hi all..i'm new in here.. i got a used civic from my friend last month..... and i felt that the car is fine and pretty gd condition..... but last month i found out there has little problem which i can't figure out what happen and i need somebody help! it has a weired overheat problem since last week and the car was overheat, i took the car to the mechanic to look for it.... they helped me to change the thermostat and the radiator cap and they do a pressure test and said there is no leak at all so it should be ok for that... but when i drive the car i fould out that it still overheating... so i keep took it back to the mechanic for 3 times but they can't found out there is a problem at all... i already took to the 3 different mechanic by 5 times but they cannot figure it problem with the car because when i took in there and the tempurate is very normal so they can't figure it out what is going on..... recently, i found out my car when i turn on the A/C and driving over 30 mins or stuck in the traffic.. and the needle turn up(usually the needle stay in the half below inside the guage). but the needle never turn to (H).i live in Southern Ca. i would like somebody to help me to figure it out and how to solve it...........the first pic i suppose it is very normal tempurate and the second felt that my car is overheat.......

 

With the engine COLD, check that you have enough coolant. Remove the radiator cap; don't just look in the bottle. The radiator should be absolutely full to the top.

Does the radiator fan come on when the temperature starts to creep up?

 

the radiator fan works fine.... and the coolant always full on the top.........

 

the mechanic bled the system, right?

 

yes... they already bleed by 2 times............

 

I think that it is about time for a new radiator. Though if you don't have the cash right now you could keep driving for a while unless it gets worse.

 

but i saw the radiator is like new one.... i suppose is the last owner who change the readiator recently...................somebody tell me what's going on about the car??????

 

I'm a new member to the forums, but I am having the same problem with my 99 Hx. It seems like its getting really hot. If I put a on/off switch so i can turn on the fans when it gets hot, will it solve me a headache in the long run ?

 

A part can look great but still not work. You could drain some of the coolant and look for any crud in the water tubes inside the radiator. Also, it's more of an issue in northern climates, but the outside can corrode and the thin brass fins fall off of the air side.

The fan should come on automatically when needed. Honda builds a great car and there's no need to second-guess them and jury-rig it. If the engine gets hot but the fan doesn't come on, either there is a problem with the fan system, or a bad thermostat, or a severely blocked radiator, etc. Just replace the thermostat as the first step of resolving any overheating problem.

The fan is only necessary when stopped in traffic or moving real slow. If it overheats at highway speed, you have another problem. You can temporarily rig the fan to run all the time by unplugging the thermal switch on the thermostat housing and putting a jumper wire between the two pins in the plug. If the fan doesnt then come on all the time the ignition is on, check for a bad fuse, fan motor, or relay. If jumping the switch keeps the engine at normal temperature, replace the thermal switch.

 

the thermostat has already chnaged when i went to the mechanic by the first time
and as u mention plug the jumper wire betwwen the two pins in the plug. and the fan works all the time.. i found out that if i turn on the A/C and there is AC fan will move all the time right ??was it suppose to be the radiator works all the time too???mine is like working neceessary...........