2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID Cooling

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 f or leaks.
The coolant you add should always
be a mixture of 50 percent antif reeze
and 50 percent water. Never add
straight antif reeze or plain water.If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.
Make sure the engine and radiator
are cool.
Always use Honda All Season
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2. This
coolant is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antif reeze and 50 percent water. It
does not require any additional
mixing. 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 f or aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result in
corrosion, causing the cooling
system to malf unction or f ail. Have
the cooling system f lushed and
ref illed with Honda antif reeze/
coolant as soon as possible.
1.
CONT INUED
A dding Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance199
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.

Remove the radiator cap by
pushing down and turning
counterclockwise. Turn the radiator cap counter-
clockwise, without pressing down
on it, until it stops. This relieves
any pressure remaining in the
cooling system.The coolant level should be up to
the base of the f iller neck. Add
coolant if it is low.Put the radiator cap back on.
Tighten it f ully.
Pour coolant into the reserve tank.
Fill it to half way 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.
Pour the coolant slowly and caref ully
so you do not spill. Clean up any
spills immediately. Spilled coolant
could damage components in the
engine compartment.
2.
3.
4.5.
6.
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance200
RADIATOR CAP
RESERVE TANK

CONT INUED
Remove the radiator cap. Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn
the temperature control dial to
maximum heat. Turn of f the
ignition. Open the hood. Make
sure the engine and radiator are
cool to the touch.
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. Thecoolingsystemshouldbe
completely drained and ref illed with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
Honda All Season Antif reeze/
Coolant Type 2.
Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the
splash guard. Drain the coolant
into an appropriate container.
1.
3.
2.
Replacing Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance201
DRAIN PLUG

µ
´ Remove the battery and the tray.
Remove the reserve tank
mounting bolt with a wrench, then
remove the coolant tube f rom the
three clips. Remove the reserve
tank f rom its holder and drain the
coolant into an appropriate
container.
To remove the reserve tank to
drain the coolant, f irst remove the
battery.
Disconnect the battery cables
f rom the terminals. Disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, then
the positive ( ) cable.
Remove the bolt and the nut with
a wrench, and remove the battery
plate. Pull the bottom end of the
stay out of the hole, and remove
the stay and the battery cover.
Remove the cover to access the
drain bolt (see page ). Remove
the drain bolt and washer f rom the
engine block. Drain the coolant
into an appropriate container.
4.
5.
6.7.
8.
197
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance202
DRAIN BOLT
STAY NUT
BOLT
COVER TAB
BOLT

´
µ
CONT INUED
If your car’s battery is disconnected
or goes dead, the audio system will
disableitself.Thenexttimeyouturn
on the radio you will see ‘‘ ’’
in the f requency display. Use the
Preset buttons to enter the five-digit
code (see page ).
When the audio system disables
itself , the clock setting will cancel.
To reset the clock, ref er to the
Digital Clock in the audio system’s
operation.When the coolant stops draining,
tightenthedrainplugatthe
bottom of the radiator.
Put a new washer on the drain bolt,
then reinstall the drain bolt in the
engine block. Tighten it securely.
Tightening torque: Loosen the bleeder bolt on top of
the engine.
Put the tube back in the clips and
put the reserve tank back in place,
making sure its bottom tab is in
the holder. Reinstall and tighten
the mounting bolt securely.
Reinstall the tray, battery, stay,
battery case, and battery plate in
the reverse order of removal.
Reinstall and tighten the bolt and
nut securely.
Reconnect the battery cables to
the terminals. Connect the positive
( ) cable f irst, then the negative
()cable.
Battery posts,
terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
Reinstall the cover.137
12.
13.
11. 10. 9.
15.
14.
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance
WARNING:
Wash hands af ter handling.
203
BLEEDER BOLT
58 lbf·ft (78 N·m , 8.0 kgf·m)

Start the engine and let it run until
the radiator cooling f an comes on
at least twice. Then stop the
engine.
Remove the radiator cap. Fill the
radiator with coolant up to the
base of the f iller neck.
The cooling system capacity is:
Tighten the bleeder bolt when
coolant comes out in a steady
stream with no bubbles.
Start the engine and let it run f or
about 30 seconds. Then turn of f
the engine.
Check the level in the radiator,
add coolant if needed.
Fill the reserve tank to the MAX
mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
Install the radiator cap, and
tighten it to the first stop.
Pour Honda All Season
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2 into
the radiator up to the base of the
f iller neck. This coolant is a
mixture of 50 percent antif reeze
and 50 percent water. Pre-mixing
is not required.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.22.
23.
With 5-speed manual transmission:
With continuously variable transmission(CVT):
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance204
FILLER NECK
Fill up to here
1.08 US gal (4.1, 0.90 Imp gal)
1.06 US gal (4.0
, 0.88 Imp gal)

Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather.
Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly
during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers of ten,
check the level every time you stop
for fuel.
The windshield washer reservoir is
located behind the driver’s side
headlight. Check the reservoir’s f luid
level by removing the cap and
looking at the level gauge attached
to the cap.
The low washer level indicator will
light when the level is low (see page
).
Start the engine and hold it at
1,500 rpm until the radiator f an
comes on. Turn of f the engine.
Check the coolant level in the
radiator and add coolant if needed.
Install the radiator cap, and
tighten it fully.
If necessary, f ill the reserve tank
to the MAX mark. Install the
reserve tank cap.
65
24.
25.
26.
On Canadian models
CONT INUED
Maint enance
Cooling System, Windshield Washers
Windshield Washers
205
LEVEL GAUGE
WINDSHIELD WASHER RESERVOIR

Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or 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 ref rigerant.
Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently.
289
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance221
AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.