2003 HONDA ACCORD Owners Manual

such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed f or the road and
weather conditions.
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. it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a saf e f ollowing distance
f rom other vehicles.
The ABS is self -checking. If anything
goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see
page ). This means the anti-lock
f unction 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.
on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or snow, than a car without anti-lock.
Slow down and allow a greater
distance between cars under those
conditions.
If the ABS indicator and the brake
system indicator come on together,
and the parking brake is f ully
released, the front-to-rear braking
distribution system may also shut
down.
Test your brakes as instructed on
page . If the brakes f eel normal,
drive slowly and have your car
repaired by your dealer as soon as
possible. Avoid sudden hard braking
which could cause the rear wheels to
lock up and possibly lead to a loss of
control.
The TCS indicator will come on
alongwiththeABSindicator.
59 351
On all LX-V6 and EX-V6 models
Import ant Saf et y Reminders
A BS Indicat or
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS cannot prevent a loss of
stability.
A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the car;
A car with ABS may require a
longer distance to stop
The Braking System
Driving231
ABS INDICATOR
——yy
(yy

Your Honda is equipped with a
Traction Control System (TCS) to
assist you in maintaining traction
while driving slowly on loose or
slippery surf aces.
TCS monitors the speed of all f our
wheels. When it senses a f ront wheel
losing traction, it applies braking to
that wheel. The TCS Activation
indicator f lashes when this occurs.
Driving with TCS requires no special
skills or technique. The TCS does
not control your car’s whole braking
system and cannot prevent skidding
if you enter a corner too f ast. It is
still your responsibility to drive at
reasonable speeds and to leave a
suf f icient margin of saf ety.When starting out or driving on a
loose or slippery road surf ace, you
may notice that the car does not
respond to the accelerator in the
samewayitdoesatothertimes.This
is a sign TCS is activating. You will
seetheTCSActivationindicator
light f lash.TheTCSindicator(seepage )
comesonandstaysonwhenthereis
a problem with the TCS. The TCS
Activation indicator will also come on.
You should still install winter tires on
your car during the winter. Make
sure to use the same size originally
supplied with car. Exercise the same
cautioninwinterdrivingasyou
would if your car was not equipped
with TCS.
Driving with the compact spare tire
installed (see page ) may
activate the TCS. You should turn of f
the system.
60
334
On LX-V6 and EX-V6 models
Traction Control System
Driving232
TCS INDICATOR
TCS ACTIVATION INDICATOR
——yy
(yy

The TCS indicator comes on or
f lashes under the f ollowing condi-
tions:When you turn the ignition switch
to ON (II).
When you manually turn of f TCS.
It f lashes when TCS is regulating
wheelspin.
The Traction Control System turns
on every time you start the engine,
even if you turned it of f the last time
you drove the car.
This switch is under the side vent. It
letsyouturntheTractionControl
System on and of f . You cannot turn
of f the TCS while the TCS Activation
light is f lashing. Deactivate the system by pressing
the TCS On/Off switch. The TCS
Activation indicator light comes on
as a reminder. Pressing the switch
again turns the system back on.
If the system’s diagnostics senses
a problem with TCS, the indicator
will come on and stay on along
with the TCS indicator.
CONT INUED
TCS ON/OFF Switch TCS Activation Indicator
Traction Control System
Driving233
——yy
(yy

The TCS indicator may occasionally
come on f or 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 brake
system (see on page
).
If the TCS indicator comes on along
with the Brake System indicator, it
indicates a problem in the brake
system (see on page ).
If the TCS indicator comes on while
driving, pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e and turn of f 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 car without TCS.
231
58
ABS Indicator
Brake System
Indicator
Traction Control System
Driving234
——yy
(yy

µ
CONT INUED
Rain, f og, and snow conditions
require a dif f erent 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.Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to
react, even in conditions that may
seem 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 f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills. Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving
Driving T echnique
235
——yy
(yy

µµBeing able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more dif f icult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights. Check your tires
f requently f or wear and proper
pressure. Both are important in
preventing ‘‘hydroplaning’’ (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all f our
wheels f or the best handling.
Watch road conditions caref ully,
they can change f rom moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. ‘‘Clear’’ roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near f reezing.
The road surf ace can become
covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be caref ul when downshif ting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the
drive wheels f or a moment and cause
askid. Be very cautious when passing, or
beingpassedbyothervehicles.The
spray f rom large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buf f eting
can cause you to lose control.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers f requently. Keep the wind-
shield washer reservoir f ull of the
proper f luid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the def roster and air
conditioning to keep the windows
f rom f ogging up on the inside (see
pages and ).
131
125
Visibility Traction
Driving
Driving in Bad Weather
236
——y

y
(yy

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:
237
——y
y
(yy

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 car, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: The total weight of the car, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
(DX, LX) (EX, EX-L) (DX, LX)
on the f ront axle
on the rear axle
(EX, EX-L)
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):
238
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 car and
trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously
injured or killed.
Check the loading of your car
and trailer carefully before
starting to drive.
——yy
(y
y