Overheating - Civic - Honda - Airconditioning - Radiators :: 1997 - Leak From Steam Venting / Overheats When AC On?
Jun 18, 2016
I just received this car as a freebie but it has come with an issue or two. The most pressing is a cooling issue. They gave it to me with the words, "The radiator leaks". Upon some testing this doesn't seem to be the whole picture.
1) If I fill the radiator up, leave the car parked over night, the next morning the radiator is still full. so I assume it is leaking from steam venting or from something else.
2) The car overheats very fast when the AC is on and the vehicle is stopped. Within about 10 minutes it went through every drop in the radiator.
3) When driving with the AC fan on medium speed, it can go a solid 30-45 minutes with no issue.
4) If I turn the AC fan on to high it takes a matter of minutes for it to begin to over heat.
A friend mentioned something about a weeper valve? I know very little about cars. So if there was any insight as to what it may be that would be excellent.
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Recently had a new water pump and radiator put in my car. Not so sure if they are "new" but anyway.
The car does not seem to use coolant it has only slowly flowed back into the reserve tank over time spilling over a little.
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I have a '97 Honda Civic w/ about 168k miles, am hoping to get at least another year or two out of it before I go looking for a used Honda Fit or something similarly budget-minded to replace it. I just ran the A/C on cold for the first time this season (I realize I was running it all winter when I defrosted the windows), and it was clearly not working, just blowing hot air. Now, the last time I had anything done with the A/C was in 2005, when I was in a minor accident and the very nice mechanic flushed it and replaced the freon (if I have that right) for no extra charge in the course of uncrumpling the front of the car for me.
Which brings up two issues:
1) I no longer have a trustworthy mechanic where I live, and have had much difficulty finding one, and
2) the car already has a salvage title so is worth about $500 max.
Now, obviously it is worth more than that to me, since it will still be cheaper to fix than get anything else, but I have the impression that A/C repair could get quite expensive, and it is enough to make me wonder if I could afford the monthly payment and insurance increase on that used Honda Fit..
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I have a 1997 Honda Civic with 275,000 miles on it. After driving for an hour or so, it starts getting hot when stopped or nearly stopped. It goes back to normal temperature when I start driving. It does cool down if I turn on the heater. I just changed the timing belt/water pump and put it a new radiator and changed the thermostat hoping it would solve the problem, but it hasn't. I checked and the fan does come on when stopped. Could it be a cooling system clog that a flush might be able to solve or might it be the head gasket?
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I've been driving a 2006 Liberty with 110,000 miles and have had no problems for about 6 months. I didn't get a tune up at the behest of the previous owner who had showed me records of the last time he had it tuned up. I didn't notice that he hadn't flushed the radiator, however. Since the cold weather started, I've been very cautious and making sure not to cold start. On my way home from work, I was stopped at a red light, started to accelerate and heard and felt a POP that felt like the transmission slipping or something to that extent.
I noticed the car started to overheat. I pulled over, and being the rushing idiot that I am, I decided to open the radiator cap. I didn't hurt myself but coolant leaked everywhere and along with it were chunks of rust. I had a lot of trouble turning it over to get it home but ended up doing so and it didn't seem to run any worse, sans the overheating and cloud of coolant. I'm so nervous to take it to a mechanic and see the monetary damage. From the description, what I'll be in for? Did I damage it further by repeatedly trying to turn it over??
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Last week I drove my 2007 Honda Odyssey with about 100k on a 4 hour trek in the cold, and all of the sudden the heat stopped working. The fans were blowing, but warm air was not coming out. It was Christmas eve and nothing I could really do about it, so let it be. Drove another 10 minutes that night with no heat to my destination, and many hours later still Christmas eve I drove another 15 minutes. Heat didn't work, but car operated just fine.
Christmas day, drove the car for about 20 minutes with no heat, and all of the sudden the temperature gauge skyrockets, and the engine light goes on, the car is clearly overheating (could smell smoke from the engine). Let the car cool for the rest of the day, check it and there is no coolant at all. Had a local mechanic check some other things like the thermostat but found nothing, so refilled the coolant, and drove 4 hours again with no problems--heat works and everything. I was expecting to have to stop all the time to refill the coolant, but didn't have to because it never leaked on the entire trip. I took the car to the Honda dealer and they check it and find no leaks and nothing else wrong with the car, and offer no explanation on how the coolant magically disappeared, only confirming that they cleaned coolant which had leaked/spilled all over. The only possible explanation was that I had some work done on the car a few months ago (new belts) and the mechanic I used didn't flush the coolant properly.
