2002 HONDA ACCORD cooling

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.
......................
Maintenance Saf ety . 236
.
Important Safety Precautions . 237
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 238
...
Required Maintenance Record . 245
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 247
..............................
Fluid Locations . 248
......................................
Engine Oil . 250
..................................
Adding Oil . 250
....................
Recommended Oil . 250
..............................
Synthetic Oil . 251
....................................
Additives . 252
.....
Changing the Oil and Filter . 252
.............................
Cooling System . 255
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 255
.......
Replacing Engine Coolant . 257
....................
Windshield Washers . 262
.......................
Transmission Fluid . 263
Automatic .........................
Transmission . 263
5-speed Manual .........................
Transmission . 265
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 267
............................
Brake System . 267
...........................
Clutch System . 268
..............................
Power Steering . 268
.....................
Air Cleaner Element . 269 ....................................
Hood Latch . 272
....................................
Spark Plugs . 272
..............................
Replacement . 272
............................
Specif ications . 273
...........................................
Battery . 276
.................................
Wiper Blades . 279
..............
Air Conditioning System . 281
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 282
.....................................
Drive Belts . 282
....................................
Timing Belt . 283
...............................................
Tires . 283
......................................
Inf lation . 284
..................................
Inspection . 286
..............................
Maintenance . 286
.............................
Tire Rotation . 287
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 287
......................
Wheels and Tires . 288
..........................
Winter Driving . 289
.............................
Snow Tires . 289
............................
Tire Chains . 289
.............................................
Lights . 290
........................
Replacing Bulbs . 292
...........................
Storing Your Car . 301
359
Maintenance
Maint enance235

If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system f or leaks.
This coolant should always be a
mixtureof 50percentantifreezeand
50 percent water. Never add straight
antif reeze or plain water.Always use Honda All Season
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2. This
coolant is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antif reeze and 50 percent water. It
does not require any additional
mixing. If it is not available, you may
use another major-brand non-silicate
coolant as a temporary replacement.
Make sure it is a high-quality coolant
recommended f or aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result incorrosion, causing the cooling
system to malf unction or f ail. Have
the cooling system f lushed and
ref illed with Honda antif reeze/
coolant as soon as possible.
If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.
CONT INUED
A dding Engine Coolant
Maint enance
Cooling Syst em
255
66--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellss44--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellssRREESSEERRVVEETTAANNKKRREESSEERRVVEETTAANNKKRemoving 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.

CONT INUED
Pour coolant into the reserve tank.
Fill it to half way between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your car’s cooling
system. They may not be compatible
with the coolant or engine compo-
nents. Thecoolingsystemshouldbe
completely drained and ref illed with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
Honda All Season Antif reeze/
Coolant Type 2. Use of any non-
Honda coolant or plain water can
result in corrosion and deposits in
the cooling system.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance
done by a skilled mechanic.
6. Replacing Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance257
44--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellssRREESSEERRVVEETTAANNKK66--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellssRREESSEERRVVEETTAANNKK

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them.
Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently.
342
Optional f or U.S. DX and Value Package
models
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance281
AAIIRRCCOONNDDIITTIIOONNIINNGGCCOONNDDEENNSSEERR
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.

µµ
µµ µµ
Check the condition of the drive
belts (two on 4-cylinder models, one
on 6-cylinder models). Examine the
edges of each belt for cracks or
f raying. (On vehicles with A/C)
(On vehicles without A/C)
Alternator belt:
Power steering belt:
The belts should have the f ollowing
‘‘play’’ or def lection.
Check the tension of each belt by
pushingonitwithyourthumb
midway between the pulleys.
The dust and pollen f ilter removes
pollen and dust that is brought in
f rom the outside through the heating
andcoolingsystem.
This f ilter should be replaced every
30,000 miles (48,000 km) under
normal conditions. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban
areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air f rom industry and
diesel-powered vehicles. Replace it
more of ten if air f low f rom the
climate control system becomes less
than usual. Have the dust and pollen
f ilter replaced by your Honda dealer.
4-cylinder models
Drive Belts
Dust and Pollen Filter
Maint enance
Dust and Pollen Filter, Drive Belts
282
44--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellss66--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellss
AALLTTEERRNNAATTOORRBBEELLTT
PPOOWWEERRSSTTEEEERRIINNGGBBEELLTT
PPOOWWEERRSSTTEEEERRIINNGGBBEELLTT
0.28 0.35 in (7.0 9.0 mm)
0.41 0.49 in (10.5 12.5 mm)
0.51 0.63 in (13.0 16.0 mm)

If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine.
If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading
(climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for
example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately.
If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f the heating and cooling
system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning
indicators.
The pointer of your car’s tempera-
ture gauge should stay in the mid-
range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a long
steep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.
Your car can overheat f or several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action. 1.
2. 3.
CONT INUED
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed323
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.