engine overheat HONDA FIT 2009 2.G Owners Manual

2009 Fit Online Reference Owner's Manual

Contents

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction .............................................................................................................................\
............................. i

A Few Words About Safety ......................................................................\
........................................................ iii
Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) ....................................................\
................................................ 3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) ......................\
.............................. 5
Instruments and Controls
(indicators, gauges, dashboard, steering wheel, and other convenience items)
............. 57
Features (heating and cooling, audio, steering wheel, security, and cruise control) ................................. 109
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading) ...........................................\
........................... 197
Driving (engine and transmission operation) .........................................\
....................................................... 213
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 243
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) .............................. 283
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 315
Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 331
Index ....................................................................................................................................\
.................................... I


Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)
\
\
1 00X31-TK6-6003

Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS) Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, and when the ignition
switch is turned to the START (III)
position. If it comes on at any other
time, there is a problem with the
ABS. If this happens, have your
vehicle checked at a dealer. With this
indicator on, your vehicle still has
normal braking ability but no anti-
lock function. For more information,
see page231.
Electric Power Steering
(EPS) Indicator
This indicator normally comes on when
you turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position and goes off after the
engine starts. If it comes on at any
other time, there is a problem in the
electric power steering system. If this
happens, stop the vehicle in a safe
place and turn off the engine. Reset the
system by restarting the engine. The
indicator will not turn off immediately.
If it does not go off after driving a short
distance, or comes back on again while
driving, take the vehicle to your dealer
to have it checked. With the indicator
on, the EPS may be turned off, making
the vehicle harder to steer.
If you turn the steering wheel to the
full left or right position repeatedly
while stopping or driving at very low
speed, you may feel slightly harder
steering in order to prevent damage to
the steering box caused by
overheating.
Low Fuel Indicator
This indicator comes on as a
reminder that you must refuel soon.
When the indicator comes on, there
is about 1.64 US gal (6.2 L) of fuel
remaining in the tank before the
needle reaches E. There is a small
reserve of fuel remaining in the tank
when the needle does reach E.Door and Tailgate Open
Indicator
This indicator comes on if any door
or the tailgate is not closed tightly.
Instrument Panel Indicators62
2009 Fit

High Temperature
Indicator
This indicator monitors the
temperature of the engine coolant. It
normally comes on when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II) position
and goes off after a few seconds. In
normal driving conditions, this
indicator should not blink or stay on. In
severe driving conditions, such as very
hot weather or a long period of uphill
driving, this indicator may blink. This
means the engine coolant temperature
is high. If the indicator begins to blink
while you are driving, be sure to slow
down to prevent overheating. If the
indicator stays on, pull safely to the
side of the road and turn off the engine.
See page301for instructions and
precautions on checking the engine's
cooling system.
Do not drive the vehicle while the
indicator is on or the engine may be
damaged.
Low Temperature
Indicator
This indicator monitors the
temperature of the engine coolant. If
there is no problem, this indicator
comes on when the engine is cold. If
it comes on when the engine is warm
(normal operating temperature),
have the vehicle inspected by your
dealer as soon as possible.
Turn Signal and
Hazard Warning
Indicators
The left or right turn signal indicator
blinks when you signal a lane change
or turn. If an indicator does not blink
or blinks rapidly, it usually means
one of the turn signal bulbs is burned
out (see page 264).Replace the bulb
as soon as possible, since other
drivers cannot see that you are
signaling.
When you press the hazard warning
button, both turn signal indicators
and all turn signals on the outside of
the vehicle flash.
CONTINUED
Instrument Panel Indicators
63
Instruments and Controls
2009 Fit

The manual transmission is
synchronized in all forward gears for
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from fifth to
reverse. When shifting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch pedal
down all the way, shift to the next
gear, and let the pedal up gradually.
When you are not shifting, do not
rest your foot on the clutch pedal.
This can cause the clutch to wear out
faster.Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause for a few seconds before
shifting into reverse, or shift into one
of the forward gears for a moment.
This stops the gears so they won't
‘‘
grind. ’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes from
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Before downshifting, make
sure the engine speed will not go
into the tachometer's red zone in the
lower gear.
Rapid slowing or speeding up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
CONTINUED
Manual Transmission
217
Driving
2009 Fit

U.S. models onlyYour vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.
Each tire has its own pressure sensor
(not including the spare tire). If the
air pressure of a tire becomes
significantly low, the sensor in that
tire immediately sends a signal that
causes the low tire pressure indicator
to come on.
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
When the low tire pressure indicator
is on, one or more of your tires is
significantly underinflated. You
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure as indicated on
the vehicle's tire information placard.
If you think you can safely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inflate the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver's doorjamb.
If the tire is flat, or if the tire pressure
is too low to continue driving, replace
the tire with the compact spare tire
(see page284). If you cannot make the low tire
pressure indicator go out after
inflating the tires to the specified
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible.
Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle's handling and
stopping ability.
Because tire pressure varies by
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure indicator may
come on unexpectedly.
CONTINUED
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
235
Driving
2009 Fit

