2000 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN wheel

Appearanc
e Car e

Regula r cleanin g an d polishin g o f
you r Hond a help s t o kee p it "new "
looking . Thi s sectio n give s yo u hint s
o n ho w to clea n you r ca r an d
preserv e it s appearance : th e paint ,
brightwork , wheel s an d interior . Als o
include d ar e severa l thing s yo u ca n
d o to hel p prevent corrosion . Exterio
r Care................................. . 26 2
Washing..................................... . 26 2

Waxing........................................ 263

Aluminu m Wheels.................... . 26 3
Pain t Touch-up.......................... . 26 3
Interio r Care.................................. . 26 4
Carpeting................................... . 26 4
Fabric......................................... . 26 4

Vinyl........................................... . 26 4

Leather....................................... . 26 4

Sea t Belts................................... . 26 5
Windows.................................... . 26 5
Ai r Fresheners.......................... . 26 5
Corrosio n Protection.................... . 26 6
Bod y Repairs................................. .
267

Appearance Car e

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

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

Compac
t Spar e Tir e

You r ca r ha s a compac t spar e tir e
tha t take s u p les s space . Us e thi s
spar e tir e a s a temporar y replace -
men t only . Ge t you r regula r tir e
repaire d o r replace d an d pu t bac k o n
you r ca r a s soo n a s yo u can .
Chec k th e inflatio n pressur e o f th e
compac t spar e tir e ever y tim e yo u
chec k th e othe r tires . I t shoul d b e
inflate d to :
6 0 ps i (42 0 kPa , 4. 2 kgf/cm 2)
Follo
w thes e precaution s wheneve r
yo u ar e usin g th e compac t spar e tire :
D o no t excee d 5 0 mp h (8 0 km/h )
unde r an y circumstances .
Thi s tir e give s a harshe r rid e an d
les s tractio n o n som e roa d sur -
face s tha n th e regula r tire . Us e
greate r cautio n whil e drivin g o n

thi s tire .

D o no t moun t sno w chain s o n th e
compac t spare .
Th e whee l o f th e compac t spar e
tir e is designe d especiall y to fi t
you r car . D o no t us e you r spar e
tir e o n anothe r vehicl e unles s it i s
th e sam e mak e an d model .
Th
e compac t spar e tir e ha s a shorte r
trea d lif e tha n a regula r tire . Replac e
i t whe n yo u ca n se e th e trea d wea r
indicato r bars . Th e replacemen t
shoul d b e th e sam e siz e an d desig n
tire , mounte d o n th e sam e wheel .
Th e compac t spar e tir e is no t
designe d t o b e mounte d o n a regula r
wheel , an d th e compac t whee l i s no t
designe d fo r mountin g a regula r tire .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MAR K
TREA D WEA R INDICATO R BA R

Changin
g a Fla t Tire , I f You r Engin e Won' t Star t

17 . Plac e th e fla t tir e fac e dow n in th e
spar e tir e well .
18 . Remov e th e space r con e fro m th e
win g bolt , tur n it over , an d pu t i t
bac k o n th e bolt .
19 . Secur e th e fla t tir e b y screwin g
th e win g bol t bac k int o it s hole . 20
. Stor e th e jac k in it s holder . Tur n
th e jack' s en d bracke t t o loc k i t i n
place . Replac e th e cover . Stor e th e

tools .

21 . Stor e th e whee l cove r o r cente r

ca p in th e trunk . Mak e sur e it doe s

no t ge t scratche d o r damaged .
I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
Diagnosin g wh y you r engin e won' t
star t fall s int o tw o areas , dependin g
o n wha t yo u hea r whe n yo u tur n th e
ke y t o STAR T (III) :
Yo u hea r nothing , o r almos t
nothing . Th e engine' s starte r
moto r doe s no t operat e a t all , o r
operate s ver y slowly .
Yo u ca n hea r th e starte r moto r
operatin g normally , o r th e starte r
moto r sound s lik e i t i s spinnin g
faste r tha n normal , bu t th e engin e
doe s no t star t u p an d run .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Loos
e item s ca n fl y aroun d th e
interio r i n a cras h an d coul d
seriousl y injur e th e occupants .
Stor e th e wheel , jac k an d tool s
securel y befor e driving .

WIN
G BOL T
SPACER
CON E

Brak
e Syste m Indicato r

Th e Brak e Syste m Indicato r ligh t
come s o n whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n
O N (II) . I f th e parkin g brak e is no t
set , i t goe s of f afte r yo u star t th e
engine . I f th e parkin g brak e is set , i t
goe s of f whe n yo u full y releas e th e
parkin g brak e wit h th e engin e

running .
I
f i t come s o n a t an y othe r time , i t
indicate s a proble m wit h th e car' s
brak e system . I n mos t cases , th e
proble m is a lo w flui d leve l i n th e
brak e flui d reservoir . Pres s lightl y o n
th e brak e peda l t o se e if i t feel s
normal . I f i t does , chec k th e brak e
flui d leve l th e nex t tim e yo u sto p a t a
servic e statio n (se e pag e 224 ). I f th e
flui d leve l i s low , tak e th e ca r t o you r
deale r an d hav e th e brak e syste m
inspecte d fo r leak s o r wor n brak e

pads .

