2000 HONDA ACCORD COUPE tow

Takin
g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Thi s sectio n cover s th e more -

commo n problem s tha t motorist s

experienc e wit h thei r vehicles . I t
give s yo u informatio n abou t ho w to
safel y evaluat e th e proble m an d wha t
t o d o to correc t it . I f th e proble m ha s
strande d yo u o n th e sid e o f th e road ,
yo u ma y b e abl e to ge t goin g again .
I f not , yo u wil l als o fin d instruction s

o n gettin g you r ca r towed .
Compac
t Spar e Tire...................... . 27 6
Changin g a Fla t Tir e .................... 277
I f You r Engin e Won' t Start.......... . 28 3
Nothin g Happen s o r th e
Starte r Moto r Operate s
Ver y Slowly............................ . 28 3
Th e Starte r Operate s

Normally................................ 284

Jum p Starting................................ . 28 5
I f You r Engin e Overheats............ . 28 8
Lo w Oi l Pressur e Indicator......... . 29 1
Chargin g Syste m Indicator.......... . 29 2
Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p ....... . 29 3
Brak e Syste m Indicator............... . 29 4
Closin g th e Moonroof.................. . 29 5

Fuses.............................................. . 29 6

Checkin g an d Replacing.......... . 29 7

Emergenc y Towing...................... . 30 1

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
Tur
n th e ignitio n switc h t o STAR T
(III) . I f th e headlight s d o no t dim ,
chec k th e conditio n o f th e fuses . I f
th e fuse s ar e OK , ther e is proba -
bl y somethin g wron g wit h th e
electrica l circui t fo r th e ignitio n
switc h o r starte r motor . Yo u wil l
nee d a qualifie d technicia n to
determin e th e problem . (Se e

Emergenc y Towin g o n pag e 301 .)

I f th e headlight s di m noticeabl y o r
g o ou t whe n yo u tr y t o star t th e
engine , eithe r th e batter y is dis -
charge d o r th e connection s ar e
corroded . Chec k th e conditio n o f
th e batter y an d termina l connec -
tion s (se e pag e 23 8 ) . Yo u ca n
the n tr y jum p startin g th e ca r fro m
a booste r batter y (se e pag e 28 5 ) . Th
e Starte r Operate s Normall y
I n thi s case , th e starte r motor' s
spee d sound s normal , o r eve n faste r
tha n normal , whe n yo u tur n th e
ignitio n switc h t o STAR T (III) , bu t
th e engin e doe s no t run .
Ar e yo u usin g th e prope r startin g
procedure ? Refe r t o Startin g th e
Engin e o n pag e 17 5 .
D o yo u hav e fuel ? Tur n th e
ignitio n switc h t o O N (II ) fo r a
minut e an d watc h th e fue l gauge .
Th e lo w fue l leve l warnin g ligh t
ma y no t b e working , s o yo u wer e
no t reminde d t o fil l th e tank .
Ther e ma y b e a n electrica l
problem , suc h a s n o powe r t o th e
fue l pump . Chec k al l th e fuse s

(se e pag e 296 ).
I
f yo u fin d nothin g wrong , yo u wil l
nee d a qualifie d technicia n to fin d
th e problem . Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 301 .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s

3 . I f yo u d o no t se e stea m or spray ,
leav e th e engin e runnin g an d
watc h th e temperatur e gauge . I f
th e hig h hea t i s du e to overloadin g
(climbin g a long , stee p hil l o n a
ho t da y wit h th e A/ C running , fo r
example) , th e engin e shoul d star t
t o coo l dow n almos t immediately .
I f i t does , wai t unti l th e tempera -
tur e gaug e come s dow n to th e mid -
poin t the n continu e driving .
4 . I f th e temperatur e gaug e stay s a t
th e re d mark , tur n of f th e engine .5
. Wai t unti l yo u se e n o mor e sign s
o f stea m or spray , the n ope n th e

hood .

