Storing Your Car - Honda 2003 Accord Owner's Manual

If you need to park your car for an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors.
Fill the fuel tank.
Change the engine oil and filter
(see page 270 ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic).
Block the rear wheels.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the front wiper blade
arms with a folded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a car
body wax to the painted surfaces
that mate with the door and trunk
seals.
Cover the car with a ''breathable''
cover, one made from a porous
material such as cotton.

Storing Your Car

Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once
a month).
If you store your car for 1 year or
longer, have your Honda dealer
perform the inspections as soon as
you take it out of storage (see pages
250 255 , ). The 6-cylinder model
needs the inspections called for in
the 2 years/30,000 miles (48,000 km)
maintenance schedule (Normal
Conditions) and the 4-cylinder model
needs the inspections called for in
the 2 years/40,000 miles (64,000 km)
maintenance schedule (Normal
Conditions). The replacements
called for in the maintenance
schedule are not needed unless the
car has actually reached that time or
mileage.
Maintenance
323