2009 HONDA CIVIC COUPE engine overheat

2009 Civic Coupe Online Reference Owner's Manual
Contents

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... i A Few Words About Safety .............................................................................................................................. iii
Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) .................................................................................................... 3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) .................................................... 5
Instruments and Controls (indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column) ................................ 53
Features (
heating and cooling, audio, steering wheel, security, cruise control, and other convenience items
) ............ 115
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading) ...................................................................... 263
Driving (engine and transmission operation) ................................................................................................ 279
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 301
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) ............................. 349
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 373
Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 391
Authorized Manuals (U. S. only) (how to order) ......................................................................................... 395
Index ............................................................................................................................... ........................................ I

Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)

1
00X31-SVA-6300

If you turn the steering wheel to the
f ull lef t or right position repeatedly
while stopping or driving at very low
speed, you may f eel slightly harder
steering due to overheating of the
steering gearbox.
Continuously driving under those
conditions could damage the power
steering system.This indicator comes on f or a f ew
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. It
remindsyouthatitistimetotake
your vehicle in f or scheduled
maintenance. The maintenance main
items and sub items will be displayed
in the information display. See page
f or more inf ormation on the
maintenance minder.
This indicator goes of f when your
dealer resets it after completing the
required maintenance service.
This indicator normally comes on
when you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position and goes of f
af ter the engine starts. If it comes on
at any other time, there is a problem
in the electric power steering system.
If this happens, stop the vehicle in a
saf e place, and turn of f the engine.
Reset the system by restarting the
engine. The indicator will not turn
of f immediately. If it does not go of f
after driving a short distance, or
comes back on again while driving,
take the vehicle to your dealer to
have it checked. With the indicator
on, the EPS may be of f , making the
vehicle harder to steer.
303
Instrument Panel Indicators
Electric Power Steering
(EPS) Indicator
Maintenance Minder
Indicator
Si and Canadian DX-G with manual
t ransmission models
60
\f—\f—\fy
\f
y
(+\fy\f\fy
2009 Civic Coupe

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 longtime 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) Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th
4th to 5th
5th to 6th 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)
On Si model On models with 6-speed manual
transmission
On models with 5-speed manual transmission
Recommended Shif t Points
Manual T ransmission
284
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.
\f—\f—\fy

\fy
(+\fy\fy
2009 Civic Coupe

When the low tire pressure indicator
is on, one or more of your tires is
signif icantly underinf lated. You
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inf late them to
the proper pressure as indicated on
the vehicle’s tire inf ormation placard.
If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inf late the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver’s doorjamb.
If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire (see page ).
If you cannot make the low tire
pressure indicator go out af ter
inf lating the tires to the specif ied
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible.Driving on a signif icantly under
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Becausetirepressurevariesby
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure indicator may
come on unexpectedly.
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor (not including the spare tire).
If the air pressure of a tire becomes
signif icantly low while driving, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure indicator to come on.
351
U.S. models onlyLow Tire Pressure
Indicator
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
296
\f—\f—\fy


y
(+\fy\f\f
y
2009 Civic Coupe

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 .350
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .351
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .355
................................
Jump Starting .357
..............
If the Engine Overheats .359
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .361
..........
Charging System Indicator .361
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .362
...............
Brake System Indicator .363
..............................................
Fuses .364
..............................
Fuse Locations .368
......................
Emergency Towing .370
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
349
\f—\f—\fy


y
(+\fy\fy
2009 Civic Coupe

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.
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.).
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Park (automatic), and
set the parking brake. Turn of f all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning lights.
7.
1.
2.
Jump Starting, If the Engine Overheats
If the Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
359
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.
——y

y
(+yy
2009 Civic Coupe

Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and check
the temperature 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 temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
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 ).
If you don’t f ind 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.
11.370
269
370
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
360
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.
——y


y
(+yy
2009 Civic Coupe

Î
CONT INUED
............................
Disc Player .132,170
..................
Display Change Button .66
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil .316
Doors
.
Auto Door Locking/Unlocking .82
..............
Locking and Unlocking .80
......................
Power Door Locks .81
........
DOT Tire Quality Grading .379
Downshif ting, Manual
.............................
Transmission .283
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety .5
...........................................
Driving .279
....................................
Economy .270
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .333
..............................
Economy, Fuel .270
Electric Power Steering (EPS)
.......................................
Indicator .60
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ........................................
System .294
..................................
Emergencies .349
.............
Battery, Jump Starting .357
...........
Brake System Indicator .363
................
Changing a Flat Tire .351 .....
Charging System Indicator .361
..................
Checking the Fuses .364
.........
Hazard Warning Flashers .75
............................
Jump Starting .357
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .361
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .362
..................
Overheated Engine .359
.......................................
Towing .370
.........................
Emergency Brake .107
......................
Emergency Flashers .75
......................
Emergency Towing .370
............
Emergency Trunk Opener .92
.......................
Emissions Controls .385
........................
Emissions Testing .388
Engine
............
Adding Engine Coolant .316
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge .68
.........................
If It Won’t Start .355
Malf unction Indicator
................................
Lamp .57,362
.......................
Oil Lif e Indicator .303
........
Oil Pressure Indicator .57,361
.............................
Oil, Synthetic .313
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use .312
...............................
Overheating .359
............................
Specif ications .376 ....................
Speed Limiter .285,288
.......................................
Starting .282
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline .265
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls .385
...............................
Exhaust Fumes .50
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat
........................................
Belts by .16
....................................
Fan Control .117
.........................................
Features .115
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank .265
Filters
.........................
Dust and Pollen .333
...............................................
Oil .314
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning .75
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a .351
.....................................
Floor Mats .332
Index
E F
INDEX
III
\f—\f—\fy


\fy
(+\fy\f\fy
2009 Civic Coupe