check engine HONDA ACCORD 2002 CL7 / 7.G User Guide

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Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the page given.
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you f ill the f uel tank. See page .
Windshield washer f luid Check
the level in the reservoir monthly.
If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers f requently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
f or f uel. See page .Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page .
Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See page .
Brakes Check the f luid level
monthly. See page . 198
200
262
263 267 283
290
Owner Maintenance Checks
Maint enance247

To add oil, unscrew and remove the
engine oil f ill cap on top of the valve
cover. Pour in the oil, and install the
engine oil f ill cap. Tighten it securely.
Wait a f ew minutes and recheck the
oil level. Do not f ill above the upper
mark; you could damage the engine.Oil is major contributor to your
engine’s perf ormance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade
detergent oil displaying the API
Certif ication Seal. This seal indicates
the oil is energy conserving, and that
it meets the American Petroleum
Institute’s latest requirements. It is
highly recommended that you use
Honda Motor Oil in your vehicle f or
as long as you own it.
A dding Oil
Recommended Oil
Maint enance
Engine Oil
250
EENNGGIINNEEOOIILLFFIILLLLCCAAPP
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EENNGGIINNEEOOIILLFFIILLLLCCAAPP
66--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellss

If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system f or leaks.
This coolant should always be a
mixtureof 50percentantifreezeand
50 percent water. Never add straight
antif reeze or plain water.Always use Honda All Season
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2. This
coolant is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antif reeze and 50 percent water. It
does not require any additional
mixing. If it is not available, you may
use another major-brand non-silicate
coolant as a temporary replacement.
Make sure it is a high-quality coolant
recommended f or aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result incorrosion, causing the cooling
system to malf unction or f ail. Have
the cooling system f lushed and
ref illed with Honda antif reeze/
coolant as soon as possible.
If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.
CONT INUED
A dding Engine Coolant
Maint enance
Cooling Syst em
255
66--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellss44--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellssRREESSEERRVVEETTAANNKKRREESSEERRVVEETTAANNKKRemoving 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.

Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly
during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers of ten,
check the level every time you stop
for fuel.
The windshield washer reservoir is
located behind the headlight.
Check the reservoir’s f luid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
level gauge attached to the cap.
The low washer level indicator will
light when the level is low (see page).
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather. When you ref ill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer f luid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
59
Canadian Models
Windshield Washers
Maint enance262
LLEEVVEELLGGAAUUGGEE
44--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellss66--ccyylliinnddeerrmmooddeellss
Do not use engine antif reeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antif reeze can damage your car’s paint,
while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer f luid.

Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)
f rom the transmission and wipe it
with a clean cloth.
Check the f luid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature.
Insert the dipstick all the way into
the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
Remove the dipstick and check
the f luid level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
Park the car on level ground. Shut
of f the engine. To thoroughly f lush the transmission,
the technician should drain and ref ill
it with Honda ATF-Z1 (Automatic
Transmission Fluid), then drive the
vehicle a short distance. Do this
three times. Then drain and ref ill the
transmission a final time.If the level is below the lower
mark, add f luid into the tube to
bring it to the upper mark. Always
use Honda ATF-Z1 (Automatic
Transmission Fluid). If it is not
available, you may use a
DEXRON
III automatic
transmission f luid as a temporary
replacement. However, continued
use can affect shift quality. Have
the transmission f lushed and
ref illed with Honda ATF-Z1 as
soon as it is convenient.
1. 2. 3.5.
4.
4-cylinder models
CONT INUED
Automatic Transmission
T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance263
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The f luid should be between the
MIN and MAX marks on the side of
the reservoir. If it is not, add brake
f luid to bring it up to that level. Use
the same f luid specif ied f or the
brake system.
Low f luid level can indicate a leak in
the clutch system. Have this system
inspected as soon as possible.Check the level when the engine is
cold. Look at the side of the
reservoir. The f luid should be
between the UPPER LEVEL and
LOWER LEVEL. If it is below the
LOWER LEVEL, add power steering
f luid to the UPPER LEVEL.
Power Steering
Clutch System
Brake and Clutch Fluid, Power Steering
Maint enance268
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LLOOWWEERRLLEEVVEELL
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MMIINN
MMAAXX
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Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them.
Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently.
342
Optional f or U.S. DX and Value Package
models
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance281
AAIIRRCCOONNDDIITTIIOONNIINNGGCCOONNDDEENNSSEERR
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.

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 car towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire . 312
....................
Changing a Flat Tire . 313
..........
If Your Engine Won’t Start . 318
Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor Operates ............................
Very Slowly . 319
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally . 319
................................
Jump Starting . 320
............
If Your Engine Overheats . 323
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 325
..........
Charging System Indicator . 326
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 327
.......................
Readiness Codes . 328
...............
Brake System Indicator . 329
..................
Closing the Moonroof . 330
..............................................
Fuses . 331
..........
Checking and Replacing . 332
......................
Emergency Towing . 336
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed311

When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), 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.
Check these things: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.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See on 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 and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the car from
a booster battery (see page ).
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See
on page .)In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. 71
209
320 336
276 320
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
319

Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
If your car’s battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine
by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your car, f ollow these
directions closely:
Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . 1. 2.276
336
331 Jump Starting
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed320
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyonenearby.
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.