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My '97 Honda Civic overheats when driven at high speed on the highway for more than an hour. I've changed the thermostat and the radiator fan, but it still does it.
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I have a 2007 Honda Odyssey touring model. Recently I had it serviced at the Honda dealership. In addition to my requested front end alignment and oil and filter change, they talked me into a radiator flush, fuel inj. service, air filter replacements and battery service. I drove the car home after wards even filling up with gas before going home. This drive was about 55 miles. I never noticed any problems. The next day, I left for Montghomery AL towing a trailer with a motorcycle trike on it. We stopped for lunch and continued. The car suddenly started making a grinding noise from engine compartment and suddenly white smoke started coming out from the hood. I immediately pulled over and we got out of the car for fear of fire. This was the first time I had any indication of a problem.
After a short time, I opened the hood to see what was wrong and noticed that the radiator cap was sitting upside down next to opening. I had the vehicle towed to Chattanooga where I was told there was serious damage to the engine. I had them repair it (they were an AAA approved towing and repair shop). I also took pictures of the engine compartment. I went back to the dealership and asked to be reembursed for my expenses and the cost of repairs and the owner refused. He said he didn't believe they left the cap off and since he started out in the service department he didn't believe the car could even go that far without overheating. My question is: Is it possible for a 2007 Honda Odyssey to travel approximately 220 miles over two days before overheating and wrecking the engine if the radiator cap was left off and/or if no fluid was even added and the radiator cap was left off?
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I have a '98 Civic Dx with 217,000+ miles on it. Last year I had the water pump and timing belt replaced and beginning in February I noticed my antifreeze was disappearing but couldn't find any leaks. One mechanic said it was the water pump, so I had it redone under warranty. The antifreeze is still disappearing and now my mechanic tells me it's the radiator. (Don't you think he would have said that the first time?) It seems that the transmission is starting to go (see below) so I'm wondering if it's worth replacing the radiator or trying to patch any leaks I can find. I've heard such mixed reviews on patching radiator leaks and this mechanic won't do it. The part is cheap and I can probably replace or repair it myself. So, repair or replace?
I've had a few incidents of my car shuddering after I start driving and losing power around the first turn. Sometimes the shudder is worse if I've turned the car on, idled for a few moments and then started driving. The shudder was similar to one time when I had a bad spark plug wire, so thinking it was that I gave my car a tune up-- new plugs, wires, cap, rotor. But two mornings ago it nearly stalled as I was taking the first turn off my street.
Then yesterday morning it nearly stalled after I backed out of my parking space and began driving (I'd sat for a few moments with the car idling before backing out). For a while I've felt like it wasn't really getting full power around the first turn. I don't know how to describe it except that pushing on the accelerator didn't really do anything until the car had completed the turn and straightened out. I haven't had any problems throughout the rest of the day-- it drives just fine. It's only when it's been sitting at least overnight.
I'm in denial about it being my transmission. It has never liked to start when I've down to or below a quarter tank of gas, and someone else who called the show about that was told that the fuel system was probably losing pressure as it sat overnight, which sounds like what happens to mine. Could this be another symptom of that? Or could something in the fuel system be clogged, like the filter? (My Dad had a clogged fuel filter once and his car would lose power on an incline.) Or is this perhaps the beginning of the end for my little friend? I'm at 217k...
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I have a 2003 Civic EX with 160K miles. The car runs great but it will sometimes over heat in traffic. It does not always overheat so it so the two mechanics I have taken it too have been unable to duplicate. I have had he thermostat changed and the relay to the cooling fan. I also changed the radiator cap. Other facts.
The heater has been very slow to heat up even when letting the car run for 15 minutes in the winter. It will heat up only once on the highway. This started at about the same time as the overheating.
It has never overheated on the highway even with 100 degree weather and the AC blasting.
Turning on the air will most of the time lower the temp.
Today after traveling 30 minutes I came to a stop and it overheated(temp gage on H). I tried to turn on the heater to attempt to cool it down and it blew cold air for about 3 minutes and never warmed. I then pulled into a lot andneither cooling fan was running. I did not have the ac on as I am thinking the fact that the heater is so slow might be a clue to the problem.
It would appear it could be something with the cooling fan but neither mechanic thought it was that as they couldn't duplicate the problem.
