The idle speed of a Honda Accord (or any other car) is determined largely by the tension on the throttle cable. The tighter the tension on the cable, the more the throttle opens, and the higher the RPMs of the engine. Consequently, if the RPMs are too high, it means you are going to be burning more gasoline than you need to, making your vehicle less efficient. The opposite is also true. The less tension on the throttle cable, the lower your engine will idle. But, if it's too low, it can stall.
Open the hood and feel under the hood with your fingers for the hood release latch. This is a safety latch you have to pull up on in order to open the hood all the way.
Locate the throttle cable. It will be located near the back of the engine bay near the firewall in the center.
Locate the adjustment nut on the throttle cable.
Adjust the throttle cable adjustment nut by turning the nut clockwise or counterclockwise. For a fast idle, turn the nut counterclockwise to loosen the tension. The proper tension for the throttle cable in most Honda Accords is 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch play in the center of the exposed section of the cable.
