2001 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.helminc.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 Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls.................................................................................................................51
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ..............................................................................................109
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving..................................................................................................................................177
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ..............................................................................................................................................191
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance.....................................................................................................................................219
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care..............................................................................................................................287
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected......................................................................................................295
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information.....................................................................................................................323
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................339
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)......................................................................................................345
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.
Accord Value Package Audio System
Owner's Identification Form
Protecting Adults
If a seat belt does not seem to work
as it should, it may not protect the
occupant in a crash. No one should
sit in a seat with an inoperative seat
belt. Anyone using a seat belt that is
not working properly can be seriously injured or killed. Have your
Honda dealer check the belt as soon
as possible.
See page 40 for additional
information about your seat beltsystem and how to take care of your
belts.
6.Adjust the Steering Wheel
Adjust the steering wheel, if needed, so that the wheel points toward your
chest, not toward your face.
Pointing the steering wheel toward
your chest provides optimal protection from the airbag.
See page 67 for how to adjust the
steering wheel.
7.Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on seat belts, it is
very important that they continue to sit upright, well back in their seats,
with their feet on the floor, until the car is parked and the engine is off.
Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example, if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is
greatly increased.
In addition, an occupant who is out of
position in the front seat can be seriously or fatally injured by
striking interior parts of the car, or
by being struck by an inflating front airbag. Being struck by an inflatingside airbag can result in possibly
serious injuries.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Additional Information About Your Airbags
If the light comes on at any other
time, or does not come on at all, youshould have the system checked by
your dealer. For example:
If the SRS indicator light does not
come on after you turn the ignition
ON (II).
If the light stays on after the
engine starts.
If the light comes on or flashes on
and off while you drive.
If you see any of these indications,
your front or side airbags may not deploy, your passenger's side airbag
automatic cutoff system may not
work properly, or your seat belt tensioners may not work when you
need them. See your Honda dealer
as soon as possible.
How The Side Airbag Indicator
Light Works
This light alerts you thatthe passenger's side airbag
has been automatically shut off.
To reduce the risk of injury from an inflating side airbag, your car has an
automatic cutoff system for the
passenger's side airbag.
Although Honda does not encourage children to ride in the front, thissystem is designed to shut off the
side airbag if a child leans sideways
and the child's head is in the side airbag deployment path.
Driver and Passenger Safety
SIDEAIRBAG
Ignoring the SRS indicator light
can result in serious injury or
death if the airbags, cutoff system, or tensioners do not
work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS light alerts you to a potential problem.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
Your car's exhaust contains carbon monoxide gas. You should have no
problem with carbon monoxide entering the car in normal driving if
you maintain your car properly. Have the exhaust system inspected
for leaks whenever:
The car is raised for an oil change.
You notice a change in the soundof the exhaust.
The car was in an accident that may have damaged the underside. High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage. With the trunk lid open, air flow can
pull exhaust gas into your car'sinterior and create a hazardous
condition. If you must drive with the
trunk lid open, open all the windows and set the heating and coolingsystem as shown below.
If you must sit in your parked car,
even in an unconfined area, with the
engine running, adjust the heating and cooling system as follows: 1. Push the button.
2. Select the mode.
3. Turn the fan on high speed.
4. Set the temperature control to a
comfortable setting.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.
Indicator Lights
The instrument panel has many
indicators to give you important
information about your car.
Seat Belt Reminder Light
This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). It is a
reminder to you and your passengers
to protect yourselves by fastening
the seat belts. A beeper also sounds
if you have not fastened your seat
belt.
If you do not fasten your seat belt,
the beeper will stop after a few
seconds but the light stays on until
you do. Both the light and the beeper
stay off if you fasten your seat belt
before turning on the ignition.
Low Oil Pressure
Indicator
The engine can be severely damaged
if this light flashes or stays on when
the engine is running. For complete
information, see page 309 .
Charging System
Indicator
If this light comes on when the
engine is running, the battery is not
being charged. For complete
information, see page 310 .
Instruments and Controls
Indicator Lights
U.S.
