2001 HONDA ACCORD manual transmission

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes
important inf ormation on parking
your car, the braking system, and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive . 192
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Starting the Engine . 193
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude . 194
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 195
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Recommended Shif t Points . 196
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Engine Speed Limiter . 196
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Automatic Transmission . 196
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 197
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Shif t Lever Positions . 197
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Engine Speed Limiter . 200
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Shif t Lock Release . 200
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Parking . 202
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The Braking System . 203
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Brake Wear Indicators . 203
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Brake System Design . 204
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Anti-lock Brakes . 204
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders . 205
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ABS Indicator . 205
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Traction Control System . 206
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TCS ON/OFF Switch . 207
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TCS Indicator . 207
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Driving in Bad Weather . 209
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Towing a Trailer . 211
Driving
Driving 191

Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. START (III) does not
f unction unless the clutch pedal is
depressed.
Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal. If the engine still does not start,
press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while
starting in order to clear f looding.
As bef ore, keep the ignition key in
the START (III) position f or no
more than 15 seconds. Return to
step 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lif t your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal so the engine
does not race.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. If the engine
does not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) f or
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause f or at least 10 seconds
bef ore trying again.
If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
1. 2. 3.
4. 5.6.
Automatic Transmission:
Manual Transmission:
Starting the Engine
Driving
193

Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
Reverse with the car moving. Push
down the clutch pedal, and pause f or
a f ew seconds bef ore shif ting into
Reverse, or shif t into one of the
f orward gears f or a moment. This
stops the gears so they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear.
The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster.
Driving
5-speed Manual T ransmission
195
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.

Your Honda’s transmission has f our
f orward speeds, and is electronically
controlled f or smoother shif ting. It
also has a ‘‘lock-up’’ torque converter
forbetterfueleconomy.Youmay
f eel what seems like another shif t
when the converter locks.
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you the best
f uel economy and ef f ective emis-
sions control. The f ollowing shif t
points are recommended:
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th
4th to 5th
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th Normal acceleration
15 mph (24 km/h)
28 mph (45 km/h)
41 mph (66 km/h)
52 mph (84 km/h)
Cruise acceleration 7mph(11km/h)
22 mph (35 km/h)
33 mph (53 km/h)
48 mph (77 km/h) If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone.
5-speed Manual T ransmission, A ut omat ic T ransmission
Driving Automatic Transmission
Recommended Shif t Points Engine Speed L imiter
196

µµµThis position is similar
to D , except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going
down a steep hill. D can also keep
the transmission f rom cycling
between third and f ourth gears in
stop-and-go driving. To shif t to Second,
pressthereleasebuttonontheside
of the shif t lever. This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing,
and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin. To shif t f rom Second to
First, press the release button on the
side of the shift lever. With the lever
in this position, the transmission
locks in First gear. By upshif ting and
downshif ting through 1, 2, D and D ,
you can operate this transmission
much like a manual transmission
without a clutch pedal.
ForfasteraccelerationwheninD or
D , you can get the transmission to
automatically downshif t by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shif t down one
or two gears, depending on your
speed. 4
3
3 34
3
4
Drive (D ) Second (2) First (1)
3
Automatic Transmission
Driving199

µMake sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Turn of f the lights.
Make sure the parking brake is f ully
released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Lockthedoorswiththekeyorthe
remote transmitter.
Check the indicator on the driver’s
door to verify that the security
system is set.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
Always use the parking brake when
you park your car. The indicator on
the instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not f ully released; it
does not indicate that the parking
brakeisfirmlyset.Makesurethe
parking brake is set f irmly or your
car may roll if it is parked on an
incline.
If your car has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park.Thiskeepsthecarfrom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away.
If the car is f acing uphill, turn the
f ront wheels away f rom the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put
it in f irst gear.
If the car is f acing downhill, turn the
f ront wheels toward the curb. If you
have a manual transmission, put it in
reverse gear.
On EX and EX-V6 models
Parking T ips
Driving
Parking
202

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.
Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly 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.
bottom
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Backing Up Parking
Towing a Trailer
Driving
217

This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions f or simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.
This section explains why it is
important to keep your car well
maintained and to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
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Maintenance Saf ety . 220
.
Important Safety Precautions . 221
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Maintenance Schedule . 222
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Maintenance Record . 229
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Owner Maintenance Checks . 231
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Fluid Locations . 232
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Engine Oil . 234
..................................
Adding Oil . 234
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Recommended Oil . 235
..............................
Synthetic Oil . 235
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Additives . 235
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Changing the Oil and Filter . 236
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Cooling System . 239
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Adding Engine Coolant . 239
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Replacing Engine Coolant . 241
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Windshield Washers . 246
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Transmission Fluid . 247
Automatic .........................
Transmission . 247
5-speed Manual
.........................
Transmission . 249
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Brake and Clutch Fluid . 251
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Brake System . 251
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Clutch System . 252
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Power Steering . 252
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Air Cleaner Element . 253 ....................................
Hood Latch . 256
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Spark Plugs . 256
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Replacement . 256
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Specif ications . 257
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Battery . 260
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Wiper Blades . 263
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Air Conditioning System . 265
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Air Conditioning Filter . 266
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Drive Belts . 266
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Timing Belt . 267
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Tires . 267
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Inf lation . 268
..................................
Inspection . 270
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Maintenance . 270
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Tire Rotation . 271
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 271
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Wheels and Tires . 272
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Winter Driving . 273
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Snow Tires . 273
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Tire Chains . 273
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Lights . 274
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Replacing Bulbs . 276
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Storing Your Car . 285
345
Maintenance
Maint enance
219