2003 HONDA ACCORD COUPE towing

2003 Accord Coupe 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.h\
elminc.com.
Contents

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
......................................... ii
Your Car at a Glance ........................................................................\
................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
...................................... 5
Proper use and care of your car's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint\
System.
Instruments and Controls ........................................................................\
......................................... 59
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how t o use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
...................... 121
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
.......................................................... 223
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new car, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................................... 239
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance ........................................................................\
............................................................. 271
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your car to the\
dealer.
Appearance Care ........................................................................\
...................................................... 355
Tips on cleaning and protecting your car. Things to look for if your car e\
ver needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected ........................................................................\
.............................. 363
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, and\
how to handle them.
Technical Information ........................................................................\
............................................. 393
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada) ................................................................409
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only) ........................................................................\
.............................. 413
How to order manuals and other tech nical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
........................................................................\
..... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

·µ
Following are the steps f or
determining the correct cargo and
luggage load limit.
Locate the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 850 lbs
(395 kg)’’ on your car’s placard (on
the driver’s doorjamb). Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers f rom
850 lbs (395 kg).
The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
If your car will be towing a trailer,
load f rom your trailer will be
transf erred to your car. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your car.
The maximum load limit f or your car
is 850 lbs (395 kg). This f igure
includes the total weight of all
occupants, cargo, accessories, and
the tongue weight if you are towing a
trailer.
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your car. (Five is
the seating capacity of your car.) For example, if there will be f our 150
lbs(70kg)occupantsinyourcar,the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 250 lbs (115
kg).
4 150 lbs (70 kg) = 600 lbs (280
kg)
850 lbs (395 kg) 600 lbs (280 kg) =
250 lbs (115 kg)
Determine the combined weight
of accessories, luggage, and cargo
beingloadedinthecar.The
weight may not saf ely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4 [250
lbs(115kg)inthisexample].
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
6.
Load Limit
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving235
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed/6-speed manual and
automatic transmissions. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your car, the braking system,
the Traction Control System, and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive .240
.......................
Starting the Engine .241
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .242
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 243
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 244
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 244
....
6-speed Manual Transmission . 245
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 246
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 246
.......................
Reverse Lockout .246
..............
Automatic Transmission . 248
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 248
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 248
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 251
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 251
...........................................
Parking .253
..............................
Parking Tips .253
.....................
The Braking System .254
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 254
...............
Brake System Design . 255
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .255
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .256
........................
ABS Indicator .256 ..............
Traction Control System . 258
...............
TCS ON/OFF Switch . 259
.........
TCSActivationIndicator . 259
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 261
...........................
Towing a Trailer .263
Driving
Driving239

µ
µ
µ
µ
µ To shift to Second,
pressthereleasebuttonontheside
of the shif t lever. This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing,
and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
To shif t f rom Second to
First, press the release button on the
side of the shift lever. With the lever
in this position, the transmission
locks in First gear. By upshif ting and
downshif ting through 1, 2, D , and D,
you can operate this transmission
much like a manual transmission
without a clutch pedal.
This position is similar
to D, except only the first three
gears are selected instead of all f ive.
Use D when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain, or to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D can
also keep the transmission f rom
cycling between third and f ourth
gears in stop-and-go driving.
Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for
any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shif t lever
f rom Neutral to another gear.
Use this position f or
your normal driving. The transmis-
sion automatically selects a suitable
gear (1 through 5) f or your speed
and acceleration. You may notice the
transmission shif ting up at higher
speeds when the engine is cold. This
helps the engine warm up f aster. ForfasteraccelerationwheninD or
D, you can get the transmission to
automatically downshif t by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shif t down one,
two or three gears, depending on
your speed.
3
3
3
3
Second (2)
First (1)
Drive (D )
Neutral (N)
Drive (D)3
Automatic Transmission
Driving250

Your Honda has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces f ront-tire
traction and steering control.
The total
weight of the trailer and
everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously af f ect your car’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
CONT INUED
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Tongue Load:
Load Limits
T otal T railer Weight:
263

To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer
and 40 percent toward the rear, then
re-adjust the load as needed.The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
(LX) (EX, EX with leather interior) (LX)
on the f ront axle
on the rear axle
(EX, EX with leather interior)
on the f ront axle
on the rear axle
on the f ront axle
on the rear axle
4-cylinder models:
6-cylinder models: 4-cylinder models:
6-cylinder models:
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GA WR):
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):
264
4,080 lbs (1,850 kg)
4,125 lbs (1,870 kg)
4,300 lbs (1,950 kg) 2,195 lbs (995 kg)
1,960 lbs (890 kg)
2,225 lbs (1,010 kg)
1,985 lbs (900 kg)
2,360 lbs (1,070 kg)
2,005 lbs (910 kg)Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously
injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.

Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and that it meets
f ederal, state, province, and local
regulations. 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.
The best way to conf irm that vehicle
and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the f irst time you set up a
towing combination (a f ully-loaded
car and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change. Any hitch used on your car must be
properly bolted to the underbody.
CONT INUED
Towing a Trailer
Driving
T owing Equipment and
A ccessories
Checking L oadsHitches
265

Trailer lights and equipment must
comply with federal, state, and local
regulations. Check with your local
recreational vehicle dealer f or the
requirements in your area, and use
only equipment designed f or your
vehicle.
Since lighting and wiring vary by
trailer type and brand, you should
have a qualif ied technician install a
suitable connector between the
vehicle and the trailer. Improper
equipment or installation can cause
damage to your vehicle’ s electrical
system and af f ect your vehicle
warranty.
Always use saf ety chains. Make sure
they are secured to both the trailer
and 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.
Honda recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs
(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 car’s
hydraulic system. No matter how
successf ul it may seem, any attempt
to attach trailer brakes to your car’s
hydraulic system will lower braking
ef f ectiveness and create a potential
hazard.
Seeyourtrailerdealerformore
inf ormation on installing electric
brakes.
Towing a Trailer
Driving
T railer L ights
Saf et y Chains T railer Brakes
266