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
Break-in Period, Gasoline, Service Station Procedures
Break-in Period
Help assure your car's future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period: Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoid hard braking. New brakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use for the first 200 miles (300
km).
Do not change the oil until the
recommended time or mileage
interval shown in the maintenance
schedule.
You should follow these same re-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined.
Gasoline
Your Honda is designed to operate on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Useof a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise in the engine that can lead to
mechanical damage.
We recommend gasolines containing detergent additives that help prevent
fuel system and engine deposits. Using gasoline containing lead willdamage your car's emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emission control system performance may deteriorate and
the Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.If this happens, contact your
authorized Honda dealer for service. Filling the Fuel Tank
1. Because the fuel fill cap is on the driver's side of the car, park with
that side closest to the service
station pumps.
2. Open the fuel fill door by pushing on the handle to the left of the
driver's seat.
Before Driving
Maintenance
This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See page 345 for information on how toobtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 220
Important Safety Precautions ..221
Maintenance Schedule.................. 222
Maintenance Record..................... 229
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 231
Fluid Locations............................... 232
Engine Oil....................................... 234
Adding Oil................................... 234Recommended Oil..................... 235
Synthetic Oil............................... 235
Additives..................................... 235
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 236
Cooling System.............................. 239
Adding Engine Coolant............. 239Replacing Engine Coolant........ 241
Windshield Washers..................... 246
Transmission Fluid........................ 247
Automatic
Transmission.......................... 247
5-speed Manual
Transmission.......................... 249
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 251
Brake System............................. 251
Clutch System............................ 252
Power Steering............................... 252
Air Cleaner Element...................... 253
Hood Latch..................................... 256
Spark Plugs..................................... 256
Replacement............................... 256
Specifications............................. 257
Battery............................................ 260
Wiper Blades.................................. 263
Air Conditioning System............... 265
Air Conditioning Filter.................. 266 Drive Belts...................................... 266
Timing Belt..................................... 267
Tires................................................ 267
Inflation...................................... 268
Inspection................................... 270
Maintenance............................... 270
Tire Rotation.............................. 271 Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 271
Wheels and Tires....................... 272 Winter Driving........................... 273
Snow Tires.............................. 273
Tire Chains............................. 273
Lights.............................................. 274 Replacing Bulbs......................... 276
Storing Your Car............................ 285
Maintenance
Maintenance Safety
Regularly maintaining your car is the
best way to protect your investment.
Proper maintenance is essential to
your safety and the safety of your passengers. It will also reward you
with more economical, trouble-free driving and help reduce air pollution. This section includes instructions for
simple maintenance tasks, such as
checking and adding oil. Any service
items not detailed in this section should be performed by a Honda
technician or other qualified mechanic. Some of the most important safety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every conceivable hazard that can arise in
performing maintenance. Only youcan decide whether or not you
should perform a given task.
Maintenance
Improperly maintaining this car
or failing to correct a problem before driving can cause a
crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection and maintenancerecommendations and
schedules in this owner's manual. Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner's manual.
Maintenance Schedule
The Maintenance Schedule specifies how often you should have your carserviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to retain its high level of safety,dependability, and emissions control
performance.
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenanceschedule assume you will use your
vehicle as normal transportation for passengers and their possessions.
You should also follow these
recommendations:
Avoid exceeding your car's loadlimit. This puts excess stress onthe engine, brakes, and many
other parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on the label on thedriver's doorjamb.
Operate your car on reasonableroads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles (kilometers).
Always use unleaded gasoline with the proper octane rating (see page
178). Which Schedule to Follow:
Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule for "Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done under one or more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for "Normal Conditions."
Maintenance
Maintenance Schedule
Your authorized Honda dealer knows your car best and can providecompetent, efficient service.However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties
in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualified service facility or
person who is skilled in this type of automotive service. Keep all the
receipts as proof of completion, and
have the person who does the work
fill out the Maintenance Record.Check your warranty booklet for
more information. We recommend the use of Genuine
Honda parts and fluids whenever you
have maintenance done. These are manufactured to the same high-
quality standards as the original
components, so you can be confidentof their performance and durability.
U.S. Vehicles:
Maintenance, replacement or
repair of emissions controldevices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair establishment or individual using
parts that are "certified" to EPA standards. According to state and federal
regulations, failure to perform
maintenance on the items marked
with # will not void your emissions
warranties. However, Honda recommends that all maintenanceservices be performed at the
recommended time or mileage
period to ensure long-term reliability.
Maintenance
Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C as required for each distance/time interval. Follow this
schedule if the severe driving conditions described in the Severe Conditions Schedule on the next page do not apply.
Canadian owners: Follow the schedule for Severe Conditions.
Maintenance
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last
column, page 223.
* 1 : Balancer belt applies to 4-cylinder models only.
NOTE:
Check engine oil and coolant at each fuel stop.
Check and adjust valve clearance, cold engine, only if noisy.
page 271
Use this schedule if your vehicle is MAINLY driven in any of the following Severe Conditions, or normally driven in Canada; otherwise use the Normal
Schedule. Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C, D as required for each distance/time.
Maintenance
CONTINUED
page 271