Up until now I thought all Hondas had timing belts! When I researched your question I found that some 4 cylinder cars switched to timing CHAINS which typically do not break therefore do not require scheduled replacement.Going back to my American muscle days where my V8s had timing chains, I recall those chains getting stretched though and the timing begins to wander around with the loose chain links. The only indication of this I found was when using a timing light the marks would wander around a bit instead of being steady.With Honda engines being interference engines, the timing belt has always been a weak link to engine disaster. Getting rid of it entirely is probably a good move!I can't agree with the first answerer though; while your wife's '02 has a timing belt and your '04 has a timing chain, my daughter's '05 Civic EX Special Edition has a timing belt, not a chain. It seems we must research each particular model and act accordingly when it comes to maintenance.The term "drive belt" seems reserved for accessory items such as the alternator, air conditioning compressor, power steering etc. Timing belts are just that, for keeping the pistons in time with the valve train. They need that timing to keep the pistons and valves from colliding since they share the same space in the combustion chambers.