2000 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN brake

Accessorie
s an d Modification s

Modification s
D o no t remov e an y origina l
equipmen t o r modif y you r ca r i n an y
wa y tha t woul d alte r it s desig n o r
operation . Thi s coul d mak e you r ca r
unsaf e an d illega l t o drive .
Fo r example , d o no t mak e an y
modification s tha t woul d chang e th e
rid e heigh t o f you r car , o r instal l
wheel s an d tire s wit h a differen t
overal l diameter .
Suc h modification s ca n adversel y
affec t handling , an d interfer e wit h
th e operatio n o f th e car' s anti-loc k
brake s an d othe r systems . I
n addition , an y modification s tha t
decreas e groun d clearanc e increas e
th e chanc e o f undercarriag e part s
strikin g a curb , spee d bump , o r othe r
raise d object , whic h coul d caus e
you r airbag s t o deploy .
D o no t modif y you r steerin g whee l
o r an y othe r par t o f you r
Supplementa l Restrain t System .
Modification s coul d mak e th e
syste m ineffective .
Additiona l Safet y Precautio n

Do not attach or place objects on

the front airbag covers. Any objec t

attache d to o r place d o n th e cover s
marke d "SR S AIRBAG, " i n th e
cente r o f th e steerin g whee l an d
o n to p o f th e dashboard , coul d
interfer e wit h th e prope r operatio n
o f th e airbags . Or , i f th e airbag s
inflate , th e object s coul d b e
propelle d insid e th e ca r an d hur t

someone .
On
models equipped with side airbags
Do not attach hard objects on or

near a front door. If a sid e airba g
inflates , a cu p holde r o r othe r har d
objec t attache d o n o r nea r th e
doo r coul d b e propelle d insid e th e
ca r an d hur t someone .

Do not place any objects over the

outside edge of a front seat-back.

Coverin g th e outsid e edg e o f a
fron t seat-back , wit h a non-Hond a
sea t cove r fo r example , coul d
preven t th e airba g fro m inflatin g
properly .

Before Drivin g

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 0
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 17 1
Startin g in Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitude.................... . 17 2
5-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 17 3
Recommende d Shif t Points..... . 17 4
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 17 4
Automati c Transmission.............. . 17 4
Shif t Leve r Positio n Indicator. . 17 5
Shif t Leve r Positions................ . 17 5
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 17 8
Shif t Loc k Release.................... . 17 8
Parking........................................... . 18 0
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 18 1
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 18 1
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 18 2
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 18 2
Importan t Safet y
Reminders......................... . 18 3
AB S Indicator........................ . 18 3
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 18 4
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 18 6

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
. I f 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 i n 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 t o
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 Transmissio n

Th e manua l transmissio n is syn -
chronize d in al l forwar d gear s fo r
smoot h operation . I t ha s a lockou t s o
yo u canno t shif t directl y fro m Fift h
t o Reverse . Whe n shiftin g u p o r
down , mak e sur e yo u pus h th e clutc h
peda l dow n al l th e way , shif t t o th e
nex t gear , an d le t th e peda l u p
gradually . Whe n yo u ar e no t shifting ,
d o no t res t you r foo t o n th e clutc h
pedal . Thi s ca n caus e you r clutc h to
wea r ou t faster . Com
e to a ful l sto p befor e yo u shif t
int o Reverse . Yo u ca n damag e th e
transmissio n b y tryin g to shif t int o
Revers e wit h th e ca r moving . Pus h
dow n th e clutc h pedal , an d paus e fo r
a fe w second s befor e shiftin g int o
Reverse , o r shif t int o on e o f th e
forwar d gear s fo r a moment . Thi s
stop s th e gear s s o the y won' t "grind. "
Whe n slowin g down , yo u ca n ge t
extr a brakin g fro m th e engin e b y
shiftin g to a lowe r gear . Thi s extr a
brakin g ca n hel p yo u maintai n a saf e
spee d an d preven t you r brake s fro m
overheatin g whil e goin g dow n a
stee p hill . Befor e downshifting ,
mak e sur e engin e spee d wil l no t g o
int o th e tachometer' s re d zon e in th e
lowe r gear . Refe r t o th e Maximu m
Allowabl e Speed s chart .

Driving

Rapi
d slowin g o r speeding-u p
ca n caus e los s o f contro l o n
slipper y surfaces . I f yo u crash ,
yo u ca n b e injured .
Us e extr a car e whe n drivin g o n
slipper y surfaces .

Automati
c Transmissio n

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 . Shif
t Loc k Releas e
Thi s allow s yo u t o mov e th e shif t
leve r ou t o f Par k i f th e norma l
metho d o f pushin g o n th e 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 .

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 .
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 brak e
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 door s wit h th e ke y o r th e
remot e transmitter .

On SE, EX and EX-V6 models

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 t o catc h o n

fire .

Drivin g

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 .
Pu t you r foo t o n th e brak e peda l onl y
whe n yo u inten d t o 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. "

Drivin g

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

Al l V6 , 4-cylinde r EX , SE , an d L X
i n Canad a 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 othe r
models .
AB S help s t o prevent the wheel s
fro m lockin g u p an d skiddin g durin g
har d braking , allowin g yo u t o 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 i s sometime s referre d t o 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 i s
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 t o 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 .

Drivin g

Fron
t