2000 HONDA ACCORD COUPE Owners Manual

158

Befor
e Drivin g

Befor e yo u begi n drivin g you r Honda ,
yo u shoul d kno w wha t gasolin e t o
use , an d ho w to chec k th e level s o f
importan t fluids . Yo u als o nee d t o
kno w ho w to properl y stor e luggag e
o r packages . Th e informatio n i n thi s
sectio n wil l hel p you . I f yo u pla n t o
ad d an y accessorie s t o you r car ,
pleas e rea d th e informatio n in thi s
sectio n first . Break-i
n Period............................. . 16 0
Gasoline......................................... . 16 0
Servic e Statio n Procedure s ......... . 16 1
Fillin g th e Fue l Tank................ . 16 1
Openin g th e Hood.................... . 16 2
Oi l Check............................... . 16 4
Engin e Coolan t Check......... . 16 6
Fue l Economy............................... . 16 7
Vehicl e Condition..................... . 16 7
Drivin g Habits........................... . 16 7
Accessorie s an d Modifications... . 16 8
Carryin g Cargo............................. . 17 0
Befor e Drivin g

Break-i
n Period , Gasolin e

Break-i n Perio d

Hel p assur e you r car' s futur e
reliabilit y an d performanc e b y payin g
extr a attentio n to ho w yo u driv e
durin g th e firs t 60 0 mile s (1,00 0 km) .
Durin g thi s period : Avoi
d full-throttl e start s an d rapi d

acceleration .
Avoi
d har d braking . Ne w brake s
nee d to b e broken-i n b y moderat e
us e fo r th e firs t 20 0 mile s (30 0

km) .

Yo u shoul d follo w thes e sam e re -
commendation s wit h a n overhaule d

o r exchange d engine , o r whe n th e

brake s ar e relined .
Gasolin
e

You r Hond a is designe d t o operat e
o n unleade d gasolin e wit h a pum p
octan e numbe r o f 8 6 o r higher . Us e
o f a lowe r octan e gasolin e ca n caus e
a persistent , heav y metalli c rappin g
nois e in th e engin e tha t ca n lea d to
mechanica l damage .
W e recommen d gasoline s containin g
detergen t additive s tha t hel p preven t
fue l syste m an d engin e deposits .
Usin g gasolin e containin g lea d wil l
damag e you r car' s emission s
controls . Thi s contribute s t o ai r

pollution .
I
n Canada , som e gasoline s contai n

a n octane-enhancin g additiv e calle d

MMT . I f yo u us e suc h gasolines ,
you r emissio n contro l syste m
performanc e ma y deteriorat e an d
th e Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p o n
you r instrumen t pane l ma y tur n on .
I f thi s happens , contac t you r
authorize d Hond a deale r fo r service .

Befor e Drivin g

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

Fillin g th e Fue l Tan k

1 . Becaus e th e fue l fil l ca p is o n th e
driver' s sid e o f th e car , par k wit h
tha t sid e closes t t o th e servic e
statio n pumps .
2 . Ope n th e fue l fil l doo r b y pushin g
o n th e handl e t o th e lef t o f th e
driver' s seat .
FUEL FIL L CA P
3
. Remov e th e fue l fil l ca p slowly .
Yo u ma y hea r a hissin g soun d a s
pressur e insid e th e tan k escapes .
Plac e th e ca p in th e holde r o n th e
fue l fil l door .
4 . Sto p fillin g th e tan k afte r th e fue l
nozzl e automaticall y click s off . D o
no t tr y t o "to p off " th e tank, leave
som e roo m fo r th e fue l t o expan d
wit h temperatur e changes .
You r ca r ha s a n on-boar d refuelin g
vapo r recover y syste m to hel p
kee p fue l vapor s fro m goin g int o
th e atmosphere . I f th e fue l pum p
keep s clickin g of f eve n thoug h th e
tan k is no t full , ther e ma y b e a
proble m wit h thi s system . Consul t
you r dealer .
CONTINUED
Befor e Drivin g

Gasolin
e is highl y flammabl e
an d explosive . Yo u ca n b e
burne d o r seriousl y injure d
whe n handlin g fuel .
Sto p th e engin e an d kee p
heat , sparks , an d flam e away .
Handl e fue l onl y outdoors .
Wip e u p spill s immediately .

Pus
h

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

5 . Scre w th e fue l fil l ca p bac k on ,
tighte n i t unti l i t click s severa l
times . I f yo u d o no t properl y
tighte n th e cap , th e Malfunctio n
Indicato r Lam p ma y com e o n (se e
pag e 293 ).
6 . Pus h th e fue l fil l doo r close d unti l
i t latches . Openin
g th e Hoo d
1 . Shif t t o Par k o r Neutra l an d se t
th e parkin g brake . Pul l th e hoo d
releas e handl e locate d unde r th e
lowe r lef t corne r o f th e dashboard .
Th e hoo d wil l po p u p slightly .
LATC
H

2 . Standin g in fron t o f th e car , pu t
you r finger s unde r th e fron t edg e
o f th e hoo d t o th e righ t o f center .
Slid e you r han d t o th e lef t unti l
yo u fee l th e hoo d latc h handle .
Pus h thi s handl e u p unti l i t
release s th e hood . Lif t th e hood .

Befor e Drivin g
HOO
D RELEAS E HANDL E

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

I f yo u ca n ope n th e hoo d withou t
liftin g th e hoo d latc h handle , o r th e
hoo d latc h handl e move s stiffl y o r
doe s no t sprin g bac k a s before , th e
mechanis m shoul d b e cleane d an d
lubricate d (se e pag e 233 ). SUPPOR
T RO D T
o clos e th e hood , lif t i t u p slightl y t o
remov e th e suppor t ro d fro m th e
hole . Pu t th e suppor t ro d bac k int o
it s holdin g clip . Lowe r th e hoo d t o
abou t a foo t (3 0 cm ) abov e th e
fender , the n le t i t drop .
Afte r closin g th e hood , mak e sur e it
i s securel y latched .

CONTINUED

Befor e Drivin g

GRI
P

4-cylinde r model s

3 . 4-cylinder models

Pul l th e suppor t ro d ou t o f it s cli p
b y holdin g th e gri p an d inser t th e
en d int o th e hol e o n th e fron t o f
th e hoo d aroun d th e center .

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

6-cylinder models

Lif t th e hoo d u p mos t o f th e way .
Th e hydrauli c support s wil l lif t i t
u p th e res t o f th e wa y an d hol d it

up .

T o clos e th e hood , lowe r i t t o abou t a
foo t (3 0 cm ) abov e th e fender , the n
pres s dow n firml y wit h you r hands .
Afte r closin g th e hood , mak e sur e it
i s securel y latched .
Oil Check

DIPSTICK

Chec k th e engin e oi l leve l ever y tim e
yo u fil l th e ca r wit h fuel . Wai t a fe w
minute s afte r turnin g th e engin e of f
befor e yo u chec k th e oil .
1 . Remov e th e dipstic k (orang e

handle) .
DIPSTIC
K

6-cylinde r model s
Befor e Drivin g 4-cylinde
r model s
6-cylinde
r model s

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

2 . Wip e th e dipstic k wit h a clea n
clot h o r pape r towel . 3
. Inser t i t al l th e wa y bac k i n it s tube . 6-cylinde
r model s

CONTINUED

Befor e Drivin g
4-cylinde
r model s