2000 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN Owner's Manual (in English)

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

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Important Safety Reminders

AB S doe s no t reduc e th e tim e o r
distanc e i t take s t o sto p th e car , i t
onl y help s wit h steerin g contro l
durin g braking . Yo u shoul d alway s
maintai n a saf e followin g distanc e
fro m othe r vehicles .
AB S wil l no t preven t a ski d tha t
result s fro m changin g directio n
abruptly , suc h a s tryin g to tak e a
corne r to o fas t o r makin g a sudde n
lan e change . Alway s driv e a t a safe ,
pruden t spee d fo r th e roa d an d
weathe r conditions .
ABS cannot prevent a loss of

stability . Alway s
stee
r moderatel y
whe n yo u ar e brakin g hard . Sever e
o r shar p steerin g whee l movemen t
ca n stil l caus e you r ca r t o vee r int o
oncomin g traffi c o r of f th e road . A
vehicl e wit h AB S ma y requir e a
longe r distanc e t o sto p o n loos e o r
uneve n surfaces , suc h a s grave l o r
snow , tha n a vehicl e withou t anti -
lock . Slo w dow n an d allo w a greate r
distanc e betwee n vehicle s unde r
thos e conditions .
ABS
Indicator

*U.S . indicato r show n
Th e AB S is self-checking . I f anythin g
goe s wrong , th e AB S indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l come s o n (se e
pag e 5 3). Thi s mean s th e anti-loc k
functio n o f th e brakin g syste m ha s
shu t down . Th e brake s stil l wor k lik e
a conventiona l syste m withou t anti -
lock , providin g norma l stoppin g
ability . Yo u shoul d hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r a s soo n a s possible .

Drivin g

AB
S INDICATOR *

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Rain , fog , an d sno w condition s re -
quir e a differen t drivin g techniqu e
becaus e o f reduce d tractio n an d
visibility . Kee p you r ca r well -
maintaine d an d exercis e greate r
cautio n whe n yo u nee d t o driv e in
ba d weather . Th e cruis e contro l
shoul d no t b e use d in thes e condi -
tions . Drivin
g Techniqu e — Alway s driv e
slowe r tha n yo u woul d i n dr y
weather . I t take s you r ca r longe r t o
react , eve n in condition s tha t ma y
see m jus t barel y damp . Appl y
smooth , eve n pressur e to al l th e
controls . Abrup t steerin g whee l
movement s o r sudden , har d appli -
catio n o f th e brake s ca n caus e los s o f
contro l i n we t weather . B e extr a
cautiou s fo r th e firs t fe w mile s
(kilometers ) o f drivin g whil e yo u
adjus t t o th e chang e i n drivin g
conditions . Thi s i s especiall y tru e in
snow . A perso n ca n forge t som e
snow-drivin g technique s durin g th e
summe r months . Practic e is neede d
t o relear n thos e skills .
Exercis e extr a cautio n whe n drivin g
i n rai n afte r a lon g dr y spell . Afte r
month s o f dr y weather , th e firs t
rain s brin g oi l t o th e surfac e o f th e
roadway , makin g it slippery .

Drivin g

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

Towin
g a Traile r

You r Hond a ha s bee n designe d
primaril y to carr y passenger s an d
thei r cargo . Yo u ca n us e it t o to w a
traile r i f yo u carefull y observ e th e

loa d limits , us e th e prope r equipment ,

an d follo w th e guideline s in thi s

section .
Loa
d Limit s
Tota l Traile r Weight : Th e tota l
weigh t o f th e traile r an d
everythin g loade d in it mus t no t
excee d 1,00 0 Ib s (45 0 kg) . Towin g
a loa d tha t i s to o heav y ca n
seriousl y affec t you r car' s
handlin g an d performance . I t ca n
als o damag e th e engin e an d
drivetrain .
Tongu e Load : Th e weigh t tha t
th e tongu e o f a fully-loade d traile r
put s o n th e hitc h shoul d b e
approximatel y 1 0 percen t o f th e
traile r weight . To o littl e tongu e
loa d ca n mak e th e traile r unstabl e
an d caus e it t o sway . To o muc h
tongu e loa d reduce s front-tir e
tractio n an d steerin g control .
T o achiev e a prope r tongu e load ,
star t b y loadin g 6 0 percen t o f th e
loa d towar d th e fron t o f th e traile r
an d 4 0 percen t towar d th e rear ,
the n readjus t th e loa d a s needed .
Gros
s Vehicl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GVWR) :
Th e tota l weigh t o f th e vehicle , al l
occupants , al l cargo , an d th e
tongu e loa d mus t no t exceed :

