Honda Car Forum

I've got 5000 miles now on a 4 cyl. EX-L sedan, and have two questions
that I'm hoping the group can help me with:

1. When started cold in the morning, my idle sets at 1500 rpm and
stays there for what seems to be forever. Other cars I own will
initially set at 1500, but kick down (on their own) to about 1000
after just a few seconds, then work their way down to proper warm idle
speed at the appropriate pace (depending on the weather). I asked my
dealer to look at it at first oil change, and they apparently
performed an idle learn procedure, but nothing changed. The car makes
a pretty good jerk when putting into gear at this speed.

2. We try to only run a/c when we need it (I have the climate control
system), but when I turn the system off, warm/hot air flows through
the vents, even on a cool day. I'm used to air coming through that is
roughly the temperature of the outside air. Is there something else I
need to do?

thanks!
Rob

> 2. We try to only run a/c when we need it (I have the climate control
> system), but when I turn the system off, warm/hot air flows through
> the vents, even on a cool day. I'm used to air coming through that is
> roughly the temperature of the outside air. Is there something else I
> need to do?

I also have a 2004 Accord EX-L 4-cyl with automatic dual climate control.

To get the vents distributing air at the same temperature as the outside
air, but without the A/C, here are the steps you need to follow:

1) Push the A/C button so that it says, "A/C OFF," in the display.
2) Push the Mode button consecutive times so that the arrows point where
you want to direct the interior airflow. For example, if you want cool
air blowing on your face, select the Mode function with the arrow pointing
at the upper body.
3) Turn both temperature knobs so that they are on the cool setting,
estimated to be cooler than the outside air (if you want cooled air).
If you keep one knob warm, the overall air would not be quite as cool.

Rob, I do think that you may be forgetting step 3) above to direct cooled
air without the use of A/C. These three steps work in my car.

Paul

Paul,
thanks so much...I'll give it a try tonight, at it's very cool (low
60s today for a high) in Minnesota.

If you have a moment sometime, when you start up your Accord cold,
please see if it idles at 1500 rpm for an extended length of time...or
if you just sit there for a (few?) seconds, does it kick down to a
lower rpm at all...thanks!

Rob

pstuart03@hotmail.com (Paul Stuart) wrote in message news:<b46b8f39.0408091802.2b7fc351@posting.google. com>...> 3) Turn both temperature knobs so that they are on the cool setting,
> estimated to be cooler than the outside air (if you want cooled air).
> If you keep one knob warm, the overall air would not be quite as cool.
>
> Rob, I do think that you may be forgetting step 3) above to direct cooled
> air without the use of A/C. These three steps work in my car.
>
> Paul

I have the nav system, and there are no temp. knobs...just up/down
buttons that are blue and red (one set on driver's side, one on
passenger)...they seem to be inoperable when the system is off.

r

onerpm@yahoo.com (Rob) wrote in message news:<44a41d1c.0408101126.30721ff@posting.google.c om>...
> Paul,
> thanks so much...I'll give it a try tonight, at it's very cool (low
> 60s today for a high) in Minnesota.
>
> If you have a moment sometime, when you start up your Accord cold,
> please see if it idles at 1500 rpm for an extended length of time...or
> if you just sit there for a (few?) seconds, does it kick down to a
> lower rpm at all...thanks!
>
> Rob

I do seem to recall that my 04 Accord, like yours, occasionally idles at
about that speed when it's cold. I'm not so sure that it happens all of
the time though, or when the air temperature is within a certain range.
When I do gradually take my foot off the gas and pull away, I do get
a surge of acceleration sometimes.

I'll keep it in mind over the next few days, and report back to you
on whether or not this occurs all of the time, and the idle speed.

Paul

onerpm@yahoo.com (Rob) wrote in message news:<44a41d1c.0408101128.3979e62@posting.google.c om>...
> pstuart03@hotmail.com (Paul Stuart) wrote in message news:<b46b8f39.0408091802.2b7fc351@posting.google. com>...> 3) Turn both temperature knobs so that they are on the cool setting,
> > estimated to be cooler than the outside air (if you want cooled air).
> > If you keep one knob warm, the overall air would not be quite as cool.
> >
> > Rob, I do think that you may be forgetting step 3) above to direct cooled
> > air without the use of A/C. These three steps work in my car.
> >
> > Paul
>
> I have the nav system, and there are no temp. knobs...just up/down
> buttons that are blue and red (one set on driver's side, one on
> passenger)...they seem to be inoperable when the system is off.
>

I do not have the nav system in my Accord, Rob. I am going on my
intuition here from your set-up, but perhaps a fellow poster with
an 03-04 Accord nav system would like to confirm.

