Honda Civic 2005 and earlier

bjk2001 · July 2003

IMHO side/head impact air bag and ABS brake are necessities on all cars. Car makers should make them as standard on low end/trim level car too. Keep keyless entry as an option on lower trim model and standard for upper trim level.

alpha01 · July 2003

Not many models in this class offer a side impact airbag that protects head AND chest for the front seat driver. Offhand, the only ones I can think of are Sentra (optional) and Elantra/Accent (standard)..possibly Focus, I'm not sure. The ION offers a side curtain that protects ONLY head, but covers front and rear (optional). I was disappointed that the redesigned 03 Corolla did not offer the same available setup as other redesigned Toyotas- front side chest airbags in seat and curtains for both rows. Both the Civic and Corolla offer side airbags that only protect chest. bleh.

~alpha

micweb · July 2003

I tried holding in the knob that sets the clock and resets the odometer while starting the car. Didn't work. My manual doesn't reference resetting the reminder at all...although it does have a brief paragraph about when the reminder is supposed to come on. Maybe your Si (made in England) was configured differently than the more common North American Civics?

anonymousposts · July 2003

The key needs to be in the off position. Hold that knob down and then turn the key to the on position (the position right before you start the car) and hold it for 10 seconds or so. If that doesn't work then repeat the procedure and turn the car completely on. These instructions have been in both my SI and my Accord and the previous generation Accords I have owned. It's in your owners manual somewhere. Have you tried the index under maintenance required light?

rivertown · July 2003

In my manual, it's at the end of the 'indicator lights' section, right before the 'guages' section, in the 'instruments and controls' chapter.

uga91 · July 2003

Which way to go? Price is not the issue--I know the Accord will be a couple grand more. The car is mostly a commuter, but will have to haul kids every now and then, though. The Accord has more size and more room for "future expansion" but the Civic gets better mpg and has a sunroof. With the Accord LX now having ABS, that is one major point taken away from Civic EX. Any thoughts?

vocus · July 2003

If you need more room than the Civic has, choose the Accord. Keep in mind that the Civic EX has a standard sunroof, which might compromise head room if you're tall (it does for me, and I am 6'3).

lngtonge18 · July 2003

Woah! Looking at the Accord and Civic? I thought you just got 2 new cars and won't be shopping for a long time??

vocus · July 2003

He sounds like he goes through cars like you do.

uga91 · July 2003

Shopping for a new car. I'm just the kind of guy who can not stay away from the idea, though. I was just wondering which way Civic owners think on this subject. Do many Civic owners find their back seat not as big as they thought? Is it plenty big for what they need? Has the quality been what they thought it was? Did they buy a Civic EX because they wanted ABS, but now that the Accord LX has ABS, would they buy it instead if they had it to do over again? Don't worry you two, I'm not heading to my friendly local Honda store any time in the near future.

anonymousposts · July 2003

If my only choices were a Civic EX and an Accord LX ... I would be in a conundrum. I think I would just buy a 2001-2002 slightly used Accord EX and have the best of both worlds. BUT ... were those the only two cars on the planet ... I would take a Civic EX because I gotta have a sunroof.

uga91 · July 2003

I just know that there are many people out in the world (like my brother) who don't drive anything but Hondas. Same goes for Toyotas. My wife has an aunt and uncle who have an Avalon and a Camry and don't consider other brands. My brother has an Accord and an Odyssey and no other brand will do for him, either. I was just curious what a person would choose if they wanted a new car with ABS--but that car was not going to be used for much more than commuting. The $2000+ price difference not being an issue, of course. The sunroof does, IMO, make a strong statement for the Civic as well.

anonymousposts · July 2003

If it's just a commuter-mobile the choice becomes even easier. The Civic is smaller so it's easier to maneuver and it gets better MPG while having a respectable crash test rating. The Accord does have more power and is probably quieter, safer, etc. though.

tonychad · July 2003

I recently traded my 01 coupe for 03 sedan, thinking I wouldn't miss the 6 speaker audio. I was wrong. Does anyone know if the high-mount tweater brackets from the coupe will fit the sedan?

micweb · July 2003

The reset informationis apparently not included in the new models (2003) manual. My dealer told me to:

Set the trip odometer to "B" (the second of the two trip storage areas) by pushing the odometer knob in to recycle through milegage, A, and B. Then turn the car off, and then turn the ignition back on (but DON'T) start the car) and leave the ignition on until the maintenance reminder light stops flashing). Then turn the ignition off. After that you can leave the car parked, or restart it and drive away.

dudka · July 2003

your local honda dealer should have them for the 4 door as well. You may want to try some online parts dealers as they are cheaper. They may not have the tweeters listed, but if you call or e-mail them, they will give you a much better price than local dealer.

