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

Exterio
r Car e

Washin g

Frequen t washin g help s preserv e
you r car' s beauty . Dir t an d gri t ca n
scratc h th e paint , whil e tre e sa p an d
bir d dropping s ca n permanentl y rui n
th e finish .
Was h you r ca r i n a shad y area , no t i n
direc t sunlight . I f th e ca r i s parke d in
th e sun , mov e it int o th e shad e an d
le t th e exterio r coo l dow n befor e yo u
start .
Onl y us e th e solvent s an d cleaner s
recommende d in thi s Owner' s
Manual .

Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your car.
Rins
e th e ca r thoroughl y wit h coo l
wate r t o remov e loos e dirt .
Fil l a bucke t wit h coo l water . Mi x
i n a mil d detergent , suc h a s
dishwashin g liqui d o r a produc t
mad e especiall y fo r ca r washing .
Was h th e ca r usin g th e wate r an d
detergen t solutio n an d a soft -
bristl e brush , sponge , o r sof t cloth .
Star t a t th e to p an d wor k you r wa y
down . Rins e frequently .
Chec k th e bod y fo r roa d tar , tre e
sap , etc . Remov e thes e stain s wit h
ta r remove r o r turpentine . Rins e i t
of f immediatel y s o it doe s no t
har m th e finish . Remembe r t o re -
wa x thes e areas , eve n if th e res t o f
th e ca r doe s no t nee d waxing . Whe
n yo u hav e washe d an d rinse d
th e whol e exterior , dr y i t wit h a
chamoi s o r sof t towel . Lettin g it
air-dr y wil l caus e dullin g an d wate r

spots .

A s yo u dr y th e car , inspec t i t fo r
chip s an d scratche s tha t coul d allo w
corrosio n to start . Repai r the m wit h
touch-u p pain t (se e page 263 ).
Appearanc e Car e

NOTICE

Exterio
r Car e

Waxin g
Alway s was h an d dr y th e whol e ca r
befor e waxin g it . Yo u shoul d wa x
you r car , includin g th e meta l trim ,
wheneve r wate r sit s o n th e surfac e
i n larg e patches . I t shoul d for m int o
bead s o r droplet s afte r waxing .
Yo u shoul d us e a qualit y liqui d o r
past e wax . Appl y i t accordin g t o th e
instruction s o n th e container . I n
general , ther e ar e tw o type s o f
products :
Waxe s — A wa x coat s th e finis h an d
protect s i t fro m damag e b y exposur e
t o sunlight , ai r pollution , etc . Yo u
shoul d us e a wa x o n you r Hond a
whe n it i s new .
Polishe s — Polishe s an d cleaner /
waxe s ca n restor e th e shin e to pain t
tha t ha s oxidize d an d los t som e o f it s
shine . The y normall y contai n mil d
abrasive s an d solvent s tha t remov e
th e to p laye r o f th e finish . Yo u shoul
d us e a polis h o n you r Hond a if
th e finis h doe s no t hav e it s origina l
shin e afte r usin g a wax .
Cleanin g tar , insects , etc . wit h
remover s als o take s of f th e wax .
Remembe r t o re-wa x thos e areas ,
eve n if th e res t o f th e ca r doe s no t

nee d waxing .

Aluminu m Wheel s

On SE, EX, and EX-V6 models

Clea n you r Honda' s aluminu m allo y
wheel s a s yo u d o th e res t o f th e
exterior . Was h the m wit h th e sam e
solution , an d rins e the m thoroughly .
Th e wheel s hav e a protectiv e clear -
coa t tha t keep s th e aluminu m fro m
corrodin g an d tarnishing . Usin g
hars h chemicals , includin g som e
commercia l whee l cleaners , o r stif f
brushe s ca n damag e thi s clear-coat .
Onl y us e a mil d detergen t an d sof t
brus h o r spong e t o clea n th e wheels .
Pain
t Touch-u p

You r deale r ha s touch-u p pain t t o
matc h you r car' s color . Th e colo r
cod e is printe d o n a sticke r o n th e
driver' s doorjamb . Tak e thi s cod e t o
you r deale r s o yo u ar e sur e to ge t
th e correc t color .
Inspec t you r ca r frequentl y fo r chip s
o r scratche s i n th e paint . Repai r
the m righ t awa y t o preven t corrosio n
o f th e meta l underneath . Us e th e
touch-u p pain t onl y o n smal l chip s
an d scratches . Mor e extensiv e pain t
damag e shoul d b e repaire d b y a
professional .

Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Car e

Carpetin g

Vacuu m th e carpetin g frequentl y t o
remov e dirt . Ground-i n dir t wil l mak e
th e carpe t wea r ou t faster .
Periodicall y shampo o th e carpe t t o
kee p it lookin g new . Us e on e o f th e
foam-typ e carpe t cleaner s o n th e
market . Follo w th e instruction s tha t
com e wit h th e cleaner , applyin g it
wit h a spong e o r sof t brush . Kee p
th e carpetin g a s dr y a s possibl e b y
no t addin g wate r t o th e foam . Fabri
c
Vacuu m dir t an d dus t ou t o f th e
materia l frequently . Fo r genera l
cleaning , us e a solutio n o f mil d soa p
an d lukewar m water , lettin g it ai r dry .
T o clea n of f stubbor n spots , us e a
commercially-availabl e fabri c cleaner .
Tes t i t o n a hidde n are a o f th e fabri c
first , t o mak e sur e it doe s no t bleac h
o r stai n th e fabric . Follo w th e
instruction s tha t com e wit h th e

cleaner .

Viny l

Remov e dir t an d dus t wit h a vacuu m
cleaner . Wip e th e viny l wit h a sof t
clot h dampene d in a solutio n o f mil d
soa p an d water . Us e th e sam e
solutio n wit h a soft-bristl e brus h o n
mor e difficul t spots . Yo u ca n als o us e
commercially-availabl e spra y o r
foam-typ e viny l cleaners . Leathe
r

On EX and EX-V6 models

Vacuu m dir t an d dus t fro m th e
leathe r frequently . Pa y particula r
attentio n to th e pleat s an d seams .
Clea n th e leathe r wit h a sof t clot h
dampene d wit h clea r water , the n
buf f i t wit h a clean , dr y cloth . I f
furthe r cleanin g is needed , us e a
soa p specificall y fo r leather , suc h a s
saddl e soap . Appl y thi s soa p wit h a
damp , sof t cloth . Wip e dow n an d
buf f a s describe d above .
Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Car e
Sea t Belt s
I f you r sea t belt s ge t dirty , yo u ca n
us e a sof t brus h wit h a mixtur e o f
mil d soa p an d war m wate r t o clea n
them . D o no t us e bleach , dye , o r
cleanin g solvents . The y ca n weake n
th e bel t material . Le t th e belt s air -
dr y befor e yo u us e th e car . Dir
t build-u p in th e loop s o f th e sea t
bel t anchor s ca n caus e th e belt s t o
retrac t slowly . Wip e th e inside s o f
th e loop s wit h a clea n clot h
dampene d in mil d soa p an d war m
wate r o r isopropy l alcohol .
Window s
Clea n th e windows , insid e an d out ,
wit h a commercially-availabl e glas s
cleaner . Yo u ca n als o us e a mixtur e
o f on e par t whit e vinega r t o te n part s
water . Thi s wil l remov e th e haz e tha t
build s u p o n th e insid e o f th e
windows . Us e a sof t clot h o r pape r
towel s t o clea n al l glas s an d clea r
plasti c surfaces .
The
rear window defogger and
antenna wires are bonded to the inside

of the glass. Wiping vigorously up-and-

down can dislodge and break these

wires. When cleaning the rear window,

use gentle pressure and wipe side-to-

side.

Ai r Freshener s
I f yo u wan t t o us e a n ai r freshener /
deodorize r i n th e interio r o f you r car ,
i t i s bes t t o us e a soli d type . Som e
liqui d ai r freshener s contai n chemi -
cal s tha t ma y caus e parts of th e
interio r tri m an d fabri c t o crac k o r
discolor .
I f yo u us e a liqui d ai r freshener ,
mak e sur e yo u faste n it securel y s o i t
doe s no t spil l a s yo u drive .