When the system is turned off, the automatic climate controls are
turned off, but the system can be manually set by you. The blue
shades refer to the cooler temperature setting, and the red shades
represent the warmer temperature settings. If you keep pushing the
buttons a few times, it will get successively cooler or warmer
depending upon the number of blue/red bars on the display.

The A/C should not be operating at this time, since you first turned
off the system before selecting the fan speed, temperature, and outlets
where the airflow is directed.

I hope this helps you.

Paul

pstuart03@hotmail.com (Paul Stuart) wrote in message news:<b46b8f39.0408101859.355b500e@posting.google. com>...> I do not have the nav system in my Accord, Rob. I am going on my
> intuition here from your set-up, but perhaps a fellow poster with
> an 03-04 Accord nav system would like to confirm.
>
> When the system is turned off, the automatic climate controls are
> turned off, but the system can be manually set by you. The blue
> shades refer to the cooler temperature setting, and the red shades
> represent the warmer temperature settings. If you keep pushing the
> buttons a few times, it will get successively cooler or warmer
> depending upon the number of blue/red bars on the display.
>
> The A/C should not be operating at this time, since you first turned
> off the system before selecting the fan speed, temperature, and outlets
> where the airflow is directed.

Paul, thanks again for your responses. I played with it a little last
night, and think I figured it out. (Still need to consult the manual
again to see what it says.) If I use the dashboard's Off button, it
turns off the entire climate control system, and I am not able to
change temp. settings with the blue or red buttons (this is the
situation where I was getting hot air thru the vents). However, if I
go to the touchscreen and turn off the a/c there, it leaves the temp.
settings up on the display screen above, and then the blue/red buttons
will turn the temperature numbers down or up, even though the a/c is
off. (I don't have blue/red bars, just the temp. readings for driver
and passenger.)

A little odd, and a few extra steps than I would have thought
necessary, but I think it takes care of the problem.

As to that fast idle, it happens to me whenever the car is cold...even
on these hot summer days. I haven't had the patience yet to sit there
long enough to see the rpm drop below 1500. However, it does do so
within a very short period of driving...settle to a nice 700 or so on
the tach. It just bothers me to shift into reverse with it idling at
1500 and feel it jump. Does it again when I have backed out of my
driveway and put it into drive, but after that the car is fine. Just
trying to figure out if this is normal or not for the Accord.

rob

> As to that fast idle, it happens to me whenever the car is cold...even
> on these hot summer days. I haven't had the patience yet to sit there
> long enough to see the rpm drop below 1500. However, it does do so
> within a very short period of driving...settle to a nice 700 or so on
> the tach. It just bothers me to shift into reverse with it idling at
> 1500 and feel it jump. Does it again when I have backed out of my
> driveway and put it into drive, but after that the car is fine. Just
> trying to figure out if this is normal or not for the Accord.

Hi, Rob. I took notice of my Accord idling upon start-up today, and
this is what I found.

In the cool morning hours, after the car has been sitting overnight,
upon start-up, the idle stayed relatively constant at 1450 rpm for about
fifteen seconds, then I shifted into reverse, and the idle then dropped
down to 1000 rpm. Didn't note the idle when driving afterwards.

After the car was parked in the warm humid sun for a few hours and then
started, the idle was, at first, 1500 rpm, then over the next 20-25 seconds,
dropped slowly and linearly to 950 rpm, then stayed relatively constant
there until I shifted into reverse.

I'm pleased that you have found out how to direct cool air to the vents
without the A/C operating. Glad to be of assistance to a new fellow
member of the Accord family!

Paul

pstuart03@hotmail.com (Paul Stuart) wrote in message news:<b46b8f39.0408111535.5dcecb50@posting.google. com>...>
> In the cool morning hours, after the car has been sitting overnight,
> upon start-up, the idle stayed relatively constant at 1450 rpm for about
> fifteen seconds, then I shifted into reverse, and the idle then dropped
> down to 1000 rpm. Didn't note the idle when driving afterwards.
>
> After the car was parked in the warm humid sun for a few hours and then
> started, the idle was, at first, 1500 rpm, then over the next 20-25 seconds,
> dropped slowly and linearly to 950 rpm, then stayed relatively constant
> there until I shifted into reverse.

That sounds pretty much like what I experience. When the car's been
sitting overnight, if I don't put it into reverse but just sit there
after I start it, it'll stay at 1500 rpm for longer than my patience
lasts.

I guess I just have to get used to the thing jumping when I put it
into reverse (and then again when I put it into drive a few seconds
later)when it's cold.

Rob