East coast
www.fairhondapartsforyou.com they ain danbury CT, I have been buying parts from them for a while and in fact bought my Si from them too.

west coast
www.handa-accessories.com
Bought a few things from them before discovering fair honda, shipping to CT takes a week

heartland
www.hparts.com
bought an alarm from them back in 99.

I am sure there are more online dealers, but these three are the ones I have dealt with.

tsxfan19 · July 2003

I saw a 2003 Civic in a parking deck one day, and I noticed how 'bright' the gauges were...does anyone know if the gauges are like the gauges in the new Accord and TSX, or are they just back lit?

gbriank · July 2003

They are backlit.

dudka · July 2003

they are the same gauge technology

patrick45 · July 2003

Does anyone know what specifically Honda is going to change on the 2004 Civic sedan and coupe? Are they changing the bumpers or tailights design or front hood or trunk lid or the grill or all the above? I already read the statement on collegehillshonda.com and it's rather vague in stating that there's going to be a "refreshened restyling" of the exterior. Also, what does Fiji Blue Pearl and Magnesium Metallic look like? Any input would be appreciated. I called American Honda Motor in Torrance, CA today and they don't have any information on changes for 2004 yet.

uga91 · July 2003

They want you to buy a 2003 model today!

mattpdx · July 2003

Check around before you post a question. I've already done an extensive write-up on what the changes will be for the 2004 Honda Civic (look for the subject on the Civic Topic page).

mattpdx · July 2003

Patrick-

The taillamps, bumpers, headlamps, and hood/grill are all going to be resyled. This is common for Honda to do about 3-4 years in the cycle. I believe the changes will reflect the new Accord rather than the old one (which is what the current styling is based off of). Look for a more dramatic, pulled/swept back headlamp. As for the taillamp design, who knows? AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE FOCUS' TAILLAMPS IN REVERSE!!!

:-)

rdmatos · July 2003

Hello everyone-- i am ready to buy my first new car--a Honda Civic EX Sedan :-) anyway-- the only color I really like out of all of them is black (my sis. has a silver one, so that color was out.) I was wondering for those of you who have a black one-- do they show the swirls when you wash them and are they really that hard to keep clean. I wash my car every Monday like clockwork-- so keeping it clean shouldn't be a problem-- the swirls and fine scratches from washing are my main concern. I heard that the 2004 Civic has two new colors-- I am dying to know what magnesium metallic looks like-- if its a platinum/dark silver like I think it is-- I might wait and buy it-- but if not-- I'll lose my chance at 1.9% APR for the 2003s. Any feed back from you experts would be great. Have a wonderful day. --RDM :-)

backy · July 2003

As long as you hand-wash the car carefully and dry it using a chamois or soft cotton towels, and of course wax the car often (with hand buffing), swirls shouldn't be a problem with any color. There are also brushless ("all cloth") car washes that are OK too, if you can't always hand-wash your car. The only time I've ever had any swirls on any car I've owned is when I was stuck with having to use a self-service car wash with the wand brushes. The brush left fine scratches, even on a medium-blue car.

diablo4 · July 2003

How do you put a picture in your message.

pat · July 2003

Check the first post in the Civic Owners Photo Gallery - you can get to the Owners Club via the link at the top of this page.

patrick45 · July 2003

Matt,

I believe my post used the word "specifically". If an article/post states "restyling" or "refreshening" this is very vague and doesn't say what parts of the car are being changed. What I was asking was if anyone knew "exactly" or "specifically" what on the '04 Civic sedan/coupe was going to be revised. It sounds like the changes you're mentioning are based on assumptions from past mid-cycle revisions. My post was asking for hard facts, not assumptions, Matt. Secondly, there is absolutely nothing on the Civic Topic page regarding changes to the 2004 Civic sedan/coupe as per my initial post. If memory serves me right, the mid-cycle revisions they made to the 6th generation Civic (96-00) were so minor, they were hardly noticeable.

backy · July 2003

Well, I don't consider a new dashboard to be "minor". The control layout was much improved in the mid-gen redux for the '96-'00 Civics.

mattpdx · July 2003

Patrick45-

Must have been a bad day for me. Didn't mean to offend. However, the changes will be minor. New headlamps, new taillamps, new front/rear bumpers, and a few interior tweaks (I'd like to see them finally put adjustable anchor seatbelts!!!).

