CIVIC
HYBRID
MAINTENANCE
SERVICE
OPPORTUNITIES
The Honda Civic Hybrid’s external
appearance isn’t that much different
from a conventional Civic—it’s a ‘stealth’
hybrid. Familiarity with the conventional
model will stand you in good stead when
it comes time to service a hybrid version.
W
hat comes to mind
when I say “Honda
hybrid”? If you immediately think of
the Insight, you’re
not alone. The innovative Insight, a two-seat hatchback
introduced in 1999, was the first regular-production hybrid offered in America. But the Civic Hybrid, which followed in 2003, has become the highestvolume hybrid in the company stable. If
a Honda hybrid rolls into your shop,
odds are it’s going to be a 2003-05 Civic
Hybrid. With that in mind, let’s take a
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November 2008
run through the details you should
know about performing routine maintenance on these Civics.
First, pull the Civic Hybrid into your
bay, set up the lift and write down the
odometer reading. Once you’ve taken
care of these little preparatory details,
remove the key from the ignition switch
and put it in a safe place. This way, the
engine can’t restart while you’re performing maintenance on the car. The
engine in a 2003-05 Civic Hybrid can
restart automatically in order to
recharge the high-voltage battery.
Second, the engine in this hybrid does-
Photoillustration: Harold A. Perry; photos: Wieck Media & Jupiter Images
BY DAN MARINUCCI
November 2008
45
Photos: Dan Marinucci
CIVIC HYBRID MAINTENANCE SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
This OEM battery looks strange because it’s considerably
smaller than its hold-down assembly. This is a traditional
lead-acid design and technically, it’s an auxiliary battery.
It operates the car’s 12.00-volt system and is a backup
power source for a conventional starter motor.
n’t run as often as one in a conventional
Civic. When the conditions are right,
for instance, this engine may shut off at
an intersection to save fuel. Therefore,
you’ll find that throttle housing cleanup
is still important—not to mention periodically decarbonizing the engine.
Third, the internal combustion engine
in this first-generation Civic Hybrid takes
0W-20 motor oil. The more common
Honda internal combustion engines of
recent years use 5W-20 viscosity oil. You
may find that the 5W-20 oil is much easier to source than the 0W-20. Some specialists said they just purchase the 0W-20
by the case from Honda dealers so they
always have it handy. For what it’s worth,
this 0W-20 is synthetic because this tech-
These are the often-cursed retaining “buttons,” or inserts, that hold that big plastic splash panel in place under the engine. The center of the insert is a nail-shaped
plastic pin. Pushing the pin into the center of the insert
spreads the insert’s segments, locking it in place.
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November 2008
The biggest nuisance you may encounter when doing routine maintenance on 2003-05 Civic Hybrids is this panel
below the engine. You have to remove it to change the oil
and filter as well as service the CVT transmission. Reportedly, the panel helps smooth airflow under the car.
nology has been the only way to create
that particular viscosity. Presently,
Exxon/Mobil is the only company I know
that offers this viscosity; it’s available in
the Mobil1 synthetic line.
I recently cited examples of problems
caused by people using the wrong viscosity oil in Toyota’s Prius (see “Prius Hybrid
Maintenance Service Opportunities” in
The easiest way to remove a splash panel insert is to pull
out its center pin first, then the body of the insert. Any
kind of pliers with narrow, pointed and curved tips
should give you a good grip on the head of the center pin.
These happen to be K-D Tools’ Part No. 3728.
CIVIC HYBRID MAINTENANCE SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
The easiest reinstallation approach may be to hold the
splash panel in place, then push the body of the insert
through it and into the hole in the frame. Once you feel
that the insert is seated inside this hole in the frame, lock
it in place by pushing the center pin back through it again.
the September 2008 issue). I can’t attest
to any difficulties with switching a Civic
Hybrid over to the more popular 5W-20
oil. However, the engine is really designed
for 0W-20. Heavier-viscosity oil can impact both cranking speed—particularly in
colder weather—and overall fuel consumption. Remember that superior fuel
economy is one of the main reasons peo-
ple buy these cars. Also, experience shows
that many owners of nonhybrid Hondas
already are the kind of motorists who
monitor fuel consumption very closely; it
would stand to reason that they’d be even
fussier about the Hybrid. So if you want to
risk making a negative impact on this
Civic, be my guest. Besides, Civic Hybrid
owners will likely pay for proper mainte-
Interesting? Honda casts the words ENGINE OIL into the
pan along with an arrow pointing to the crankcase drain
plug. Meanwhile, always replace that aluminum drain
plug gasket during every oil change! Overtightening a
used gasket is a common cause of damaged oil pans.
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November 2008
For many years, Honda has been recommending 5W-20
oil for the majority of its engines. However, 0W-20 oil is
specified for all Civic Hybrids. Some shops keep a modest
supply of this uncommon oil handy so they don’t have to
start hunting for it when the need arises.
nance with the proper products. So why
invite complaints by taking shortcuts?
