Honda Civic 5 Owners Manual

							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
manoeuvre bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Your vehicle tyres and spare (if
equipped) are properly inf lated,
and the trailer tyres and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
Be sure to check regulations
concerning the maximum speed or
driving restrictions f or vehicles
towing trailers. If you are driving
across several countries, check
each country’s requirements
before leaving home, because
regulations may vary.
Operating speed when towing a
trailer is restricted to 100 km/h
(62 mph).Driveslowerthannormalinall
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Do not exceed the limited speed
when towing a trailer. At higher
speeds,thetrailermayswayor
affect vehicle handling (see ‘‘
’’ in the next page f or
additional gear information).
If you have an i-SHIFT (automated
manual transmission), use the
automatic mode when towing a
trailer. When you start or accelerate
away f rom a stop, the transmission
starts in the first gear and is
controlled f or smooth operation.
Selecting the gear is electronically
controlled f or smoother shif ting and
better f uel economy according to the
vehicleloadandthetrailer’sweight. Driving Saf ely With a T railer
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving
on Hills
Towing a Trailer
Driving436
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When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and always apply engine
braking by shif ting down. When
going down a steep hill, use the 1st
gear to provide greater engine
braking.
Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
Drivingonanuphillroadof more
than 12% slope is not recommended
foryourvehicle.
We recommend that you tow a
trailerontheroadsrecommendedby
the trailer association. 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.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your high temperature indicator. If
the indicator remains on, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool. If you have an automatic
transmission, use 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.
Either shif t up or shif t down
indicator will come on at the best
time to shift to a higher or lower
gear f or the better f uel economy.
The shif t down indicator will not
prompt to downshif t to f irst gear. It
is up to you to downshif t to f irst gear
to increase engine braking. Avoid
sudden engine braking.
Road and traffic conditions may
require you to shif t at times other
than those indicated.
On vehicles with automatic transmission On vehicles with manual transmission
3
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
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							Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. 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. If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .
If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the transmission
and the clutch system to overheat.
Although your vehicle is equipped
with the hill start assist system, the
vehicle may roll backward for a short
distance depending on the
circumstances. Make sure to set the
parking brake when starting of f an
inclineincasethevehicleshouldroll
back. For more inf ormation about
the hill start assist system, see page
. 424
On vehicles with automatic transmission On vehicles with i-SHIFT
3
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
438
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							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.You should keep the engine idling
f or about 2 minutes bef ore turning
of f the ignition switch. (Idling the
engine is prohibited in some
countries. Always f ollow the legal
requirements of the countries in
which you will drive.) Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in f irst or reverse (manual, i-SHIFT).
Also, place wheel chocks at each of
the trailer’s tyres.
bottom
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Backing UpOn Diesel models only Parking
439
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							440
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							Regularly maintaining your vehicle is
the best way to protect your invest-
ment. You will be rewarded with
saf er, more economical, trouble-f ree
driving. This section lists items that
need to be checked regularly and
explains how to check them. It also
details some simple maintenance
tasks you can do yourself . The
maintenance schedules show you
when these things need to be done....................... Maintenance Saf ety . 442
................. Maintenance Schedule . 443
.................... Maintenance Record . 453
.............................. Fluid Locations . 455
Adding Engine Oil
......................... (Petrol models) . 459
Adding Engine Oil
......................... (Diesel models) . 461
Engine Coolant
......................... (Petrol models) . 463
Engine Coolant
......................... (Diesel models) . 465
................... Windscreen Washers . 467
.... Automatic Transmission Fluid . 468
........ Manual Transmission Fluid . 470
................ Brake and Clutch Fluid . 471
Air Cleaner Element
......................... (Petrol models) . 473
Air Cleaner Element
......................... (Diesel models) . 475
...................................... Fuel Filter . 476
............................................. Lights . 477
.............. Air Conditioning System . 497
.................. Dust and Pollen Filter . 498
................................. Wiper Blades . 500
.............................................. Tyres . 503................... Checking the Battery . 511
................... Replacing the Battery . 514
............................. Vehicle Storage . 516
Maint enance
Maintenance
441
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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.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and f lames away f rom 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.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. All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
technician.
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not f uel.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Potential Vehicle Hazards
Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.Injury f rom moving parts.
Maint enance442
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/Service Book.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.
09/01/28 18:31:23 32SMG631_447 
						

							µ The required maintenance schedule
specif ies all maintenance required to
keep your vehicle in peak operating
condition. Maintenance work should
be perf ormed in accordance with the
standards and specif ications of
Honda by properly trained and
equipped technicians. Your
authorized dealer meets all of these
requirements.
There are two types of maintenance
schedule in this owner’s manual. One
is f or petrol models (see pages to
), and the other is f or diesel
models (see pages ).
The maintenance schedule in this
owner’s manual should be applied
except f or EU, Australia and South
Af rica (see pages to ).
In EU countries, f ollow the
maintenance schedule in the Service
Book that came with your vehicle.Drive your vehicle regularly over a
distance of several kilometers
(miles).
Always use the recommended
petrol only (see page ).
We recommend the use of genuine
Honda parts and f luids or their
equivalent whenever you have
maintenance done. These are the
same high-quality items that went
into your vehicle when it was new, so
you can be sure they f it and perf orm
f lawlessly.Always use the recommended
diesel f uel only (see page ). In Australia, f ollow the maintenance
schedule in the owner’s warranty
and service manual that came with
your vehicle.
In South Af rica, f ollow the
maintenance schedule in the
maintenance booklet that came with
your vehicle.
The maintenance schedule assumes
you will use your vehicle as normal
transportation for passengers and
their possessions. You should also
f ollow these recommendations:
Avoid exceeding your vehicle’s
load limit. This puts excess stress
on the engine, brakes, and many
other vehicle parts.
Operate your vehicle on
reasonable roads within the legal
speed limit. 449446
452 446450 452370
370
On Petrol models
On Diesel models
CONT INUED
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance443
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							µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
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µWindscreen wipers Check the
wiper condition monthly. If the
wipers do not wipe the windscreen
securely, check them f or wear,
cracks, and other damage.
Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See page
.
Brakes and clutch Check the
f luid level monthly. See page .
Brake pedal Check the brake
pedal f or smooth operation.
Parking brake Check the
parking brake lever f or smooth
operation.
Tyres Check the tyre pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page
. Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the use or specif ied intervals.
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level
Check the radiator reserve tank
everytimeyoufillthefueltank.
See page .
Check the expansion tank every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Windscreen 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 . Do not press the engine cover
f orcibly. This may damage the
engine cover and component parts.
374
377376
467468
471
503
On Petrol models
On Diesel models On Diesel models
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance
Owner’s Maintenance Checks
444
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							µµ
µ
µ µ
µ Battery Check its condition and
the terminals f or corrosion
monthly. See page .Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, position lights, tail-
lights, high-mount brake light, and
licence plate lights monthly. See
page .
Doors Checkthetailgateand
all doors including the rear doors
f or smooth opening/closing and
secure locking.
Horn Check the horn operation. Air conditioning system (on some
types) Check its operation
weekly. See page .
Windscreen demister Operate
the heater and air conditioning
and check the demister vents
monthly.511
497477
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance445
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