HONDA ACCORD SEDAN 2003 Owner's Manual (in English)

Remove the blade f rom its holder
by grasping the tabbed end of the
blade. Pull f irmly until the tabs
come out of the holder.Examine the new wiper blades. If
they have no plastic or metal rein-
f orcement along the back edge,
remove the metal reinf orcement
strips f rom the old wiper blade and
install them in the slots along the
edge of the new blade.Slide the new wiper blade into the
holder until the tabs lock.
Lower the wiper arm down against
the windshield. Slide the wiper blade assembly
onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
Lower the passenger’s side f irst,
then the driver’s side.
3. 4. 5.
6.
7.
Wiper Blades
Maint enance298
BLADE BLADE
REINFORCEMENT

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
.)
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. 364
Optional f or U.S. DX models
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance299
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.

The dust and pollen f ilter is located
behind the glove box.
The dust and pollen f ilter removes
pollen and dust that is brought in
f rom the outside through the heating
andcoolingsystem.
This f ilter should be replaced every
30,000 miles (48,000 km) under
normal conditions. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban
areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air f rom industry and
diesel-powered vehicles. Replace it
more of ten if air f low f rom the
heating and cooling system becomes
less than usual.
Open the glove box.
To replace it: Push the stop on the right side of
the glove box to detach it from the
glove box.
Pivot the glove box out of the way.
1. 3. 2.
Replacement
Dust and Pollen Filter
Maint enance300
STOP

Pushinthetabsonthecornersof
the dust and pollen f ilter case. Pull
out the case.Remove the filter from the case.
Install the new f ilter in the case.
Make sure the arrows of the ‘‘AIR
FLOW’’ marks on the f ilter point
to the air flow direction
(downward).Install the case. Make sure both
tabs ‘‘click’’ into place.
Install the glove box stop, and
close the glove box.
If you are not sure how to replace
the dust and pollen f ilter, have it
replaced by your Honda dealer.
5.
6. 7.
8.
4.
Dust and Pollen Filter
Maint enance301

µµ
An auto-tensioner adjusts the tension
of the drive belt. The pointer on the
auto-tensioner should be in the
proper range. It should be checked
accordingtothetimeanddistance
recommendations in the
maintenance schedule. Take your car to a Honda dealer to
replacethedrivebelt. If the pointer is out of this range or
you see signs of wear, have the drive
belt replaced by your Honda dealer
as soon as possible.
Check the condition of the drive belt.
Examine the edges of the belt f or
cracks or fraying. In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Replace these belts at 60,000 miles
(U.S.) or 100,000 km (Canada) if you
regularly drive your car in one or
more of these conditions: The timing belt and balancer belt
should normally be replaced at the
intervals shown in the maintenance
schedule.
6-cylinder models
6-cylinder models only
Timing Belt
Drive Belt
Maint enance
Drive Belt, Timing Belt
302
4-cylinder models

Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per month.
Remember to check the spare tire at
thesametimeyoucheckallthe
other tires.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car
has been parked f or at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
bef ore checking the tire pressure,
the tires can still be considered
‘‘cold’’ if you drive less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort. Underinf lated tires wear
unevenly, adversely af f ect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to
damage f rom road hazards, and wear
unevenly.
We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
To saf ely operate your car, your tires
must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread,
and correctly inf lated. The f ollowing
pages give more detailed inf ormation
on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
CONT INUED
Inf lation
Tires
Maint enance303
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.

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The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions and
speeds. Tire pressures f or high
speed driving are the same as f or
normal driving.
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the car has been driven
several miles), you will see readings
4 to 6 psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4
kgf /cm ) higher than the cold
reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be
underinf lated.
Youshouldgetyourowntire
pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier f or you to tell if a
pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.
Tubeless tires have some ability to
self -seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is of ten
very slow, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure. These pressures are also given on
thetireinformationlabelonthe
driver’s doorjamb. Thecompactsparetirepressureis: LX model
All models except LX
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure for Normal Driving Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
1
2DX model Front:
Rear: Front:
Rear:
EX and V6 models
1
2
Recommended T ire Pressures f or Normal Driving
Tires
Maint enance304
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
P205/65R15 92H
32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
)
30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm
) 30 psi (210 kPa ,
2.1 kgf/cm
)
29 psi (200 kPa , 2.0 kgf/cm
)
P205/60R16 91V
P195/65R15 89H

Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Excessive tread wear. In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
The tires were properly balanced by
the factory. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time bef ore they
are worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you f eel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire
should always be rebalanced if it is
removed f rom the wheel f or repair.
Your car’s tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide
band running across the tread. This
shows there is less than 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) of tread lef t on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire.
CONT INUED
Inspection
Maintenance
Tires
Maint enance305
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS

When shopping f or replacement
tires, you may find that some tires
are ‘‘directional.’’ This means they
are designed to rotate only in one
direction. If you use directional tires,they should be rotated only front-to-
back.
Make sure the installer balances the
wheels when you have new tires
installed. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. Your car’s
original tires were dynamic or ‘‘spin’’
balanced at the f actory. For best
results, have the installer perf orm a
dynamic balance. The tires that came with your car
were selected to match the perform-
ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comf ort, and long lif e.
Youshouldreplacethemwithradial
tires of the same size, load range,
speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce
its braking ability, traction, and
steering accuracy.
To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, you
should have the tires rotated every
10,000 miles (16,000 km). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the
chart each time they are rotated.
(U.S. LX, EX and EX-V6 models) Tire Rotation
Replacing T ires and Wheels
Maint enance
Tires
306
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels)Front Front
(For Directional
Tires and Wheels)Improper wheel weights can damage
your car’s aluminum wheels. Use only
Honda wheel weights f or balancing.

It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, then replace the two
f ront tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously af f ect your car’s handling.
TheABSworksbycomparingthe
speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally
supplied with the car. Tire size and
construction can af f ect wheel speed
and may cause the system to workinconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your car. Replacement
wheels are available at your Honda
dealer.
Wheel:
Tire:
See page f or inf ormation about
DOT Tire Quality Grading.
DX and LX models
All EX models
LX-V6 model LX model
All EX and V6 models DX model
367
Wheels and T ires
Tires
Maint enance307
15x61/2JJ P195/65R15 89H
16x61/2JJ(Aluminumwheels
only) P205/65R15 92H
P205/60R16 91V
16x61/2JJ(Steelwheelsonly)
Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.