2000 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN Headlight

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Visibilit y — Bein g abl e to se e
clearl y in al l direction s an d bein g
visibl e to othe r driver s ar e importan t
i n al l weathe r conditions . Thi s is
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 if the y star t t o
strea k th e windshiel d o r leav e part s
unwiped . Us e th e defroster s 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
pag e 111 ). 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 is 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 .
Drivin g

Owne
r Maintenanc e Check s

Yo u shoul d chec k th e followin g
item s a t th e specifie d intervals . I f
yo u ar e unsur e o f ho w to perfor m
an y check , tur n to th e pag e given . Engin
e oi l leve l — Chec k ever y
tim e yo u fil l th e fue l tank . Se e
pag e 160 .
Engin e coolan t leve l — Chec k th e
radiato r reserv e tan k ever y tim e
yo u fil l th e fue l tank . Se e pag e 16 2 .
Windshiel d washe r flui d — Chec k
th e leve l i n th e reservoi r monthly .
I f weathe r condition s caus e yo u t o
us e th e washer s frequently , chec k
th e reservoi r eac h tim e yo u sto p
fo r fuel . Se e pag e 220 .
Automati c transmissio n — Chec k
th e flui d leve l monthly . Se e pag e
22 1 .

Brake s — Chec k th e flui d leve l

monthly . Se e pag e 22 4 .
Tire
s — Chec k th e tir e pressur e

monthly . Examin e th e trea d fo r

wea r an d foreig n objects . Se e pag e

24 0 .

Light s — Chec k th e operatio n o f
th e headlights , parkin g lights ,

taillights , high-moun t brak e light ,

tur n signals , brak e lights , an d

licens e plat e light s monthly . Se e

pag e 247 .
Maintenanc e

Windshiel
d Washer s

Chec k th e leve l i n th e windshiel d
washe r reservoi r a t leas t monthl y
durin g norma l usage . I n ba d weather ,
whe n yo u us e th e washer s often ,
chec k th e leve l ever y tim e yo u sto p

fo r fuel .

Th e windshiel d washe r reservoi r i s
locate d behin d th e headlight .
Chec k th e reservoir' s flui d leve l b y
removin g th e ca p an d lookin g a t th e
leve l gaug e attache d to th e cap .
Canadian Models
Th e lo w washe r leve l indicato r wil l
ligh t whe n th e leve l i s lo w (se e pag e

55 ).

Fil l th e reservoi r wit h a good-qualit y
windshiel d washe r fluid . Thi s
increase s th e cleanin g capabilit y an d
prevent s freezin g in col d weather .
Do
not use engine antifreeze or a

vinegar/water solution in the

windshield washer reservoir.

Antifreeze can damage your car's paint,

while a vinegar/water solution can

damage the windshield washer pump.

Use only commercially-available

windshield washer fluid.
Whe
n yo u refil l th e reservoir , clea n
th e edge s o f th e windshiel d wipe r
blade s wit h windshiel d washe r flui d
o n a clea n cloth . Thi s wil l hel p to
conditio n th e blad e edges .

Maintenanc e LEVE
L GAUG E
6-cylinder model s
4-cylinde r model s

NOTIC E

Light
s

Check th e following :
Headlight s (lo w an d hig h beam )
Parkin g light s
Taillight s
Brak e light s
High-moun t brak e ligh t
Tur n signal s
Back-u p light s
Hazar d ligh t functio n
Licens e plat e ligh t
Sid e marke r light s
Daytim e runnin g light s
(Canadia n models )
I f yo u fin d an y bulb s ar e burne d out ,
replac e the m as soo n a s possible .
Refe r t o th e char t o n pag e 29 9 t o
determin e wha t typ e o f replacemen t
bul b is needed .
Maintenanc eHIGH-MOUN
T BRAK E LIGH T
BACK-UP LIGH T
STOP/TAILLIGH T
TURN SIGNA L LIGH T
TAILLIGHT

Light
s

Headligh t Aimin g
Th e headlight s wer e properl y aime d
whe n you r ca r wa s new . Yo u shoul d
chec k thei r ai m if yo u regularl y carr y
heav y item s i n th e trun k o r pul l a
trailer . Eac h headligh t assembl y ha s
horizonta l an d vertica l adjustmen t
indicators . Thes e ar e se t t o thei r "0 "
position s afte r th e headlight s ar e
aime d a t th e factory . T
o chec k thes e settings :
1 . Mak e sur e th e fue l tan k is full .
Par k th e vehicl e o n leve l ground .
2 . Th e drive r o r someon e wh o
weigh s th e sam e shoul d b e sittin g
i n th e driver' s sea t fo r al l check s
an d adjustments .
Loa d th e trun k wit h th e item s yo u
normall y carry .
I f yo u usuall y pul l a trailer , loa d it a s
yo u woul d normall y an d attac h it t o
th e car . Pus h dow n o n th e fron t an d
rea r bumper s severa l time s t o mak e
sur e th e ca r i s sittin g normally . 3
. Ope n th e hood .
4 . Chec k th e horizonta l angl e gauge .
Th e lin e o n th e adjustmen t scre w
indicato r shoul d lin e u p wit h th e
mar k o n th e gauge .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e
HORIZONTA
L GAUG E

