cooling HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1998 User Guide

Heating and Cooling

To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the vehicle has been sitting out
in cold weather:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select
When you select the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Switch the fan and temperature controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield (on very cold
days), first select the Recirculation
mode. Once the windshield is clear, select the Fresh Air mode to avoid
fogging the windows.

Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUTTONS


RECIRCULATION

BUTTON
AIR CONDITIONING

BUTTON

TEMPERATURE
CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL
LEVERMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

These settings direct all the air flow to the defroster vents at the base of
the windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the side vents with the dial
beside each vent. This will send
more warm air to the windshield defroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a
clear view through all the windows
before driving away. To Turn Everything Off
To shut off the system temporarily, slide the fan speed and temperature
control levers all the way to the left.
You should shut the system completely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,
until the engine coolant warms upenough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale air does not build up in the interior.

Comfort and Convenience FeaturesMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 219 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Honda

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 142
Important Safety Precautions.. 143

Maintenance Schedule.................. 144

Maintenance Record..................... 151
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 153

Fluid Locations............................... 154

Engine Oil....................................... 155 Adding Oil................................... 155Recommended Oil..................... 155Synthetic Oil............................... 156

Additives..................................... 156
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 157

Cooling System.............................. 159
Adding Engine Coolant............. 159Replacing Engine Coolant........ 161

Windshield Washers..................... 164

Transmission Fluid........................ 164
Automatic
Transmission.......................... 164

5-speed Manual
Transmission.......................... 166

Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 166
Brake System............................. 167Clutch System............................ 167

Power Steering............................... 168

Air Cleaner Element...................... 169 Spark Plugs..................................... 171

Replacement............................... 171

Specifications............................. 172

Battery............................................ 173

Wiper Blades.................................. 175
Air Conditioning System............... 177 Drive Belts...................................... 178

Timing Belt..................................... 178

Tires................................................ 179 Inflation....................................... 179
Recommended Tire Pressures
for Normal Driving............ 180
Inspection................................... 181
Maintenance............................... 181
Tire Rotation.............................. 182
Replacing Tires and Wheels ....
183

Wheels an d
Tires....................... 184
Winter Driving........................... 184 Snow Tires.............................. 184
Tire Chains............................. 185
Lights.............................................. 186 Headlight Aiming...................... 188
Replacing Bulbs......................... 189

Storing Your Vehicle..................... 197

MaintenanceMain Menu s t

Cooling System

Adding Engine Coolant

If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
This coolant should always be a mixture of 50 percent antifreeze and50 percent water. Never add straight
antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda
antifreeze/coolant. If it is notavailable, you may use another
major-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporary replacement. Make sure it is a high-quality coolant
recommended for aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-Honda coolant can result in
corrosion, causing the coolingsystem to malfunction or fail. Have
the cooling system flushed and
refilled with Honda antifreeze/ coolant as soon as possible.
If the reserve tank is completelyempty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.

CONTINUED

RESERVE TANK

Maintenance

Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

1. Make sure the engine and radiator are cool.
2. Turn the radiator cap counter- clockwise, without pressing down
on it, until it stops. This relieves
any pressure remaining in the
cooling system.
3. Remove the radiator cap by pushing down and turningcounterclockwise.
4. The coolant level should be up to
the base of the filler neck. Addcoolant if it is low.
5. Put the radiator cap back on. Tighten it fully.
6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank. Fill it to halfway between the MAXand MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.
Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your vehicle's
cooling system. They may not be
compatible with the coolant or
engine components.

Maintenance
RADIATOR CAP
RESERVE TANKMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

Replacing Engine Coolant
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the time and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use Genuine Honda antifreeze/coolant.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the vehicle. Unless you have the tools and
knowledge, you should have this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic. 1. Slide the heater temperature
control lever to maximum heat.Open the hood. Make sure the
engine and radiator are cool to the
touch.
2. Remove the radiator cap. 3. Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. Thecoolant will come out through the
hole in the splash cover.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

DRAIN PLUGMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

4. Remove the reserve tank from its holder by pulling it straight up.
Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back in its holder. 5. When the coolant stops draining,
tighten the drain plug in the
bottom of the radiator.
6. Mix the recommended antifreeze with an equal amount of purifiedor distilled water in a clean
container. The cooling system capacity is:

With 5-speed manual transmission:
0.82 US gal (3.1 , 0.68 Imp gal)

With automatic transmission:

(DX)

0.79 US gal (3.0 ,0.66 Imp gal)

(U.S.: HX,
EX, Canada: Si)

0.85 US gal (3.2 ,0.70 Imp gal)
7. Pour
coolant into the radiator up
to the base of the filler neck.
Maintenance

RESERVE

TANK
RESERVE
TANK CAP

HOLDER FILLER NECK
Fill up to hereMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

8. Start the engine and let it run until it warms up (the radiator cooling
fan comes on at least twice).
9. Turn off the engine. Check the level in the radiator, add coolant ifneeded. Install the radiator cap,
and tighten it fully.
10.Fill the reserve tank to the MAXmark. Install the reserve tank cap.

Maintenance

RESERVE TANKMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Air Conditioning System
Standard on U.S. EX model

Your vehicle's air conditioning is a sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be
done by a qualified mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to makesure the air conditioning works
efficiently. Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Refrigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specifications on page 234.)
Whenever you have the air conditioning

system serviced, make sure the service

facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can

damage the environment.

Maintenance

NOTICE
NOTICE

AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSERMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Overheats

The pointer of your vehicle's temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.It may go higher if you are driving up
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge-
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine. Your vehicle can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a

mechanical problem. The only

indication may be the temperature

gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming from under the hood.

In either case, you should take

immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning
indicators.

2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for
example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
CONTINUED

Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.Main Menu Table of Contents s t