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Honda civic ex 2001 w/ 202k miles.... 1 month ago was driving on highway, the a/c started going, then I began losing power, temp went hot, pulled over steaming hood, wouldn't take much water.
Mechanic did: replace thermostat, therm gasket, new radiator fan temp switch, pressure test.
Ran fine for 2 weeks, then heat began to rise again & overheated. Each time it overheated the top small hose on radiator popped off(like a 1/2 in. hose). Back to mechanic: did pressure test, did a full cooling system test all were great...Only thing he found was a small radiator crack....thought it just took a week to lose coolant. Replaced radiator/ecu temp sending unit/refill and pressure test.
1 week later, temp spikes to hot, so I bring it back....he tested pressure/flow no leaks again...he can't figure it out.One note: for about the past 3months, right after starting, I would come to my first or second stop, then accelerate and hear a squeal that lasts like 5 seconds or so...this happened intermittently for about 3 months, and is still happening(I can drive very short distances now). A friend thought the issue was the belt that controlled the a/c and 2 other things
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My AC stops working intermittently - I got a whole new compressor about 2 years ago, then it stopped working altogether about a month ago, they said they couldn't find any leak but filled it up w/ added dye. Now it blows cold for awhile on the highway, but will randomly blow warm air, and also blow warm air when I'm stopped at a light (Which is no good in Phoenix, AZ) I took it back in and they said they couldn't find a leak or anything wrong with it, that some hose was probably just freezing and then I would have to wait for it to thaw... but that doesn't explain why it never happened before... and it's not normal (clearly)... I just want a car that I don't have to roast in this summer!
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I have a 2001 Honda Civic with 145000 miles. My mechanic recently completed a coolant flush on my vehicle and when I went to pick it up said that the radiator sealant was affected by the flush so I should bring the car back in a week to have them check it. On my way home the engine was steaming and continued to that week. When I brought the car back they said it looks like it's sealant again but I may need to buy a new radiator soon. The engine still occasionally has steam coming off of it and another mechanic says I need a new radiator ASAP. I don't know much about cars (obviously) so I am wondering if this is a normal occurrence? Is this something I should pay for if the mechanic damaged the sealant when they completed the flush?
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I have a 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback Limited, ~180,000 miles. It has been a good car but we've run into some problems the last few months. About a month ago we were driving back from vacation and experienced a loud belt squeal from the engine. Had a nearby mechanic look at it -- turned out it was a timing belt pulley which we had to have replaced.
Now, a couple weeks ago, the day after getting my fluids changed, I was driving over the mountain on another, shorter, trip and experienced sudden overheating - steam coming out from the radiator - lots of discouraging gurgling and clunking sounds as liquid moved around. Had to have it towed 40 miles back home.First thought being a Subaru person -- head gasket. A couple of mechanics nearby when I was broken down on the side of the road gave that as a preliminary diagnosis as well.
Unfortunately, we were leaving for a week on another trip, so I had to wait to have my car looked at until we got back -- about 2 weeks. Now my regular mechanic takes a look -- he says it isn't the head gaskets, but a hold corroded in the bottom of the radiator that the coolant is just pouring out of. Also the fans aren't working. F
I have heard that most people get their radiators replaced before it becomes clear that it is a head gasket issue. So I am very nervous that this issue is actually a head gasket and that for whatever reason my normal mechanic can't find the signs for because it was sitting for two weeks, or for some other reason. He's not a Subaru specialist. I asked specifically that he check the head gaskets and he says no oil in coolant, coolant in oil or sweet smell from tailpipe.
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when it began overheating, and to be specific it is a 2003 Honda civic ex, automatic. I took it back to them after having to pay towing expenses. They said they didn't know it had issues (bull) they said it was due to a radiator, so they installed a new one. When I got it back it drove fine then it began exhibiting the same symptoms soon after. I decided since I loved the car I wouldn't even bother with the people I bought it from, big mistake and I should have just returned it...I didn't because I was sick of looking for a car and school was about to start. This began the routine of having to fill it with antifreeze every day before and after class, if I didn't it would most certainly overheat and then I'd have to blow hot air all day.
