Older Honda Accords

lawdawgfl · January 2004

All cars come with auto shut off lights. After about 8 hours with the lights on they all go off, very very slowly though.

lelandhendrix · January 2004

Hey thanks a lot! I was really curious if anything at that price point had such. Good job, Toyota, on that one.

alpha01 · January 2004

I believe they stopped with that nifty feature for the redesigned and dramatically improved 2003 Corolla. Also, the Camry had the same system standard for MY 2000 and 2001, and now I believe only the XLE has the feature available, nevermind standard.

~alpha

orangelebaron · January 2004

Honda did a study of geographic differences and came to the conclusion that Canada is colder than the United States, therefore heated mirrors would not be necessary on US vehicles.

hmurphy · January 2004

Yes, most of Canada probably is colder than most of the U.S.

Perhaps they should watch "Fargo" and reconsider their strategy for the upper U.S.

Though as several of us in colder states noted, the mirrors don't seem to need heating.

gregoryc1 · February 2004

Let the power train "warm - up" in the morning! Have the second cup of coffee. Then the automatic transmission will shift properly. The trans fluid will heat up because of the circulation of the fluid in the torque converter in "Park". -----Just my opinion. ----Greg

talon95 · February 2004

Didn't we go through this already?

There are many reasons why this is not good advice:

- It's bad for your engine because the residual fuel that results from the incomplete combustion while the engine is cold tends to wash oil from the cylinder walls, which contaminates your oil and aggravates wear between the rings and cylinder bores. You want the engine to warm up as quickly as possible so that fuel combustion is more efficient, and the best way to do that is to drive the car at low to moderate speeds after around 30 seconds of "warm up".

- It's very hard on an engine to circulate cold oil, and since it takes much longer for the engine to warm up when idling, the oil remains cold much longer.

- The air/fuel mixture is much richer while the engine is warming up, so pollutants are sharply increased. To reduce your impact on air pollution, you should NOT warm up your engine by idling.

The air/fuel mixture issues have been improved by the more precise control provided by fuel injection, so they're less critical... but they're still issues.

If you want to do so, that's your choice... but it's not a practice that I would recommend to others.

dust90 · February 2004

I agree that long idling warmups are probably not the best but,
" It's very hard on an engine to circulate cold oil, and since it takes much longer for the engine to warm up when idling, the oil remains cold much longer."

It is not hard on an engine to circulate cold oil. It would be hard on the engine if your oil is not circulating! Modern dyno oils won't congeal unless temps are <0 F, so if your car sits outside & your morning temps are that cold, I would reccomend synthetic. My cars are garaged, but I still prefer the synthetic. I usually let mine idle about 1 to 2 minutes then drive slow. It's just a little over a mile to the interstate & the engine is starting to warm up by then. I still don't flog it, but I'll slowing run up to speed limit & hold that for about 3 miles then go into my normal cruise of about 80.

talon95 · February 2004

"Modern dyno oils won't congeal unless temps are <0 F, so if your car sits outside & your morning temps are that cold, I would reccomend synthetic."

My point exactly. When it's cold enough for the oil to begin to thicken, that's when even some people who don't make a regular practice of doing the "idle to warm up" thing may consider doing it, and that's at the worst possible time. Not everyone who does this runs synthetic.

alpha01 · February 2004

For those interested in crash tests, keep your eyes peeled- the IIHS dynamic side crash test ratings for midsize sedans are due soon. I'd guess Dateline will be airing them within the next week or two, and check www.iihs.org for info as well.

~alpha

peterkronenber · February 2004

Does anyone know of a good hands-free cell phone accessory for my new Honda EX-L? I understand that Honda no longer makes theirs. Is it still available?

I have a speaker phone accessory that I used in my old car, but the placement of the 12v outlets in the Accord make for difficult placement of the accessory. Routing the microphone wire up near the sun visor is also made difficult due to the 'fuzzy' surface instead of a hard plastic (which means I can't use self-stick clips).

Any suggestions?

Peter

mikeysoft · February 2004

I have one but the connector to my phone was that that good so I got a Nokia hands free kit. cheaphondsparts and maybe others seen to still have listing for them including for the 2004, I have a 2003.

You may want to mount the mike on the dash panel even if you don't use a honda one. You can still get instructions on how to mount the mike there at http://www.cheaphondaparts.com/shop/instructions/aii24389.pdf

sockpuppet1969 · February 2004

I have an '03 Accord EX-L with Nav. I will be purchasing an aftermarket XM radio soon with an FM modulator. I was just curious, how well does the standard XM radio on some of the '04 models integrate with the Nav system. Specifically, can you see the XM station/artist/song on the nav screen at the same time as the map display?