6 . Loo k fo r an y obviou s coolan t leaks ,
suc h a s a spli t radiato r hose .
Everythin g is stil l extremel y hot ,
s o us e caution . I f yo u fin d a leak , i t
mus t b e repaire d befor e yo u
continu e drivin g (se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 301 ).
7 . I f yo u don' t fin d a n obviou s leak ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tan k (se e pag e
166 ). I f th e leve l i s belo w th e
MI N mark , ad d coolan t t o halfwa y
betwee n th e MI N an d MA X marks .8
. I f ther e wa s n o coolan t i n th e
reserv e tank , yo u ma y als o hav e to
ad d coolan t t o th e radiator . Le t th e
engin e coo l dow n unti l th e pointe r
reache s th e middl e o f th e tempera -
tur e gauge , o r lower , befor e check -
in g th e radiator .

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Removin
g th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e i s ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
9 . Usin g glove s o r a larg e heav y
cloth , tur n th e radiato r ca p
counterclockwise , withou t pushin g
down , t o th e firs t stop . Thi s
release s an y remainin g pressur e i n
th e coolin g system . Afte r th e
pressur e releases , pus h dow n o n
th e ca p an d tur n it unti l i t come s
off . 10.Star
t th e engin e an d se t th e
temperatur e contro l dia l t o
maximu m (climat e contro l t o
FUL L AUT O a t 90 ° F/32 ° C) . Ad d
coolan t t o th e radiato r u p t o th e
bas e o f th e fille r neck . I f yo u d o
no t hav e th e prope r coolan t
mixtur e available , yo u ca n ad d
plai n water . Remembe r t o hav e
th e coolin g syste m draine d an d
refille d wit h th e prope r mixtur e a s
soo n a s yo u can . 11
. Pu t th e radiato r ca p bac k o n
tightly . Ru n th e engin e an d watc h
th e temperatur e gauge . I f i t goe s
bac k t o th e re d mark , th e engin e
need s repair . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 301 .)
12.I f th e temperatur e stay s normal ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tank . I f i t ha s
gon e down , ad d coolan t t o th e
MA X mark . Pu t th e ca p bac k o n

tightly .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Lo
w Oi l Pressur e Indicato r

LO W OI L PRESSUR E INDICATO R
Thi s indicato r shoul d ligh t whe n th e
ignitio n switc h is O N (II) , an d g o ou t
afte r th e engin e starts . I t shoul d
neve r com e o n whe n th e engin e is
running . I f i t start s flashing , i t
indicate s tha t th e oi l pressur e
droppe d ver y lo w fo r a moment , the n
recovered . I f th e indicato r stay s o n
wit h th e engin e running , i t show s
tha t th e engin e ha s los t oi l pressur e
an d seriou s engin e damag e is
possible . I n eithe r case , yo u shoul d
tak e immediat e action .
Running the engine with low oil

pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn off
the engine as soon as you can safely get

the car stopped.

1 . Safel y pul l of f th e roa d an d shu t
of f th e engine . Tur n o n th e hazar d
warnin g indicators .
2 . Le t th e ca r si t fo r a minute . Ope n
th e hoo d an d chec k th e oi l leve l
(se e pag e 16 4 ) . Althoug h oi l leve l
an d oi l pressur e ar e no t directl y
connected , a n engin e tha t i s ver y
lo w o n oi l ca n los e pressur e durin g
cornerin g an d othe r drivin g

maneuvers .

3 . I f necessary , ad d oi l t o brin g th e
leve l bac k t o th e ful l mar k o n th e
dipstic k (se e pag e 212). 4
. Star t th e engin e an d watc h th e oi l
pressur e indicator . I f th e ligh t
doe s no t g o ou t withi n te n seconds ,
tur n of f th e engine . Ther e is a
mechanica l proble m tha t need s t o
b e repaire d befor e yo u ca n
continu e driving . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 301 .)

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E

Brak
e Syste m Indicato r

Th e Brak e Syste m Indicato r ligh t
come s o n whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n
O N (II) . I f th e parkin g brak e i s no t
set , i t goe s of f afte r yo u star t th e
engine . I f th e parkin g brak e is set , i t
goe s of f whe n yo u full y releas e th e
parkin g brak e wit h th e engin e
running . I
f i t come s o n a t an y othe r time , i t
indicate s a proble m wit h th e car' s
brak e system . I n mos t cases , th e
proble m is a lo w flui d leve l i n th e
brak e flui d reservoir . Pres s lightl y o n
th e brak e peda l t o se e i f i t feel s
normal . I f i t does , chec k th e brak e
flui d leve l th e nex t tim e yo u sto p a t a
servic e statio n (se e pag e 22 8 ) . I f th e
flui d leve l i s low , tak e th e ca r t o you r
deale r an d hav e th e brak e syste m
inspecte d fo r leak s o r wor n brak e

pads .

