2000 Accord Coupe Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ . ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ . 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... . 5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ . 51
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... . 109
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
.......................................................... 159
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... . 173
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
............................................................. 197
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
..................................................... . 267
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.............................. 275
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ . 303
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................ 317
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.............................. 323
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump. Owner's Identification Form
Key
s an d Lock s
Ignitio n Switc h
Th e ignitio n switc h is o n th e righ t
sid e o f th e steerin g column . I t ha s
fou r positions :
LOC K (0 )
ACCESSOR Y (I )
O N (II ) STAR
T (III ) LOC
K (0 ) — Yo u ca n inser t o r
remov e th e ke y onl y in thi s position .
T o switc h fro m ACCESSORY to
LOCK , yo u mus t pus h th e ke y in
slightl y a s yo u tur n it . I f you r ca r ha s
a n automati c transmission , th e shif t
leve r mus t als o b e in Park . Th e anti -
thef t loc k wil l loc k th e steerin g
colum n whe n yo u remov e th e key .
I f th e fron t wheel s ar e turned , th e
anti-thef t loc k ma y sometime s mak e
i t difficul t t o tur n th e ke y fro m
LOC K to ACCESSORY . Firml y tur n
th e steerin g whee l t o th e lef t o r t o
th e righ t a s yo u tur n th e key .
CONTINUED
Instrument s an d Control s
Removin
g th e ke y fro m th e
ignitio n switc h whil e drivin g
lock s th e steering . Thi s ca n
caus e yo u to los e control .
Remov e th e ke y fro m th e
ignitio n switc h onl y whe n
parked .
Drivin
g
Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
5-spee d manua l an d automati c
transmissions . I t als o include s
importan t informatio n o n parkin g
you r car , th e brakin g system , an d
fact s yo u nee d if yo u ar e plannin g to
to w a trailer .
Preparin
g to Drive........................ . 17 4
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 17 5
Startin g in Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitud e .................... . 17 6
5-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 17 7
Recommende d Shif t Points..... . 17 8
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 17 8
Automati c Transmission.............. . 17 8
Shif t Leve r Positio n Indicato r .. 17 9
Shif t Leve r Positions................ . 17 9
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 18 2
Shif t Loc k Release.................... . 18 2
Parking........................................... . 18 4
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 18 5
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 18 5
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 18 6
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 18 6
Importan t Safet y
Reminders......................... . 18 7
AB S Indicator........................ . 18 7
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 18 8
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 19 0
Drivin g
Startin
g th e Engin e
1 . Appl y th e parkin g brake .
2 . I n col d weather , tur n of f al l
electrica l accessorie s t o reduc e
th e drai n o n th e battery .
3 . Manual Transmission:
Pus h th e clutc h peda l dow n al l th e
way . STAR T (III ) doe s no t
functio n unles s th e clutc h peda l i s
depressed .
Automatic Transmission:
Mak e sur e th e shif t leve r i s i n
Park . Pres s o n th e brak e pedal . 4
. Withou t touchin g th e accelerato r
pedal , tur n th e ignitio n ke y t o th e
STAR T (III ) position . I f th e engin e
doe s no t star t righ t away , d o no t
hol d th e ke y i n STAR T (III ) fo r
mor e tha n 1 5 second s a t a time .
Paus e fo r a t leas t 1 0 second s
befor e tryin g again .
5 . I f th e engin e doe s no t star t withi n
1 5 seconds , o r start s bu t stall s
righ t away , repea t ste p 4 wit h th e
accelerato r peda l presse d half-wa y
down . I f th e engin e starts , releas e
pressur e o n th e accelerato r peda l
s o th e engin e doe s no t race . 6.
If th e engin e stil l doe s no t start ,
pres s th e accelerato r peda l al l th e
wa y dow n an d hol d it ther e whil e
startin g in orde r t o clea r flooding .
A s before , kee p th e ignitio n ke y i n
th e STAR T (III ) positio n fo r n o
mor e tha n 1 5 seconds . Retur n to
ste p 5 if th e engin e doe s no t start .
I f i t starts , lif t you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r peda l s o th e engin e
doe s no t race .
Driving
5-spee
d Manua l Transmission , Automati c Transmissio n
Recommende d Shif t Point s
Driv e in th e highes t gea r tha t let s
th e engin e ru n an d accelerat e
smoothly . Thi s wil l giv e yo u th e bes t
fue l econom y an d effectiv e emis -
sion s control . Th e followin g shif t
point s ar e recommended : 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 i s
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 .
Befor e downshifting , mak e sur e th e
engin e wil l no t g o int o th e
tachometer' s re d zon e in th e lowe r
gear . Automati
c Transmissio n
You r Honda' s transmissio n ha s fou r
forwar d speeds , an d is electronicall y
controlle d fo r smoothe r shifting . I t
als o ha s a "lock-up " torqu e converte r
fo r bette r fue l economy . Yo u ma y
fee l wha t seem s lik e anothe r shif t
whe n th e converte r locks .
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
Park (P ) — Thi s positio n mechani -
call y lock s th e transmission . Us e
Par k wheneve r yo u ar e turnin g of f o r
startin g th e engine . T o shif t ou t o f
Park , yo u mus t pres s o n th e brak e
peda l an d hav e you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r pedal . Pres s th e releas e
butto n o n th e sid e o f th e shif t leve r
t o mov e it .
If yo u hav e don e al l of th e abov e an d
stil l canno t mov e th e leve r ou t o f
Park , se e Shif t Loc k Releas e o n pag e
183 .
Yo u mus t als o pres s th e releas e
butto n t o shif t int o Park . T o avoi d
transmissio n damage , com e to a
complet e sto p befor e shiftin g int o
Park . Th e shif t leve r mus t b e in Par k
befor e yo u ca n remov e th e ke y fro m
th e ignitio n switch . Revers
e (R ) — To shif t t o Revers e
fro m Park , se e th e explanatio n unde r
Park . T o shif t t o Revers e fro m
Neutral , com e t o a complet e sto p an d
the n shift . Pres s th e releas e butto n
befor e shiftin g int o Revers e fro m
Neutral .
Drivin g
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 .
Drivin g