2001 HONDA CR-V radiator

Coolin
g Syste m

Addin g Engin e Coolan t
I f th e coolan t leve l i n th e reserv e
tan k i s a t o r belo w th e MI N line , ad d
coolan t t o brin g it u p t o th e MA X line .
Inspec t th e coolin g syste m fo r leaks .
Thi s coolan t shoul d alway s b e a
mixtur e o f 5 0 percen t antifreez e an d
5 0 percen t water . Neve r ad d straigh t
antifreez e o r plai n water . Alway
s us e Hond a Al l Seaso n
Antifreeze/Coolan t Typ e 2 . Thi s
coolan t i s pre-mixe d wit h 5 0 percen t
antifreez e an d 5 0 percen t water . I t
doe s no t requir e an y additiona l
mixing . I f i t i s no t available , yo u ma y
us e anothe r major-bran d non-silicat e
coolan t a s a temporar y replacement .
Mak e sur e it i s a high-qualit y coolan t
recommende d fo r aluminu m engines .
However , continue d us e o f an y non -
Hond a coolan t ca n resul t i n
corrosion , causin g th e coolin g
syste m to malfunctio n o r fail . Hav e
th e coolin g syste m flushe d an d
refille d wit h Hond a antifreeze /
coolan t a s soo n a s possible . I
f th e reserv e tan k i s completel y
empty , yo u shoul d als o chec k th e
coolan t leve l i n th e radiator .
1 . Mak e sur e th e engin e an d radiato r

ar e cool .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Removin
g th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e is ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .
RESERV
E TAN K

Coolin
g Syste m
Replacin g Engin e Coolan t
Th e coolin g syste m shoul d b e
completel y draine d an d refille d wit h
ne w coolan t accordin g t o th e tim e
an d distanc e recommendation s i n
th e maintenanc e schedule . Onl y us e
Hond a Al l Seaso n Antifreeze /
Coolan t Typ e 2 .
Drainin g th e coolan t require s acces s
t o th e undersid e o f th e vehicle .
Unles s yo u hav e th e tool s an d
knowledge , yo u shoul d hav e thi s
maintenanc e don e b y a skille d
mechanic .
1
. Tur n th e ignitio n O N (II) . Tur n
th e heate r temperatur e contro l
dia l full y clockwise . Tur n th e
ignitio n off .
2 . Ope n th e hood . Mak e sur e th e
engin e an d radiato r ar e coo l t o th e

touch .

3 . Remov e th e radiato r cap . DRAI
N BOL T
DRAI N PLU G
4 . Loose n th e drai n plu g o n th e
botto m o f th e radiator . Th e
coolan t wil l drai n throug h th e
splas h guard . Remov e th e drai n
bol t an d washe r fro m th e engin e
block .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Coolin
g Syste m

RESERV E TAN K CA P

HOLDE R
RESERVE TAN K

5 . Remov e th e reserv e tan k fro m its
holde r b y pullin g it straigh t up .
Drai n th e coolant , the n pu t th e
tan k bac k i n it s holder .
6
. Whe n th e coolan t stop s draining ,
tighte n th e drai n plu g a t th e
botto m of th e radiator .
Appl y non-hardenin g sealan t t o th e
drai n bol t threads , pu t a ne w
washe r o n th e drai n bolt , an d
reinstal l th e bol t i n th e engin e
block . Tighte n it securely .
Tightenin g torque :
61 lbf.ft (83 N.
m,8.5 kgf.tn)

7 . Mi x
th
e recommende d antifreez e
wit h a n equa l amoun t o f purifie d
o r distille d wate r i n a clea n
container . Th e coolin g syste m
capacit y is :
Automatic Transmission:

1.03 U S ga l (3. 9 l, 0.8 6 Im p gal )

Manual Transmission:

1.06 U S ga l (4. 0 l, 0.8 8 Im p gal )

FILLE R NEC K

Fil l
u
p to her e
8 . Pou r coolan t int o th e radiato r u p
t o th e bas e o f th e fille r neck .

Maintenanc e

Coolin
g Syste m

9 . Star t th e engin e an d le t i t ru n fo r

abou t 3 0 seconds . The n tur n of f

th e engine .

