2001 HONDA CIVIC engine overheat

The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your 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 car moving. Push
down the clutch pedal, and pause f or
a f ew seconds bef ore shif ting into
Reverse, or shif t into one of the
f orward gears f or a moment. This
stops the gears so they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the vehicle speed is low
enough that you will not activate the
engine speed limiter in the lower
gear. On EX and LX models, make
sure the engine speed will not go into
the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear bef ore downshif ting.
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving
176 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.

´ µ
Spark Plug Gap:
Push the wire connector onto the
ignition coil. Make sure it locks in
place.
Repeat this procedure f or the
other three spark plugs.
Reinstall the cover.
Install the ignition coil. Reinstall
the nut.
NGK:
DENSO:
8.
11.
10. 9.
Maint enance
Spark Plugs
Specif ications:
225
PZFR6F-11
PKJ20CR-M11
0.04 in (1.1 mm) 0
0.1 mm
Tighten the spark plugs caref ully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine.
Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads in the cylinder head.

This section covers the more-
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation 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 f ind instructions
on getting your car towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire . 262
....................
Changing a Flat Tire . 263
..........
If Your Engine Won’t Start . 268
Nothing Happens or the StarterMotor Operates Very .....................................
Slowly . 268
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally . 269
................................
Jump Starting . 270
............
If Your Engine Overheats . 272
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 275
..........
Charging System Indicator . 276
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 277
.......................
Readiness Codes . 278
...............
Brake System Indicator . 279
..................
Closing the Moonroof . 280
..............................................
Fuses . 281
..........
Checking and Replacing . 282
......................
Emergency Towing . 286
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed 261

Once your car is running, discon-
nectthenegativecablefromyour
car, then from the booster battery.
Disconnect the positive cable f rom
your car, then the booster battery.Your car can overheat f or 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 f rom under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
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.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the car until all are disconnected.
Otherwise, you may cause an
electrical short.
7.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting, If Your Engine Overheats
If Your Engine Overheats
272 Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.

CONT INUED
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn of f the heating and cooling
system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning
indicators.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine.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, f or
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.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Wait until you see no more signs
of steam or spray, then open thehood.Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page ). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
1. 2.
3. 4. 5.6. 7.
286
165
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Overheats
Emergency
Towing
273

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, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst 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.
Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See
on page .)
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.
8.
9.
10. 11. 12.
286
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Overheats
Emergency
Towing
274 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.

CONT INUED
...........................................
Driving . 173
....................................
Economy . 166
.........................
In Bad Weather . 188
................
In Foreign Countries . 297
............................
Fabric, Cleaning . 257
...................................
Fan, Interior . 106
Features, Comfort and
..............................
Convenience . 105
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 161
Filters
................................
Air Cleaner . 221
.......................
Air Conditioning . 231
...............................................
Oil . 207 5-speed Manual Transmission
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 217
................................
Shif ting the . 176
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning . 74
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a . 263
Fluids
..........
Automatic Transmission . 216
..........................................
Brake . 218
.........................................
Clutch . 219
..............
Manual Transmission . 217
..........................
Power Steering . 220
..................
Windshield Washer . 215
FM Stereo Radio ...................................
Reception . 145
...........................
Folding Rear Seat . 93
.....
Foreign Countries, Driving in . 297
..........................
Four-way Flashers . 74
.................................................
Fuel . 160
......................
Fill Door and Cap . 161
...........................................
Gauge . 67
................
Octane Requirement . 160
...............................
Oxygenated . 296
........................
Reserve Indicator . 63
........................
Tank, Filling the . 161
.....................
Fuses, Checking the . 282
..............................
Economy, Fuel . 166
............
Emergencies on the Road . 286
.............
Battery, Jump Starting . 270
...........
Brake System Indicator . 279
................
Changing a Flat Tire . 263
.....
Charging System Indicator . 276
..................
Checking the Fuses . 282
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 275
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 277
...
Manually Closing Moonroof . 279
..................
Overheated Engine . 272
...........................
Emergency Brake . 99
......................
Emergency Flashers . 74
......................
Emergency Towing . 286
.......................
Emissions Controls . 298
.............
Emissions Testing, State . 301Engine
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge . 68
.................................
Drive Belts . 233 Malf unction Indicator
................................
Lamp . 63, 277
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 62, 275
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use . 205
...............................
Overheating . 272
............................
Specif ications . 292
.......................................
Starting . 175
......
Engine Speed Limiter . 177, 181
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline . 296
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls . 298
...............................
Exhaust Fumes . 54
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat
........................................
Belts by . 19
..................
Exterior, Cleaning the . 254
Index
E
F
III

CONT INUED
.......................
Label, Certif ication . 290
.................
Lane Change, Signaling . 72
........................
Lap/Shoulder Belts . 44
Lights
....................
Bulb Replacement . 243
.......................................
Indicator . 59
.........................................
Parking . 70
..................................
Turn Signal . 72
.....................................
Load Limit . 170
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) . 82
Locks
.......
Anti-thef t Steering Column . 82
............................
Fuel Fill Door . 161
.................................
Power Door . 84
...........................................
Trunk . 88
........................
Low Coolant Level . 165
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator . 63
...........................
Lower Anchorage . 42
...
Lower Gear, Downshif ting to a . 177
...
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 62, 275
...
Lubricant Specif ications Chart . 292
.........................................
Luggage . 169 ..................................
Maintenance . 191
...
Owner Maintenance Checks . 203
.................................
Record . 201-202
......................
Required Indicator . 64
..........................................
Saf ety . 192
.............................
Schedule . 194-200
.
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 63, 277
...................
Manual Transmission . 176
........
Manual Transmission Fluid . 219
...............................
Meters, Gauges . 66
...................
Methanol in Gasoline . 296
..........................
Mirrors, Adjusting . 98
.........................................
Moonroof . 97
......................
Closing Manually . 279
.....................................
Operation . 97
...................
Neutral Gear Position . 180
..................
New Vehicle Break-in . 160
.....................
Normal Shif t Speeds . 177
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of . i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication . 290 ...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline . 160
.........................................
Odometer . 66
...............................
Odometer, Trip . 67
Oil
........................
Change, How to . 207
......................
Change, When to . 194
......................
Checking Engine . 164
..............
Pressure Indicator . 62, 275
Selecting Proper Viscosity
......................................
Chart . 206
...........
ON (Ignition Key Position) . 83
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
....................................
Recovery . 298
..
Operation in Foreign Countries . 297
..............................
Outside Mirrors . 98
....................
Overheating, Engine . 272
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 203
.........................
Oxygenated Fuels . 296
Index
LM
N O
V