
2000 Accord Sedan Online Reference Owner's Manual 
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
 this reference. 
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.  
 Contents
 
 Introduction ........................................................................\
.................................................................  i 
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ .ii 
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ .2 
Driver and Passenger Safety  ........................................................................\
......................................5 
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.  
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ .49
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.  
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... .105
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.  
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................155
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.  
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .169
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer. 
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................193
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer. 
Appearance Care........................................................................\
..................................................... .261
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
 vehicle ever needs body repairs. 
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................269
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them. 
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ .295
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information. 
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................309
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.  
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................315
How to order manuals and other technical literature.  
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
......  I  
Service Information Summary 
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.  Owner's Identification Form 

Key
s an d Lock s
Ignitio n Switc h
Th e ignitio n switc h is  o n th e righ t
sid e o f th e steerin g column . I t ha s
fou r positions :
 LOC
K (0 ) ACCESSOR
Y (I ) O
N  (II) STAR
T (III ) LOC
K (0 ) —
 Yo u ca n inser t o r
remov e th e ke y onl y in  thi s position .
T o switc h fro m ACCESSOR Y to
LOCK , yo u mus t pus h th e ke y in
slightl y a s yo u tur n it . I f you r ca r ha s
a n  automati c transmission , th e shif t
leve r mus t als o b e in  Park . Th e anti -
thef t loc k wil l loc k th e steerin g
colum n whe n yo u remov e th e key .
I f th e fron t wheel s ar e turned , th e
anti-theft  lock ma y sometime s mak e
i t  difficul t t o tur n th e ke y fro m
LOC K to  ACCESSORY . Firml y tur n
th e steerin g whee l t o  th e lef t o r t o
th e righ t a s yo u tur n th e key .
CONTINUED
Instrument s an d Control s
Removin
g th e  ke y fro m th e
ignitio n switc h whil e drivin g
lock s th e steering . Thi s ca n
caus e yo u to  los e control .
Remov e th e  ke y fro m th e
ignitio n switc h onl y whe n
parked . 

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 Transmission , Automati c Transmissio n
Recommende d Shif t Point s
Driv e i n th e highes t gea r tha t let s
th e  engin e ru n  an d  accelerat e
smoothly . Thi s wil l giv e yo u th e bes t
fue l econom y an d  effectiv e  emis -
sion s control . Th e followin g shif t
point s ar e recommended : 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 .
Befor e downshifting , mak e sur e th e
engin e wil l no t g o int o th e
tachometer' s re d zon e in  th e lowe r
gear .
 Automati
c  Transmissio n
You r Honda' s  transmissio n  ha s fou r
forwar d  speeds , an d is electronicall y
controlle d fo r  smoothe r shifting .  I t
als o ha s a  "lock-up " torqu e converte r
fo r bette r fue l  economy . Yo u  ma y
fee l wha t  seem s lik e  anothe r shif t
whe n th e  converte r locks .
Drivin g 

Automati
c Transmissio n
Shif t Leve r  Positio n  Indicato r
Thi s indicato r betwee n th e fue l
gaug e an d temperatur e gaug e show s
whic h positio n th e shif t leve r i s in .
Th e "D 4" indicato r come s o n fo r a
fe w second s whe n yo u tur n th e
ignitio n switc h O N  (II) . I f i t flashe s
whil e drivin g  (i n an y shif t position) ,
i t  indicate s a  possibl e proble m in  th e
transmission . Avoi d rapi d acceler -
atio n an d hav e th e transmissio n
checke d b y a n authorize d Hond a
deale r a s soo n a s possible . Shif
t Leve r Position s
Th e shif t leve r ha s  seve n positions .
I t mus t b e i n Par k o r Neutra l t o  star t
th e engine . Whe n yo u ar e stoppe d in
D4, D3, 2,1, N or R, press firmly on
th e brak e pedal ,  an d kee p you r foo t
of f th e  accelerato r  pedal .
CONTINUED
Drivin g
SHIF
T LEVE R 

Automati
c Transmissio n
Par k (P )  —  Thi s positio n mechani -
call y lock s th e transmission .  Us e
Par k wheneve r yo u ar e turnin g of f o r
startin g th e engine . T o shif t ou t o f
Park , yo u mus t pres s o n th e brak e
peda l an d hav e you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r pedal . Pres s th e releas e
butto n o n th e sid e o f th e shif t leve r
t o  mov e it .
I f yo u hav e  don e al l o f th e abov e an d
stil l canno t mov e th e leve r ou t o f
Park , se e Shif t Loc k Releas e o n pag e
178 .
Yo u mus t als o pres s th e releas e
butto n t o shif t int o Park . T o avoi d
transmissio n damage , com e to  a
complet e sto p befor e shiftin g int o
Park . Th e shif t leve r mus t b e in  Par k
befor e yo u ca n remov e th e ke y fro m
th e ignitio n switch . Revers
e (R )  —   To shif t t o  Revers e
fro m Park ,  se e th e explanatio n unde r
Park . T o  shif t t o  Revers e fro m
Neutral , com e to  a  complet e sto p an d
the n shift .  Pres s th e releas e butto n
befor e  shiftin g int o  Revers e fro m
Neutral . Neutra
l (N )  —   Us e Neutra l i f yo u
nee d to  restar t a  stalle d engine , o r i f
i t  i s necessar y t o   sto p briefl y wit h
th e engin e idling . Shif t t o  Par k posi -
tio n if yo u nee d to  leav e th e ca r fo r
an y reason . Pres s o n th e brak e peda l
whe n yo u ar e movin g th e shif t leve r
fro m Neutra l t o anothe r gear .
Driv e (D 4) —   Us e thi s positio n fo r
you r norma l driving . Th e transmis -
sio n automaticall y select s a  suitabl e
gea r fo r you r spee d an d acceleration .
Yo u ma y notic e th e transmissio n
shiftin g u p a t highe r speed s whe n
th e engin e is  cold . Thi s help s th e
engin e war m up faster .
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