10 . Chec k th e leve l i n th e radiator ,

ad d coolan t i f needed .
RESERV
E TAN K
11. Fil l th e reserv e tan k to th e MA X
mark . Instal l th e reserv e tan k cap .

12. Instal l th e radiato r cap , an d

tighte n it t o th e firs t stop .
13. Star t th e engin e an d le t i t ru n unti l
th e radiato r fa n come s o n tw o
times . The n sto p th e engine . 14. Remov
e th e radiato r cap .
15. Pou r coolan t int o th e radiato r u p
t o th e bas e o f th e fille r nec k an d
int o th e reserv e tan k u p to th e
MA X mark .
16. Star t th e engin e an d hol d it a t
1,500 rpm unti l th e radiato r fa n
come s on . Tur n of f th e engine .
Chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r an d ad d coolan t i f needed .
17 . Instal l th e radiato r cap , an d
tighte n it fully .
18. If necessary , fil l th e reserv e tan k
t o th e MA X mark . Instal l th e
reserv e tan k cap .
Maintenanc e

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m

You r vehicle' s ai r conditionin g is a
seale d system . An y majo r mainte -
nance , suc h a s recharging , shoul d b e
don e b y a qualifie d mechanic . Yo u
ca n d o a coupl e o f thing s to mak e
sur e th e ai r conditionin g work s
efficiently .
Periodicall y chec k th e engine' s
radiato r an d ai r conditionin g
condense r fo r leaves , insects , an d
dir t stuc k to th e fron t surface . Thes e
bloc k th e ai r flo w an d reduc e coolin g
efficiency . Us e a ligh t spra y fro m a
hos e o r a sof t brus h to remov e them .

The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Ru
n th e ai r conditionin g a t leas t onc e
a wee k durin g th e col d weathe r
months . Ru n it fo r a t leas t te n
minute s whil e yo u ar e drivin g a t a
stead y spee d wit h th e engin e at

norma l operatin g temperature . Thi s

circulate s th e lubricatin g oi l con -

taine d in th e refrigerant . I
f th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t ge t a s
col d a s before , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e system . Recharg e th e
syste m wit h Refrigeran t HFC-134 a
(R-134a) . (Se e Specification s o n pag e

295 .)

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

AI
R CONDITIONIN G CONDENSE R

NOTIC E NOTIC
E

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
6 . Loo k fo r an y obviou s coolan t leaks ,
suc h a s a spli t radiato r hose .
Everythin g i s stil l extremel y hot ,
s o us e caution . I f yo u fin d a leak , i t
mus t b e repaire d befor e yo u
continu e drivin g (se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 29 0).
7 . I f yo u don' t fin d a n obviou s leak ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tan k (se e pag e
144 ). I f th e leve l i s belo w th e
MI N mark , ad d coolan t t o halfwa y
betwee n th e MI N an d MA X marks .
8 . I f ther e wa s n o coolan t i n th e
reserv e tank , yo u ma y als o hav e t o
ad d coolan t t o th e radiator . Le t th e
engin e coo l dow n unti l th e pointe r
reache s th e middl e o f th e tempera -
tur e gauge , o r lower , befor e check -
in g th e radiator . 9
. Usin g glove s o r a larg e heav y
cloth , tur n th e radiato r ca p
counterclockwise , withou t pushin g
down , t o th e firs t stop . Thi s
release s an y remainin g pressur e i n
th e coolin g system . Afte r th e
pressur e releases , pus h dow n o n
th e ca p an d tur n it unti l i t come s

off .
10
. Star t th e engin e an d se t th e
temperatur e contro l dia l t o
maximum . Ad d coolan t t o th e
radiato r u p t o th e bas e o f th e fille r
neck . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
prope r coolan t mixtur e available ,
yo u ca n ad d plai n water .
Remembe r t o hav e th e coolin g
syste m draine d an d refille d wit h
th e prope r mixtur e a s soo n a s yo u

can .

11 . Pu t th e radiato r ca p bac k o n
tightly . Ru n th e engin e an d watc h
th e temperatur e gauge . I f i t goe s
bac k t o th e re d mark , th e engin e
need s repair . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 29 0.)
12.I f th e temperatur e stay s normal ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tank . I f i t ha s
gon e down , ad d coolan t t o th e
MA X mark . Pu t th e ca p bac k o n

tightly .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Removin
g th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e i s ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .