2006 HONDA ACCORD Owners Manual

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 each axle must
not exceed:
The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
U.S. VP and LX:
Canadian DX-G:
U.S. LX-V6 and EX-V6 with automatictransmission:Canadian SE-V6 and EX-V6 withautomatic transmission:
U.S. EX-V6 with manual transmission:Canadian EX-V6 with manual
transmission: U.S. VP and LX:
Canadian DX-G:
U.S. LX-V6 and EX-V6:Canadian SE-V6 and EX-V6:
U.S. EX, EX-L and SE:
Canadian SE and EX-L:
U.S. EX-L and SE:
Canadian SE and EX-L:
Towing a Trailer
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GA WR):
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):
Driving
185
4,080 Ibs (1,850 kg)
4,145 Ibs (1,880 kg)
4,345 Ibs (1,970 kg)
4,300 Ibs (1,950 kg) 1,960 Ibs (890 kg)
on the rear axle
2,225 Ibs (1,010 kg)
on the front axle
1,985 Ibs (900 kg)
on the rear axle
2,360 Ibs (1,070 kg)
on the front axle
2,005 Ibs (910 kg)
on the rear axle
2,195 Ibs (995 kg)
on the front axle
——yy
(y
y

Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody.
Towing can require a variety of
equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, how
much load you are towing, and
where you tow. To ensure the best
quality, we recommend that you
purchase Honda equipment
whenever possible.
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.
The best way to conf irm that vehicle
and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale. To locate the public scales in
your area, consult your local yellow
pages or ask your dealer f or
assistance.
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
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
Always use saf ety chains when you
tow a trailer. Make sure the chains
are secured to the trailer and hitch,
and that they cross under the tongue
and 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.
Towing a Trailer
Hitches
Saf et y ChainsT owing Equipment and
A ccessories
Checking L oads
186
——yy
(y
y

Many states and provinces require
special outside mirrors when towing
a trailer. Even if they don’t, you
should install special mirrors if you
cannot clearly see behind you, or if
the trailer creates a blind spot.
Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation.
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.
Trailer lights and equipment must
comply with f ederal, state, and
regulations. Check with your local
trailer sales or rental agency for the
requirements in your area, and use
only equipment designed f or your
vehicle.
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 electrically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle’s hydraulic system. No
matter how successf ul it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle’s hydraulic system
will lower braking ef f ectiveness and
create a potential hazard.
Seeyourtrailerdealerformore
inf ormation on installing electric
brakes.
Towing a Trailer
A ddit ional T owing Equipment
T railer L ights
Trailer Brakes
Driving
187
——yy
(y
y

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, cooling system, and
lights are in good operating
condition.
All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ). Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use the D position
when towing a trailer on level roads.
184 186 227
Pre-T ow Checklist
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Towing a Trailer
T owing Speeds and Gears
188
——y
y
(y

y

Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
D is the proper shif t lever position
to use when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain.When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shif t down to second
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering wheel,
then turn the wheel to the left to get
the trailer to move to the lef t. Turn
the wheel to the right to move the
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
3
bottom
Towing a Trailer
Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ingBacking Up
Parking
Driving
189
——yy
(y
y

190
——yy
(y
y

All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.
To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and f lames away f rom the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when
working near the battery or
when using compressed air. Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the
engine. Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
bef ore touching any parts. Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so. Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Carbon Monoxide poison
f rom engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
Injury f rom moving parts.
Potential Vehicle Hazards
192
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’smanual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle 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,
maintenance recommendations,
and schedules in this owner’smanual.
——yy
(y
y

CONT INUED
Your vehicle displays engine oil lif e
and maintenance service items in the
inf ormation display to show you
when you should have your dealer
perf orm engine oil replacement and
indicated maintenance service.To see the current engine oil lif e,
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position, and push and release
the SELECT/RESET knob on the
instrument panel 3 times.If the oil lif e is 15 to 6 percent, you
will see the oil lif e indicator f or
several seconds every time you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. The maintenance minder
indicator will also come on, and the
maintenance item code(s) for other
scheduled maintenance items
needing service will be displayed
next to the engine oil lif e indicator.
Based on the engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil lif e and displays it as a
percentage.
Maintenance Minder
Engine Oil L if e Indicator
Maint enance
193
MAINTENANCE ITEM CODE
ENGINE OIL LIFE
INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE MINDER
INFORMATION DISPLAY
——y
y
(y
y