2008 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN brakes

This indicator comes on brief ly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at
any other time, it indicates a
potential problem with your f ront
airbags. This indicator will also alert
you to a potential problem with your
side airbags, passenger’s side airbag
cutof f system, side curtain airbags,
automatic seat belt tensioners,
driver’s seat position sensor, or the
f ront passenger’s weight sensors.
For more inf ormation, see page .
This indicator has two f unctions:
Itcomesonwhenyouturnthe
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. It is a reminder to check
the parking brake. A beeper
sounds if you drive with the
parking brake not f ully released.
Driving with the parking brake not
fully released can damage the
brakes and tires.
If it remains lit af ter you f ully
release the parking brake while
the engine is running, or if it
comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the brake
system. For more inf ormation, see
page . This indicator comes on brief ly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at
any other time, it indicates that the
passenger’s side airbag has
automatically shut off. For more
inf ormation, see page .
1.
2. 2929
371 Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Parking Brake and Brake System
Indicator Side Airbag Of f Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
57
U.S. Canada Canada
U.S.
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2008 Accord Sedan

To apply the parking brake, pull the
lever up f ully. To release it, pull up
slightly, push the button, and lower
the lever. The parking brake
indicator on the instrument panel
should go out when the parking
brake is f ully released (see page ).57
Parking Brake
Inst rument s and Cont rols
109
PARKING BRAKE LEVER
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake applied can damage the rear
brakes and axles. A beeper will sound
if the vehicle is driven with the parking
brake on.
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2008 Accord Sedan

You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:If you need to decrease your
speed quickly, use the brakes as you
normally would.
Press and hold the SET/DECEL
button. Release the button when
you reach the desired speed.
To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the SET/DECEL
button repeatedly. Each time you
do this, your vehicle will slow
down about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your f oot. The
CRUISE CONTROL indicator on
the instrument panel will go out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the SET/
DECEL button.
You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
Press and hold the RES/ACCEL
button. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.
Push on the accelerator pedal.
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed, then press the SET/
DECEL button.
To increase the speed in very
small amounts, tap the RES/
ACCEL button. Each time you do
this, your vehicle will speed up
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Cruise control may not hold the set
speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to
slow down to the desired speed. This
will cancel cruise control. To resume
the set speed, press the RES/
ACCEL button. The CRUISE
CONTROL indicator on the
instrument panel comes on.
When climbing a steep hill, the
automatic transmission may
downshif t to hold the set speed.
Cruise Control
Changing the Set Speed
224
NOTE:
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2008 Accord Sedan

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy, metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your dealer f or service.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
We recommend using quality
gasolines containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise the engine speed by shif ting to
a lower gear.
On models with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
260
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Bef ore installing any accessory:Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make your vehicle unsaf e. Bef ore
you make any modif ications or add
anyaccessories,besuretoreadthe
f ollowing inf ormation.
Your dealer has Honda accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved f or your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.
Although non-Honda accessories
may f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability.
When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags, anti-lock brakes, and
tire pressure monitoring system. Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
the proper operation of your
vehicle.
Bef ore installing any electronic
accessory, have the installer
contact your dealer for assistance.
If possible, have your dealer
inspect the f inal installation.
Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows. Accessories installed in
theseareasmayinterferewith
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.372
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
271
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
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2008 Accord Sedan

Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with
af termarket components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Herearesomeexamples:Lowering the vehicle with a non-
Honda suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Raising your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability. If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer.Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
safety features can make the
systems inef f ective.
Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Non-Honda wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components, and are not
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS).
Modif ying Your Vehicle
A ccessories and Modif ications
272
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2008 Accord Sedan

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
the braking system, the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system, the tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS),
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive .280
.......................
Starting the Engine .281
...................
Manual Transmission .282
..............
Automatic Transmission .284
...........................................
Parking .289
.............................
Braking System .290
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .291
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
........................................
System .293
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .295
...........................
Towing a Trailer .298
Driving
Driving
279
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2008 Accord Sedan

On models with manual transmission
The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from fifth to
reverse.When shif ting up or down, make
sure you push the clutch pedal down
all the way, shif t to the next gear,
and let the pedal up gradually. When
you are not shif ting, do not rest your
f oot on the clutch pedal. This can
cause your clutch to wear out f aster.
Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t into
reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into reverse, or shif t into one
of the f orward gears f or a moment.
This stops the gears so they won’t
‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
Manual T ransmission
282
Rapid slowing or speeding up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
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