Honda Civic 5 Owners Manual

							Your vehicle’s i-SHIFT (automated
manual transmission) has six
f orward speeds based on the 6-speed
manual transmission, and gear
selection and clutch operation are
electronically controlled f or
smoother shif ting and better f uel
economy. With i-SHIFT, you can
operate the vehicle in either of the
two driving modes: automatic and
manual.
In the manual mode, the selected
gear position number is displayed
next to the speedometer on the
upper display.
If you select the automatic mode,
‘‘A’’ is displayed along with the
selected gear position number next
to the speedometer on the upper
display and the REV indicator goes
out. Pressing either paddle shif ter or
moving the shift lever back orforward will cause the transmission
to go into the manual mode. ‘‘A’’ will
go out, and only the selected gear
position number will be displayed. In the manual mode, you can shif t up
or down manually with the shif t lever
orthepaddleshifters,muchlikea
6-speed manual transmission without
operating the clutch pedal. In the
automatic mode, the i-SHIFT allows
you to drive the vehicle just like a
6-speed automatic transmission. Pushing the shif t lever to the lef t
side (A/M position) also switches
the driving mode between the
automatic and manual modes.
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving
Gear Position Indicator
406
Automatic mode is selected. GEAR POSITION INDICATORGEAR POSITION INDICATOR
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							Bef ore starting, make sure the gear
position indicator in the upper
display shows you that the
transmission is shif ted properly.
If the gear position indicator blinks,
the transmission cannot be shif ted.
Return the shift lever to neutral,
pause, then move it again while
pressing the brake pedal.
The shift lever has three positions:
neutral, reverse and driving positions.
It must be in neutral and the brake
pedal must be pressed to start the
engine. You must also press on the
brake pedal when you move the shif t
lever out f rom neutral to the driving
position or reverse. When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the segment
display of the gear position indicator
comeson,thenitshowsthe
appropriate shif t lever position (N, R,
or any other gear position that is
currently selected). If the battery is
not well charged or goes dead, you
must move the shift lever to neutral
and press on the brake pedal f or
about 3 seconds to show the shif t
lever position af ter reconnecting the
battery or jump starting.
CONT INUED
Driving
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Shif ting
407
Upshift
Downshift DRIVING POSITION
SEGMENT DISPLAY
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							When you are not shif ting, do not
move the shift lever. Moving the
shif t lever can cause the
transmission to shift into neutral
unexpectedly or to switch the
driving mode between the
automatic and manual modes. If it is needed to stop brief ly while
driving, keep the transmission in any
gear, press f irmly on the brake pedal,
and keep your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal. This prevents the
vehicle f rom moving unexpectedly
and accidentally.
Make sure the gear position
indicator shows you the appropriate
gear position bef ore starting. The
brake pedal must be pressed, or the
gear position indicator begins to
blink and the transmission cannot be
shif ted.
To select the automatic mode, push
the shif t lever to the lef t side (A/M
position) f rom the driving position. Pulling either of the paddle shif ters
also selects the manual mode when
the shif t lever is in the driving
position. Push the shif t lever f orward or
backward f rom the driving position
to select the manual mode. Moving
the shif t lever to the A/M position
also switches to the manual mode.
With the ignition switch off, you
can move the shif t lever, but the
transmission cannot be shif ted.
Do not keep the vehicle stopped
by operating the accelerator pedal
on an incline. This can damage the
clutch system and the
transmission.
Do not press the brake and
accelerator pedals at the same
time. This can damage the clutch
system and the transmission.
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving408
PADDLE
SHIFTER
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							µ
CONT INUED
If you move the shif t lever f rom
neutral to the driving position or
reverse without pressing the brake
pedal, the gear position indicator
begins to blink and the transmission
cannot be shif ted. The control
system still allows you to start the
vehicle by pressing and releasing the
brake pedal within about 25 seconds. Make sure the gear position
indicator in the upper display
shows you the appropriate gear
position bef ore starting the vehicle.
Bef ore turning of f the engine, the
transmission should be shif ted to
the f irst gear when f acing uphill.
On a downhill slope, it should be in
reverse gear.
If there is a problem in the i-SHIFT
control system while you are driving,
the i-SHIFT system indicator comes
on in the instrument panel. For more
inf ormation, see page .To start driving the vehicle, release
the parking brake and release the
brake pedal gradually, then press the
accelerator pedal slowly.Use Neutral and
press on the brake pedal whenever
you start the engine. If the shif t lever
is not in neutral (N) position or the
brake pedal is not pressed, you
cannot start the engine. When you
are moving the shif t lever f rom
neutral to another gear, press on the
brake pedal and have your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you need to restart a stalled engine,
useneutralposition(seepage
for ).
As starting the vehicle is assisted by
creeping f or smooth operation, you
can start out slowly on level ground
without pressing the accelerator
pedal f irmly. On uphill slopes, this
creeping is not ef f ective, and the
vehicle may roll backward depending
onthecircumstances.Makesureto
set the parking brake if the vehicle
should roll back. 416554
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving
Neutral (N)
Jump Starting
409
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							µ
The i-SHIFT automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 6) f or your
speed and acceleration. Come to a full stop
bef ore you shif t into reverse. You
can damage the transmission by
trying to shift into reverse with the
vehicle moving.
Your vehicle has a reverse lockout to
prevent the transmission f rom
shif ting into reverse f rom any
f orward gear. The transmission will
not enter into reverse gear while the
vehicle speed is over 3 km/h (2
mph) if you move the shif t lever to
reverse f rom neutral or any other
f orward gear unexpectedly. Do not
try to shift into reverse with the
vehicle moving to prevent
transmission damage.
Make sure the gear position
indicator shows ‘‘R’’ bef ore starting
the vehicle. If you cannot shif t into any gear f rom
neutral, the gear position indicator
will blink in the upper display. This
means the transmission is in the
neutral position regardless of the
shif t lever position. If this happens,
return the shif t lever to the neutral
position, pause, and then move it out
f rom neutral while pressing on the
brake pedal.
If the driver’s door is open with the
shif t lever in the driving position or
reverse and the engine running, the
alarm sounds continuously and the
gear position indicator blinks.
Do not move the shif t lever to the
neutral position while driving. You
will lose engine braking and may lose
control of the vehicle.When you start the vehicle, the
automatic mode is selected
automatically f or smooth operation.
You will see the ‘‘A’’ indicator along
with the selected gear position
number in the upper display. While
driving, the transmission
automatically upshifts from the
lower gear to the higher gear and
also downshifts automatically.
When you accelerate f rom a stop,
the transmission starts in the first
gear in the automatic mode. Bef ore
starting of f , make sure the gear
position indicator shows the ‘‘A1’’
position. The transmission downshifts to the
f irst gear as the vehicle comes to a
complete stop.
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving
Driving in A ut omat ic ModeReverse (R)
410
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							µ
CONT INUED
To switch the driving mode between
the manual and automatic modes,
push the shif t lever to the lef t side
(A/M position) f rom the driving
position. You can also return to the
manual mode by pushing the shif t
lever f orward or backward f rom the
driving position. Pulling either
paddle shif ter on the steering wheel
also switches to the manual mode.
In the automatic mode, the
automatic mode indicator ‘‘A’’ is
displayed along with the selected
gear position number in the upper
display, and the REV indicator goes
out. If you change to the manual
mode, ‘‘A’’ indicator goes out, and
the currently selected gear position
number remains.When the control system releases
the clutch to change a gear, you may
f eel deceleration depending on the
driving conditions.
You will hear a mechanical noise and
f eel a vibration when the
transmission shif ts up or down. This
is normal; it is the transmission
shif ting mechanically according to
the signals from the control system.
Downshif ting gives you more power
when climbing, and provides engine
braking when going down a steep hill.
To downshif t, push the shif t lever
backward or pull the lef t side paddle
shif ter ( ). This will switch the
driving mode to the manual mode.
To return to the automatic mode,
push the shif t lever to the lef t side
(A/M position).If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
rpm below the red zone.
For f aster acceleration while driving,
you can get the transmission to
automatically downshif t by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.Engine Speed Limiter
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving411
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							´µ
´
µWhen you select the manual mode,
the automatic mode indicator ‘‘A’’ in
the upper display goes out, and the
currently selected gear position
number remains. The REV indicator
also comes on if the setting is on. To
return to the automatic mode, push
the shift lever to the left side from
the driving position. You will see ‘‘A’’
along with the selected gear position
number in the upper display. Each time you push or pull the shif t
lever, or pull either paddle shif ter,
the transmission shif ts one gear up
or down. According to the driving
conditions, you can shif t up or down
more than two gears at a time. You can shif t up or down manually
with the shift lever or the paddle
shif ters. To enter the manual mode,
move the shift lever to the A/M
position, push the shif t lever f orward
or backward f rom the driving
position, or pull either paddle shif ter
with the shif t lever in the driving
position.
To shif t up, push the shif t lever
f orward. To shif t down, pull the shif t
lever backward.
You can also shift up or down with
the (right side) or (lef t side)
paddleshiftersoneachsideof the
steering wheel. To shif t up, pull the
right side paddle shif ter ( ). To
shif t down, pull the lef t side paddle
shif ter ( ).In the manual mode, the
transmission keeps the selected gear
in normal driving. There is no
automatic downshif t when you push
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
But if you press the brake and the
vehicle slows down to a certainspeed, the transmission downshif ts
automatically and selects the suitable
gear to prevent the engine f rom
stalling.
If you try to downshif t at a speed
that would cause the engine to
exceed the redline in a lower gear,
the transmission does not downshif t.
When the vehicle speed slows to
below the redline of the selected
lower gear position, the transmission
downshif ts, and the display shows
the selected lower gear position
number.
Also, if you try to shif t up bef ore the
engine speed has reached the
allowable engine speed in the
selected higher gear, the
transmission will not shif t up.
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving
Driving in Manual Mode
412
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							Maximum Allowable Speeds
Even though your vehicle’s gear
operation is controlled electronically,
make sure the vehicle will not
exceed the maximum allowable
speed specif ied in the table bef ore
downshif ting. Thespeedsinthistablearethe
maximum allowable speeds in each
gear. If you exceed the maximum
speed f or the gear you are in, the
engine speed will enter into the
tachometer’s red zone. If this occurs,
you may f eel the engine cut in and
out. This is caused by a limiter in the
engine’s computer controls. The
engine will run normally when you
reduce the rpm below the red zone. When you accelerate f rom a stop,
the transmission starts in the f irst
gear, and you must manually upshif t
between f irst and sixth gears.
Downshif ting also gives you more
power when climbing. Make sure
you upshif t bef ore the engine speed
reaches the tachometer’s red zone.
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore down shif ting,
make sure the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
Do not drive in the higher gears
when the vehicle speed is low.Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you the best
f uel economy and ef f ective
emissions control. The transmission downshifts to the
f irst gear when the vehicle comes to
a complete stop. Also it downshif ts
automatically to the first gear when
the vehicle speed reaches about 5
km/h (3 mph) or less.
CONT INUED
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving413
Rapid acceleration or
deceleration can cause loss
of control on slippery
surfaces, and you can be
injured in a crash.
Use extra care when driving
on slippery surfaces.
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							´ To start the vehicle in second gear,
start the engine, then push the shif t
lever f orward once f rom the driving
position or press the right side
paddle shif ter ( ) on the steering
wheelonce.Makesurethegear
position indicator on the upper
display shows ‘‘2’’ bef ore starting out.
Starting out in the second gear will
help to reduce wheel spin in deep
snow or on a slippery surf ace.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
. Gear
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Do not try to keep the vehicle
position on an uphill slope by using
the stop-and-go operation. This
can damage the clutch system. When you stop the vehicle with
the engine running on an uphill
slope, never keep the vehicle
stopped by operating the
accelerator pedal. This will cause
excessive clutch wear and damage
the clutch system and the
transmission. The system continues starting in the
second gear until the vehicle’s speed
exceeds 15 km/h (9 mph). Maximum allowable
speeds
45 km/h (27 mph)
84 km/h (52 mph)
127 km/h (78 mph)
166 km/h (103 mph)
194 km/h (120 mph)
424
Starting in Second Gear
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving
Driving on Hills
414
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							CONT INUED
Come to a complete stop and always
set the parking brake when you park
the vehicle. To stop brief ly with the engine idling,
keep the transmission in any gear,
pressfirmlyonthebrakepedal,and
keep your f oot of f the accelerator
pedal.
Before moving away, make sure the
gear position indicator in the upper
display shows you the appropriate
gear position.
If you press the brake pedal and the
vehicle slows down to a certain
speed, the control system releases
the clutch and downshifts to a lower
gear to prevent the engine f rom
stalling.Bef ore turning of f the engine, make
sure the gear position indicator in
the upper display shows you ‘‘A1’’ or
‘‘1’’ on an uphill slope. On a downhill
slope, make sure the gear position
shows ‘‘R.’’ For more inf ormation on
parking tips, see page . If your vehicle gets stuck, ‘‘Rocking’’
your vehicle between f orward and
reverse gear or revving up the
engine and allowing the wheels to
spin f reely at high speeds can
damage the i-SHIFT transmission.
Use a tow service to prevent
transmission damage (see page ). When the system receives the signal
f rom ABS sensors that your vehicle
is making a turn, the transmission
does not upshif t in the automatic
driving mode. The transmission cannot be
downshif ted while the vehicle
stability assist system (VSA) is
activated (see page ).
You can conf irm the selected gear
number even af ter you turn of f the
ignition switch; the gear position
indicator stays on f or several
seconds af ter the ignition switch is
of f f rom the ON (II) position.
If the outside temperature is very
low, the transmission may not
downshif t f rom the second gear to
the f irst gear while driving.418422
578
i-SHIFT (Automated Manual Transmission)
Driving
Parking Braking or St opping
A ddit ional Driving T ips
415
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