While I am not thrilled that XM was added to my model the year after I purchased my car (ditto head curtain airbags), at least I will be able to take my XM into my house and play it on a portable radio (Delphi SKYFi). I plan on installing the display unit in the storage bin underneath the Nav system so I can hide it when I park the car.

Also, has anyone used BestBuy to install any audio equipment in their new Accord? What was your experience?

lelandhendrix · February 2004

You would do well to get the adapter that runs the aftermarket xm through the AUX input on your car's head unit. FM modulators limit the quality seriously, as they never sound better than FM radio. You'll get true CD-quality audio by using the AUX-in.

sockpuppet1969 · February 2004

I have looked for adapters that would allow direct input of an audio signal into the Accord's head unit but have only been able to find one...

Website: www.soundgate.com/products/cd/acura-honda.htm

This adapter does not work with the nav models and requires you to open it up and splice some wires together to make it compatible (www.chrishorne.com/gallery/SNHOND3). Doing this voids the warrantee BTW.

I'm not a huge audiophile anyway. I am getting the XM more for variety and for long trips than for improved sound quality. I had a CD changer in my wife's Blazer that used an FM modulator and the sound quality was fine by my standards.

gregoryc1 · February 2004

I recognize that "documentation" is very important on this board, so I did a little research in the following automotive service manual on this subject. BOOK TITLE: ---- Honda Civic & CRV" published by Haynes Publishing Group, ----(based on a complete teardown and rebuild of an engine), ---- page 1-9. ----SUBJECT: ----3,000 mile maintenance schedule! -----"These are the minimum maintenance intervals recommended for vehicles that are driven daily, if you wish to keep your vehicle in peak condition at all times". -----(Every 3,000 miles or 3 month, which ever comes first), ---Check: the engine coolant, windshield washer fluid, brake fluid level, tires & tire pressure, power steering fluid level, automatic trans fluid level, ---- and change the engine oil and oil filter.-------- Have a nice day -----Greg

gregoryc1 · February 2004

If you do not have a "good cushion of oil" on the cylinder walls, the piston skirt will make contact with the cylinder walls, and the result will be "piston scuffing"! ---- The problem will be multiplied if the engine is under load. ----Just my opinion. -----Greg

gee35coupe · February 2004

They recommend that service in all the books I have ever read. Sounds like a blanket recommendation.

gregoryc1 · February 2004

That might be so, ----but it is a recommended service interval for "keeping a vehicle's engine in peak condition", and it is documented by an acceptable "automotive source" dealing with engine teardown and rebuilding. ----- The "key" to this "service interval" is "peak condition" not just operating at any level. ----Just my opinion. ----Greg

bd21 · February 2004

This is absolutely a canned statement! You may as well have cited Jiffy Lube as your source. Now don't tell me, Shell Oil recommends premium fuel and upper cylinder lubricant, right.

talon95 · February 2004

That would be another reason to get the oil to proper operating temperature as quickly as possible, which is best done with light to moderate driving.

dako_tian · February 2004

Not all "canned statements" and not all rules of thumb are wrong. Most, I would hazard to proclaim, are true and worth following. Changing oil every 3000 miles/3 months seems to me to be one that not only will not hurt to follow, but also is pretty durn cheap insurance against failure.

While it is true that you might well stretch this out without undue wear and tear on your particular engine for your personal driving habits/environment, the only way you will know for sure just how much stretching is safe is after you find out how much is not! For the lifetime cost of oil changes at the higher frequency, it seems to me a poor gamble. YMMV