Parking Brake and
Brake System Indicator
1. This indicator comes on when you turn the ignition switch ON (II). It
is a reminder to check the parking
brake. Driving with the parking
brake not fully released candamage the brakes and tires.
2. If the indicator remains lit after you have fully released theparking brake while the engine isrunning, or if it comes on while
driving, it can indicate a problem
in the brake system. For complete
information, see page 313 .
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
This indicator lights when you turn the ignition switch ON (II). If itcomes on at any other time, it
indicates a potential problem with
your front airbags or automatic seat belt tensioners. This light willalso alert you to a potential problem
with your side airbags. For complete information, see page 47.
Side Airbag Indicator
Only on models equipped with side
airbags
This indicator lights when you turn the ignition switch ON (II). If itcomes on at any other time, it
indicates that the passenger's side airbag has automatically shut off.
For complete information, see page
47.
Malfunction IndicatorLamp
See page 311.
U.S.
Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS) Indicator
Only on models equipped with ABS (see
page 204)
This light normally comes on for a few seconds when you turn theignition switch ON (II), and when
the ignition switch is turned toSTART (III). If this light comes on at
any other time, there is a problem in
the ABS. If this happens, take the car to your dealer to have it checked.
With the light on, your car still has normal braking ability but no anti-
lock. For complete information, see
page 205.
Instruments and Controls
Canada
S R S
SIDEAIRBAG
A B S
Canada
Indicator Lights
Traction Control System(TCS) Indicator
On all V6 models
This indicator has three functions:
1. It comes on as a reminder that you have turned off the Traction
Control System.
2. It flashes when the TCS is regulating wheelspin.
3. If it comes on and stays on when the Traction Control System is on,it indicates that there is a problem
in the TCS.
This light also comes on when you turn the ignition ON (II) and goes offafter the engine starts. See page
206 for more information on the
TCS.
Door and Brake Lamp Monitor
The appropriate light comes on in this display if the trunk or any dooris not closed tightly. If a brake light does not work, the BRAKE LAMP
indicator comes on when you push
the brake pedal with the ignition switch ON (II).
A burned out brake light is a hazard when drivers behind you cannot tell
you are braking. Have your brakelights repaired right away.
All the lights in the monitor display
come on for a few seconds when you
turn the ignition switch ON (II). Turn Signal and
Hazard WarningIndicators
The left or right turn signal light blinks when you signal a lane changeor turn. If the light does not blink or
blinks rapidly, it usually means oneof the turn signal bulbs is burned out (see page 277 ). Replace the bulb as
soon as possible, since other drivers
cannot see that you are signalling.
When you turn on the Hazard
Warning switch, both turn signal lights blink. All turn signals on the
outside of the car should flash.
Instruments and Controls
TCS
Indicator Lights
"Daytime Running
Lights" Indicator
Canadian models only
This indicator lights when you turn the ignition switch to ON (II) withthe headlight switch off and the
parking brake set. It should go off if
you turn on the headlights or release
the parking brake. If it comes on at any other time, it means there is a
problem with the DRL. There may also be a problem with the high
beam headlights.
High Beam Indicator
This light comes on with the high beam headlights. See page 60 forinformation on the headlight
controls.
On Canadian models, this indicator
comes on with reduced brightness
when the Daytime Running Lights (DRL) are on (see page 63 ). Cruise Control Indicator
Only on models equipped with Cruise
Control System
This lights when you set the cruise control. See page 68 for information
on operating the cruise control.
Low Fuel Indicator
This light comes on as a reminder that you must refuel soon. Immobilizer System
Indicator
This indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). It will then go off if
you have inserted a properly-coded ignition key. If it is not a properly-coded key, the indicator will blink
and the engine will not start (see
page 72 ).
This indicator also blinks several times when you turn the ignitionswitch from ON (II) to ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0).
Washer Level Indicator
Canadian models only
This light comes on when the
washer fluid level is low. Add washer fluid when you see this light come on (see page 246 ).
Instruments and Controls
CRUISE
CONTROL
DRL