2000 HONDA INSIGHT fuel

2000 Insight Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com. Contents
Introduction
........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ .ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .43
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... 81
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................117
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .131
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................145
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .197
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................205
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................231
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................243
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................249
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.
Your Car at a Glance.....................................................................................\
....................2
Owner's Identification Form

Gauges
MEINTENANC E REQUIRE D INDICATO R
DISPLAY CHANG E
BUTTO N
TEMPERATUR E GAUG ETRIP BUTTO N
Liquid crysta l i s use d in th e mete r
panel . Yo u ma y fee l th e indicator s
appea r slowl y i n th e lo w temperature .
Speedomete r
Thi s show s you r spee d in mile s pe r
hou r (mph ) o r kilometer s pe r hou r
(km/h) .
Displa y Chang e Butto n
Th e Displa y Chang e butto n switche s
th e speedomete r readin g betwee n
mile s pe r hou r an d kilometer s pe r
hour . I t als o change s th e odomete r
an d tri p meter s t o rea d in mile s o r
kilometer s correspondingly . T o
chang e th e readings , pus h th e
Displa y Chang e button . Odomete
r
Th e odomete r show s th e tota l dis -
tanc e you r ca r ha s bee n driven . I t
display s i n mile s an d kilometers .
I t i s illega l unde r U.S . federa l la w an d
Canadia n provincia l regulation s t o
disconnect , reset , o r alte r th e
odomete r wit h th e inten t t o chang e
th e numbe r o f mile s o r kilometer s
indicated.
CONTINUED
Instrument s an d Control s
TACHOMETE R
FUEL GAUG E
TRI P METER/ODOMETE R
SPEEDOMETER

Gauges
FUEL CONSUMPTIO N
DISPLA Y SELEC T BUTTO N FUE
L MILEAG E DISPLA Y
AUT O STO P INDICATO R IM
A CHARGE/ASSIS T INDICATO R
SHIF T DOW N INDICATO R IM
A SYSTE M
INDICATO R
Instrument s an d Control s
SHIFT U P INDICATO R
DISPLA Y CHANG E BUTTO N
TRI
P BUTTO N
CURREN
T FUE L MILEAG E DISPLA Y IM
A MOTO R ASSIS T
LEVE L INDICATO R
BATTERYLEVELINDICATO R

Gauges
Fuel Gaug e
Thi s show s ho w muc h fue l yo u have .
I t i s mos t accurat e whe n th e ca r i s o n
leve l ground . I t ma y sho w slightl y
mor e o r les s tha n th e actua l amoun t
whe n yo u ar e drivin g o n curv y o r
hill y roads . Temperatur
e Gaug e
Thi s show s th e temperatur e o f th e
engine' s coolant . Durin g norma l
operation , th e readin g shoul d b e in
th e middl e o f th e gauge . I n sever e
drivin g conditions , suc h a s ver y ho t
weathe r o r a lon g perio d o f uphil l
driving , th e readin g ma y reac h nea r
th e re d mark . I f i t reache s th e re d
mark , pul l safel y t o th e sid e o f th e
road . Tur n t o pag e 21 6 fo r
instruction s an d precaution s o n
checkin g th e engine' s coolin g
system .
Tachomete r
Th e tachomete r show s th e engin e
spee d i n revolution s pe r minut e
(rpm) . T o protec t th e engin e fro m
damage , neve r driv e wit h th e
tachomete r needl e i n th e re d zone .
Instrument s an d Control s
MAINTENANC
E REQUIRE D
INDICATO R SPEEDOMETE
R
FUE L GAUG E
TRI P METER/ODOMETE R
TRIP BUTTO N
TEMPERATUR
E GAUG E DISPLA
Y CHANG E
BUTTO N
TACHOMETE R

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

Fillin g th e Fue l Tan k
1 . Becaus e th e fue l fil l ca p is o n th e
passenger' s sid e o f th e car , par k
wit h tha t sid e closes t t o th e
servic e statio n pumps .
2 . Ope n th e fue l fil l doo r b y pullin g
o n th e handl e t o th e lef t o f th e
driver' s seat .
FUEL FIL L CA P 3
. Remov e th e fue l fil l ca p slowly .
Yo u ma y hea r a hissin g soun d a s
pressur e insid e th e tan k escapes .
4 . Sto p fillin g th e tan k afte r th e fue l
nozzl e automaticall y click s off . D o
no t tr y t o "to p off " th e tank , leav e
som e roo m fo r th e fue l t o expan d
wit h temperatur e changes .
You r ca r ha s a n on-boar d refuelin g
vapo r recover y syste m to hel p
kee p fue l vapor s fro m goin g int o
th e atmosphere . I f th e fue l pum p
keep s clickin g of f eve n thoug h th e
tan k is no t full , ther e ma y b e a
proble m wit h thi s system . Consul t
you r dealer .
CONTINUED
Befor e Drivin g

PUL
L
Gasolin
e is highl y flammabl e
an d explosive . Yo u ca n b e
burne d o r seriousl y injure d
whe n handlin g fuel .

