2000 HONDA ACCORD COUPE Owners Manual

Importan
t Safet y Precaution s

You'l l fin d man y safet y
recommendation s throughou t thi s
section , an d throughou t thi s manual .
Th e recommendation s o n thi s pag e
ar e th e one s w e conside r t o b e th e
mos t important .
Alway s Wea r You r Sea t Bel t
A sea t bel t i s you r bes t protectio n in
al l type s o f collisions . Airbag s
supplemen t sea t belts , bu t airbag s
ar e designe d to inflat e onl y in a
moderat e to sever e fronta l collision .
S o eve n thoug h you r ca r i s equippe d
wit h airbags , mak e sur e yo u an d
you r passenger s alway s wea r you r
sea t belts , an d wea r the m properly .
(Se e pag e 15 .)
Restrai n Al l Childre n
Childre n ar e safes t whe n the y ar e
properl y restraine d in th e bac k seat ,
no t th e fron t seat . A chil d wh o is to o
smal l fo r a sea t bel t mus t b e properl y
restraine d in a chil d safet y seat . (Se e
pag e 20 .) B
e Awar e o f Airba g Hazard s
Whil e airbag s ca n sav e lives , the y
ca n caus e seriou s o r fata l injurie s t o
occupant s wh o si t to o clos e t o them ,
o r ar e no t properl y restrained .
Infants , youn g children , an d shor t
adult s ar e a t th e greates t risk . B e
sur e t o follo w al l instruction s an d
warning s i n thi s manual . (Se e pag e
9 .)

Don' t Drin k an d Driv e

Alcoho l an d drivin g don' t mix . Eve n
on e drin k ca n reduc e you r abilit y t o
respon d t o changin g conditions , an d
you r reactio n tim e get s wors e wit h
ever y additiona l drink . S o don' t drin k
an d drive , an d don' t le t you r friend s
drin k an d drive , either . Contro
l You r Spee d
Excessiv e spee d is a majo r facto r i n
cras h injurie s an d deaths . Generally ,
th e highe r th e spee d th e greate r th e
risk , bu t seriou s accident s ca n als o
occu r a t lowe r speeds . Neve r driv e
faste r tha n is saf e fo r curren t
conditions , regardles s o f th e
maximu m spee d posted .
Kee p You r Ca r i n Saf e Conditio n
Havin g a tir e blowou t o r a
mechanica l failur e ca n b e extremel y
hazardous . T o reduc e th e possibilit y
o f suc h problems , chec k you r tir e
pressure s an d conditio n frequently ,
an d perfor m al l regularl y schedule d
maintenance . (Se e pag e 20 2 .)

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
* O n al l V 6 model s an d th e 4-cylinde r E X
mode l wit h leathe r interio r
(1
) Safet y Cag e
(2 ) Crus h Zone s

(3 ) Seat s & Seat-Back s

(4 ) Hea d Restraint s
(5 ) Collapsibl e Steerin g Colum n

(6 ) Sea t Belt s

(7 ) Fron t Airbag s

(8 ) Sid e Airbags *

(9 ) Doo r Lock s You
r ca r i s equippe d wit h man y
feature s tha t wor k togethe r t o
protec t yo u an d you r passenger s
durin g a crash .
Som e safet y feature s do no t requir e
an y actio n o n you r part . Thes e
includ e a stron g stee l framewor k
tha t form s a safet y cag e aroun d th e
passenge r compartment ; fron t an d
rea r crus h zone s tha t ar e designe d t o
crumpl e an d absor b energ y durin g a
crash ; an d a collapsibl e steerin g

column .

Thes e safet y feature s ar e designe d
t o reduc e th e severit y o f injurie s i n a
crash . However , yo u an d you r
passenger s can' t tak e ful l advantag e
o f thes e safet y feature s unles s yo u
remai n sittin g in a prope r positio n

