2000 HONDA ACCORD COUPE Owners Manual

Automati
c Transmissio n

Firs t (1 ) — To shif t fro m Secon d to

First , pres s th e releas e butto n o n th e

sid e o f th e shif t lever . Wit h th e leve r

i n thi s position , th e transmissio n

lock s in Firs t gear . B y upshiftin g an d

downshiftin g throug h 1 , 2 , D 3 an d D 4,
yo u ca n operat e thi s transmissio n
muc h lik e a manua l transmissio n

withou t a clutc h pedal .
Engin
e Spee d Limite r
I f yo u excee d th e maximu m spee d
fo r th e gea r yo u ar e in , th e engin e
spee d wil l ente r int o th e tachometer' s
re d zone . I f thi s occurs , yo u ma y fee l
th e engin e cu t i n an d out . Thi s is
cause d b y a limite r i n th e engine' s
compute r controls . Th e engin e wil l
ru n normall y whe n yo u reduc e th e
RP M belo w th e re d zone . Shif
t Loc k Releas e
Thi s allow s yo u to mov e the shif t
leve r ou t o f Par k if the norma l
metho d o f pushin g o n the brak e
peda l an d pressin g th e releas e
butto n doe s no t work .
1 . Se t th e Parkin g brake .
2 . Remov e th e ke y fro m th e ignitio n

switch .

Drivin g

Automati
c Transmissio n

3 . Pu t a clot h o n th e edg e o f th e Shif t
Loc k Releas e slo t cove r nex t t o
th e shif t lever .
Us e a smal l flat-tippe d screwdrive r
o r smal l meta l plat e (neithe r ar e
include d in th e too l kit ) t o remov e
th e cover . Carefull y pr y of f th e
edg e o f th e cover .
4 . Inser t th e ke y i n th e Shif t Loc k
Releas e slot . 5
. Pus h dow n o n th e ke y whil e yo u
pres s th e releas e butto n o n th e
shif t leve r an d mov e th e shif t leve r
ou t o f Par k t o Neutral .
6 . Remov e th e ke y fro m th e Shif t
Loc k Releas e slot , the n reinstal l
th e cover . Mak e sur e th e notc h o n
th e cove r i s o n th e lef t side .
Depres s th e brak e peda l an d
restar t th e engine . I
f yo u nee d t o us e th e Shif t Loc k
Release , i t mean s you r ca r i s

developin g a problem . Hav e th e ca r

checke d b y you r Hond a dealer .
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Parkin
g

Alway s us e th e parkin g brak e whe n
yo u par k you r car . Th e indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l show s tha t th e
parkin g brak e is no t full y released ; i t
doe s no t indicat e tha t th e parkin g
brak e is firml y set . Mak e sur e th e
parkin g brak e is se t firml y o r you r
ca r ma y rol l i f i t i s parke d o n a n
incline .
I f you r ca r ha s a n automati c
transmission , se t th e parkin g brak e
befor e yo u pu t th e transmissio n in
Park . Thi s keep s th e ca r fro m
movin g an d puttin g pressur e o n th e
parkin g mechanis m in th e
transmissio n — makin g it easie r t o
mov e th e shif t leve r ou t o f Par k
whe n yo u wan t t o driv e away . I
f th e ca r i s facin g uphill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s awa y fro m th e curb . I f
yo u hav e a manua l transmission , pu t
i t i n firs t gear .
I f th e ca r i s facin g downhill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s towar d th e curb . I f yo u
hav e a manua l transmission , pu t i t i n
revers e gear .
Mak e sur e th e parkin g brake is full y
release d befor e drivin g away .
Drivin g wit h th e parkin g brake
partiall y se t ca n overhea t o r damag e
th e rea r brakes . Parkin
g Tip s Mak
e sur e th e moonroo f an d th e
window s ar e closed . Tur
n of f th e lights . Plac
e an y packages , valuables , etc. ,
i n th e trun k o r tak e the m wit h you . Loc
k th e doors .
On EX and EX-V6 models
Loc k th e door s wit h th e ke y o r th e
remot e transmitter . Chec k th e
indicato r o n th e driver' s doo r t o
verif y tha t th e securit y syste m is

set .
Neve
r par k ove r dr y leaves , tal l
grass , o r othe r flammabl e
materials . Th e thre e wa y catalyti c
converte r get s ver y hot , an d coul d
caus e thes e material s to catc h o n

fire .

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Th
e Brakin g Syste m

You r Hond a is equippe d wit h fron t
dis c brakes . Th e brake s o n th e rea r
wheel s ma y b e dis c o r drum ,
dependin g o n model . A powe r assis t
help s reduc e th e effor t neede d o n
th e brak e pedal . Th e AB S help s yo u
retai n steerin g contro l whe n brakin g
ver y hard .
Pu t you r foo t o n th e brak e peda l onl y
whe n yo u inten d to brake . Restin g
you r foo t o n th e peda l keep s th e
brake s applie d lightly , causin g the m
t o buil d u p heat . Hea t build-u p ca n
reduc e ho w wel l you r brake s work . I t
als o keep s you r brak e light s o n al l
th e time , confusin g driver s behin d

you .
Constan
t applicatio n o f th e brake s
whe n goin g dow n a lon g hil l build s
u p hea t an d reduce s thei r effective -
ness . Us e th e engin e to assis t th e
brake s b y downshiftin g to a lowe r
gea r an d takin g you r foo t of f th e

accelerato r pedal .

Chec k you r brake s afte r drivin g
throug h dee p water . Appl y th e
brake s moderatel y t o se e if the y fee l
normal . I f not , appl y the m gentl y an d
frequentl y unti l the y do . Sinc e a
longe r distanc e is neede d to sto p
wit h we t brakes , b e extr a cautiou s
an d aler t i n you r driving . Brak
e Wea r Indicator s
Th e fron t dis c brake s o n al l model s
hav e audibl e brak e wea r indicators .
The y ar e als o o n th e rea r brake s o f
car s equippe d wit h AB S a s standar d
equipment .
Whe n th e brak e pad s nee d replacing ,
yo u wil l hea r a distinctiv e metalli c
"screeching " soun d whe n yo u appl y
th e brakes . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
brak e pad s replaced , the y wil l begi n
screechin g al l th e time .
You r brake s ma y sometime s squea l
o r squea k whe n yo u appl y the m
lightly . D o no t confus e thi s wit h th e
brak e wea r indicators . The y mak e a
ver y audibl e "screeching. "

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Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Brak e Syste m Desig n
Th e hydrauli c syste m tha t operate s
th e brake s ha s tw o separat e circuits .
Eac h circui t work s diagonall y acros s
th e vehicl e (th e left-fron t brak e is
connecte d wit h th e right-rea r brake ,
etc.) . I f on e circui t shoul d develo p a
problem , yo u wil l stil l hav e brakin g
a t tw o wheels .
Anti-loc
k Brake s

Th e EX , LX-V 6 an d EX-V 6 model s
hav e a n Anti-loc k Brak e Syste m
(ABS ) a s standar d equipment . I t i s
optiona l o n th e U.S . L X model .
AB S help s t o preven t th e wheel s
fro m lockin g u p an d skiddin g durin g
har d braking , allowin g yo u to retai n
steerin g control .
Whe n th e fron t tire s skid , yo u los e
steerin g control ; th e ca r continue s
straigh t ahea d eve n thoug h yo u tur n
th e steerin g wheel . Th e AB S help s t o
preven t lock-u p an d help s yo u retai n
steerin g contro l b y pumpin g th e
brake s rapidly ; muc h faste r tha n a
perso n ca n d o it . Yo
u shoul d neve r pum p th e
brak e pedal , thi s defeat s th e
purpos e o f th e ABS . Le t th e AB S
wor k fo r yo u b y alway s keepin g firm ,
stead y pressur e o n th e brak e peda l
a s yo u stee r awa y fro m th e hazard .
Thi s is sometime s referre d to a s

"stomp and steer."

Yo u wil l fee l a pulsatio n in th e brak e
peda l whe n th e AB S activates , an d
yo u ma y hea r som e noise . Thi s is
normal , i t i s th e AB S rapidl y
pumpin g th e brakes .
Activatio n varie s wit h th e amoun t o f
tractio n you r tire s have . O n dr y
pavement , yo u wil l nee d to pres s o n
th e brak e peda l ver y har d befor e yo u
activat e th e ABS . However , yo u ma y
fee l th e AB S activat e immediatel y i f
yo u ar e tryin g to sto p o n sno w o r ice .