However , i f th e brak e peda l doe s no t
fee l normal , yo u shoul d tak e
immediat e action . Becaus e o f th e
brak e system' s dual-circui t design , a
proble m in on e par t o f th e syste m
wil l stil l giv e yo u brakin g a t tw o
wheels . Yo u wil l fee l th e brak e peda l
g o dow n muc h farthe r befor e th e ca r
begins to slo w down , an d yo u wil l
hav e to pres s harde r o n th e pedal .
Th e distanc e neede d t o sto p wil l b e
muc h longer . Slo
w dow n b y shiftin g to a lowe r
gear , an d pul l t o th e sid e o f th e roa d
whe n it i s safe . Becaus e o f th e
longe r distanc e neede d to stop , i t i s
hazardou s t o driv e th e car . Yo u
shoul d hav e it towed , an d repaire d a s

soo n a s possible . (Se e Emergenc y

Towin g o n pag e 29 3 .)
I f yo u mus t driv e th e ca r a shor t
distanc e in thi s condition , driv e

slowl y an d cautiously .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
BRAK
E SYSTE M INDICATOR *
*U.S . indicato r show n

Emergenc
y Towin g

I f you r ca r need s t o b e towed , cal l a
professiona l towin g servic e or , i f yo u
belon g to one , a n organizatio n tha t
provide s roadsid e assistance . Neve r
to w you r ca r behin d anothe r vehicl e
wit h jus t a rop e o r chain . I t i s ver y

dangerous .

Ther e ar e thre e popula r method s o f
towin g a vehicle :

Flat-bed Equipment — Th e operato r

load s you r ca r o n th e bac k o f a truck .
Thi s i s th e bes t wa y t o transpor t
you r Honda .
Wheel-Lift Equipment — Th e to w
truc k use s tw o pivotin g arm s tha t g o
unde r th e tire s (fron t o r rear ) an d lif t
the m of f th e ground . Th e othe r tw o
tire s remai n o n th e ground . Thi s i s
a n acceptabl e wa y t o to w you r
Honda .
Sling-type
Equipment — Th e to w

truc k use s meta l cable s wit h hook s
o n th e ends . Thes e hook s g o aroun d
part s o f th e fram e o r suspensio n an d
th e cable s lif t tha t en d o f th e ca r of f
th e ground . You r car' s suspensio n
an d bod y ca n b e seriousl y damaged .
Thi s metho d o f towin g is
unacceptable .
I f you r Hond a canno t b e transporte d
b y flat-bed , i t shoul d b e towe d b y
wheel-lif t equipmen t wit h th e fron t
wheel s of f th e ground . I f du e t o
damage , you r ca r mus t b e towe d
wit h th e fron t wheel s o n th e ground ,
d o th e following :
5-speed Manual Transmission
Releas e th e parkin g brake .
Shif t th e transmissio n to Neutral .

Automatic Transmission:

Releas e th e parkin g brake .
Star t th e engine .
Shif t t o D 4, the n to N .
Tur n of f th e engine .
Improper
towing preparation will

damage the transmission. Follow the

above procedure exactly. If you cannot

shift the transmission or start the

engine (automatic transmission), your

car must be transported with the front

wheels off the ground.

Wit h th e fron t wheel s o n th e ground ,
i t i s bes t t o to w th e ca r n o farthe r
tha n 5 0 mile s (8 0 km) , an d kee p th e
spee d belo w 3 5 mp h (5 5 km/h) .

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E

Emergenc
y Towin g

I f yo u decid e t o to w you r ca r wit h al l
fou r wheel s o n th e ground , mak e sur e
yo u us e a properly-designe d an d
attache d to w bar . Prepar e th e ca r fo r
towin g a s describe d above , an d leav e
th e ignitio n switc h i n Accessor y (I )
s o th e steerin g whee l doe s not lock .
Mak e sur e th e radi o an d an y item s
plugge d int o th e accessor y powe r
socke t ar e turne d of f s o the y d o no t
ru n dow n th e battery .
Trying
to lift or tow your car by the

bumpers will cause serious damage.

The bumpers are not designed to

support the car's weight.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E
NOTIC E

The steering wheel system can be
damaged if the steering wheel is locked.
Leave the ignition switch in Accessory
(I), and make sure the steering wheel
turns freely before you begin towing.