No pictures are available yet. However, I'd LOVE for somebody to prove me wrong on that. Anybody have any connections?

patrick45 · July 2003

This is a very minor detail, but I think it would be nice if Honda re-implemented the yellow blinker in the rear tail lamp turn signal flasher. I figured they didn't have on the 7th gen Civics because it was a costcutting move. I believe both the 5th & 6th generation Civics had this. I was on 7thgencivic.com recently and it showed a photo of either an '01 or '02 silver Civic sedan with yellow flashers on the real tail lamps, but this Civic was in Thailand or somewhere in southeast Asia where the styling cues are little different than ours.

jfigueroa1 · July 2003

Been a log time,hope every one is having a good
summer. I am trying to help a friend she is looking for a set of seat covers for a 03 civic sedan. Can any of you people shine some light this way.
Greetings from Virginia Beach.

bd21 · July 2003

I have been researching compacts for over a year and I decided the best car for my money was a Civic until I drove one on a hot day. I live in Florida and the temperature was in the 90's when I test drove a 2003 Civic LX sedan. I have driven one before, but not on a hot day, so I was surprised to find out the air conditioning system is woefully inadequate. The salesman kept saying give it more time. I have a 2001 Accord and the A/C works fine in it. Even with the fan on maximum and the re circulate button engaged it was barely cooling down the car during the couple mile test drive I took. This flaw is enough to make me reconsider the Civic as a valid choice. I got the impression that the salesman knew it was an issue too. Any thoughts from other Civic sedan owners in the south?

dcd · July 2003

I have no complaints with the A/C in my 03 Civic. I live in TN and it cools just fine.

jjpcat · July 2003

Honda has never known how to make powerful AC. But they have been making progress during the past 10+ years. For example, 89 Accord had such an awful AC that it made me feel uncomfortable even it was under 90F. 96 Accord had a better AC. My current car, 2k1 Civic, has the most powerful AC among the 3 Honda I have owned. However, it still has problems. The AC is not working consistantly. Sometime it is very cold and yet some other time it doesn't help much. In 9/01, I was driving this car in Neveda. It was hot and I had kept the fan at about 50% for hours. All in a sudden, the AC pumped out very cold air and I had to turned the fan to the slowest speed. My wife was also amazed and said maybe there were some ghosts nearby. This sudden change of AC output has happened several times since then.

plaue · July 2003

I live in Atlanta and I have no complaints about my 98 Civic's A/C. I mostly use it with in recirculation mode.

Just out of curiousity, for those who think their A/C is weak, have you actually measured the temperature of the air coming out of the vents?

dsgecho · July 2003

AC here in AL is fine even at lower fan speeds esp. w/ recirc button on !
Regards,
Don Gillespie

rfruth · July 2003

My A/C has worked well since day one thank goodness ! The sudden change of AC output problem as described above needs to be looked at.

anonymousposts · July 2003

One thing I noticed about the AC in Civics is that it will take it a minute to cool down but once moving it is fine, especially on the highway. Also, tinted windows would make a huge difference depending on the color combo you are thinking about buying.

I have owned a 93, 96, 98, and 02 Civic in Atlanta and have never thought the AC was inadequate.

vocus · July 2003

I remember test driving a 98 black Civic DX coupe on a hot day. It literally made me sick to my stomach, as the car never really cooled off on the 95-degree day even through I drove for 15mins. This was in MD, BTW.

