20-EM2-05

Hello, I would like some suggestions to stop the over heating problems I sometime have while driving.

Just a little introduction on what I am driving.
I drive a 2005 Honda Civic EX special edition (Just looks cooler with the stereo and rims haha). This car has high mileage IMO. Bought the car brand new off the lot with 000000 miles and put a little bit over 92K on it. It didn't start over heating sometime until 1 month and my pops (autobody/mechanic) has been somewhat trying to find out the problem. The car is completely stock. No mods at all, not even some decent springs + shocks. Hah. ALL OEM FTW.

Everytime before I take the car out, I would usually have to put water in the coolant before starting up the car. I notice when I drive under 40MPH for a certain amount of time (including stops) the thermostat goes to 1/2 and tends to get hotter. Turning on the heater full blast won't work. I've tried it and it blows cold air (with the AC off) until I drive 40+ miles.

When going above 45MPH it starts dropping dramatically until I start stopping. It's getting irritating and I might think it has something to do with the radiator.

Any types of suggestions on what the problem is a huge help.

Anyone with the same problem with 01-05 civics and found out the cause for the over heating. Please tell me about it.

EDIT: Please close this thread it's getting old and I have resolved the problem already.

It Wasn't Me

(hint) Searching "overheating" among the thread titles in the 2001 - 2005 Civic forum, I found a total of 26 threads.

These are some of them. I did not read through them.

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/honda-civic04-overheating-problem-2557193/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/2005-hond-civic-ex-overheating-2555660/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/01-civic-intermittent-overheating-2339016/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/2001-honda-civic-overheating-2519383/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/2005-honda-civic-overheating-saga-2509394/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/car-overheating-2231053/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/05-civic-overheating-2424959/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/03-civic-ex-coupe-overheating-need-help-2402880/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/why-my-car-overheating-when-fine-morning-all-sudden-2375869/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/overheating-issue-2370896/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/03-civic-overheating-problems-2328870/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-2001-2005-78/02-civic-ex-d17-overheating-please-advise-2321668/

You may want to browse through those to see if anyone else has had the same problem.

OH honda boy

Did you have the system drained/ flushed/ refilled at 60k? I have same car as yours and looking at my fluid yesterday, seems as though it's ready now to be changed. Seems like you have too much water in there and not enough coolant. You need 2.05 quarts of coolant honda Type 2 and 2.05 quarts water for a 50/50 mixture.

It Wasn't Me

Honda Type 2 Antifreeze/Coolant comes prediluted 50/50. There's no need to add water.

20-EM2-05

Okay. Thanks for the responses, I'll ask my pops to see when was the last time he drained/flushed/refilled. If not, I have a cousin who owns a body shop who is willing to help me work on that.

Savegascivic!

you should be able to do that yourself... its pretty simple just youtube it or something

20-EM2-05

Haha. Of course. But I might need the extra tools and an extra pair of hands. The more the marrier.

lowlife9

souns like there is air bubbles in your system that will hinder the water pump from working properly . do the drain and fill and make sure to get all the air out.

20-EM2-05

Will do. Going to the shop either today or tomorrow to get a hand on the drain/flush/refill

JCassidy

I have the SAME problem. Its a 2005 Civic Ex-SE With 90k+ Miles. And It only seems to happen when my wife drives it (no joke guys!). She Drives 200 Miles a day and when she gets off the highway and stops the Needle on the gauge spikes! It has been to two, yes two! Honda dealers to have it fixed, in fact it is in the shop as i type this. The first dealer said that there may be air in the system and WE would just have to "burp" it every time it started doing it. Now that’s fine, but it really is just a temporary fix. The place we have it at now doesn’t BS and will have it till they fix it. That being said, Honda had it running for over 2 hours today and nothing! looked at the head gaskets and cylinders and NOTHING, they say it is in perfect shape! all sensors are fine, thermo is fine everything that they think it COULD BE is FINE, Radiator and coolant levels aslo ok. So what’s the deal......??? Not sure yet but when they figure it out then I will be sure to let this forum know!!! I HATE GREMLINS!!!!

20-EM2-05

Haha. This was a old thread for me and I found out my problem. My mom drives only 10+ miles to work and sometime it overheats. So I took the car to my cousins body shop and we just checked the radiator fan, thermostat, and the coolant. Everything was fine but the coolant so we flushed the whole system and drained it then just refilled it. Now it's going fine. Time to take the baby to the shop again for an oil change haha.

mela1216

OMG I have the same problem, same car, 05 Honda Civic EX is 72K miles, I got new from the dealer with 0 miles too. Starting to do that about 3 months ago. I tried to fix it several times, changed the water pump already replaced hoses, changed the radiator lead, changed the thermostat, no mechanic seems to find the problem is still doing the same thing. Is good for 4 days and then here I go again to put water and antifreeze. I am a girl too so trust me is not your wife haha, I love hondas and I have been proud to have one but now I don't know anymore. very dissapointed.

portaman03

Hope you were adding distilled water and not using your garden hose.. or else youll be replacing the seals on your water pump

Manny 77

Guys replaced the termostat and flush the radiator... i have a mechanic shop just for hondas i have to deal with the same problem tons of times so do it and let me know... off course use antifrezee 50/50 and check for any leaks.

GeMiNiZ

I have the same problem with my 04 civic ex....I think the problem with mine is I have a radiator leak... When i put coolant in it, it drives normal for about a week, then starts to overheat after a while... usually happens when im in stop go traffic or drive really slow...

I'm gonna see if I have a crack or something.

20-EM2-05

Try to drain/flush/refill your coolant, if that's not it when I would recommend you to check your thermostat.

My problems was that I needed to drain/flush/refill.

katzenjammer84

I have 82K on my 04 with no problems, but I drained my system last around 45-50K. I think you're just overdue.

herald1b6

hey i have an 04 civic ex an i have the same problem, every time my girl drives it something wrong goes wrong with it. lol but i've change the thermostat and check for leaks and none, fans turn on when they are supossed to get am oem thermostat for honda not one from advance or aftermarket they are sensative and top off your coloant to proper level and make sure you have no air in your system that wil cause your overheat, let it all out by leaving your cap of on an incline and make sure your cap is good or go get a new one they are not expesive. before your go change your water pump, the cause would be your thermostat i've change mine twice because of that. on these models they have to be honda genuien parts. sucks but true. let me know how it goes. mine hasn't overheated since. make sure your fans work first and the sensor that controls your fans work properly. i had to replace it as well. good luck this model is touchy and adjust your valve if you haven't fyi. your supposed to ever 30 or 40k if you didn't know.

HONDAPARTSMANMIKE

i would rec having your headgasket checked and replaced its very common for what your experincing.