engine HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1999 Repair Manual

If Your Engine Overheats
The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-range 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 car 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 orPark 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.

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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

If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the

hood.

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 241).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page112). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes off. 10.Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.Remember to have the coolingsystem drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.

11.Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watchthe temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Emergency
Towing on page 241.)
12.If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
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

Low Oil Pressure Indicator

This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is running. If it starts flashing, itindicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safely get
the car stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level(see page 111). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 171). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 241.)

Taking Care of the Unexpected

LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

NOTICEMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Charging System Indicator

This indicator should come on when
the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out after the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine is running, it indicates that thecharging system has stopped
charging the battery. Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C, rear
defogger, cruise control, etc. Try not
to use other electrically-operated controls such as the power windows.
Keep the engine running and takeextra care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly. By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATORMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Malfunction Indicator Lamp

This indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emissions control systems
may have a problem. Even though
you may feel no difference in your car's performance, it can reduce
your fuel economy and cause your car to put out excessive emissions.Continued operation may cause
serious damage.
If you have recently refueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing fuel fill cap. Check the cap
and tighten it until it clicks at least
three times. Replace the fuel fill cap if it is missing. Tightening the cap
will not make the indicator turn off immediately; it takes three driving

trips.

If the indicator remains on past threedriving trips, or the fuel cap was not
loose or missing, have the car checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until the dealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving at high speed.
You should also have the dealer
inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn off as you continue driving.

If you keep driving with the malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not becovered by your car's warranties.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP

NOTICEMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Fuses

All the electrical circuits in your car have fuses to protect them from ashort circuit or overload. These
fuses are located in three fuse boxes. INTERIOR
The interior fuse box is underneath the dashboard on the driver's side.Remove the fuse box lid by swinging
the lid down and pulling it straight
out of its hinges. The under-hood fuse box is located
in the engine compartment next to
the battery. To open it, push the tab
as shown.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
TAB

UNDER-HOODMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Fuses

Vehicles equipped with ABS have a third fuse box for the ABS. It is in
the engine compartment on the
passenger's side.
Checking and Replacing Fuses

If something electrical in your car stops working, the first thing you
should check for is a blown fuse.
Determine from the chart on pages 198 and 199, or the diagram on the
fuse box lid, which fuse or fuses control that component. Check those
fuses first, but check all the fuses
before deciding that a blown fuse is not the cause. Replace any blown
fuses and check the component's
operation.

1. Turn the ignition switch to LOCK (0). Make sure the headlights and
all other accessories are off.
2. Remove the cover from the fuse box. FUSE
3. Check each of the large fuses in the under-hood fuse box by
looking through the top at the wire
inside. Removing these fusesrequires a Phillips-head screw-
driver.

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Taking Care of the Unexpected

ABS FUSE BOX

BLOWNMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Emergency Towing

If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a professional towing service or, if you belong to one, an
organization that provides roadside
assistance. Never tow your vehicle
behind another vehicle with just a rope or chain. It is very dangerous.
There are three popular types of
professional towing equipment.
Flat-bed Equipment — The operator loads your vehicle on the back of a
truck. This is the best way to
transport your Honda.
Wheel-Lift Equipment — The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that
go under the tires (front or rear) and
lift them off the ground. The other
two tires remain on the ground. This is an acceptable way to tow
your Honda.
Sling-type Equipment — The tow truck uses metal cables with hooks on the ends. These hooks go around
parts of the frame or suspension and
the cables lift that end of the vehicle
off the ground. Your vehicle's suspension and body can beseriously damaged. This method of

towing is unacceptable.

If your Honda cannot be transported

by flat-bed, it should be towed by

wheel-lift equipment with the front

wheels off the ground. If due to
damage, your vehicle must be towed with the front wheels on the ground,
do the following.
5-speed Manual Transmission Release the parking brake.
Shift the transmission to Neutral.
Automatic Transmission Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
Shift to D4, then to N.
Turn off the engine. Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Followthe above procedure exactly. If youcannot shift the transmission or
start the engine (automatictransmission), your vehicle must be
transported with the front wheels
off the ground.
With the front wheels on the ground, it is best to tow the vehicleno farther than 50 miles (80 km),
and keep the speed below 35 mph
(55 km/h).
If you decide to tow your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground,
make sure you use a properly-
designed and attached tow bar. Prepare the vehicle for towing as
described above, and leave theignition switch in Accessory (I) so
the steering wheel does not lock.
Make sure the radio and any items
Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICEMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Identification Numbers

Your car has several identifying numbers located in various places.
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is the 17-digit number your
Honda dealer uses to register your
car for warranty purposes. It is also
necessary for licensing and insuring
your car. The easiest place to find the VIN is on a plate fastened to the
top of the dashboard. You can see it
by looking through the windshieldon the driver's side. It is also on theCertification label attached to the
driver's doorjamb, and is stamped on
the engine compartment bulkhead.
The VIN is also provided in bar code on the Certification label.

Technical Information
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
CERTIFICATION LABELMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Identification Numbers

The Engine Number is stamped into the engine block.
The Transmission Number is on a label on top of the transmission.

Technical Information
TRANSMISSION NUMBER
ENGINE NUMBERMain Menu Table of Contents s t