Before I leave the topic of engine oil,
play it safe by priming the oil filter on
that Civic Hybrid. This means filling or
nearly filling the new filter with fresh oil
before you install it. This helps the engine reach normal oil pressure quicker
after an oil change. Of course, many
Thankfully, the CVT transmission drain plug looks very different from the crankcase drain plug, so there’s less
chance of confusing the two. Because it contains a 3⁄8-in.
square hole, a 3⁄8-drive ratchet or short breaker bar
makes a perfect R&R tool for a transmission fluid service.
The CVT trans fill plug isn’t difficult to find, but you have
to climb over the engine’s air filter housing and look
down into the gap to see it. The fill plug, which has the
letters ATF cast into its top, has a 17mm hex.
techs habitually prime the oil filter during every oil change. According to Honda, a 2003 Civic Hybrid may set DTC
P1021 (Valve Pause System Stuck On)
on the first restart after an oil change.
That’s because the ECM is detecting
low oil pressure in the valve train. Assuming there were no previous mechanical issues with this engine, just
The safest approach to CVT service is using the latest OEM
fluid (Part No. 08200-9006), which is also suitable for previous Honda CVT transmissions. Using the wrong fluid can
cause transmission roughness and shuddering. A drain &
refill actually is a diagnostic step for these symptoms.
clear the code before you return the car
to the customer. To prevent a recurrence of P1021 on another oil change,
just remember to prime the oil filter.
The fourth detail to mention is to be
patient with the aerodynamic splash
panel located under the engine (see the
photo on page 46, top right). It’s easy to
butcher this panel if you’re racing to
Carefully sliding a long funnel between the air filter housing
and firewall simplifies refilling the CVT. A typical drain & refill
service takes 3 to 31⁄2 quarts. The standard fluid change interval is 30,000 mi. (15,000 mi. for severe-duty service).
beat the clock on a maintenance job.
But believe it: No Civic Hybrid owner
will find added value in a cracked, loose
or flapping splash panel following your
oil change.
Fifth, the continuously variable transmission (CVT) requires a specific fluid or
an equivalent lubricant that’s truly equivalent. These transmissions aren’t cheap;
Honda hasn’t published a replacement interval for this
trans filter located on the front crossmember. Specialists
who maintain lots of these cars said that frequent fluid
changes with the proper fluid is the single most important step to take in preserving these expensive trannies.
November 2008
49
CIVIC HYBRID MAINTENANCE SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
it’s another case where proper maintenance is the least expensive thing the
customer can do for the car. Back in the
1990s, there was one version of CVTspecific trans fluid. Later, Honda authorized use of its reformulated fluid (commonly called ATF Z1) in the CVT. Now
there’s a new version of CVT-specific fluid that’s required for the current CVT
trannies and recommended for the earlier ones as well. Honda’s part number for
the current CVT fluid is 08200-9006.
Specialists who service lots of Civic
Hybrids said they’ve encountered roughness, noise and/or shuddering on some
CVTs that have been serviced elsewhere.
The first thing to suspect, they caution, is
incorrect fluid. If you encounter such
symptoms, try draining the existing fluid
and refilling the trans with the current
CVT fluid. Then run the vehicle in gear
on the lift for a few minutes and follow
up with a road test. If the symptoms are
gone, you’re home free. If the symptoms
persist, draining and refilling the trans a
second time usually fixes the car.
Resetting the maintenance reminder light on the Civic Hybrid requires no
special tools. Shut off the ignition switch, then press in the SELECT RESET
knob and hold it. Next, turn the ignition on/engine off. Continue holding the
knob in until the MAINT REQ’D light goes out (usually in about 10 seconds).
The CVT trans has a serviceable filter
located near the electric fan, on top of
the crossmember. On the one hand,
Honda hasn’t specified a replacement in-
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November 2008
terval for it; on the other hand, it seems
sensible to replace the filter periodically.
Certainly, you should replace the filter
whenever you replace the transmission
This engine is distinctly different from the powerplant in the comparable
nonhybrid Civic. Among the most noticeable differences is its use of twin
spark plugs per cylinder—hence eight coil-on-plug assemblies up top.
itself. Regardless, Honda specialists emphasize that servicing the CVT often
with the proper trans fluid is still your
top priority for maintaining it correctly.
Sixth, remember that a dead or disconnected 12.00-volt battery may
cause a strange symptom on the Civic
Hybrid. Suppose the auxiliary battery
(see the photo on page 46, top left)
happens to go dead or you have to disconnect it for some reason. When you
replace or reconnect this battery, the
state-of-charge indicator on the instrument panel may not work. This indicator is a blue segmented bar gauge on
the far right side of the instrument
panel (see the photo on page 50). If it
isn’t responding, start the engine and
hold it at 4000 rpm until the state-ofcharge indicator works again. Yes, I
said 4000 rpm.
Finally, I included the simple procedure for turning off the Civic Hybrid’s
maintenance reminder light, which
reads MAINT REQ’D. Furthermore,
this “turn-off” technique also applies to
many other Honda models—Accords,
Accord hybrids, Civics, CR-Vs, Elements, Odysseys and Pilots—you’re
now servicing.
This article can be found online at
www.motormagazine.com.
Circle #28
November 2008
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