Honda Civic Owners Manual: Overheating

How to Handle Overheating

Overheating symptoms are as follows:

•  The temperature gauge pointer is at the H mark or the engine suddenly loses power.
•  Steam or spray comes out of the engine compartment.

 First thing to do

1.  Immediately park the vehicle in a safe place.
2.  Turn off all accessories and turn on the hazard warning lights.

   ► No steam or spray present: Keep the engine running and open the hood.

   ► Steam or spray is present: Turn off the engine and wait until it subsides.

   Then open the hood.

Next thing to do

1. Check that the cooling fan is operating and stop the engine once the temperature gauge pointer comes down.

   ► If the cooling fan is not operating, immediately stop the engine.

2.  Once the engine has cooled down, inspect the coolant level and check the cooling system components for leaks.

   ► If the coolant level in the reserve tank is low, or no coolant in the tank, check that the radiator is cool. Cover the reserve tank cap with a heavy cloth and open the cap. Add coolant until it reaches the MAX mark, and put the cap back on.

Last thing to do

Once the engine has cooled sufficiently, restart it and check the temperature gauge.

If the temperature gauge pointer has gone down, resume driving. If it has not gone down, contact a dealer for repairs.