2009 Honda Civic Owner's Manual - Page 271

Main Menu Table Of Contents Manual Transmission When slowing down, you can get extra braking from the engine by shifting to a lower gear. This extra braking can help you maintain a safe speed and prevent your brakes from overheating while going down a steep hill. Before downshifting, make sure the engine speed will not go into the tachometer's red zone in the lower gear. time on a hot day, be careful before moving the shift lever. Because of the heat, the shift lever may be extremely hot. If the outside temperature is low, the shift lever feels cold. Recommended Shift Points Drive in the highest gear that lets the engine run and accelerate smoothly. This will give you good fuel economy and effective emissions control. The following shift points are recommended: With 5-speed manual transmission With 6-speed manual transmission Shift up 1st to 2nd 2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th 4th to 5th 5th to 6th Normal acceleration 17 mph (27 km/h) 29 mph (47 km/h) 37 mph (60 km/h) 43 mph (69 km/h) 49 mph (79 km/h) Rapid slowing or speeding up can cause loss of control on slippery surfaces. If you crash, you can be injured. Use extra care when driving on slippery surfaces. On Si model Shift up 1st to 2nd 2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th 4th to 5th Normal acceleration 15 mph (24 km/h) 27 mph (43 km/h) 39 mph (63 km/h) 53 mph (85 km/h) Your vehicle is equipped with an aluminum shift lever. If you leave the vehicle parked outside for a long 268 2009 Civic Sedan