an d always wear your seat belts

properly. I n fact , som e safet y
feature s ca n contribut e t o injurie s i f
the y ar e no t use d properly .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
Sea t Belt s
Fo r you r safety , an d th e safet y o f
you r passengers , you r ca r i s
equippe d wit h sea t belt s i n al l seating
positions .
You r sea t bel t syste m als o
include s a ligh t o n th e
instrumen t pane l t o remin d yo u an d
you r passenger s t o faste n you r sea t
belts .
Why Wear Seat Belts
Sea t belt s ar e th e singl e mos t
effectiv e safet y devic e fo r adult s an d
large r children . (Infant s an d smalle r
childre n mus t b e properl y restraine d
i n chil d seats. )
No t wearin g a sea t bel t properl y
increase s th e chanc e o f seriou s
injur y o r deat h in a crash , eve n
thoug h you r ca r ha s airbags . I
n addition , mos t state s an d al l
Canadia n province s requir e yo u to
wea r sea t belts .
Whe n properl y worn , sea t belts :
Kee p yo u connecte d t o th e vehicl e
s o yo u ca n tak e advantag e o f th e
vehicle' s built-i n safet y features .
Hel p protec t yo u i n almos t ever y
typ e o f crash , includin g frontal ,
side , an d rea r impact s an d
rollovers .
Hel
p kee p yo u fro m bein g throw n

agains t th e insid e o f th e ca r an d

agains t othe r occupants .

Kee p yo u fro m bein g throw n ou t

o f th e car .

Hel p kee p yo u in a goo d positio n

shoul d th e airbag s eve r deploy . A

goo d positio n reduce s th e ris k o f

injur y fro m an inflatin g airbag , an d

allow s yo u to ge t th e bes t

advantag e fro m th e airbag .

O f course , sea t belt s canno t

completel y protec t yo u in ever y

crash . Bu t i n mos t cases , sea t belt s

ca n reduc e you r ris k o f seriou s

injury .

What you should do: Always wea r

you r sea t belt , an d mak e sur e yo u
wea r i t properly .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
No
t wearin g a sea t bel t properl y
increase s th e chanc e o f seriou s
injur y o r deat h i n a crash , eve n
i f yo u hav e airbags .
B e sur e yo u an d you r
passenger s alway s wea r sea t
belt s an d wea r the m properly .

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
Airbag s
You r ca r ha s a Supplementa l
Restrain t Syste m (SRS ) wit h fron t
airbag s t o hel p protec t th e head s an d
chest s o f th e drive r an d a fron t sea t
passenge r durin g a moderat e to
sever e fronta l collision . Al
l V- 6 models , an d th e 4-cylinde r E X
mode l wit h leathe r interio r als o hav e
sid e airbag s t o hel p protec t th e
uppe r tors o o f th e drive r o r a fron t
sea t passenge r durin g a moderat e t o
sever e sid e impact .
Th e mos t importan t thing s yo u nee d
t o kno w abou t you r airbag s are :
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
The y ar e designe d to supplemen tth
e sea t belts .

Airbags offer no protection in rear
impacts, rollovers, or minor

frontal or side collisions.

Airbags can pose serious hazards.

T o d o thei r job , airbag s mus t
inflat e wit h tremendou s forc e an d
speed . S o whil e airbag s hel p sav e
lives , the y ca n caus e mino r injuries ,
o r mor e seriou s o r eve n fata l
injurie s i f occupant s ar e no t
properl y restraine d o r sittin g
properly .

What you should do: Alway s wea r

you r sea t bel t properly , an d si t
uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l o r

dashboard .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s

Seat s & Seat-Back s
You r car' s seat s ar e designe d t o kee p
yo u in a comfortable , uprigh t
positio n s o yo u ca n tak e ful l
advantag e o f th e protectio n offere d
b y sea t belt s an d th e energ y
absorbin g material s in th e seats .
Ho w yo u adjus t you r seat s an d seat -
back s ca n als o affec t you r safety . Fo r
example , sittin g to o clos e to th e
steerin g whee l o r dashboar d
increase s th e ris k o f yo u o r you r
passenge r bein g injure d b y strikin g
th e insid e o f th e car , o r b y a n
inflatin g airbag .
Reclinin g a seat-bac k to o fa r reduce s
th e sea t belt' s effectivenes s an d
increase s th e chanc e tha t th e seat' s
occupan t wil l slid e unde r th e sea t
bel t i n a cras h an d b e seriousl y

injured .
What you should do: Mov
e th e fron t

seat s a s fa r bac k a s possible , an d
kee p adjustabl e seat-back s in a n
uprigh t positio n wheneve r th e ca r i s

moving .
Hea
d Restraint s
Hea d restraint s ca n hel p protec t yo u
fro m whiplas h an d othe r injuries . Fo r
maximu m protection , th e bac k o f
you r hea d shoul d res t agains t th e
cente r o f th e hea d restraint .
Doo r Lock s
Keepin g you r door s locke d reduce s
th e chanc e o f bein g throw n ou t o f
th e ca r durin g a crash . I t als o help s
preven t occupant s fro m accidentall y
openin g a doo r an d fallin g out , an d
outsider s fro m unexpectedl y openin g
you r doors .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklis t
T o mak e sur e yo u an d you r
passenger s ge t th e maximu m
protectio n fro m you r car' s safel y
features , chec k th e followin g eac h
tim e befor e yo u driv e away :
Al l adults , an d childre n wh o hav e
outgrow n chil d safet y seats , ar e
wearin g thei r sea t belt s an d
wearin g the m properl y (se e pag e

15 ).

