2004 Honda Civic Owner's Manual - Page 196

If the Engine Overheats 1. Safely pull to the side of the road. Put the transmission in Neutral or Park, and set the parking brake. Turn off all the accessories, and turn on the hazard indicator. 2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turn off the engine. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the hood. 3. 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. 4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine. 5. 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 Emergency Towing on page 203 ). 6. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the radiator reserve tank. Add coolant if the level is below the MIN mark. CONTINUED Taking Care of the Unexpected 193