So I took it to another mechanic who figured it must be something wrong with the cooling system and said the fan was acting slow, so he replaced the fan-switch and thermostat and said that it wasn't the water pump. I was hoping this would do it, but it did not. He then tested the head-gasket twice and it came back negative. Then they tested the catalytic converter, came back negative. This mechanic, then proceeds to tell me the people who sold it to me may have put a sealant in which gummed up the engine and is clogging things so it can't function correctly, or put on the head-gasket wrong or any number of things to the engine. Although, wouldn't this still make the head-gasket test fail? He tells me I may need a new engine because to figure out if it truly is an engine problem that would cost as much as a new engine. I don't know what to do or where to go I am at a loss here. Spending my money just to have mechanics tell me there is some mysterious "undiagnosable" problem with my car is the most frustrating thing ever. No one can fix this car it seems.
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When car is stopped after driving for awhile, steam comes pouring out of hood on passenger side near windshield. Opened the hood and steam was coming from firewall area, not from radiator. Mechanic replaced thermostat etc. for heater core but stll have steam problem. Temperature gauge reads normal and heater doesn't work. It tastes like antifreeze is getting into passenger compartment and it fogs up the windshield.Radiator cap is not even warm. Sounds like antifreeze is not flowing through the radiator.
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Mid- july I had the compressor rebuilt when the A/C suddenly started blowing warm air one week prior to a 1200 mile road trip.
Two weeks later the car wouldn't start. The battery (still under warranty) checked out as "good" was charged up and started the car fine. It needed an oil change before we headed home and the lube shop said that the coolant was low. I mentioned that I thought this was strange since I just had the compressor fixed and the guy and the quick lube just shrugged and I paid to top off the coolant. The next morning we set out towards home- 1200 more miles.
About 100 miles into the trip I noticed the A/C didn't seem to be blowing very cold. It was cool. Not cold. It was better after we stopped the car for lunch and that lasted for about 5 miles. When we stopped, our car was leaking copious amounts of fluids from both the engine and the passenger rear side of the car. By about 300 miles into the trip, the rear AC wasn't blowing at all. By 500 miles in NOTHING WAS BLOWING. Still leaking tons of fluids. Seemingly water.
We drove through the night with complaints of heat from the kids. Parked the car in the driveway. I moved the car into the garage... and I turned on the A/c to see if it was now working. The engine started to scream and smoke was rising from the hood. This didn't stop when I turned off the A/C.
The next morning, the battery was dead again. I had it towed to our mechanic. Other than the battery he could find nothing wrong. No noises. no smoke. A/C blowing AND it's blowing cold. Possible leak from the compressor (which I told him was under warranty from the guys who put it in and asked him not to touch it). They charged the battery.
I drove it to the A/C guys (A/C is blowing fine). They admit the A/C isn't as cool as one might hope. They drive it. Seems fine. Possible Coolant leak, but it's raining and they can't find the leak. They keep the car overnight. The Battery is dead the next morning. They replace the battery with a loaner. I'm desperate for my car. I pick it up and agree to bring it back in a few days to have them check the coolant levels and the battery.
NOW... Car starts, but it seems sluggish. The car revs like a formula 1 race car from 1st gear through 4th (maybe). The A/C is blowing cold (What the?? Blowing and cold?). Still leaking a lot of fluids (condensation?). Why? AND the check engine light has never gone on. What is wrong with my car???
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My daughter's 2002 Honda Civic is overheating unless you drive over 60 mph. The heater is also not working - it blows air but the air is cold. It is full of coolant - we checked. The thermostat was replaced about 2 months ago.
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I have been driving my 2002 Honda Civic for about 6 years now. For the past 4 years its been all highway, driving 50+miles a day. I have just moved to a small town where its all town driving.
When I would get off the highway before, I would notice a burning type smell, but no smoke and no signs of overheating. Once I moved here where the winter has been significantly colder than what my car is used to, and I am doing all in town driving, I have noticed smoke coming from my engine, but my temperature gauge shows all is well. I have always done regular oil changes etc on the car. I will be making a long trip this summer back home and i am not sure if I should be worried about the car overheating. Should I try and find someone to investigate this problem further or is this just some engine gunk burning as the car gets hot?
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I have a manual 2000 Honda civic that is acting up. When I drive it after about 15mins it gets really hot. Then right before I pull over it starts to cool off if I have the heat pumping . It also seem to over heat when ever I am sitting idle . I replaced the radiator and thermostat but I'm still having the problem.
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I have a 2004 Honda Civic Lx and I was driving one day and I look down to see if I was speeding or not (easy to do) and I see that the thermostat is almost all the way to the red line. So I pull over to a store and check my fluids. The oil was low so I put two quarts in. There are no signs of leaks anywhere. I also topped off the coolant. Ever sense the care has been fine so could of it been the low fluids?
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