However , i f th e brak e peda l doe s no t
fee l normal , yo u shoul d tak e
immediat e action . Becaus e o f th e
brak e system' s dual-circui t design , a
proble m in on e par t o f th e syste m
wil l stil l giv e yo u brakin g a t tw o
wheels . Yo u wil l fee l th e brak e peda l
g o dow n muc h farthe r befor e th e ca r
begins to slo w down , an d yo u wil l
hav e t o pres s harde r o n th e pedal .
Th e distanc e neede d to sto p wil l b e
muc h longer . Slo
w dow n b y shiftin g to a lowe r
gear , an d pul l t o th e sid e o f th e roa d
whe n it i s safe . Becaus e o f th e
longe r distanc e neede d to stop , i t i s
hazardou s t o driv e th e car . Yo u
shoul d hav e it towed , an d repaire d a s
soo n a s possible . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 301 .)
I f yo u mus t driv e th e ca r a shor t
distanc e in thi s condition , driv e
slowl y an d cautiously .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
BRAK
E SYSTE M INDICATOR *
* U.S . indicato r show n

Fuse
s

Al l th e electrica l circuit s i n you r ca r
hav e fuse s t o protec t the m fro m a
shor t circui t o r overload . Thes e
fuse s ar e locate d in thre e fus e boxes .
The interio r fus e boxe s ar e locate d
o n eac h sid e o f th e dashboard . T o
ope n a n interio r fus e box , ope n th e
ca r door . Pul l th e cove r open , the n
tak e it ou t o f it s hinge s b y pullin g it

towar d you .
Th
e under-hoo d fus e bo x is locate d
i n th e bac k o f th e engin e compart -
men t o n th e passenger' s side . T o
ope n it , pus h th e tab s a s shown .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
INTERIO
R

COVER
UNDER-HOO
D
TA
B

Emergenc
y Towin g

I f you r ca r need s t o b e towed , cal l a
professiona l towin g servic e or , i f yo u
belon g to one , a n organizatio n tha t
provide s roadsid e assistance . Neve r
to w you r ca r behin d anothe r vehicl e
wit h jus t a rop e o r chain . I t i s ver y

dangerous .

Ther e ar e thre e popula r type s o f
professiona l towin g equipment .

Flat-bed Equipment — Th e operato r

load s you r ca r o n th e bac k o f a truck .
Thi s i s th e bes t wa y t o transpor t
you r Honda .

Wheel-Lift Equipment — Th e to w

truc k use s tw o pivotin g arm s tha t g o
unde r th e tire s (fron t o r rear ) an d lif t
the m of f th e ground . Th e othe r tw o
tire s remai n o n th e ground . Thi s is
a n acceptabl e wa y t o to w you r
Honda .
Sling-type Equipment — Th
e to w

truc k use s meta l cable s wit h hook s
o n th e ends . Thes e hook s g o aroun d
part s o f th e fram e o r suspensio n an d
th e cable s lif t tha t en d o f th e ca r of f
th e ground . You r car' s suspensio n
an d bod y ca n b e seriousl y damaged .
Thi s metho d o f towin g is
unacceptable .
I f you r Hond a canno t b e transporte d
b y flat-bed , i t shoul d b e towe d b y
wheel-lif t equipmen t wit h th e fron t
wheel s of f th e ground . I f du e t o
damage , you r ca r mus t b e towe d
wit h th e fron t wheel s o n th e ground ,
d o th e following :
5-speed Manual Transmission Releas e th e parkin g brake .
Shif t th e transmissio n to Neutral .

Automatic Transmission:
Releas e th e parkin g brake .
Star t th e engine .
Shif t t o D4 , the n to N .
Tur n of f th e engine .
Improper towing preparation will

damage the transmission. Follow the

above procedure exactly. If you cannot

shift the transmission or start the
engine (automatic transmission), your

car must be transported with the front

wheels off the ground.

Wit h th e fron t wheel s o n th e ground ,
i t i s bes t t o to w th e ca r n o farthe r
tha n 5 0 mile s (8 0 km) , an d kee p th e
spee d belo w 3 5 mp h (5 5 km/h) .

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E