gregoryc1 · February 2004

You are absolutely correct. Jiffy Lube would probably agree with the 3,000 mile or 3 month oil and filter change, because they want "satisfied customers" with "well maintained vehicles" and they want to make money in the process. That is simply "good business", and there is nothing wrong with that concept!----In terms of an upper cylinder lubricant advocated by the oil companies, I will bet there are major oil companies that put a "lubricant" in their formula of pump gasoline for land based vehicles, but do not advertise that additive to the public. That is probably under the "fuel injector maintenance package" in their product. (YES, fuel injectors need lubricant to operate properly).---- There is a marine fuel called "ValveTech", (that is sold in the New York / New Jersey area), that has a lubricant in the fuel, and this fuel is used in diesel, 4 cycle gas inboard and I/O engines--(the same as car & truck engines)-- and 2 cycle outboard engines. QUESTION: ----Why is it important to have a "top cylinder lubricant" in the fuel of a marine engine, but not a "land based engine"? ----The piston skirt rides on a surface of oil. Most engines either use a splash system from the crankshaft, or oil holes in the connecting rods to apply oil to the cylinder walls. If you operate a vehicle without this oil cushion, you will notice that the entire drive train is stiff. By warming up the engine, the pistons are only carrying their own weight, rather than the weight of the vehicle. When you allow the engine to warm up, (for about 5 minutes on an average morning), the entire drive train operates smooth, (without labor)! On an extra cold morning, allow the engine to operate a little longer to get the ice off the windshield, get the oil circulating in the engine and heat to the automatic trans fluid through the circulation of the fluid in the Torque Converter. "Loading" a cold drive train puts a strain on component parts. People break "lug nuts" and "studs" off wheels trying to change a tire on very cold mornings, because the metal is "weak" due to the temperature. Don't worry about the air quality. The little warm up is not going to make a difference. There are government vehicles and taxi cabs at idle all day long. Are they worrying about the "air quality"????? -----Taxi owners / operators in New York City run their cabs twenty four hours a day and seven days a week. They change their oil and filter every 3,000 miles, and they get 100,000 + miles out of an engine in city / stop and go driving. Most cabs go through three, (3), engines,(in a five year period), before they are taken to the grave yard. It is not only the total miles travel, but it is also the "quality" and the "mechanical operating characteristics" of the equipment in its lifetime that are important. Using a synthetic oil like Amsoil is very good, but I would still change the oil and filter at no more than 6,000 miles. Yes, it is a "better oil" than "dino oil", but it is still very important to keep "clean oil" circulating in the crankcase. In addition, synthetic oil is a "high detergent oil", so by it's very nature, it will be moving around a lot of internal carbon and gum. Getting this out of the engine is very important to the life of the engine. Every vehicle owner must decide for themselves as to what they are comfortable with in terms of preventive maintenance. -----Just my opinion. ----Have a nice day. -----Greg

snowful · February 2004

Does anyone know how to erase a particular previous destination on the navigation system? I've seen the option appear before, but I don't remember how I did it. I don't want to erase an entire date's worth of destinations, just one particular place.

imidazol97 · February 2004

Gregoryc
Respectfully:
How about adding some paragraph spacing for a little white space in your post. Interesting, but hard to read without some breaks in between thoughts.

" People break "lug nuts" and "studs" off wheels trying to change a tire on very cold mornings, because the metal is "weak" due to the temperature."

I doubt the metal gets weaker with cold temperatures that we experience here (maybe absolute zero types).
The breaking off may be due to different expansion/contraction factors for the lug nuts and the lugs. If the nut contracts more than the lug, the friction between them is higher. They need to be turned off more slowly.

dako_tian · February 2004

Understand that I basically agree with you. However, I am anal retentive enough to point out that breaking off lug bolts in very cold weather is not "because the metal is "weak" due to the temperature." It is because the metal is more brittle due to the low temperature and probably the threads also have the additional grip from frozen liquid. A small distinction, but important to many of us who must daily communicate in the arcane language of computers. ;-)

emale · February 2004

all i can say is...."thank gawd i'm not as anal about oil changes and warmup periods like some of you"! otherwise i'd already have wasted like a 1/4 of my life waiting for the car to warmup on a cold morning...

nw1997 · February 2004

Greg,

I have to agree with your post. I noticed the manual stating that the vehicle should be started and driven after approx. 10sec. It is not recommended to idle longer. I disagree with the manual, on cold days I allow my vehicle to warm up to the normal operating temperature that the needle on the temperature gauge is always at. If I followed the manual's directions I noticed that my vehicle shifts harsh and it forces the vehicle. I have done this to all of our vehicle's and never had a problem with un-burned fuel, etc. To drive a vehicle off straight after it has been sitting out in the cold overnight and the temperatures are below freezing (e.g. what we have been experiencing in the past few weeks in NYC), is crazy and can damage a vehicle in my opinion.

Greg, Good Post!

Also, isn't HONDA oil synthetic oil?

dako_tian · February 2004

I solved the problem by moving to a warm enough climate and keep my vehicles in the garage. Of course, someone has to live up North, I suppose. Though, for the life of me, I've never been able to figure out why!? ;-) (I was born in Hawaii which ruined me for life, even though we left there before I was 3. Years growing up in Kansas City area and then, much worse, Sioux City, IA, taught me that Winter just meant freezing my patooty off. A purgatory spent in South Bend, IN, simply confirmed the conclusion.)

