HONDA ACCORD HYBRID 2006 CL7 / 7.G Owners Manual

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound or series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Store the center cap in the trunk.
Make sure it does not get
scratched or damaged.
Lower the trunk f loor, then close
the trunk lid. You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. Seeon page .
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or neutral.
Check these things:
232
19.
If the Engine Won’t Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
Changing a Flat Tire, If the Engine Won’t Start
230
Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
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Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem (seeon page ).In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ). Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery connections (see page ). You can then try jump
starting the vehicle from a booster
battery (see page ). If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied mechanic to f ind the
problem. See
on page .
241
232
221 165
77 243
241
Emergency T owing T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
Emergency T owing
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
231
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions. Open the hood, and check the physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
To jump start your vehicle:
You cannot start your vehicle by
pushing or pulling it. The numbers in the illustration show
the order to connect the jumper
cable.
Put the transmission in neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake. Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc. Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
1.
2.
3.
Jump Starting
232
BOOSTER
BATTERY
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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µOnce your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
then from the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper
cables away from each other and
any metal on the vehicle until
everything is disconnected.
Otherwise, you may cause an
electrical short.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
Start the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine. 7.
6. 5.
4.
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
233
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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 ).
The pointer of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. 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 or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f all the accessories, and
turn on the hazard warning lights.
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
241Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
234
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.
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Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.
Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the f iller neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and
ref illed with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.
7. 6. 8.
9. 241
10.
11.
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
235
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
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Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
outwithin10seconds,turnoff the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(see on page).
This indicator should never come on
when the engine is running. If it
starts flashing or stays on, the oil
pressure has dropped very low or
lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ). Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers. Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
1.
2.
3. 4.
153 196 241
Emergency T owing
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
236
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.
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If the charging system indicator
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, the battery is not being
charged.If the indicator comes on while
driving, it means one of the engine’s
emission control systems may have a
problem. Even though you may f eel
no dif f erence in your vehicle’s
perf ormance, continued operation
may cause serious damage.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to your dealer to have the vehicle
inspected.
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Charging System Indicator
Charging System Indicator, Malf unction Indicator L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
237
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
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If the indicator remains on or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have the vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible.If your vehicle’s battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again. Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, without starting the engine.
The malf unction indicator lamp will
come on f or 20 seconds. If it then
goes of f , the readiness codes are set.
If it blinks f ive times, the readiness
codes are not set. If possible, do not
take your vehicle for a state
emissions test until the readiness
codes are set. Ref er to
for more
inf ormation (see page ).
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing f uel f ill cap. Check the cap
or replace it. Tightening the cap will
not make the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes several days of
normal driving.
260
Readiness Codes
State
Emissions T esting
Malf unction Indicator L amp
238
If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties. This indicator may also
come on with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.
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However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.If the ABS indicator comes on with
this indicator, have the vehicle
inspected by your dealer
immediately.
If this indicator comes on while
driving, the brake f luid level is
probably low in the reservoir. Press
lightly on the brake pedal to see if it
f eels normal. If it does, check the
brake f luid level the next time you
stop at a service station (see page
). If the f luid level is low, take
the vehicle to your dealer and have
the brake system inspected f or leaks
or worn brake pads. If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and caref ully. Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed and repaired as
soon as possible (see
on page ).241
204 Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
239
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR
U.S. model
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