Sto p th e engin e an d kee p

heat , sparks , an d flam e away .
Handl e fue l onl y outdoors .
Wip e u p spill s immediately .

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

Oil Check
Chec k th e engin e oi l leve l ever y tim e
yo u fil l th e ca r wit h fuel . Wai t a fe w
minute s afte r turnin g th e engin e of f
befor e yo u chec k th e oil .
1 . Remov e th e dipstic k (orang e

handle) .
2
. Wip e th e dipstic k wit h a clea n
clot h o r pape r towel . 3
. Inser t i t al l th e wa y bac k in it s tube .

Befor e Drivin g

DIPSTIC
K

Fue
l Econom y

Th e conditio n o f you r ca r an d you r
drivin g habit s ar e th e tw o mos t
importan t thing s tha t affec t th e fue l
mileag e yo u get .
Vehicl e Conditio n
Alway s maintai n you r ca r accordin g
t o th e maintenanc e schedule . Thi s
wil l kee p it i n to p operatin g condition .
A n importan t par t o f tha t mainte -
nanc e is th e Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (se e pag e 15 7 ) . Fo r
example , a n underinflate d tir e
cause s mor e "rollin g resistance, "
whic h use s fuel . I t als o wear s ou t
faster , s o chec k th e tir e pressur e a t
leas t monthly . Engin
e oi l als o affect s fue l economy .
Th e fue l efficient , low-viscosit y
OW-2 0 oi l recommende d fo r you r
Insigh t i s formulate d t o hel p th e
engin e us e les s fuel . Thi s oi l i s
availabl e a t you r Hond a dealer .
I n winter , th e build-u p o f sno w o n
you r car' s undersid e add s weigh t an d
rollin g resistance . Frequen t cleanin g
help s you r fue l mileag e an d reduce s
th e chanc e o f corrosion .
Drivin g Habit s
Yo u ca n improv e fue l econom y b y
drivin g moderately . Rapi d acceler -
ation , abrup t cornering , an d har d
brakin g us e mor e fuel .
T o ge t th e bes t fue l mileage , driv e in
th e highes t gea r tha t i s practica l fo r
th e spee d yo u ar e driving , an d
alway s accelerat e slowly . Yo
u ma y fin d tha t you r Insight' s
uniqu e combinatio n o f a n engin e an d
a n electri c moto r ha s drivin g
characteristic s tha t ar e somewha t
differen t fro m wha t yo u ar e use d to .
Shif t U p an d Shif t Dow n indicator s
o n th e instrumen t pane l sho w whe n
t o shif t t o a highe r o r lowe r gear . B y
shiftin g a s soo n a s th e indicato r
come s on , yo u wil l kee p th e engin e
operatin g in it s mos t economica l

range .

Dependin g o n traffi c conditions , tr y
t o maintai n a constan t speed . Ever y
tim e yo u slo w dow n an d spee d up ,
you r ca r use s extr a fuel .
Win d resistanc e cause s vehicle s t o
us e mor e fue l a t highe r speeds .
Drivin g a t moderat e speed s o n th e
highwa y reduce s win d resistanc e
an d conserve s fuel .

Befor e Drivin g

Fue
l Econom y

A col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y in abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d it i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m up faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t dow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o
combin e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e is

moderate .
I
f ai r conditionin g is needed , yo u ca n
sav e som e fue l b y usin g th e A/ C in
"Econ " mode . Thi s mod e allow s th e
Aut o Idl e Sto p functio n to shu t of f
th e engin e whe n th e vehicl e is
stopped , resultin g in fue l savings .
Yo u ma y notic e tha t usin g th e A/ C
cause s a greate r dro p in fue l
econom y tha n yo u ar e use d to in
othe r vehicles . Althoug h th e amoun t
o f extr a fue l use d b y th e A/ C loa d o n
th e engin e is n o greate r tha n othe r
vehicles , i t i s mor e noticeabl e
becaus e o f you r Insight' s excellen t
fue l mileage . Usin g th e A/ C is ho t
weathe r ma y resul t i n fue l econom y
tha t i s lowe r tha n expected .
Before Drivin g