An y infan t o r smal l chil d i s
properl y restraine d i n a chil d sea t
i n th e bac k sea t (se e pag e 20 ). Fron
t sea t occupant s ar e sittin g
uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l an d
dashboar d (se e pag e 12 ).
Seat-back s ar e uprigh t (se e pag e
13 ).

Hea d restraint s ar e properl y

adjuste d (se e pag e 14 ).
Al l door s ar e close d an d locke d
(se e pag e 12 ).
Al l carg o i s properl y store d o r
secure d (se e pag e 17 0 ) . Th
e res t o f thi s sectio n give s mor e
detaile d informatio n abou t ho w yo u
ca n maximiz e you r safety .
Remember , however , tha t n o safet y
syste m ca n preven t al l injurie s o r
death s tha t ca n occu r i n sever e
crashes , eve n whe n sea t belt s ar e
properl y wor n an d th e airbag s deploy .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Adult s

Introductio n
Th e followin g page s provid e
instruction s o n ho w to properl y
protec t th e drive r an d othe r adult

occupants .

Thes e instruction s als o appl y t o
childre n wh o hav e outgrow n chil d
seat s an d ar e larg e enoug h t o wea r
lap/shoulde r belts . (Se e pag e 3 5 fo r
importan t additiona l guideline s o n
ho w to properl y protec t large r
children. )
1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Door s
Afte r everyon e ha s entere d th e car ,
b e sur e th e door s ar e close d an d

locked .
You
r ca r ha s a doo r monito r ligh t o n
th e instrumen t pane l t o indicat e
whe n a specifi c doo r i s no t tightl y

closed .

Fo r safety , lockin g th e door s reduce s
th e chanc e tha t a passenger ,
especiall y a child , wil l ope n a doo r
whil e th e ca r i s movin g an d
accidentall y fal l out . I t als o reduce s
th e chanc e o f someon e bein g throw n
ou t o f th e ca r durin g a crash .
Fo r security , locke d door s ca n
preven t a n outside r fro m
unexpectedl y openin g a doo r whe n
yo u com e to a stop .
Se e pag e 7 6 fo r ho w to loc k th e

doors .
2.Adjus
t th e Fron t Seat s
An y drive r wh o sit s to o clos e t o th e
steerin g whee l i s a t ris k o f bein g
seriousl y injure d o r kille d b y strikin g
th e steerin g whee l o r fro m bein g
struc k b y a n inflatin g fron t airba g
durin g a crash .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Adult s

T o reduc e th e chanc e o f injury , wea r
you r sea t bel t properly , si t uprigh t
wit h you r bac k agains t th e seat , an d
mov e th e sea t a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l whil e stil l
maintainin g ful l contro l o f th e car .
Als o mak e sur e you r fron t sea t
passenge r move s th e sea t a s fa r t o
th e rea r a s possible . Mos
t shorte r driver s ca n ge t fa r
enoug h awa y fro m th e steerin g
whee l an d stil l reac h th e pedals .
However , i f yo u ar e concerne d abou t
sittin g to o close , w e recommen d tha t
yo u investigat e whethe r som e typ e
o f adaptiv e equipmen t ma y help .
Onc e you r sea t i s adjuste d correctly ,
roc k i t bac k an d fort h t o mak e sur e
th e sea t i s locke d in position .
Se e pag e 8 7 fo r ho w to adjus t th e
fron t seats .
3.Adjus
t th e Seat-Back s

Adjus t th e driver' s seat-bac k t o a
comfortable , uprigh t position ,
leavin g ampl e spac e betwee n you r
ches t an d th e airba g cove r i n th e
cente r o f th e steerin g wheel . I f yo u
si t to o clos e t o th e steerin g wheel ,
yo u coul d b e injure d i f th e fron t
airba g inflates .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Sittin
g to o clos e t o a fron t
airba g ca n resul t i n seriou s
injur y o r deat h i f th e fron t
airbag s inflate .
Alway s si t a s fa r bac k fro m th e
fron t airbag s a s possible .