2001 HONDA ACCORD COUPE towing

Towing a Trailer

Additional Trailer Equipment Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don't,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your
towing situation. Pre-Tow Checklist
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following: The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition. All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages 211 and 212). The hitch, safety chain, and any
other attachments are secure. All items on and in the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are workingproperly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 269),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
Driving

Towing a Trailer

Driving Safely With a Trailer
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requiressome special driving skills and

techniques.

For your safety and the safety ofothers, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for theopen road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.

Towing Speeds and Gears

Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use D4 position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D3 is
the proper shift lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain. (See "Driving on Hills" in the next
column for additional gear
information.)
Making Turns and Braking

Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.

Driving on Hills

When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nearsthe red (Hot) mark, turn the airconditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, shift to
D3.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator, as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce your speed and shift down to 2nd
gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, andremember it will take longer to slowdown and stop when towing a trailer.

Driving

Towing a Trailer

Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting

Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.

Backing Up
Always drive slowly and have someone guide you when backing up.Grip the bottom of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the left
to get the trailer to move to the left, and turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right.
Parking

Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including firmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or in 1st or Reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer's tires.

Driving

U.S. Owners
Follow the Severe Conditions
Maintenance Schedule if you
drive your vehicle MAINLY
under one or more of the
following conditions:
Driving less than 5 miles (8
km) per trip or, in freezing
temperatures, driving less
than 10 miles (16 km) per trip.Driving in extremely hot [over 90°F (32°C)] conditions.
Extensive idling or long
periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a car top carrier, or driving in
mountainous conditions.Driving on muddy, dusty, or
de-iced roads.

Canadian Owners

Follow the Maintenance

Schedule for Severe Conditions.

# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page 223.
* 1 : See timing belt on page 267 to determine need for replacement.
* 2 : Balancer belt applies to 4-cylinder models only.
*3 : See air conditioning filter on page 266 for replacement information under special driving conditions.

Maintenance

Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers the more- common problems that motoristsexperience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructions
on getting your car towed. Compact Spare Tire....................... 296
Changing a Flat Tire ..................... 297
If Your Engine Won't Start........... 302 Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor OperatesVery Slowly............................. 303
The Starter Operates Normally................................. 304
Jump Starting................................. 304 If Your Engine Overheats............. 307
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 309Charging System Indicator........... 310
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........ 311 Readiness Codes........................ 312
Brake System Indicator................ 313 Closing the Moonroof................... 314
Fuses............................................... 315 Checking and Replacing........... 316
Emergency Towing....................... 320

Taking Care of the Unexpected

If Your Engine Won't Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying tostart. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Your car has the ImmobilizerSystem. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 57).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer systemindicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed all the way to the floor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check their brightness. If the headlightsare very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
Jump Starting on page 304. Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignitionswitch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 320 .)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections arecorroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 260). You can
then try jump starting the car from a booster battery (see page 304).

Taking Care of the Unexpected

If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting
The Starter Operates Normally In this case, the starter motor's
speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper startingprocedure? Refer to Starting the
Engine on page 193 .Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you werenot reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 315).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency
Towing on page 320 . Jump Starting
If your car's battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine
by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your car, follow these
directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 260). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.

If a battery sits in extreme cold, the electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen battery can cause it to rupture.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
A battery can explode if you do

not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
NOTICE

If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the

hood.

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 320).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page 184). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check- ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off. 10. Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial tomaximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the filler neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and refilled with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.

11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Emergency
Towing on page 320.)
12. If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
Removing the radiator cap

while the engine is hot can

cause the coolant to spray out, seriously scalding you.

Always let the engine and radiator cool down before

removing the radiator cap.