Light
s

Replacin g a Headligh t Bul b
You r ca r ha s tw o bulb s o n eac h side ,
fou r i n total . Mak e sur e yo u ar e
replacin g th e bul b tha t i s burne d out .
You r ca r use s haloge n headligh t
bulbs . Whe n replacin g a bulb , handl e
i t b y it s plasti c cas e an d protec t th e
glas s fro m contac t wit h you r ski n o r
har d objects . I f yo u touc h th e glass ,
clea n it wit h denature d alcoho l an d a
clea n cloth .
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot
when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to

overheat and shatter.
1
. Ope n th e hood .
I f yo u nee d t o chang e a bul b o n
th e passenger' s sid e (o n th e
driver' s sid e o n 6-cylinde r models) ,
remov e th e radiato r reserv e tank .
2 . Remov e th e electrica l connecto r
fro m th e bul b b y squeezin g th e
connecto r t o unloc k th e tab , the n
slid e th e connecto r of f th e bulb . 3
. Remov e th e bul b b y turnin g it
approximatel y one-quarte r tur n
counterclockwise .
4 . Inser t th e ne w bul b int o th e hol e
an d tur n i t one-quarte r tur n clock -
wis e t o loc k i t i n place .
5 . Pus h th e electrica l connecto r bac k
ont o th e bulb . Mak e sur e i t i s o n
al l th e way .
6 . Tur n o n th e headlight s t o tes t th e
ne w bulb .
7 . (Passenger' s sid e o n 4-cylinde r
models , driver' s sid e o n 6-cylinde r
models )
Reinstal l th e radiato r reserv e tank .
Maintenanc e

NOTIC
E BUL
B
TA B

I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t

Nothin g Happen s o r th e Starte r
Moto r Operate s Ver y Slowl y
Whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n switc h t o
STAR T (III) , yo u d o no t hea r th e
norma l nois e o f th e engin e tryin g to
start . Yo u ma y hea r a clickin g soun d
o r serie s o f clicks , o r nothin g a t all .
Chec k thes e things :
You r ca r ha s th e Immobilize r
System . Yo u shoul d us e a
properly-code d maste r o r vale t ke y
t o star t th e engin e (se e pag e 55 ).
A ke y tha t i s no t properl y code d
wil l caus e th e immobilize r syste m
indicato r i n th e das h pane l t o blin k
rapidly . Chec
k th e transmissio n interlock .
I f yo u hav e a manua l transmission ,
th e clutc h peda l mus t b e pushe d
al l th e wa y t o th e floo r o r th e
starte r wil l no t operate . Wit h a n
automati c transmission , i t mus t b e
i n Par k o r Neutral .
Tur n th e ignitio n switc h to O N (II) .
Tur n o n th e headlight s an d chec k
thei r brightness . I f th e headlight s
ar e ver y di m o r don' t ligh t a t all ,
th e batter y is discharged . Se e

Jum p Startin g o n pag e 278 .
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 29 3 . )

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 3 ) . 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 278 ).

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Fuse
s

Checkin g an d Replacin g Fuse s

I f somethin g electrica l i n you r ca r
stop s working , th e firs t thin g yo u
shoul d chec k fo r i s a blow n fuse .
Determin e fro m th e char t o n page s
29 1 an d 292 , o r th e diagra m on th e
fus e bo x lid , whic h fus e o r fuse s
contro l tha t component . Chec k thos e
fuse s first , bu t chec k al l th e fuse s
befor e decidin g tha t a blow n fus e is
no t th e cause . Replac e an y blow n
fuse s an d chec k th e component' s

operation .

1 . Tur n th e ignitio n switc h to LOC K
(0) . Mak e sur e th e headlight s an d
al l othe r accessorie s ar e off.
2 . Remov e th e cove r fro m th e fus e
box . 3
. Chec k eac h o f th e larg e fuse s in
th e under-hoo d fus e bo x b y
lookin g throug h th e top at th e wir e
inside . Removin g thes e fuse s
require s a Phillips-hea d screw -
driver .
4
. Chec k th e smalle r fuse s i n th e
under-hoo d fus e bo x an d al l th e
fuse s i n th e interio r fus e boxe s b y
pullin g ou t eac h fus e wit h th e fus e
pulle r provide d i n th e under-hoo d
fus e box .

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

BLOW
N

FUSE PULLE R