weight HONDA ACCORD SEDAN 2000 Owner's Manual (in English)

Carryin
g Carg o

Carryin g Carg o i n th e Trun k o r o n
a Roo f Rac k
Distribut e carg o evenl y o n th e
floo r o f th e trunk , placin g th e
heavies t item s o n th e botto m an d
a s fa r forwar d a s possible .
I f yo u fol d dow n th e bac k seat , ti e
dow n item s tha t coul d b e throw n
abou t th e ca r durin g a cras h o r
sudde n stop .
I f yo u carr y larg e item s tha t
preven t yo u fro m closin g th e trun k
lid , exhaus t ga s ca n ente r th e
passenge r area . T o avoi d th e
possibilit y o f carbo n monoxid e
poisoning , follo w th e instruction s
o n pag e 4 7 . I
f yo u ca n carr y an y item s o n a
roo f rack , b e sur e th e tota l weigh t
o f th e rac k an d th e item s doe s no t
excee d th e maximu m allowabl e
weight . Pleas e contac t you r Hond a
deale r fo r furthe r information .

Befor e Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

You r Hond a ha s bee n designe d
primaril y to carr y passenger s an d
thei r cargo . Yo u ca n us e it t o to w a
traile r i f yo u carefull y observ e th e

loa d limits , us e th e prope r equipment ,

an d follo w th e guideline s in thi s

section .
Loa
d Limit s
Tota l Traile r Weight : Th e tota l
weigh t o f th e traile r an d
everythin g loade d in it mus t no t
excee d 1,00 0 Ib s (45 0 kg) . Towin g
a loa d tha t i s to o heav y ca n
seriousl y affec t you r car' s
handlin g an d performance . I t ca n
als o damag e th e engin e an d
drivetrain .
Tongu e Load : Th e weigh t tha t
th e tongu e o f a fully-loade d traile r
put s o n th e hitc h shoul d b e
approximatel y 1 0 percen t o f th e
traile r weight . To o littl e tongu e
loa d ca n mak e th e traile r unstabl e
an d caus e it t o sway . To o muc h
tongu e loa d reduce s front-tir e
tractio n an d steerin g control .
T o achiev e a prope r tongu e load ,
star t b y loadin g 6 0 percen t o f th e
loa d towar d th e fron t o f th e traile r
an d 4 0 percen t towar d th e rear ,
the n readjus t th e loa d a s needed .
Gros
s Vehicl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GVWR) :
Th e tota l weigh t o f th e vehicle , al l
occupants , al l cargo , an d th e
tongu e loa d mus t no t exceed :

4-cylinder models:

(DX , LX , SE )
3,99 0 Ib s (1,81 0 kg )

(EX )

4,03 5 Ib s (1,83 0 kg )

6-cylinder models:

4,23 5 Ib s (1,92 0 kg )
Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Gros s Axl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GAWR) :

Th e tota l weigh t o f th e vehicle , al l
occupants , al l cargo , and the
tongu e loa d mus t no t exceed :

4-cylinder models:

( DX , LX , SE )
2, 160 Ibs (98 0 kg )
o n th e fron t axl e
1, 895 Ibs ( 860 kg)
o n th e rea r axl e
(EX )
2,18 5 Ib s (99 0 kg )
o n th e fron t axl e
1 ,920 Ibs (8 70 kg )
o n th e rea r axl e

6-cylinder models:

2,315 Ib s ( 1,050 kg)
o n th e fron t axl e
1,940 Ibs (88 0
kg )

o n th e rea r axl e
Checkin
g Load s

Th e bes t wa y t o confir m tha t vehicl e
an d traile r weight s ar e withi n limit s
i s t o hav e the m checke d a t a publi c

scale .

Usin g a suitabl e scal e o r a specia l
tongu e loa d gauge , chec k th e tongu e
loa d th e firs t tim e yo u se t u p a
towin g combinatio n ( a fully-loade d
vehicl e an d trailer) , the n rechec k th e
tongu e loa d wheneve r th e condition s

change .

Driving

Exceedin
g loa d limit s o r
improperl y loadin g you r vehicl e
an d traile r ca n caus e a cras h i n
whic h yo u ca n b e seriousl y

injure d o r killed .

Chec k th e loadin g o f you r
vehicl e an d traile r carefull y
befor e startin g t o drive .

