2003 HONDA ACCORD COUPE check oil

To add oil, unscrew and remove the
engine oil f ill cap on top of the valve
cover. Pour in the oil, and install the
engine oil f ill cap. Tighten it securely.
Wait a f ew minutes and recheck the
oil level. Do not f ill above the upper
mark; you could damage the engine.Pour the oil slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill. Clean up any spills
immediately. Spilled oil could
damage components in the engine
compartment.Oil is a major contributor to your
engine’s perf ormance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade 5W-20
detergent oil displaying the API
Certif ication Seal. This seal indicates
the oil is energy conserving, and that
it meets the American Petroleum
Institute’s latest requirements.
Honda Motor Oil is the pref erred
5W-20 lubricant f or your vehicle. It is
highly recommended that you use
Honda Motor Oil in your vehicle f or
optimum engine protection.
A dding Oil
Recommended Oil
Engine Oil
Maint enance294
ENGINE OIL FILL CAP
4-cylinder models6-cylinder modelsENGINE OIL FILL CAP

Turn of f the engine, let it sit f or
several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.
Refill the engine with the recom-
mended oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including f ilter):
Replace the engine oil f ill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
f ive seconds. If it does not, turn of f
the engine and check your work.
Let the engine run f or several
minutes, then check the drain bolt
and oil f ilter f or leaks.
Put a new washer on the drain bolt,
then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:
(4-cylinder models)
(6-cylinder models) 9.
8. 7. 6. (4-cylinder models)
(6-cylinder models)
5.
Engine Oil
Maint enance298
OIL FILTER
6-cylinder models
4.4 US qt (4.2)
4.5 US qt (4.3
)
33 lbf·ft (44 N·m , 4.5 kgf·m)
29 lbf·ft (39 N·m , 4.0 kgf·m) Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmf ul to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose of
the used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling
center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.

Check the f luid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the car sitting on
level ground. Remove the
transmission f iller bolt and caref ully
f eel inside the bolt hole with your
f inger. The f luid level should be up
to the edge of the bolt hole. If it is
not, add Honda Manual Transmis-
sion Fluid (MTF) until it starts to
run out of the hole. Reinstall thef iller bolt and tighten it securely.
If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40
viscosity motor oil with the API
Certif ication seal that says ‘‘FOR
GASOLINE ENGINES’’ as a
temporary replacement. However,
motor oil does not contain the proper
additives, and continued use can
cause stiffer shifting. Replace as
soon as it is convenient.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
On 4-cylinder models
5-speed Manual Transmission
T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance310
FILLER BOLT
Correct level

Pour the f luid to the f iller hole slowly
and caref ully so you do not spill.
Clean up any spills immediately.
Spilled f luid could damage
components in the engine
compartment.
If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40
viscosity motor oil with the API
Certif ication seal that says ‘‘FOR
GASOLINE ENGINES’’ as a
temporary replacement. However,
motor oil does not contain the proper
additives, and continued use can
cause stiffer shifting. Replace as
soon as it is convenient.The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
If you are not sure how to check and
add f luid, contact your Honda dealer.
T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance312

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.
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.
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.
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
pages and .)
396 398
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance329
AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
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.

This section covers the more-
common problems that motorists
experience with their cars. It gives
you inf ormation about how to saf ely
evaluate the problem and what to do
to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your car towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .364
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .365
..........
If Your Engine Won’t Start . 371
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates ........................
Very Slowly .371
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally .372
................................
Jump Starting .373
............
If Your Engine Overheats . 376
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 379
..........
Charging System Indicator . 380
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 381
.......................
Readiness Codes .382
...............
Brake System Indicator . 383
..................
Closing the Moonroof . 384
..............................................
Fuses .386
..........
Checking and Replacing . 386
......................
Emergency Towing .391
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed363

This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low f or a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows
that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ). Letthecarsitforaminute.Open
the hood and check the oil level
(see page ). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during
cornering and other driving
maneuvers.Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the light
does not go out within ten seconds,
turn of f the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired bef ore you can
continue driving. (See
on page .)
1.
2.
3. 4.
228 294 391
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
379
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the car stopped.

CONT INUED
Battery......
Charging System Light . 62,380
............................
Jump Starting .373
..............................
Maintenance .324
....................
Specif ications .397, 399
..............................
Bef ore Driving .223
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,46
.........................
Beverage Holders .112
...................................
Body Repair .362
Brakes ...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 256
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 224....................
Bulb Replacement .348
...........................................
Fluid .313
.......................................
Parking .110
.................
System Indicator . 63,383
........................
Wear Indicators .254
.............................
Braking System .254
........................
Break-in, New Car .224
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 76
........................
Brights, Headlights .74
Bulb Replacement ..........................
Back-up Lights .348
..............................
Brake Lights .348
..............................
Ceiling Light .351
................
Door Courtesy Light . 351
................
Front Parking Lights . 346
.................................
Headlights .342
.........
High-mount Brake Light . 350
.................
License Plate Lights . 349
....................
Specif ications .397, 399
...................................
Spotlights .351
...............................
Trunk Light .353
....................
Turn Signal Lights . 346
................
Vanity Mirror Lights . 351
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen .342
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 232
................................
Accessories .232
.
Additional Safety Precautions . 233
............................
Modif ications .233
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) .85
............
Accessory Power Sockets . 116
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 296
...............................
Airbag (SRS) .9, 49
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .316
...........
Air Conditioning . 122,131,138
..............................
Maintenance .329
.........................
Usage .122, 131,138
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .333
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline .403
........................
Aluminum Wheels .357
......................................
Antif reeze .299
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ...............................
Indicator .64, 256
...................................
Operation .255
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 212
.
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock . 84
..........................
Appearance Care .355
..........................................
Armrest .111 ................
Audio System . 148,163,187
...
Automatic Lighting Off Feature . 75
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 47
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 214
..............
Automatic Transmission . 248
..................
Capacity, Fluid . 396,398
.......
Checking Fluid Level . 307,308
.......................................
Shif ting .248
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 248
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 248
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 251
Index
A
B
I