2012 HONDA ACCORD COUPE engine overheat

(seat belts, SRS, and child protection)
(main controls)
(indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column)
( )
(fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading)
(engine and transmission operation) (minder, f luid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage) (f lat tire, jump starting, overheating, and f uses)
(vehicle specif ications, tires, and emissions controls) (warranty and contact inf ormation)
(how to order)
climate control, audio, steering wheel, security, cruise control, HomeLink, and other convenience items
Contents
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety .5
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Index .I
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Your Vehicle at a Glance .3
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Instruments and Controls .53
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Features .123
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Bef ore Driving .283
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Driving .303
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Maintenance .339
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T aking Care of the Unexpected .391
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T echnical Inf ormation .417
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Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada only) .435
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A uthorized Manuals (U.S. only) .439
1

Owner's Identification Form
Service Inf ormation Summary (f luid capacities and tire pressures)

Index
Book Ta ble of Contents
Chapter Ta ble of Contents
Navigation KeyYour Vehicle at a Glance
00X31-TE0-6400
\251 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. - All Rights Reserved
2012 Accord Coupe Online Reference Owner's Manual
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

Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.When the low tire pressure indicator
is on, one or more of your tires is
signif icantly underinf lated. You
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inf late them to
the proper pressure as indicated on
the vehicle’s tire inf ormation placard.
If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inf late the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver’s doorjamb.
If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire (see page ).
If you cannot make the low tire
pressure indicator go out af ter
inf lating the tires to the specif ied
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor (not including the spare tire).
If the air pressure of a tire becomes
signif icantly low while driving, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure indicator to come on.
Driving on a signif icantly under
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Becausetirepressurevariesby
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure indicator may
come on unexpectedly.
393
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
326

Driving
2012 Accord Coupe

CONT INUED
If the automatic transmission f luid
temperature increases and exceeds
the specif ied limit, the transmission
will also automatically downshif t to
the first gear even with the
Sequential Sportshif t Mode. This
prevents the automatic transmission
f rom overheating. In this case, the
gear position ‘‘1’’ next to the ‘‘M’’
indicator in the instrument panel
blinks f or about f ive seconds, then it
stays on.
When driving uphill and downhill,
use the S position (without using the
paddle shif ters) to provide the
proper engine power and engine
braking on each gear. You can also
use the paddle shif ters. In this case,
select third, second, or f irst gear
with the paddle shif ter; depending on
the vehicle speeds and road
condition. Do not use f ourth and f if th
gears.
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.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Do not exceed the limited speed
when towing a trailer. At higher
speeds, the trailer may sway or
af f ect vehicle handling (see ‘‘
’’inthenextpagefor
additional gear information).
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, use the D position
when towing a trailer on level roads.
D3 is the proper shif t lever position
to use when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain.V6 models with automatic transmission
4-cylinder models with
Towing a Trailer
T owing Speeds and Gears Making T urns and Braking
Driving
on Hills
335

Driving
automatic transmission
2012 Accord Coupe

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.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and always apply engine
braking by shif ting down. If your
vehicle has a manual transmission,
when going down a steep hill, use
the second gear to provide greater
engine braking.Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
If youmuststopwhenfacinguphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause the trailer to
sway. 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.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and use the S mode. You
canalsousethepaddleshiftersto
change the gear position. Select third,
second or f irst gear depending on
the vehicle speeds and road
condition. When going down a steep
hill, use second gear to provide
greater engine braking. Shif t down
to f irst gear when driving up steep
hills.
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D3.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to the
second gear.
V6 models with automatic transmission
4-cylinder models with
Driving on Hills
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Towing a Trailer
336

Driving
automatic transmission
2012 Accord Coupe

Theheadlightswereproperlyaimed
when your vehicle was new. If you
regularly carry heavy items in the
trunk or pull a trailer, readjustment
may be required. Adjustments
should be done by your dealer or
another qualif ied technician.Your vehicle has halogen headlight
bulbs. When replacing a bulb, handle
it by its base, and protect the glass
f rom contact with your skin or hard
objects. If you touch the glass, clean
it with denatured alcohol and a clean
cloth.
Open the hood.
To change a bulb on the
passenger’s side, remove the
engine coolant reserve tank by
pulling it out of its stay.
1.
CONT INUED
Headlight A iming
Replacing a Headlight Bulb
Lights
High Beam Headlight
365
STAY
4-cylinder modelsHalogen headlight bulbs get very hot
when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to
overheat and shatter.

Maint enance
2012 Accord Coupe

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .392
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .393
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If the Engine Won’t Start . 398
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Jump Starting .400
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If the Engine Overheats . 403
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Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 405
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Charging System Indicator . 405
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 406
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Brake System Indicator . 407
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Fuses .408
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Fuse Locations .412
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Emergency Towing .415
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
391

2012 Accord Coupe

The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
If it climbs to the red mark, you
should determine the reason (hot
day, driving up a steep hill, etc.).
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Park (automatic), and
set the parking brake. Turn of f all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning lights.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
2. 1. 3.
4.
5.
415
CONT INUED
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
403
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.

T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
2012 Accord Coupe