Towin
g a Traile r
Additional Trailer equipment

Many state s
an
d province s requir e
specia l outsid e mirror s whe n towin g
a trailer . Eve n if the y don't , yo u
shoul d instal l specia l mirror s if yo u
canno t clearl y se e behin d you , o r i f
th e traile r create s a blin d spot .
As k you r traile r sale s o r renta l
agenc y if an y othe r item s ar e
recommende d o r require d fo r you r

towin g situation .
Pre-To
w Checklis t
Whe n preparin g to tow , an d befor e
drivin g away , b e sur e to chec k th e
following :
Th e vehicl e ha s bee n properly
serviced , an d th e tires , brakes ,
suspension , an d coolin g syste m
ar e in goo d operatin g condition .
Al l weight s an d load s ar e withi n
limit s (se e page s 18 6 an d 187 ).
Th e hitch , safet y chain , an d an y
othe r attachment s ar e secure .
Al l item s o n an d in th e traile r ar e
properl y secure d an d canno t shif t
whil e yo u drive .
Th e light s an d brake s o n you r
vehicl e an d th e traile r ar e workin g
properly . You
r vehicl e tire s an d spar e ar e
properly inflated (se e pag e 24 2 ) ,
an d th e traile r tire s an d spar e ar e
inflate d a s recommende d b y th e
traile r maker .

Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Drivin g Safel y Wit h a Traile r
Th e adde d weight , length , an d
heigh t o f a traile r wil l affec t you r
vehicle' s handlin g an d performance ,
s o drivin g wit h a traile r require s
som e specia l drivin g skill s an d

techniques .

Fo r you r safet y an d th e safet y o f
others , tak e tim e t o practic e drivin g
maneuver s befor e headin g fo r th e
ope n road , an d follo w th e guideline s
discusse d below .

Towing Speeds and Gears

Driv e slowe r tha n norma l i n al l
drivin g situations , an d obe y poste d
spee d limit s fo r vehicle s wit h trailers .
I f yo u hav e a n automati c transmission ,
use the D 4 position when towing a
traile r o n leve l roads . D 3 i s th e prope r
shif t leve r positio n to us e whe n towin g
a traile r i n hill y terrain . (Se e "Driving
o n Hills " in th e nex t colum n fo r
additiona l gea r
information.
)
Making
Turns and Braking

Mak e turn s mor e slowl y an d wide r
tha n normal . Th e traile r track s a
smalle r ar c tha n you r vehicle , an d it
ca n hi t o r ru n ove r somethin g th e
vehicl e misses . Allo w mor e tim e an d
distanc e fo r braking . D o no t brak e o r
tur n suddenl y a s thi s coul d caus e th e
traile r t o jackknif e o r tur n over .

Driving on Hills

Whe n climbin g hills , closel y watc h
you r temperatur e gauge . I f i t near s
th e re d (Hot ) mark , tur n th e ai r
conditionin g off , reduc e spee d and ,
i f necessary , pul l t o th e sid e o f th e
roa d t o le t th e engin e cool .
I f th e automati c transmissio n shift s
frequentl y betwee n 3r d an d 4t h
gear s whil e goin g u p a hill , shif t t o

D 3.
I
f yo u mus t sto p whe n facin g uphill ,
us e th e foo t brak e o r parkin g brake .
D o no t tr y t o hol d th e vehicl e in
plac e b y pressin g o n th e accelerator ,
a s thi s ca n caus e th e transmissio n to

overheat .

Whe n drivin g dow n hills , reduc e
you r spee d an d shif t dow n to 2n d
gear . D o no t "ride " th e brakes , an d
remembe r i t wil l tak e longe r t o slo w
dow n an d sto p whe n towin g a trailer .

