Honda 1998 Civic Sedan Manual page 127

Second (2) — To shift to Second,
press the release button on the side
of the shift lever. This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshift to first gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing,
and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery
surface or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
Maximum Speeds
The speeds in this table are the
maximums for the given position. If
you exceed these speeds, the engine
speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. If this
occurs, you will feel the engine cut
in and out. This is caused by a
limiter in the engine's computer
controls. The engine will run
normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
(U.S.: DX, LX, Canada: LX, EX)
Automatic Transmission
(U.S.: EX)
Driving