2000 HONDA ACCORD COUPE check engine

Gauge
s

Tri p Mete r

Thi s mete r show s th e numbe r o f
mile s (U.S. ) o r kilometer s (Canada )
drive n sinc e yo u las t rese t it . Whe n
yo u tur n th e ignitio n switc h t o O N
(II) , th e numbe r i s displayed .
Ther e ar e tw o tri p meters : Tri p A
an d Tri p B . Switc h betwee n thes e
display s b y pressin g th e Select /
Rese t butto n repeatedly . Eac h tri p
mete r work s independently , s o yo u
ca n kee p trac k o f tw o differen t

distances .

T o rese t a tri p meter , displa y i t an d
the n pres s an d hol d th e Select/Rese t
butto n unti l th e numbe r reset s t o

"0.0" .

6-cylinder models
Bot h tri p meter s wil l rese t i f th e
vehicle' s batter y goe s dea d o r i s

disconnected .
Temperatur
e Gaug e
Thi s show s th e temperatur e o f th e
engine' s coolant . Durin g norma l
operation , th e pointe r shoul d ris e
fro m th e botto m whit e mar k t o abou t
th e middl e o f th e gauge . I n sever e
drivin g conditions , suc h a s ver y ho t
weathe r o r a lon g perio d o f uphil l
driving , th e pointe r ma y ris e to nea r
th e uppe r gre y zone . I f i t reache s th e
re d (Hot ) mark , pul l safel y t o th e
sid e o f th e road . Tur n to pag e 28 8 fo r
instruction s an d precaution s o n
checkin g th e engine' s coolin g

system .
Fue
l Gaug e
Thi s show s ho w muc h fue l yo u have .
I t i s mos t accurat e whe n th e ca r i s o n
leve l ground . I t ma y sho w slightl y
mor e o r les s tha n th e actua l amoun t
whe n yo u ar e drivin g o n curv y o r
hill y roads .
4-cylinder models
Th e gaug e stay s a t th e sam e fue l
leve l readin g afte r yo u tur n of f th e
ignition . Whe n yo u ad d fuel , th e
gaug e slowl y change s t o th e ne w
readin g afte r yo u tur n th e ignitio n
switc h bac k O N (II) .
6-cylinder models
Th e needl e return s t o th e botto m
afte r yo u tur n of f th e ignition . Th e
gaug e show s th e fue l leve l readin g
immediatel y afte r yo u tur n th e
ignitio n switc h bac k O N (II) .

Instrument s an d Control s

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

UPPE R MAR K
4 . Remov e th e dipstic k agai n an d
chec k th e level . I t shoul d b e
betwee n th e uppe r an d lowe r
marks .
I f i t i s nea r o r belo w th e lowe r mark ,
se e Addin g Oi l o n pag e 21 2 .
MA
X

4-cy!inde r model s
MI
N

Loo k a t th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tank . Mak e sur e i t i s
betwee n th e MA X an d MI N lines . I f
i t i s belo w th e MI N line , se e Addin g
Engin e Coolan t o n pag e 21 7 fo r
informatio n o n addin g th e prope r
coolant . RESERV
E TAN K
MAX

Refe r t o Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s o n pag e 20 9 fo r informatio n
o n checkin g othe r item s i n you r
Honda .

Befor e Drivin g
Engine Coolant Check

MIN

6-cylinde r model s

LOWE
R MAR K RESERV
E TAN K

Fue
l Econom y

Th e conditio n o f you r ca r an d you r
drivin g habit s ar e th e tw o mos t
importan t thing s tha t affec t th e fue l
mileag e yo u get .
Vehicl e Conditio n
Alway s maintai n you r ca r accordin g
t o th e maintenanc e schedule . Thi s
wil l kee p it i n to p operatin g condition .
A n importan t par t o f tha t mainte -
nanc e is th e Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (se e pag e 20 9 ) . Fo r
example , a n underinflate d tir e
cause s mor e "rollin g resistance, "
whic h use s fuel . I t als o wear s ou t
faster , s o chec k th e tir e pressur e a t
leas t monthly .
I n winter , th e build-u p o f sno w o n
you r car' s undersid e add s weigh t an d
rollin g resistance . Frequen t cleanin g
help s you r fue l mileag e an d reduce s
th e chanc e o f corrosion . Drivin
g Habit s
Yo u ca n improv e fue l econom y b y
drivin g moderately . Rapi d acceler -
ation , abrup t cornering , an d har d
brakin g us e mor e fuel .
Alway s driv e i n th e highes t gea r tha t
allow s th e engin e t o ru n an d acceler -
at e smoothly .
Dependin g o n traffi c conditions , tr y
t o maintai n a constan t speed . Ever y
tim e yo u slo w dow n an d spee d up ,
you r ca r use s extr a fuel . Us e th e
cruis e control , whe n appropriate , t o
increas e fue l economy . A
col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y in abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d i t i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m u p faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t dow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o
combin e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e i s

moderate .

Before Drivin g

Automati
c Transmissio n

Shif t Leve r Positio n Indicato r
Thi s indicato r betwee n th e fue l
gaug e an d temperatur e gaug e show s
whic h positio n th e shif t leve r i s in . Th
e "D 4" indicato r come s o n fo r a
fe w second s whe n yo u tur n th e
ignitio n switc h O N (II) . I f i t flashe s
whil e drivin g (i n an y shif t position) ,
i t indicate s a possibl e proble m in th e
transmission . Avoi d rapi d acceler -
atio n an d hav e th e transmissio n
checke d b y a n authorize d Hond a
deale r a s soo n a s possible . Shif
t Leve r Position s
Th e shif t leve r ha s seve n positions .
I t mus t b e i n Par k o r Neutra l t o star t
th e engine . Whe n yo u ar e stoppe d in
D 4, D 3, 2,1 , N or R , pres s firml y o n
th e brak e pedal , an d kee p you r foo t
of f th e accelerato r pedal .

CONTINUED

Drivin g

RELEAS
E BUTTO N
SHIF
T LEVE R

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 .
Drivin g

Service a t th e indicate d distanc e o r time , whicheve r come s first . D o th e item s i n A , B , C as require d fo r eac h distance/tim e interval . Follo w thi s
schedul e i f th e sever e drivin g condition s describe d i n th e Sever e Condition s Schedul e o n th e nex t pag e d o no t apply .
Canadia n owners : Follo w th e schedul e fo r Sever e Conditions .
Maintenanc e
page 249 ).
* 1 : Balance r bel t applie s t o 4-cylinde r model s only .
# : Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t
column , pag e 201 .
NOTE :Check engin e oi l an d coolan t a t eac h fue l stop .Check an d adjus t valv e clearance , col d engine , i f noisy .

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 .

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p

Thi s indicato r come s o n fo r a fe w
second s whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n

switc h O N (II) . I f i t come s o n a t an y

othe r time , i t indicate s on e o f th e

engine' s emission s contro l system s

ma y hav e a problem . Eve n thoug h

yo u ma y fee l n o differenc e in you r

car' s performance , i t ca n reduc e

you r fue l econom y an d caus e you r

ca r t o pu t ou t excessiv e emissions .

Continue d operatio n ma y caus e

seriou s damage .
I
f yo u hav e recentl y refuele d you r
car , th e caus e o f thi s indicato r
comin g o n coul d b e a loos e o r
missin g fue l fil l cap . Chec k th e ca p
an d tighte n it unti l i t click s severa l
times . Replac e th e fue l fil l ca p if i t i s
missing . Tightenin g th e ca p wil l no t
mak e th e indicato r tur n of f
immediately ; i t take s thre e drivin g

trips .

I f th e indicato r remain s o n pas t thre e
drivin g trips , o r th e fue l ca p wa s no t
loos e o r missing , hav e th e ca r
checke d b y th e deale r a s soo n a s
possible . Driv e moderatel y unti l th e
deale r ha s inspecte d th e problem .
Avoi d full-throttl e acceleratio n an d
drivin g a t hig h speed .
Yo u shoul d als o hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r i f thi s indicato r
come s o n repeatedly , eve n thoug h it
ma y tur n of f a s yo u continu e driving .If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controlsand engine. Those repairs may not becovered by your car's warranties.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

MALFUNCTIO
N INDICATO R LAM P

NOTICE