2007 HONDA CIVIC COUPE engine overheat

Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th
5th to 6th
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 engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
Your vehicle is equipped with an
aluminum shif t lever. If you leave the
vehicle parked outside f or a long time on a hot day, be caref ul bef ore
moving the shift lever. Because of
the heat, the shift lever may be
extremely hot. If the outside
temperature is low, the shif t lever
f eels cold.
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you good
f uel economy and ef f ective
emissions control. The f ollowing
shif t points are recommended:
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th Normal acceleration
15 mph (24 km/h)
27 mph (43 km/h)
39 mph (63 km/h)
53 mph (85 km/h) Normal acceleration
17 mph (27 km/h)
29 mph (47 km/h)
37 mph (60 km/h)
43 mph (69 km/h)
49 mph (79 km/h)
With 5-speed manual transmission With 6-speed manual transmission
On U.S. Si model
Recommended Shif t Points
Manual T ransmission
192
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.

The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use D position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D is
the proper shif t lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See ‘‘ ’’ in the next
column f or additional gear
inf ormation.)Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .
If youmuststopwhenfacinguphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shif t down to second
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
33
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving on Hills Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Towing a Trailer
Driving
209

Your vehicle has halogen headlight
bulbs. When replacing a bulb, handle
it by its base, and protect the glass
f rom contact with your skin or hard
objects. If you touch the glass, clean
it with denatured alcohol and a clean
cloth.To change the headlight bulb on
the driver’s side, remove the
engine coolant reserve tank by
pulling it out of its holder.
Theheadlightswereproperlyaimed
when your vehicle was new. If you
regularly carry heavy items in the
trunk or pull a trailer, readjustment
may be required. Adjustments
should be perf ormed by your dealer
or other qualif ied mechanic.
1.
Headlight A iming Replacing a Headlight Bulb
High Beam Headlight
Lights
236
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot
when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to
overheat and shatter.

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

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.

Î
CONT INUED
Doors.
Auto Door Locking/Unlocking .81
.....................
Auto Door Locking .81
.................
Auto Door Unlocking .82
..............
Locking and Unlocking .79
......................
Power Door Locks .80
........
DOT Tire Quality Grading .284
Downshif ting, Manual
.............................
Transmission .191
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety .5
...........................................
Driving .187
....................................
Economy .181
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .242
..............................
Economy, Fuel .181
............
Emergencies on the Road .255
.............
Battery, Jump Starting .263
...........
Brake System Indicator .269
................
Changing a Flat Tire .257
.....
Charging System Indicator .267
..................
Checking the Fuses .270
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .267
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .268
..................
Overheated Engine .265 .........................
Emergency Brake .100
......................
Emergency Flashers .74
......................
Emergency Towing .276
............
Emergency Trunk Opener .87
.......................
Emissions Controls .287
.............
Emissions Testing, State .290
Engine
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge .67
......
Engine Speed Limiter . 193, 196
Malf unction Indicator ......................................
Lamp .268
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 65, 267
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use .224
...............................
Overheating .265
............................
Specif ications .282
.......................................
Starting .190
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline .177
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls .287
...............................
Exhaust Fumes .51
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat
........................................
Belts by .16
...................................
Fan, Interior .106
.........................................
Features .105 ....................
Filling the Fuel Tank .177
Filters
.........................
Dust and Pollen .242
...............................................
Oil .226
5-speed Manual Transmission ...............
Checking Fluid Level .233
................................
Shif ting the .191
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning .74
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a .257
Fluids
..........
Automatic Transmission .232
..........................................
Brake .234
.........................................
Clutch .235
...................................
Locations .222
..............
Manual Transmission .233
..........................
Power Steering .235
..................
Windshield Washer .231
FM Stereo Radio ...................................
Reception .163
...........................
Folding Rear Seat .93
..........................
Four-way Flashers .74
..............................
Front Airbags . 9, 24
Index
F
EINDEX
III

CONT INUED
..................................................
Keys .76
.......................
Label, Certif ication .280
.................
Lane Change, Signaling . 72
..................
Lap/Shoulder Belts . 14, 19
.................
LATCH Anchor System . 42
Lights ....................
Bulb Replacement .236
.......................................
Indicator .59
.........................................
Parking .72
..................................
Turn Signal .72
.....................................
Load Limit .185
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) . 78
Locks .......
Anti-thef t Steering Column . 78
............................
Fuel Fill Door .177
.................................
Power Door .80
...........................................
Trunk .87
........................
Low Coolant Level .181
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator .64
................................
Lower Anchors .42
...
Lower Gear, Downshif ting to a . 191 ...
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 65, 267
...
Lubricant Specif ications Chart . 282
..................................
Maintenance .211
................................
Minder . 213-219
.........................
Minder Indicator .64
...
Owner Maintenance Checks . 218
.................................
Record . 220-221
..........................................
Saf ety .212
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 268
...................
Manual Transmission . 191
........
Manual Transmission Fluid . 233
...............................
Meters, Gauges .66
...................
Methanol in Gasoline . 177
..........................
Mirrors, Adjusting .99
.........................................
Moonroof .97
...........................
MP3/WMA . 123, 143
...................
Neutral Gear Position . 195
..................
New Vehicle Break-in . 176
.....................
Normal Shif t Speeds .192
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of . i...............
Numbers, Identif ication . 280
...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline . 176
.........................................
Odometer .66
...............................
Odometer, Trip .67
Oil ........................
Change, How to .226
......................
Change, When to .213
......................
Checking Engine .179
..............
Pressure Indicator . 65, 267
.......
Selecting Proper Viscosity . 224
...........
ON (Ignition Key Position) . 78
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor ....................................
Recovery .287
..............................
Outside Mirrors .99
....
Outside Temperature Indicator . 68
....................
Overheating, Engine .265
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 218
.........................
Oxygenated Fuels .177
Index
M
N O
K
L
INDEX
V