2007 HONDA CIVIC COUPE engine

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 vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .256
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .257
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .261
................................
Jump Starting .263
..............
If the Engine Overheats .265
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .267
..........
Charging System Indicator .267
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .268
...............
Brake System Indicator .269
..............................................
Fuses .270
..............................
Fuse Locations .274
......................
Emergency Towing .276
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
255

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position: Wh
en you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all. Turn
the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the fuses. If the fuses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. See
on page .
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
from a booster battery (see page
).
You
can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
You
hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or neutral.
Check these things:
263 276
252
263
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Emergency T owing
Jump Starting
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
261

In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer to
on page . Do
you have fuel? Check the fuel
gauge; the low fuel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses
(see page ). Ifyoufindnothingwrong,youwill
need
a qualified technician to find
the problem. See
on page .
77
190 270
276
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
If theEngineWon’tStart
262

µ
´
´
Start the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
6.
4.
5.
3.
Jump Starting
264
BOOSTER BATTERY
U.S. Si
U.S. Si
Except U.S. Si

CONT INUED
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
then from the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short. If the vehicle overheats, you
should take immediate action. 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. Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in neutral
(M/T) or Park (A/T), and set the
parking brake. Turn of f all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
The reading of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).
7.
1.
2.
Jump Starting, If the Engine Overheats
If the Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
265
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
reading at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.

Put the radiator cap back on
tightl y. Run the engine, and check
the temperatu re gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on page ).
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,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperatu re
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
th en continue driving.
If the temperatu re gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
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
on page ).
If you don’t find an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page
). Add coolant if the level is
below the MIN mark. Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum heat. 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.
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.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off. If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the reading
reaches the middle of the
temperature gauge or lower
bef ore checking the radiator.
7.
8. 9.
3.
4.
5.
6. 10.
11.
276
181 276
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
266
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.

Let the vehicle sit for a minute.
Op en the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipsti ck (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn off the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
befo re you can continue driving
(see on page
). Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action. If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
1.
2.
3.
4. 179
224
276
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
267
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.

If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn off as you
continue driving, have the vehicle
checked by your dealer as soon as
possible.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics for the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.
If
this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may feel no difference in
your vehicle’s performance, it can
reduce your fuel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damag e. If
your vehicle’s battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It can take several
days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, without starting the engine.
The malfunction indicator lamp will
come on for 20 seconds. If it then
goes off, the readiness codes are set.
If it blinks five times, the readiness
codes are not set. If possible, do not
take your vehicle for a state
emissions test until the readiness
codes are set. Ref er to for more
inf ormation (see page ).
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
f uel f ill cap. You will also see a
‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message on
the inf ormation display. Tighten the
cap until it clicks at least once.
Tightening the cap will not turn the
indicator of f immediately; it can take
several days of normal driving.
290
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness Codes
State
Emissions T esting
268
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.