1998 HONDA CIVIC COUPE radiator cap

Safety Labels

These labels are in the locations shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious injury. Read these labels carefully.
If a label comes off or becomes hard
to read, contact your Honda dealer
for a replacement.
DASH BOARD

U.S. models only

SUN VISOR
U.S. models

RADIATOR CAP
HOOD

Canadian models

Driver and Passenger SafetyMain Menu Table of Contents 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

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 227).
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 pushingdown, 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 lever tomaximum. 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 watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engineneeds repair. (See EmergencyTowing on page 227).
12.1f 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