2012 HONDA ACCORD COUPE 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 that the
passenger’s side airbag has
automatically shut off. 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 stays on after you have fully
released 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 a
potential problem with your f ront
airbags. This indicator will also alert
you to a potential problem with your
airbag system components. For
more information, see page .
1.
2. 30
407 29
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Parking Brake and
Brake System
Indicator Side Airbag Of f
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
57
U.S.
Canada U.S.
Canada

Inst rument s and Cont rols
2012 Accord Coupe

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
114
PARKING BRAKE LEVER
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake applied can damage the rear
brakes and hubs. A beeper will sound if
the vehicle is driven with the parking
brake on.

Inst rument s and Cont rols
2012 Accord Coupe

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 vehicle speed
increases going down a hill, use the
brakes to slow down. This will cancel
thecruisecontrol.Toresumetheset
speed, press the RES/ACCEL button.
The CRUISE CONTROL indicator
on the instrument panel will come
back on.
CONT INUED
Changing the Set Speed
Cruise Control
251
NOTE:

Features
2012 Accord Coupe

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.
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.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer. Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time. 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 transmissionBreak-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
284

Bef ore Driving
2012 Accord Coupe

Bef ore installing any accessory:Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
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. Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
the proper operation of your
vehicle.
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, stability, and reliability. 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.
Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
non-Honda accessories, may make
your vehicle unsaf e. Bef ore you
make any modif ications or add any
accessories,besuretoreadthe
f ollowing inf ormation.
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. 408
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
296
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.

Bef ore Driving
2012 Accord Coupe

Some examples are: Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with
non-Honda components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.Raising your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit can
af f ect the handling, stability, and
reliability. 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. 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 will not be
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS).
Modif ying Your Vehicle
A ccessories and Modif ications
297

Bef ore Driving
2012 Accord Coupe

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 .304
.......................
Starting the Engine .305
...................
Manual Transmission . 306
..............
Automatic Transmission . 309
Driving with the Paddle .......................................
Shif ters .315
...........................................
Parking .320
.............................
Braking System .321
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 322
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
),
aka Electronic Stability Control .......................
(ESC), System .324
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .326
...........................
Towing a Trailer .329
Driving
Driving
303

2012 Accord Coupe

Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift 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.
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.
On vehicles with 6-speed manual
transmission, the lockout system
prevents you f rom shif ting directly
from any forward gear to reverse while the vehicle is moving at a
certain speed (see page ).
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.
308
On models with 5-speed manual
transmission, or modelswith 6-speed manual transmission
Manual T ransmission
306
5-speed M/T 6-speed M/T

Driving
2012 Accord Coupe