1999 HONDA CIVIC COUPE engine coolant

Fluid Locations

Maintenance

COOLANT
RESERVOIR

AUTOMATIC

TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK(Yellow loop)

(Including CVT)
BRAKE FLUID
(Gray cap)
CLUTCH FLUID (5-speed Manual
Transmission only) (Gray cap)
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
(Orange loop) ENGINE OIL
FILL CAP
WASHER FLUID (Blue cap)
POWER STEERING FLUID (Red cap)Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

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 and
50 percent water. Never add straight
antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda
Antifreeze/Coolant. If it is not
available, 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 cooling system to malfunction or fail. Have
the cooling system flushed and
refilled with Honda antifreeze/
coolant as soon as possible.
If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the coolant level in the radiator.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

Adding Engine Coolant

RESERVE TANK
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 downon 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 MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.
Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your car's cooling
system. They may not be compatible
with the coolant or engine compo-
nents.

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 timeand distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use Genuine Honda Antifreeze/Coolant.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance done by a skilled mechanic. 1. Turn the ignition ON (II). Turnthe temperature control dial to
maximum heat. Turn off the
ignition and remove the key. Open
the hood. Make sure the engineand radiator are cool to the touch.
2. Remove the radiator cap. 3. Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will come out through the
hole in the splash cover.
(U.S.: Si model, Canada: SiR model)
Remove the drain bolt and washer
from the engine block.
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. (U.S.: Si model, Canada: SiR
model)
When the coolant stops draining, apply non-hardening sealant to the
drain bolt threads, then reinstall
the bolt and tighten it securely.
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:
(U.S.: DX, EX and HX, Canada: DX and
Si) 0.82 US gal (3.1 , 0.68 Imp gal)

(U.S.: Si, Canada: SiR)
1.14 US gal (4.3 , 0.95 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. Start the
engine and let it run for about30 seconds. Then turn off the engine
8. Fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
9. Check the level in the radiator, add coolant if needed.
10.Install the radiator cap, and
tighten it to the first stop.

Maintenance

RESERVE

TANK
RESERVE

TANK CAP

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

Cooling System

Maintenance
11.Start the engine and let it run until
the cooling fan comes on two
times. Then stop the engine.
12. Remove the radiator cap. Fill the radiator with coolant up to the
base of the filler neck.

13.Start the engine and hold it at 1,500 rpm until the cooling fan
comes on. Turn off the engine.
Check the coolant level in the radiator and add coolant if needed.
14.Install the radiator cap, and tighten it fully.
15.If necessary, fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install thereserve tank cap.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

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.

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

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