2001 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN brake

The Braking System

Brake System Design
The hydraulic system that operates the brakes has two separate circuits.Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the left-front brake is connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
Anti-lock Brakes

LX with ABS, EX and all V6 models
have an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) as standard equipment. It is
optional on other models.
ABS helps to prevent the wheels from locking up and skidding during
hard braking, allowing you to retainsteering control.
When the front tires skid, you lose steering control; the car continues
straight ahead even though you turn
the steering wheel. The ABS helps to
prevent lock-up and helps you retain steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly; much faster than a
person can do it. You should never pump the
brake pedal, this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work for you by always keeping firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes referred to as
"stomp and steer."

You will feel a pulsation in the brake pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is normal, it is the ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount of traction your tires have. On drypavement, you will need to press on
the brake pedal very hard before you
activate the ABS. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.

Driving

Front

The Braking System

Important Safety Reminders

ABS does not reduce the time or distance it takes to stop the car, it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a safe following distance
from other vehicles.
ABS will not prevent a skid that results from changing direction
abruptly, such as trying to take acorner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed for the road and
weather conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of stability. Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into oncoming traffic or off the road. A vehicle with ABS may require a
longer distance to stop on loose oruneven surfaces, such as gravel orsnow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
ABS Indicator

The ABS is self-checking. If anything
goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (seepage 55 ). This means the anti-lock
function of the braking system has shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-
lock, providing normal stopping ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your car as soon as possible.
Driving
*U.S. indicator shown
ABS INDICATOR*

Traction Control System
On LX V6 and EX V6 models

Your Honda is equipped with a
Traction Control System (TCS) to assist you in maintaining traction
while driving slowly on loose or slippery surfaces. The TCS assists
only in low-speed, low-traction
conditions; up to approximately 18
mph (30km/h).
The TCS monitors the speed of all four wheels. When it senses a front
wheel losing traction, it applies braking to that wheel. The TCSindicator flashes when this occurs.
Driving with TCS requires no specialskills or technique. The TCS does
not control your vehicle's whole
braking system and cannot prevent skidding if you enter a corner too
fast. It is still your responsibility to
drive at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety. When starting out or driving at low
speeds on a loose or slippery road
surface, you may notice that the
vehicle does not respond to the accelerator in the same way it does
at other times. This is a sign the TCS
is activating. You will see the TCS
indicator light flash. You should still install winter tires on
your vehicle during the winter. Make
sure to use the same size originally
supplied with vehicle. Exercise the
same caution in winter driving as you
would if your vehicle was not equipped with TCS.
Driving with the compact spare tire
installed (see page 296) may activate the TCS. You should turn off
the system.
If the brakes overheat while the TCS
is activating, the TCS indicator willstop flashing and stay on temporarily.
This indicates that the TCS system has turned off. After the brakes have
cooled down (usually for about 10
minutes), the TCS will turn back onand the indicator will turn off.

Driving
TCS INDICATOR

Traction Control System

TCS ON/OFF Switch

This switch is under the side vent. It lets you turn the Traction ControlSystem on and off. You cannot turn
off the TCS while the TCS indicator
light is flashing. Deactivate the system by pressing
the TCS On/Off switch. The TCS
indicator light comes on as a
reminder. Pressing the switch again
turns the system back on.
The Traction Control System turns on every time you start the engine,
even if you turned it off the last time
you drove the vehicle. TCS Indicator
The TCS indicator comes on orflashes under the following condi-tions:
When you turn the ignition switch
to ON (II).
When you manually turn off the

TCS.
It flashes when the TCS is

regulating wheelspin.

If the system's diagnostics senses
a problem in the TCS, the indica-
tor will come on and stay on.
If the brakes overheat, the
indicator will come on.

CONTINUED

Driving

Traction Control System

If the TCS indicator comes on while
driving, pull to the side of the road
when it is safe and turn off the engine. Reset the system by re-starting the engine, and watch the
TCS indicator. If the indicator remains on, or comes back on while
driving, have the TCS inspected by
your Honda dealer. You can still drive the vehicle without TCS.
The TCS indicator may occasionally come on for one or two seconds and
then go out. This is normal.
This indicator will come on along

with the ABS indicator if there is a problem in the anti-lock brakesystem (see ABS Indicator on page

205).

If the TCS indicator comes on along

with the ABS indicator, it indicates a
problem in the anti-lock brakesystem (see ABS Indicator on page

55).

Driving

Driving in Bad Weather

Rain, fog, and snow conditions
require a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well- maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control should not be used in these
conditions. Driving Technique — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to react, even in conditions that mayseem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra cautious for the first few miles (kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long city spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.

Driving
CONTINUED

Towing a Trailer

Towing Equipment and
Accessories Towing can require a variety of equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and
how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailersales or rental agency, and follow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is properly installed and that it meets
federal, state, province, and local regulations. Hitches
Any hitch used on your vehicle must be properly bolted to the underbody.
Safety Chains
Always use safety chains. Make sure they are secured to both the trailerand hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched. Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground.

Trailer Brakes

Honda recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 Ibs (450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes. If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic system. No matter how successful it may seem,any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle's hydraulic system
will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential hazard.

Driving

Towing a Trailer

Trailer Lights

Your vehicle has a trailer lighting connector in the trunk. Refer to thedrawing in this page for the wiring
color code and purpose of each pin.
If you use a converter, you can get
the connector and pins that mate
with the connector in your vehicle from your Honda dealer.
Since lighting and wiring vary in
trailer type and brand, you should also have a qualified mechanic install
a suitable connector between the
vehicle and the trailer.

Driving GROUND

(BLACK)
BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK) LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)
TAILLIGHT(RED/BLACK)
BRAKE LIGHT
(WHITE/BLACK)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW)