tow HONDA ACCORD COUPE 2001 CF / 6.G Owner's Manual

Wiper Blades
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months. Look for signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you find
these signs, or they leave streaks and unwiped areas when used.
To replace the blade:1. Raise the wiper arm off the windshield.Raise the driver's side first, then
the passenger's side. 2. Disconnect the blade assembly
from the wiper arm by pushing inthe lock tab. Hold it in while youpush the blade assembly toward
the base of the arm.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

WIPER ARMS
LOCK TAB

Storing Your Car
If you need to park your car for an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors.
Fill the fuel tank.
Change the engine oil and filter(see page 235).
Wash and dry the exterior completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse (5-speed manual) or Park

(automatic).
Block the rear wheels.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the front wiper blade
arms with a folded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehicle body wax to the painted surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals. Cover the car with a "breathable"
cover, one made from a porous
material such as cotton.
Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month).
If you store your car for 12 months
or longer, have your Honda dealer
perform the inspections called for in
the 24 months/30,000 miles (48,000
km) maintenance schedule as soon as you take it out of storage (see
page 224). The replacements called
for in the maintenance schedule are not needed unless the car hasactually reached that time or mileage.

Maintenance

Exterior Care

Washing Frequent washing helps preserve
your car's beauty. Dirt and grit can scratch the paint, while tree sap and
bird droppings can permanently ruin the finish.
Wash your car in a shady area, not in direct sunlight. If the car is parked in
the sun, move it into the shade and
let the exterior cool down before you start.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommended in this Owner's Manual.

Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your car.
Rinse the car thoroughly with cool
water to remove loose dirt.
Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix
in a mild detergent, such asdishwashing liquid or a product
made especially for car washing.
Wash the car using the water and detergent solution and a soft-
bristle brush, sponge, or soft cloth. Start at the top and work your way
down. Rinse frequently.
Check the body for road tar, tree
sap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it off immediately so it does not
harm the finish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of
the car does not need waxing. When you have washed and rinsed
the whole exterior, dry it with a
chamois or soft towel. Letting it
air-dry will cause dulling and water
spots.

As you dry the car, inspect it for chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page 289).

Appearance Care

NOTICE

Interior Care

Seat Belts

LOOP

If your seat belts get dirty, you can
use a soft brush with a mixture of
mild soap and warm water to clean
them. Do not use bleach, dye, or cleaning solvents. They can weaken
the belt material. Let the belts air- dry before you use the car. Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.
Windows Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass cleaner. You can also use a mixtureof one part white vinegar to ten parts
water. This will remove the haze that builds up on the inside of the
windows. Use a soft cloth or paper towels to clean all glass and clear
plastic surfaces.
The rear window defogger and
antenna wires are bonded to the inside
of the glass. Wiping vigorously up-and-
down can dislodge and break these
wires. When cleaning the rear window, use gentle pressure and wipe side-to-
side.

Air Fresheners
If you want to use an air freshener/
deodorizer in the interior of your car,
it is best to use a solid type. Some
liquid air fresheners contain chemi- cals that may cause parts of the
interior trim and fabric to crack or
discolor.

If you use a liquid air freshener,

make sure you fasten it securely so it does not spill as you drive.
Appearance Care
NOTICE

Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers the more- common problems that motoristsexperience with their vehicles. It
gives you information 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 find instructions
on getting your car towed. Compact Spare Tire....................... 296
Changing a Flat Tire ..................... 297
If Your Engine Won't Start........... 302 Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor OperatesVery Slowly............................. 303
The Starter Operates Normally................................. 304
Jump Starting................................. 304 If Your Engine Overheats............. 307
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 309Charging System Indicator........... 310
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........ 311 Readiness Codes........................ 312
Brake System Indicator................ 313 Closing the Moonroof................... 314
Fuses............................................... 315 Checking and Replacing........... 316
Emergency Towing....................... 320

Taking Care of the Unexpected

If Your Engine Won't Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying tostart. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Your car has the ImmobilizerSystem. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 57).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer systemindicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed all the way to the floor 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 headlightsare very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
Jump Starting on page 304. Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignitionswitch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 320 .)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections arecorroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 260). You can
then try jump starting the car from a booster battery (see page 304).

Taking Care of the Unexpected

If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting
The Starter Operates Normally In this case, the starter motor's
speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper startingprocedure? Refer to Starting the
Engine on page 193 .Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you werenot reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 315).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency
Towing on page 320 . Jump Starting
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, follow these
directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 260). 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 a battery sits in extreme cold, the electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen battery can cause it to rupture.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
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.
NOTICE

If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the

hood.

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 320).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page 184). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check- ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off. 10. Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial tomaximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the filler neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and refilled with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.

11. 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 Emergency
Towing on page 320.)
12. 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.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
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.

Low Oil Pressure Indicator

LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safely get
the car stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level(see page 182). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during
cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 234). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving. (See Emergency
Towing on page 320.)
Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Brake System Indicator

BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR*
The Brake System Indicator normally comes on when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). It is a
reminder to check the parking brake.
It comes on and stays lit if you do not
fully release the parking brake. If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the car's
brake system. In most cases, the problem is a low fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir. Press lightly on the brake pedal to see if it feels
normal. If it does, check the brake
fluid level the next time you stop at a service station (see page 251). If the
fluid level is low, take the car to your dealer and have the brake system
inspected for leaks or worn brake

pads.

However, if the brake pedal does not
feel normal, you should take
immediate action. Because of the
brake system's dual-circuit design, a problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will feel the brake pedalgo down much farther before the car
begins to slow down, and you will have to press harder on the pedal.
The distance needed to stop will be much longer. Slow down by shifting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is safe. Because of the longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the car. Youshould have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (See Emergency
Towing on page 320 .)
If you must drive the car a short
distance in this condition, driveslowly and cautiously.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

*U.S. indicator shown