check engine light HONDA ACCORD COUPE 2003 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 .Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
Brakes Check the f luid level
monthly. See page . Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See pages and . 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 .
228
230
306
307 308 313 333
340
Owner Maintenance Checks
Maint enance291

Turn of f the engine, let it sit f or
several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.
Refill the engine with the recom-
mended oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including f ilter):
Replace the engine oil f ill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
f ive seconds. If it does not, turn of f
the engine and check your work.
Let the engine run f or several
minutes, then check the drain bolt
and oil f ilter f or leaks.
Put a new washer on the drain bolt,
then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:
(4-cylinder models)
(6-cylinder models) 9.
8. 7. 6. (4-cylinder models)
(6-cylinder models)
5.
Engine Oil
Maint enance298
OIL FILTER
6-cylinder models
4.4 US qt (4.2)
4.5 US qt (4.3
)
33 lbf·ft (44 N·m , 4.5 kgf·m)
29 lbf·ft (39 N·m , 4.0 kgf·m) Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmf ul to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose of
the used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling
center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.

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.
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).
The windshield washer reservoir is
located behind the right headlight.
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.
67
On Canadian models
Windshield Washers
Maint enance306
LEVEL GAUGE
4-cylinder models 6-cylinder modelsLEVEL GAUGE
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.

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.
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.
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.
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
pages and .)
396 398
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance329
AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
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.

Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
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. 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 . Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
the f uses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (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 ).
373 391
373
324
CONT INUED
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed371

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. 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 .
386 391
83
241
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed372

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.
To jump start your car, f ollow these
directions closely:
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. Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
1.
2.
324
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed373
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.

This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low f or 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.Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ). Letthecarsitforaminute.Open
the hood and check the oil level
(see page ). 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.Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the light
does not go out within ten seconds,
turn of f the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired bef ore you can
continue driving. (See
on page .)
1.
2.
3. 4.
228 294 391
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
379
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 car stopped.

This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. If it comes on
at any other time, it indicates one of
the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your car’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
your car to put out excessive
emissions. Continued operation may
cause serious damage.If you have recently ref ueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing f uel f ill cap. Check the cap
and tighten it until it clicks several
times. Replace the f uel f ill cap if it is
missing. Tightening the cap will not
make the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes one driving trip.
If the indicator remains on past one
driving trip, or the f uel cap was not
loose or missing, have the car
checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until the
dealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and
driving at high speed.
Youshouldalsohavethedealer
inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn of f as you continue driving.
This indicator may also come on
along with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.
Malf unction Indicator L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed381
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car’s emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car’s warranties.

All the electrical circuits in your car
have fuses to protect them from a
short circuit or overload. These
f uses are located in two f use boxes.The under-hood f use box is located
near the back of the engine compart-
ment on the driver’s side. To open it,
pushthetabsasshown. Remove the cover f rom the f use
box. Turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0). Make sure the headlights and
all other accessories are off.
If something electrical in your car
stops working, the f irst thing you
should check f or is a blown f use.
Determine f rom the chart on pages
and , or the diagram on the
f use box lid, which f use or f uses
control that component. Check those
f uses f irst, but check all the f uses
bef ore deciding that a blown f use is
not the cause. Replace any blown
f uses and check the component’s
operation.
The interior f use box is on the
driver’s lower lef t side. To remove
the f use box lid, put your f inger in
the notch on the lid, and pull it
upward slightly, then pull it toward
you and take it out of its hinges. 1.
2.390
389
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Checking and Replacing Fuses
386
INTERIOR UNDER-HOOD
TAB
NOTCH