2001 HONDA INSIGHT coolant temperature

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.
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 you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine.
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.
1. 2. 3.
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
226 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.

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.
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. 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 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.
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 ). 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 .)
4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9.
12.
11.
10.
239
125 239
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed 227
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.

Î
...................................
CD Changer . 114
.......................................
CD Player . 108
........................
Certif ication Label . 242
............................................
Chains . 197
....................
Charge/Assist Gauge . 57
Changing Oil
........................................
How to . 169
......................................
When to . 158
....................
Changing a Flat Tire . 195
............
Changing Engine Coolant . 173
............
Charging System Indicator . 56
............
Checklist, Bef ore Driving . 119
.....................................
Child Saf ety . 19
Child Seats
..........
Tether Anchorage Points . 33
....................
Cleaner Element, Air . 183
Cleaning
......................................
Exterior . 208
.......................................
Interior . 211
...................................
Seat Belts . 211
...........................................
Vinyl . 211
....................................
Windows . 212
.........................
Clock, Setting the . 103
...................................
Clutch Fluid . 181
........................
CO in the Exhaust . 250
............
Cold Weather, Starting in . 135 ..............................
Compact Spare . 216
...............
Consumer Inf ormation . 256
.............
Controls, Instruments and . 60
Coolant
........................................
Adding . 171
....................................
Checking . 124
.........................
Proper Solution . 175
...................................
Replacing . 177
...................
Temperature Gauge . 58
....................
Corrosion Protection . 212
Crankcase Emissions Control
........................................
System . 250
.....................
Current Fuel Mileage . 55
..........
Customer Relations Of f ice . 256
..............................
Economy, Fuel . 126
............
Emergencies on the Road . 215
.............
Battery, Jump Starting . 224
...........
Brake System Indicator . 232
................
Changing a Flat Tire . 217
................
DANGER, Explanation of . ii
...................................
Dashboard . 2, 44
................
Daytime Running Lights . 62
............
Defects, Reporting Safety . 260
..........................
Def og and Def rost . 84
................
Def ogger, Rear Window . 65
................
Defrosting the Windows . 84
....................................
Dimensions . 244
...............
Dimming the Headlights . 61 Dipstick
..................................
Engine Oil . 124
..........................
Directional Signals . 63
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators . 148
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil . 170
..................
Display Change Button . 50
Doors
..............
Locking and Unlocking . 71
..........
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 246
Downshif ting, 5-speed Manual
.............................
Transmission . 136
.....................................
Drive Belts . 191
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety . 5
...........................................
Driving . 133
....................................
Economy . 126
.........................
In Bad Weather . 151
................
In Foreign Countries . 249
..................
DustandPollenFilter .191
Index
D
E
II

CONT INUED
.....
Charging System Indicator . 229
..................
Checking the Fuses . 233
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 228
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 230
..................
Overheated Engine . 227
...........................
Emergency Brake . 79
......................
Emergency Flashers . 65
......................
Emergency Towing . 239
.......................
Emissions Controls . 250 Engine
............................................
Belts . 191
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge . 58
Malf unction Indicator
................................
Lamp . 48, 230
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use . 167
...............................
Overheating . 227
............................
Specif ications . 244
.......................................
Starting . 135
..........
Engine Speed Limiter . 139, 143
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline . 248
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls . 250
...............................
Exhaust Fumes . 40
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat
........................................
Belts by . 17
..................
Exterior, Cleaning the . 208 ............................
Fabric, Cleaning . 211
.....................................
Fan, Interior . 84
Features, Comfort and
................................
Convenience . 83
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 121
Filter
.........................
Dust and Pollen . 191
...............................................
Oil . 167
5-speed Manual Transmission ...............
Checking Fluid Level . 180
................................
Shif ting the . 136
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning . 65
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a . 217
Fluids
Automatic Transmission .....................................
(CVT) . 178
..........................................
Brake . 181
.........................................
Clutch . 181
..............
Manual Transmission . 180
..................
Windshield Washer . 177
FM Stereo Radio ...................................
Reception . 112
.....
Foreign Countries, Driving in . 249
..........................
Four-way Flashers . 65 .................................................
Fuel . 126
......................
Fill Door and Cap . 121
...........................................
Gauge . 58
................
Octane Requirement . 120
...............................
Oxygenated . 248
........................
Reserve Indicator . 58
........................
Tank, Filling the . 121
.....................
Fuses, Checking the . 233
...............
Gas Mileage, Improving . 126
..........................................
Gasohol . 248
.........................................
Gasoline . 120
...............
Fuel Reserve Indicator . 48
...........................................
Gauge . 50
................
Octane Requirement . 120
........................
Tank, Filling the . 121
................
Gas Station Procedures . 121
Index
F
G
III

GaugesEngine Coolant ...........................
Temperature . 58
...............................................
Fuel . 58
...............................
Speedometer . 50
.................................
Tachometer . 58
Gearshif t Lever Positions
Automatic Transmission .....................................
(CVT) . 140
5-speed Manual .........................
Transmission . 136
..............................
Glass Cleaning . 212
........................................
Glove Box . 80
.............
Halogen Headlight Bulbs . 200
Hatch
.................................
Opening the . 71
...................
Open Monitor Light . 47
..............
Hazard Warning Flashers . 65
Headlights
............
Daytime Running Lights . 62
..................
High Beam Indicator . 47
........................
Reminder Beeper . 61
........
Replacing Halogen Bulbs . 200 ...................................
Turning on . 63
.............................................
Heating . 84
.............
High Altitude, Starting at . 135
.................
High-Low Beam Switch . 61
....................................
Hood Latch . 184
.......................
Hood, Opening the . 122
....................................................
Horn . 3
...........................
Hydraulic Clutch . 181
.................................
Hydroplaning . 151
...
Identif ication Number, Vehicle . 242
Ignition
..............................................
Keys . 67
...........................................
Switch . 69
............
Timing Control System . 251
.........
Important Safety Precautions . 6
.........
Indicators, Instrument Panel . 45
Inf ant Seats
..........
Tether Anchorage Points . 41
...................
Inf lation, Proper Tire . 192
.........................
Normal Driving . 193
...................................
Inside Mirror . 78
.............................
Inspection, Tire . 194
............................
Instrument Panel . 45 ........
Instrument Panel Brightness . 62
...........................
Interior Cleaning . 211
...................................
Interior Light . 82
........................................
Introduction . i
........................
Jacking up the Car . 217
.......................................
Jack, Tire . 217
................................
Jump Starting . 224
..................................................
Keys . 67
.......................
Label, Certif ication . 242
.................
Lane Change, Signaling . 63
..........................
Lap/Shoulder Belt . 34
....................
Lif etime Fuel Mileage . 55
Lights
....................
Bulb Replacement . 203
.......................................
Indicator . 47
.........................................
Parking . 46
..................................
Turn Signal . 63
Index
H I J K L
IV