HONDA 2003 Civic Coupe - Owner's Manual - Manual (Page 235)

We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
To safely operate your car, your tires
must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread,
and correctly inflated. The following
pages give more detailed information
on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life, and riding
comfort. Underinflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated.
Overinflated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to
damage from road hazards, and wear
unevenly.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car
has been parked for at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
before checking the tire pressure,
the tires can still be considered
‘‘cold’’ if you drive less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose 1 to 2 psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2
kgf/cm ) per month. Remember to
check the spare tire at the same time
you check all the other tires.
Add or release air, if needed, to
match the recommended cold tire
pressures on page
.
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot [the car has been driven
several miles (kilometers)], you will
see readings 4 to 6 psi (30 to 40 kPa,
0.3 to 0.4 kgf/cm ) higher than the
cold reading. This is normal. Do not
let air out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be
underinflated.
233
Inf lation
Tires
Maintenance 232
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
Main Menu Table of Contents