Also remember, with the AC systems, you should lower the back windows a little and ventilate the sunroof (is there is one) to get the hot air out BEFORE using the recirc button. If not, then you are pretty much just recirculating the hot air that was in the car before.

patrick45 · July 2003

All Civic's get new fenders,hoods,trunk lids,front and rear bumpers,headlights and grill. LX's now get remote keyless entry and 15" wheels and tires. LX and EX get standard floor mats. The interior gets upgraded stereo speakers and a new face plate around the stereo system. All coupes get the above but also get new tail lights. All EX sedans will have standard alloys just like the EX coupes had for '03. Seems like the LX is getting a lot closer to the EX in equipment and amenities. I heard that the LX sedan accounts for about 70% of Civic sales.

micweb · July 2003

I don't care about the styling differences, but do care about the keyless entry, 15 inch wheels, better speakers, and standard floor mats. These were all included on my 2001 VW Golf, but not available on my 2003 Civic LX. I wish Honda would lead the market in this regard instead of trailing it.

jurbise · July 2003

My '03 EX hesitates when I press on the accelerator, then seems to surge and race the engine, almost like it is downshifting through two gears. I live on a mesa, so it is not mountain climbing, just hilly, and the car does it on level ground as well. The dealer's service dept says it is just the way Civics run and I should have bought an Accord. Haven't seen any other complaints.....

Also have a TERRIBLE smell coming from the air conditioner, especially when the car has been left in the sun to heat up. Anyone have any ideas? The dealer tried to tell me it was my seat covers, until he took them out and the smell did not disappear.

I've had a '72 (no air), '76 Civic, '83 Prelude, '84 CRX, '85 Accord, '91 Accord Wagon. I agree, Hondas have always had weak air conditioning. Even cracking the sunroof and using the window shades, it takes quite a while to cool it in West Texas!

With this Civic, I wonder why we came back to Honda.

rdmatos · July 2003

these changes are a fact-- I am willing to wait two months if these changes are true-- I was about to purchase a Black 2003 Civic EX and add the alloys for $800 more, but if they are making them standard, not to mention making a color that I will prefer over black (magnesium metallic, which if like the mineral in chemistry, is a platinum color). However, if its accurate info. then I'd hate to miss the 1.9% APR and the clearance specials they have right now. Any feedback would be great-- have a great one! Respectfully, RDM

patrick45 · July 2003

I called American Honda Motor and the person I spoke with rambled off all the changes to both the Civic sedan & coupe. She stated that alloy wheels would come standard on the EX sedan just like they are standard for '03 on the EX coupe. By the way, I just saw a picture today of the 2004 Civic Coupe on www.vtec.net. Apparently a reporter from MSNBC did a quick test drive/review of the car. If it was me, I'd wait for the '04's. The low interest rate will come around again. The Civic is a high volume car and you can always get pretty close to invoice for it regardless of trim level. It'll be nice to see what the '04 Civic sedan will look like. I was also told the '04 Civic will come in a VP (value price) trim. Basically the VP will be like a Civic DX with some amenities like A/C and power door locks added. They substantially upgraded the interior for 2003, so 2004 gets the upgraded exterior to compliment the new interior. Hope this helps.

micweb · July 2003

Sometimes if you run the air con all the time, especially in the "recirculate" or "maximum" mode, it will build up water inside and the water can get moldy.

Try to only run in the recirculate mode when you first start the aircon, then switch to regular outside air mode. The last mile or two before you park, turn off the air con altogether but keep the fan running to dry out the system.

See if this helps.

As for the noise when you accelerate, my Civic Coupe LX is also noisy if I run the RPM's over 3000. Much noisier than my VW.

maxamillion1 · July 2003

For the 2004 Models.

crazygrrrl · August 2003

I have 2003 Civic LX sedan and I'm thinking about having the windows tinted.

Does window tinting affect the radio reception? My car's antenna is etched into the glass.

Thanks.

dalaw · August 2003

I also have a 2003 Civic LX (4dr)and I have my five windows tinted. I dont remember how the radio sound before the tint but I think it sounds ok with the tint now. I dont think Civic's stereo system sounds that good anyways. I paid $130 for my tint job in the LA area, with the 22 in the back and 32 in the front. My friend got a better deal on her tint, she paid $110.

crazygrrrl · August 2003

I guess I'll go window tint window shopping this weekend.

Is it legal to have your front side windows tinted? I thought you can only tint the 3 back windows, otherwise the CHP will pull you over and give you a fix-it ticket. (I live in the CA Northern bay area, by the way.)

Honda Civic 2005 and earlier

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