl utch pedal and start
the engine.
Have the vehicle checked by a dealer if you
have to go through this procedure repeatedly.
■Reverse Lockout
6-speed manual transmission models

232
uuWhen Driving uECON Button*
Driving
ECON Button*
The ECON button turns the ECON mode on and off.
The ECON mode helps you improve your fuel economy by adjusting the
performance of the engine, transmission, heating and cooling system/climate
control system, and cruise control.
*
* Not available on all models

233
uuWhen Driving uCruise Control*
Continued
Driving
Cruise Control*
Maintains a constant vehicle speed without having to keep your foot on the
accelerator. Use cruise control on freeway s or open roads where you can travel at a
constant speed with little ac celeration or deceleration.1Cruise Control*
It may not be possible to maintain a constant speed
when driving uphill or downhill.
When not using cruise control:
Turn off cruise control by pressing the CRUISE
button.
While in the ECON mode, it may take relatively more
time to accelerate to maintain the set speed.
When the engine speed slows down, try to
downshift.
You can maintain the set speed if you change gear
within five seconds.
3WARNING
Improper use of the cruise control can lead
to a crash.
Use the cruise control only when traveling
on open highways in good weather.
1.8 ℓ engine models
Manual transmission models
■Shift positions for cruise control:
In (D or (d
When to use
Always keep sufficient distance
between you and the vehicle in
front of you.
Automatic transmission models
■Vehicle speed for cruise control:
Desired speed in a range above
roughly 25 mph (40 km/h) ~
How to use CRUISE MAIN is on in the
instrument panel.
Cruise control is ready to use.■Press the CRUISE button on
the steering wheel.
* Not available on all models

234
uuWhen Driving uCruise Control*
Driving
Take your foot off the pedal and press the –/SET button when you reach the desired
speed.
The moment you release the –/SET button, the set speed is fixed, and cruise control
begins. The CRUISE CONTROL indicator comes on.
■To Set the Vehicle Speed
–/SET Button
On when cruise control begins
Press and release
On On

235
uuWhen Driving uCruise Control*
Driving
Increase or decrease the vehicle speed using the RES/+ or –/SET buttons on the
steering wheel.
• Each time you press the button, the vehicl e speed is increased or decreased by
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
• If you keep the button pressed, the vehicl e speed increases or decreases until you
release it. This speed is then set.
To cancel cruise control, do any of the
following:
•Press the CANCEL button.
• Press the CRUISE button.
• Depress the brake pedal.
• Depress the clutch pedal for five seconds or
more.
The CRUISE CONTROL indicator goes off.
■To Adjust the Vehicle Speed1To Adjust the Vehicle Speed
You can set the vehicle speed using the –/SET button
on the steering wheel when adjusting the speed with
the accelerator and brake pedals.
■To Cancel
To decrease speed
To increase speed
1 To Cancel
Resuming the prior set speed:
After cruise control has b een canceled, you can still
resume the prior set speed by pressing the RES/+
button while driving at a speed of at least 25 mph (40
km/h) or more.
You cannot set or resume in the following situations:
•When vehicle speed is less than 25 mph (40 km/h)•When the CRUISE button is turned off
At vehicle speeds of 22 mph (35 km/h) or less, cruise
control is canceled automatically.
CRUISE
Button
CANCEL
Button

236
uuWhen Driving uVSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Driving
VSA® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic
Stability Control), System
VSA® helps to stabilize the vehicle during corn ering 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 outp ut 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 air 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 no t 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 corner 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

237
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 Off1 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 condition s when your vehicle gets
stuck in shallow mud or fres h 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 y our 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 immediately after starting the engine or
while driving. This is normal.
VSA ® OFF
Indicator
1.8 ℓ engine models
VSA
® OFF
Indicator
2.4 ℓ engine models
* Not available on all models

238
uuWhen Driving uTPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)
Driving
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)
Monitors the tire pressure while you are
driving. If your vehicle's tire pressure becomes
significantly low, the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator comes on and a message appears on
the i-MID.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE is displayed when a
tire has significantly low pressure.
U.S. models
1 TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)
Conditions such as low ambient temperature and
altitude change directly af fect tire pressure and can
trigger the low tire pressure/TPMS indicator to come
on. 2 If the Low Tire Pre ssure/TPMS Indicator
Comes On or Blinks P. 340
Tire pressure checked and inflated in:
•Warm weather can beco me under-inflated in
colder weather.
•Cold weather can become over-inflated in warmer
weather.
The low tire pressure/TPMS indicator will not come
on as a result of over inflation.