Drivin g

CONTINUED

Engin
e Oi l

Th e SA E number s tel l yo u th e oil' s
viscosit y o r weight . Selec t th e oi l fo r
you r ca r accordin g to thi s chart .
A n oi l wit h a viscosit y o f 5W-3 0 is
preferre d fo r improve d fue l econom y
an d year-roun d protectio n i n you r
Honda . Yo u ma y us e a 10W-3 0 oi l i f
th e temperatur e i n you r are a neve r
goe s belo w 20° F (— 7°C) . Syntheti
c Oi l
Yo u ma y us e a syntheti c moto r oi l i f
i t meet s th e sam e requirement s
give n fo r conventiona l moto r oil :
energ y conserving , a servic e
classificatio n o f SJ , an d th e prope r
weigh t a s show n o n th e chart . Whe n
usin g syntheti c oil , yo u mus t follo w
th e oi l an d filte r chang e interval s
give n in th e maintenanc e schedule .
Additive s
You r Hond a doe s no t nee d an y oi l
additives . Purchasin g additive s fo r
th e engin e o r transmissio n wil l no t
increas e you r car' s performanc e o r
longevity . I t onl y increase s th e cos t
o f operatin g you r car . Changin
g th e Oi l an d Filte r
Alway s chang e th e oi l an d filte r
accordin g to th e tim e an d distanc e
(miles/kilometers ) recommenda -
tion s i n th e maintenanc e schedule .
Th e oi l an d filte r collec t contami -
nant s tha t ca n damag e you r engin e if
the y ar e no t remove d regularly .
Changin g th e oi l an d filte r require s
specia l tool s an d acces s fro m
underneat h th e car . Th e ca r shoul d
b e raise d o n a servic e station-typ e
hydrauli c lif t fo r thi s service . Unles s
yo u hav e th e knowledg e an d prope r
equipment , yo u shoul d hav e thi s
maintenanc e don e b y a skille d
mechanic .
1 . Ru n th e engin e unti l i t reache s
norma l operatin g temperature ,
the n shu t i t off .
Maintenanc e
Ambien
t Temperatur e

Tire
s

Mak e sur e th e installe r balance s th e
wheel s whe n yo u hav e ne w tire s
installed . Thi s increase s ridin g
comfor t an d tir e life . You r car' s
origina l tire s wer e dynami c o r "spin "
balance d a t th e factory . Fo r bes t
results , hav e th e installe r perfor m a
dynami c balance .
(SE , EX , EX-V6 )

Improper wheel weights can damage
your car's aluminum wheels. Use only
Genuine Honda wheel weights for
balancing.
Tir
e Rotatio n
T o hel p increas e tir e lif e an d
distribut e wea r mor e evenly , yo u
shoul d hav e th e tire s rotate d ever y
7,50 0 mile s (12,00 0 km) . Mov e th e
tire s t o th e position s show n in th e
char t eac h tim e the y ar e rotated .
Whe n shoppin g fo r replacemen t
tires , yo u ma y fin d tha t som e tire s
ar e "directional. " Thi s mean s the y
ar e designe d to rotat e onl y in on e
direction . I f yo u us e directiona l tires ,the
y shoul d b e rotate d onl y front-to -
back .
Replacin g Tire s an d Wheel s
Th e tire s tha t cam e wit h you r ca r
wer e selecte d t o matc h th e perform -
anc e capabilitie s o f th e ca r whil e
providin g th e bes t combinatio n o f
handling , rid e comfort , an d lon g life .
Yo u shoul d replac e the m wit h radia l
tire s o f th e sam e size , loa d range ,
spee d rating , an d maximu m col d tir e
pressur e ratin g (a s show n o n th e
tire' s sidewall) . Mixin g radia l an d
bias-pl y tire s o n you r ca r ca n reduc e
it s brakin g ability , traction , an d
steerin g accuracy .

Maintenanc e
Fron
t Front
(Fo r Non-directiona l

Tire s an d Wheels )(Fo
r Directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )

NOTIC
E

Emergenc
y Towin g

I f yo u decid e t o to w you r ca r wit h al l
fou r wheel s o n th e ground , mak e sur e
yo u us e a properly-designe d an d
attache d to w bar . Prepar e th e ca r fo r
towin g a s describe d above , an d leav e
th e ignitio n switc h i n Accessor y (I )
s o th e steerin g whee l doe s not lock .
Mak e sur e th e radi o an d an y item s
plugge d int o th e accessor y powe r
socke t ar e turne d of f s o the y d o no t
ru n dow n th e battery .
Trying
to lift or tow your car by the

bumpers will cause serious damage.

The bumpers are not designed to

support the car's weight.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E
NOTIC E

The steering wheel system can be
damaged if the steering wheel is locked.
Leave the ignition switch in Accessory
(I), and make sure the steering wheel
turns freely before you begin towing.