Mecahanical

845

Asked by Trent Mar 12, 2018 at 08:58 AM about the 1999 Honda Civic DX

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a 99 civic.  Is over heating.  The heat is
good.  No.  Mixing of pull and water no white
smoke. Only over heats at high speeds.  Won't over
heat at idle or low speeds.  Can't figure it out.  

2 Answers

103,225

At "high speeds" your engine is working its hardest, so any deficiencies in its cooling system are going to cause some overheating. Lucky for you it does not appear to be head gasket related. I would check the following - radiator cap (they should be replaced every two years anyhow), thermostat, plastic air dam under car, radiator, and finally water pump. A radiator can be checked with an IR gun, you want to see entire radiator is warm, without any 'dead' spots indicating blockages. The air dam, if present, aids in directing air up into radiator. They often get knocked around over the years or even torn off. At low speeds they don't do much but at highway speeds they help with air flow to radiator.

845

I'm thinking it is the radiator blockage. I think if it was the thermostat there would be problems with the heat. The water pumps rarely fail on these cars though it does happen. However when they do fail it's either of bearing which makes all kinds of Racket and your car will not run at all without overheating or it's leaking and you will see fluid everywhere I have seen no leaks. However the bottom radiator hose is significantly cooler than the upper. I'm going to undo the top radiator hose and check that the water pump is pushing out a good stream through it. My air dam is intact that is actually the first thing I checked. Any more input would be appreciated

Your Answer:

Own this car?

Share your experience with others.

1999 Honda Civic

Review another car

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    ColdinMA
    Reputation
    2,390
  • #2
    Guru9CNGV
    Reputation
    2,140
  • #3
    GuruDMD1V
    Reputation
    2,130
View All

Know more, shop wisely

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Honda Accord
1,563 Great Deals out of 30,435 listings starting at $1,200
Used Toyota Camry
2,181 Great Deals out of 44,793 listings starting at $950
Used Toyota Corolla
1,456 Great Deals out of 28,283 listings starting at $499
Used Honda Civic Coupe
134 Great Deals out of 1,970 listings starting at $1,500
Used Honda CR-V
2,070 Great Deals out of 38,305 listings starting at $1,600
Used Hyundai Elantra
918 Great Deals out of 29,855 listings starting at $1,495
Used Ford Mustang
1,003 Great Deals out of 19,953 listings starting at $1,950
Used Toyota RAV4
2,078 Great Deals out of 34,987 listings starting at $1,500
Used Nissan Altima
1,561 Great Deals out of 36,651 listings starting at $995
Used BMW 3 Series
1,001 Great Deals out of 14,280 listings starting at $1,200

Used Cars for Sale

2025 Honda Civic For Sale
3 Great Deals out of 10,003 listings starting at $23,490
2024 Honda Civic For Sale
77 Great Deals out of 1,024 listings starting at $20,498
2023 Honda Civic For Sale
68 Great Deals out of 974 listings starting at $18,790
2022 Honda Civic For Sale
190 Great Deals out of 2,513 listings starting at $14,500
2021 Honda Civic For Sale
72 Great Deals out of 1,025 listings starting at $13,495

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.