Strangely, the Town Hall spell checker did not recognize the word "patooty." Go figure.....

imidazol97 · February 2004

The time the factory manual should suggest warming up without load on the engine should vary with the temperature. Many of us are in vastly different temps. When morning is 40s, I warmup about 15 sec.; 0 degrees, in afternoon at work, I let it warm up about a minute or little longer.

Then I start moving without using much gas. The engine speed moves the car along. After a couple of minutes, I begin to speed up closer to the limit of 50 on the road.

emale · February 2004

per your harsh shifting automatic...do you currently drive a new honda accord? if so the tranny was designed to hold onto a gear longer to help facilitate the warmup process. shifting returns to normal once the engine (not tranny) is fully warmed. this is stated right in the owerners manual...

whitecloud · February 2004

No, Honda Oil is just like any other oil. Synth.
will cost 2-3 times what regular oil costs

nw1997 · February 2004

emale,

Yes, we own an 04 Accord EX V6 w/Nav. The shifting is harsh and abrupt. When warmed up, no problem, shifts perfect. Whitecloud, the 5W-20, which company makes this grade in synthetic?

Thanks

whitecloud · February 2004

I have yet to see it in synth. But I did find regular by Pennzoil.

emale · February 2004

nw1997,

you could use mobil1 0w20 synthetic:

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/NAUSENPVLMOMobil1_0W-2- 0.asp

nw1997 · February 2004

Whitecloud,

My dad also found the 5W-20 regular oil made by Castrol. Does the 5W-30 make a huge difference? This is easy to obtain, MOBIL makes it in synthetic. Seems HONDA wants everyone to buy the oil from them only. I don't like that.

whitecloud · February 2004

I think that emale's suggestion for 0w20, which I also saw is a better bet than 5w30. It might take awhile but someone will start producing the synth
5w20.

akingsfan · February 2004

FYI...Castrol now makes a synthetic 5w20...

http://www.castrolusa.com/products/default.asp?prod_mp=syn&sc- =hptosp

nw1997 · February 2004

akingsfan and email,

Thanks for the 411. This is great, do you know where this can be purchased?

thanks

akingsfan · February 2004

I have not had to look for it yet (I only have 800 miles on my '04 Accord), but I would assume it would be available in most major auto parts stores. Let me (us) know if you find it. I'll definitely be searching it out when I'm due for an oil change. Good luck...

justin · February 2004

just to clear things up, my V6 is NOT supposed to be warmed up, right? i mean, i start the car in the garage, wait for the idle to go below 1k, usually takes 8-10 seconds, then i back out and drive as usual.

i would hope that i don't need to warm the car up anymore than that! it just wastes gas and pollutes the air with colder (worse for enviroment) exhaust fumes...

in my Jetta, if you put the car in gear BEFORE it had been out of its high idle area at start up (before waiting 10 seconds or so), it would always almost stall, or worse, was always the time that one of my coils would decide to go....it needed to be babied and driven "just so" when cold. when warm - it was a HOOT!

so, ONE of the reasons i bought the Honda was because i need a no-fuss, just start the car and go, type car. the 240hp is just gravy (very very addictive gravy).

pj23 · February 2004

Why should Honda bother giving us a manual with our cars?

It is obvious from the questions that get asked in here that many people never bother to crack their manual open. And for those that do open the manual, many disagree with what is printed in it, in spite of the fact that the people who wrote the manual are the same ones who designed and built the car. But why on earth would we care what they say?

So, I propose that Honda just stop making manuals and pass the cost savings on to we the consumers through a lower-priced car. The people who don't read the manual can continue to ask their questions, and the people who disregard the manual in favor of their own notions of what is best can continue to do so without any pesky arguments from the rest of us about what the MANUFACTURER has to say on the subject.

talon95 · February 2004

In other words, "Don't confuse me with expertise and accurate information... I know what I know!"

Excellent post! You hit the nail right on the head. After all, the fact that Honda has built one of the top reputations among automakers for quality and reliability is mere coincidence... there's no way they could know the best methods to care for these reliable cars that they design.

talon95 · February 2004

The position of the people that recommend a short (30 seconds or so, maybe a minute in extreme cold) is that most modern cars will run well even when cold, so the most efficient and least wasteful way to warm up your engine is by driving at low to moderate speeds.