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Fron
t

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Important Safety Reminders

AB S doe s no t reduc e th e tim e o r
distanc e i t take s t o sto p th e car , i t
onl y help s wit h steerin g contro l
durin g braking . Yo u shoul d alway s
maintai n a saf e followin g distanc e
fro m othe r vehicles .
AB S wil l no t preven t a ski d tha t
result s fro m changin g directio n
abruptly , suc h a s tryin g to tak e a
corne r to o fas t o r makin g a sudden
lan e change . Alway s driv e a t a safe ,
pruden t spee d fo r th e roa d an d
weathe r conditions .
AB S canno t preven t a los s o f
stability . Alway s stee r moderatel y
whe n yo u ar e brakin g hard . Sever e
o r shar p steerin g whee l movemen t
ca n stil l caus e you r ca r t o vee r int o
oncomin g traffi c o r of f th e road . A
vehicl e wit h AB S ma y requir e a
longe r distanc e t o sto p o n loos e o r
uneve n surfaces , suc h a s grave l o r
snow , tha n a vehicl e withou t anti -
lock . Slo w dow n an d allo w a greate r
distanc e betwee n vehicle s unde r
thos e conditions .
ABS Indicator

Th e AB S is self-checking . I f anythin g
goe s wrong , th e AB S indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l come s o n (se e
pag e 55 ). Thi s mean s th e anti-loc k
functio n o f th e brakin g syste m ha s
shu t down . Th e brake s stil l wor k lik e
a conventiona l syste m withou t anti -
lock , providin g norma l stoppin g
ability . Yo u shoul d hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r a s soo n a s possible .
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*U.S
. indicato r show n
AB
S INDICATOR *

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Rain , tog , an d sno w condition s
requir e a differen t drivin g techniqu e
becaus e o f reduce d tractio n an d
visibility . Kee p you r ca r well -
maintaine d an d exercis e greate r
cautio n whe n yo u nee d t o driv e in
ba d weather . Th e cruis e contro l
shoul d no t b e use d in thes e
conditions . Drivin
g Techniqu e — Alway s driv e
slowe r tha n yo u woul d in dr y
weather . I t take s you r ca r longe r t o
react , eve n in condition s tha t ma y
see m jus t barel y damp . Appl y
smooth , eve n pressur e to al l th e
controls . Abrup t steerin g whee l
movement s o r sudden , har d appli -
catio n o f th e brake s ca n caus e los s o f
contro l i n we t weather . B e extr a
cautious for th e firs t fe w mile s
(kilometers ) o f drivin g whil e yo u
adjus t t o th e chang e in drivin g
conditions . Thi s i s especiall y tru e in
snow . A perso n ca n forge t som e
snow-drivin g technique s durin g th e
summe r months . Practic e is neede d
t o relear n those skills. Exercis
e extr a cautio n whe n drivin g
i n rai n afte r a lon g dr y spell . Afte r
month s o f dr y weather , th e firs t
rain s brin g oi l t o th e surfac e o f th e
roadway , makin g it slippery .

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Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Visibilit y — Bein g abl e to se e
clearl y i n al l direction s an d bein g
visibl e t o othe r driver s ar e importan t
i n al l weathe r conditions . Thi s i s
mor e difficul t i n ba d weather . T o b e
see n mor e clearl y durin g dayligh t
hours , tur n o n you r headlights .
Inspec t you r windshiel d wiper s an d
washer s frequently . Kee p th e wind -
shiel d washe r reservoi r ful l o f th e
prope r fluid . Hav e th e windshiel d
wipe r blade s replace d i f the y star t t o
strea k th e windshiel d o r leav e part s
unwiped . Us e th e defroste r an d ai r
conditionin g to kee p th e window s
fro m foggin g u p o n th e insid e (se e
page s 11 5 an d 123 ). Tractio
n — Chec k you r tire s
frequentl y fo r wea r an d prope r
pressure . Bot h ar e importan t i n
preventin g "hydroplaning " (los s o f
tractio n o n a we t surface) . I n th e
winter , moun t sno w tire s o n al l fou r
wheel s fo r th e bes t handling .
Watc h roa d condition s carefully ,
the y ca n chang e fro m momen t t o
moment . We t leave s ca n b e a s slip -
per y a s ice . "Clear " road s ca n hav e
patche s o f ice . Drivin g condition s
ca n b e ver y hazardou s whe n th e
outsid e temperatur e i s nea r freezing .
Th e roa d surfac e ca n becom e
covere d wit h area s o f wate r puddle s
mixe d wit h area s o f ice , s o you r
tractio n ca n chang e withou t warning .
B e carefu l whe n downshifting . I f
tractio n is low , yo u ca n loc k u p th e
driv e wheel s fo r a momen t an d caus e
a skid . B
e ver y cautiou s whe n passing , o r
bein g passe d b y othe r vehicles . Th e
spra y fro m larg e vehicle s reduce s
you r visibility , an d th e win d buffetin g
ca n caus e yo u to los e control .

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