Appearanc e Car e

LOO
P NOTIC
E

Corrosio
n Protectio n

Tw o factor s normall y contribut e to
causin g corrosio n in you r car :
1 . Moistur e trappe d in bod y cavities .
Dir t an d roa d sal t tha t collect s i n
hollow s o n th e undersid e o f th e
ca r stay s damp , promotin g
corrosio n in tha t area .
2 . Remova l o f pain t an d protectiv e
coating s fro m th e exterio r an d
undersid e o f th e car . Man
y corrosion-preventiv e measure s
ar e buil t int o you r Honda . Yo u ca n
hel p kee p you r ca r fro m corrodin g
b y performin g som e simpl e periodi c

maintenance :

Repai r chip s an d scratche s i n th e
paint as soo n a s yo u discove r them .
Inspec t an d clea n ou t th e drai n
hole s i n th e botto m o f th e door s
an d body .
Chec k th e floo r covering s fo r
dampness . Carpetin g an d floo r
mat s ma y remai n dam p fo r a lon g
time , especiall y in winter . Thi s
dampnes s ca n eventuall y caus e
th e floo r panel s t o corrode . Us
e a high-pressur e spra y to clea n
th e undersid e o f you r car . Thi s i s
especiall y importan t i n area s tha t
us e roa d sal t i n winter . I t i s als o a
goo d ide a in humi d climate s an d
area s subjec t t o sal t air . Car s
equippe d wit h AB S hav e a senso r
an d wirin g a t eac h wheel . B e
carefu l no t t o damag e them .
Hav e th e corrosion-preventiv e
coating s o n th e undersid e o f you r
ca r inspecte d an d repaire d
periodically .
Appearanc e Car e

Bod
y Repair s

Bod y repair s ca n affec t you r car' s
resistanc e to corrosion . I f you r ca r
need s repair s afte r a collision , pa y
clos e attentio n to the part s use d in
the repai r an d the qualit y o f th e
work .
Mak e sur e th e repai r facilit y use s
Genuin e Hond a replacemen t bod y
parts . Som e companie s mak e shee t
meta l piece s tha t see m to duplicat e
th e origina l Hond a bod y parts , bu t
ar e actuall y inferio r i n fit , finish , an d
corrosio n resistance . Onc e installed ,
the y d o no t giv e the sam e high -
qualit y appearance .
Whe
n reportin g you r collisio n t o th e
insuranc e company , tel l the m yo u
wan t Genuin e Hond a part s use d in
th e repair . Althoug h mos t insurer s
recogniz e th e qualit y o f origina l
parts , som e ma y tr y t o specif y tha t
th e repair s b e don e wit h othe r
availabl e parts . Yo u shoul d investi -
gat e thi s befor e an y repair s hav e

begun .

Tak e you r ca r t o you r authorize d
Hond a deale r fo r inspectio n afte r th e
repair s ar e completed . You r deale r
ca n mak e sur e tha t qualit y material s
wer e used , an d tha t corrosion -
preventiv e coating s wer e applie d t o
al l repaire d an d replace d parts .

Appearance Car e

268

Takin
g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Thi s sectio n cover s th e more -
commo n problem s tha t motorist s
experienc e wit h thei r vehicles . I t
give s yo u informatio n abou t ho w to
safel y evaluat e th e proble m an d wha t
t o d o t o correc t it . I f th e proble m ha s
strande d yo u o n th e sid e o f th e road ,
yo u ma y b e abl e to ge t goin g again .
I f not , yo u wil l als o fin d instruction s
o n gettin g you r ca r towed . Compac
t Spar e Tire...................... .
270

Changing a
Fla
t Tire.................... .

271

I f You r
Engin
e Won' t Start.......... .

276

Nothin g Happen s
o
r th e
Starte r Moto r Operates
Ver y Slowly............................ .

277

The Starte r
Operates
Normally................................ .

278

Jum p Starting................................ .
278

If You r
Engin
e Overheats............ .

281

Lo w Oi l
Pressur
e Indicator......... .

283

Chargin g Syste m
Indicator..........
.

284

Malfunctio n Indicato r
Lam
p ....... .

285

Brak e Syste m
Indicator...............
.

286

Closin g th e
Moonroof..................
.

287

Fuses..............................................
287

Checkin g an d
Replacing..........
.

289

Emergenc y Towing...................... .
293

Takin g Car e
o
f th e Unexpecte d