Newbie Questions
 

Hello all,

I'm on my second tank on a new manual 2005 Civic Hybrid, and have a few questions.
I hope these haven't appeared earlier--if so, my apologies.

FYI-- I'm commuting from CT to NYC (about 140 miles R/T each day, mostly highway, of course city driving too in NYC)

1- I've never seen the downshift indicator go on. Is this common? When should it go on?
2- I've had a couple of times when the Auto Stop is on, and then when I release the cluth to start up again the car stalls. Odd. I have to pay more attention--maybe I'll see specifically when this happens. More often then not I think I'm rolling a bit when this happens. In one case I had pushed down the clutch in 2nd while slowing down, and the auto stop came on (before a complete stop I think) then I let the the clutch out (still in 2nd) and it stalled.
3- I typically push in the clutch before coming to a stop. I notice that if I leave the car in gear, then I get some charging, which I assume is a good thing. Am I right, or should I continue to drive as usual with the clutch down before a complete stop.
4- What's with the air conditioning Auto fan setting. The fan ramps up in speed to a deafening roar. Is that common?

Thanks for any input.
Peter

Re: Newbie Questions
 

The downshift lamp hardly ever comes on. If you were going up a steep hill in 5th gear, giving 'er all she's got, the downshift lamp would light up to suggest you need to move to 4th gear for more power.

Any car will stall if you just let out the clutch in a complete standstill. That point made, the HCH clutch is very finnicky. I've stalled mine a few times by letting the clutch out too fast with not enough engine speed.

Coming to a stop, I typically don't engage the clutch until the engine speed is 750-800 RPM. Leaving the clutch out while slowing down adds to the braking.

Yes, the fan can be quite loud. I've gotten used to it, though.

Re: Newbie Questions
 

Thanks Doppler. I'll have to try out what you've suggested to see the downshif light come
on. I just want to make sure it works.
I'll need to look into that stalling thing a bit. I think it's akin to popping the clutch to start a manual tranny without a starter. Not that I'm trying to do that, but it gives me that feeling..
Thanks,
Peter

Re: Newbie Questions
 

1) I've driven mine in 5th gear with the speed in MPH in the high twenties and have never seen the downshift light come on. The engine viberates like mad but no light. The only way the you know if the light is there is when you first start the car it comes on with all the other lights in selftest mode.

3) You should leave the car in gear while slowing down until the car is moving under 20MPH. You will get regen till around then. Actually just wait till the regen stops then worry about the clutch. Pushing the clutch in too much has been said to be bad for a car. Something about throwout bearings and what not.

Re: Newbie Questions
 

I regularly see the downshift light come on, mostly when I am trying to stay in too high a gear going up a hill. The most common time is in 5th, at about 35-40 MPH up a hill and full battery assist. I try to never see the shift up light, because that means I am burning too much gas in a lower gear.