4-cylinder models:

(DX , LX , SE )
3,99 0 Ib s (1,81 0 kg )

(EX )

4,03 5 Ib s (1,83 0 kg )

6-cylinder models:

4,23 5 Ib s (1,92 0 kg )
Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Gros s Axl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GAWR) :

Th e tota l weigh t o f th e vehicle , al l
occupants , al l cargo , and the
tongu e loa d mus t no t exceed :

4-cylinder models:

( DX , LX , SE )
2, 160 Ibs (98 0 kg )
o n th e fron t axl e
1, 895 Ibs ( 860 kg)
o n th e rea r axl e
(EX )
2,18 5 Ib s (99 0 kg )
o n th e fron t axl e
1 ,920 Ibs (8 70 kg )
o n th e rea r axl e

6-cylinder models:

2,315 Ib s ( 1,050 kg)
o n th e fron t axl e
1,940 Ibs (88 0
kg )

o n th e rea r axl e
Checkin
g Load s

Th e bes t wa y t o confir m tha t vehicl e
an d traile r weight s ar e withi n limit s
i s t o hav e the m checke d a t a publi c

scale .

Usin g a suitabl e scal e o r a specia l
tongu e loa d gauge , chec k th e tongu e
loa d th e firs t tim e yo u se t u p a
towin g combinatio n ( a fully-loade d
vehicl e an d trailer) , the n rechec k th e
tongu e loa d wheneve r th e condition s

change .

Driving

Exceedin
g loa d limit s o r
improperl y loadin g you r vehicl e
an d traile r ca n caus e a cras h i n
whic h yo u ca n b e seriousl y

injure d o r killed .

Chec k th e loadin g o f you r
vehicl e an d traile r carefull y
befor e startin g t o drive .

Towin
g a Traile r

Towin g Equipmen t an d
Accessorie s
Towin g ca n requir e a variet y o f
equipment , dependin g o n th e siz e o f
you r trailer , ho w it wil l b e used , an d
ho w muc h loa d yo u ar e towing .
Discus s you r need s wit h you r traile r
sale s o r renta l agency , an d follo w th e
guideline s i n th e res t o f thi s section .
Als o mak e sur e tha t al l equipmen t i s
properl y installe d an d tha t i t meet s
federal , state , province , an d loca l
regulations .
Hitches

An y hitc h use d o n you r vehicl e mus t
b e properl y bolte d t o th e underbody .

Safety Chain

Alway s us e a safet y chain . Mak e
sur e tha t i t i s secure d t o bot h th e
traile r an d hitch , an d tha t i t crosse s
unde r th e tongu e s o it ca n catc h th e
traile r i f i t become s unhitched .
Leav e enoug h slac k t o allo w th e
traile r t o tur n corner s easily , bu t d o
no t le t th e chai n dra g o n th e ground .

Trailer Brakes

Hond a recommend s tha t an y traile r
havin g a tota l weigh t o f 1,00 0 Ib s
(45 0 kg ) o r mor e b e equippe d wit h
it s ow n electri c o r surge-typ e brakes .I
f yo u choos e electri c brakes , b e
sur e the y ar e electronicall y actuated .
D o no t attemp t t o ta p int o you r
vehicle' s hydrauli c system . N o
matte r ho w successfu l i t ma y seem ,
an y attemp t t o attac h traile r brake s
t o you r vehicle' s hydrauli c syste m
wil l lowe r brakin g effectivenes s an d
creat e a potentia l hazard .

Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Trailer Lights

You r vehicl e ha s a traile r lightin g
connecto r i n th e trunk . Refe r t o th e
drawin g o n thi s pag e fo r th e wirin g
colo r cod e an d purpos e o f eac h pin .
I f yo u us e a converter , yo u ca n ge t
th e connecto r an d pin s tha t mat e
wit h th e connecto r i n you r vehicl e
fro m you r Hond a dealer .
Sinc e lightin g an d wirin g var y wit h
traile r typ e an d brand , yo u shoul d
als o hav e a qualifie d technicia n
instal l a suitabl e connecto r betwee n
th e vehicl e an d th e trailer .

Driving

CONTINUED

GROUN
D
(BLACK )
BACK-U
P LIGH T
(GREEN/BLACK )LEF
T TUR N SIGNA L
(GREEN/BLUE )

RIGH T TUR N SIGNA L

(GREEN/YELLOW )
BRAK
E LIGH T
(WHITE/BLACK )TAILLIGH
T
(RED/BLACK )