Honda Car Forum

Ok heres a question for you car people...I recently got a 97 Honda Civic as a graduation present. I know more about cars than your average girl, but this is bugging me. When it is hot outside, the car will over heat. The temp. gauge goes to H, but only when the car is stopped at a light or a stop sign or something. When I start moving again, the temp gauge goes down. We replaced the thermostat in it not too long ago, actually like a week after I got the car because it got too hot and it started spitting anti-freeze everywhere. Turns out the thermostat wasn't even opening! But it has a new thermostat, and the best we can tell it has a new radiator as well and plenty of fluids. What could be the problem? We thought it might be a fan relay, but were not sure. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

colent temp sensor, or it could be the temp sensor for the electric fan could be a water pump going out or you could have a bubble in the system

I had a honda that used to do that and it turned out to be the water pump.

There is either an air pocket in you cooling system or your water pump may be going out. Check the two hoses, both should be about them same temp.

Sounds to me like your electric cooling fan is not coming on. When you are driving around, the air is flowing through your radiator and cooling it down. So it won't overheat. When you are sitting in McD's drive-thru the temperature is going to climb because their is no air flow through the radiator. Start the car and let it idle. Open the hood and watch to see if the fan in the front of the engine comes on. The fan should come on when the temp reaches about 3/4 of the way on the gauge. You could have a bad fan relay or the fan motor itself could be bad.