If your car doesn't run well enough when cold to drive reliably, then you should warm it up until it will... the benefits of warming up the car by driving clearly don't justify the potential hazards of driving a car that's likely to stall in traffic while warming up. Obviously, your best bet is to correct the conditions that cause the poor operation when cold, if they can be corrected.

Glad to hear that your Accord is running better than your Jetta did!

akingsfan · February 2004

Why are some people on this forum so eager and willing to attack others for simply asking a question? I read the forums and post questions to gain information, and to see what problems other people may be experiencing and to gain more knowledge of my own Honda. But often times, it's like watching a presidential debate, with people attacking others back and forth for really no apparent reason. I guess I just don't understand why so many people would actually take up so much of their time to continually post messages belittling others for asking a question which they may (or may not) be able to find in their owner's manual. If you don't feel like answering a question that is posted, DON'T! If you feel it's a stupid post that you cannot add any positive or valuable information on, DON'T. But why spend so much time & energy making others feel stupid for asking a question??? I guess I just don't get it. Anyway...I enjoy reading most of the posts on this forum, because I find them informative and interesting. The petty bickering and "I know more than you" posts, I just skip over. And for those of you that post informative questions, answers, and ideas...thanks for the information. (Okay...I fully anticipate a barrage of attacks to come my way now...)

talon95 · February 2004

Personally, I don't much mind the questions that can be found in the manual... some things just aren't that easy to find. So if I run across one of those that haven't been addressed and I know the answer, I'll usually just post it. But "Read the Freaking Manual" is an extremely common attitude in most internet forums, whether they be ones like these, Usenet forums or whatever. I guess some people just have a low tolerance for others who aren't as self-sufficient as they are.

I do have an issue with posts that recommend procedures or practices that contradict the manual. And I will respond, pointing out the deviation from recommendations, especially with those that might be truly detrimental to someone else's car. After all, some people might not realize that such recommendations run counter to those endorsed by Honda. And the people who are making such recommendations are not likely to come to your aid if you run into problems due to following their advice.

justin · February 2004

no nasty comments here. i wonder the same thing you do. basically, think of it this way:

when someone posts nasty, "know-it-all", condesending, and completely counter-productive messages, i think it is because the internet is the only place where they can flex any type of "muscle". acting that way in real life isn't an option because they would get a "beat down" from someone eventually(haha), so they bring their frustration here. its kind of funny when you take a second to picture the person feverishly pounding out some of the messages that get posted on here! (smile)

anyway, just to clarify, my Accord V6 has NO problems at all with drivability, whether it is a "start and go" or a "start, warm for 10 seconds, and go". completely different world than the fun, but really moody, 1.8T from the VW.

having owned the Accord since Sept 3rd, and after almost 7500 miles, i can say that, in my opinion, the VW's that i have owned had more...."soul". still trying to pinpoint the exact reason i feel that way.

dust90 · February 2004

I concur with your last couple of posts about know it alls and condescending attitudes, although they occasionally make a good point and liven up the discussion. Some even qualify their statements with "just my opinion" or words to that effect.

I am one of those people who read the owners manual from cover to cover, after having a flat tire on my 95 Tacoma and I had no idea how to lower the spare tire from its mount!! However, I realize that some items are really difficult to locate in the manual(index could be better).

I guess the posts that irk me the most are the questions that are asked in the wrong forum or that were answered 20 or 40 posts earlier.

Next would be, "My check engine light came on, what should I do? The car is only 6 weeks old." Duh, it's under warranty - do you really want the OPINION of people whom you have no idea as to their qualifications, or do you want to take it to a Honda dealer and let a Honda mechanic check it out, UNDER WARRANTY.

pat · February 2004

Folks we aren't here to talk about each other.

There are polite ways to point people in the right direction. If you aren't able to be polite, then you need to just not post.

There is no requirement to respond to a message that irritates you. Just skip it.

Let's get back to the Accord - we've been all over the place today.

Thanks.

justin · February 2004

interesting note here:

for my 03 Honda Accord V6, i have to take it in soon for the 7500 mile service. was directed by the Honda dealer to NOT change the oil prior to 7500, even though i am clearly operating the car under "severe conditions" which call for oil changes every 3750 miles, per the OWNERS MANUAL. but again, the dealers in my area said DO NOT change oil at 3750.

now, on Honda's OWNER LINK website, the 7500 mile service includes an oil change, not an oil/filter change. repeat - 7500 calls for oil change and tire rotate, but NOT a filter change. that is a Honda website error, right??

are the new Honda filters really effective? or should i ask that they change the filter too?

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