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If
not, you will also find instructions on
getting your vehicle towed.Compact Spare Tire
....................
284
Changing a Flat Tire
...................
285
Temporarily Repairing a Flat Tire
.........................................
291
If the Engine Won't Start
.............
297
Jump Starting
..............................
299
If the Engine Overheats
..............
301
Low Oil Pressure Indicator
.........
303
Charging System Indicator
.........
303
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
........
304
Brake System Indicator
...............
305
Fuses
..........................................
306
Fuse Locations
............................
309
Emergency Towing
.....................
311
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck
..........
312
Taking Care of the Unexpected
283
Taking Care of the Unexpected
2009 Fit

In freezing temperatures, turn the
engine on and leave it running
while the flat tire is being serviced.
Prolonged exposure to the cold
may cause the vehicle's battery to
weaken. Under cold conditions,
safely start the vehicle's engine and
keep the engine running at idle
when operating the air pump.Running the engine with the
vehicle in an enclosed or even
partly enclosed area can cause
a rapid build-up of toxic carbon
monoxide.
Breathing this colorless,
odorless gas can cause
unconsciousness and even
death. Only run the engine to
power the air pump with the
vehicle outdoors.
10. Turn the air pump on to inflate thetire. Do not run the air pump for
more than 15 minutes or it may
overheat. The air pressure gauge
will show about 40 to 60 psi (275 to
415 kPa) for the first few minutes
while the sealant is pumped into
the tire, and then the pressure will
go down to about 10 to 20 psi (70
to 140 kPa). 11. Inflate the tire to 33 psi (230 kPa),
then turn the air pump switch OFF
for an accurate pressure reading. If
the pressure fails to reach 33 psi
(230 kPa) within 15 minutes, do
not continue, and have the vehicle
towed. In Canada or the
continental U.S.A. simply call 1-
800-465-PLUS (7587) for Honda
Plus Roadside Assistance.
12. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK (0) position.
13. Remove the sealant bottle hose from the tire valve, then reinstall
the tire valve cap.
AIR PUMP SWITCH
OFF
ON
Temporarily Repairing a Flat Tire294
2009 Fit

The high temperature indicator
should be off under most conditions.
If the engine coolant temperature
gets higher than normal, the
indicator will blink. If it stays on, you
should determine the reason (hot
day, driving up a steep hill, etc.).
If the vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the high
temperature indicator blinking or
remaining on. Or you may see steam
or spray coming from under the
hood.Driving with the high temperature
indicator on can cause serious damage
to your engine.
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road. Put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Park (automatic), and
set the parking brake. Turn off all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning lights.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood. 3. If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running, and
check the high temperature
indicator. If the high heat is due to
overloading, the engine should
start to cool down almost
immediately. If it does, wait until
the high temperature indicator
goes off, then continue driving.
4. If the high temperature indicator stays on, turn off the engine.
CONTINUED
If the Engine Overheats
301
Taking Care of the Unexpected
2009 Fit

5. Look for any obvious coolantleaks, 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 page311).
6. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
7. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the high
temperature indicator goes off
before checking the radiator.
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.
8. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off. 9. Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum heat. 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 cooling system drained
and refilled with the proper
mixture as soon as you can.
10. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine, and check
the high temperature indicator. If
it begins to blink or comes on
again, the engine needs repair (see
Emergency Towing on page311).
11. 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.
If the Engine Overheats302
2009 Fit

D
DANGER, Explanation of
.............
iii
Dashboard
...............................
3, 58
Daytime Running Lights (Canada only)
.........................................
75
Daytime Running Lights Indicator (Canada only)
...........................
65
Dead Battery
..............................
299
Defects, Reporting Safety
...........
334
Defogger, Rear Window
...............
76
Defrosting the Windows
............
113
Detachable Anchor
......................
99
Dimensions
................................
318
Dimming the Headlights
..............
74
Dipstick Automatic Transmission
.........
259
Engine Oil
...............................
201
Directional Signals
.......................
63
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
.......
230
Disc Care
...................................
186
Disc Player Error Messages
........................
128, 157
Disposal of Used Oil
...................
255 Doors
Childproof Door Locks
.............
82
Locking and Unlocking
............
81
Power Door Locks
...................
81
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
................................
321
Downshifting, Manual Transmission
..........................
217
Driver and Passenger Safety
..........
5
Driving
.......................................
213
Economy
.................................
203
Driving Guidelines
.....................
214
Driving with the Paddle Shifters (Sport only)
............................
224
Dust and Pollen Filter
................
268
E
Economy, Fuel
...........................
203
Electric Power Steering (EPS) Indicator
...................................
62
Emergencies on the Road
..........
283
Battery, Jump Starting
.............
299
Brake System Indicator
...........
305
Changing a Flat Tire
...............
285 Charging System Indicator
.....
303
Checking the Fuses
................
307
Driving with a Flat Tire
...........
284
Hazard Warning Flashers
........
76
Jump Starting
..........................
299
Low Oil Pressure Indicator
.....
303
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
....
304
Overheated Engine
.................
301
Towing
....................................
311
Emergency Brake
......................
102
Emergency Flashers
....................
76
Emergency Towing
....................
311
Emissions Controls
....................
326
Emissions Testing
......................
329
CONTINUED
Index
III
INDEX
2009 Fit