2000 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Accessorie
s an d Modification s

Modifyin g you r car , o r installin g
som e non-Hond a accessories , ca n
mak e you r ca r unsafe . Befor e yo u
mak e an y modification s o r ad d an y
accessories , b e sur e t o rea d th e
followin g information .

Accessorie s

You r deale r ha s Genuin e Hond a
accessorie s tha t allo w yo u t o
personaliz e you r car . Thes e
accessorie s hav e bee n designe d an d
approve d fo r you r car , an d ar e
covere d b y warranty .
Non-Hond a accessorie s ar e usuall y
designe d fo r universa l applications .
Althoug h aftermarke t accessorie s
ma y fi t o n you r car , the y ma y no t
mee t factor y specifications , an d
coul d adversel y affec t you r car' s
handlin g an d stability . (Se e
"Modifications " o n th e pag e 12 7 fo r
additiona l information. ) Whe
n properl y installed , cellula r
phones , alarms , two-wa y radios , an d
low-powere d audi o system s shoul d
no t interfer e wit h you r car' s
computer-controlle d systems , suc h

a s th e SRS .
However
, i f electroni c accessorie s
ar e improperl y installed , o r excee d
you r car' s electrica l syste m capacity ,
the y ca n interfer e wit h th e operatio n
o f you r car , o r eve n caus e th e
airbag s t o deploy .
Befor e installin g an y accessory :
Mak e sur e th e accessor y doe s no t
obscur e an y lights , o r interfer e
wit h prope r ca r operatio n o r
performance .
B e sur e electroni c accessorie s d o
no t overloa d electrica l circuit s
(se e pag e 222 ).
Hav e th e installe r contac t you r
Hond a deale r fo r assistanc e befor e
installin g an y electroni c accessory .
I f possible , hav e you r deale r inspec t
th e fina l installation .

Befor e Drivin g
Imprope
r accessorie s o r
modification s ca n affec t you r
car' s handling , stabilit y an d
performance , an d caus e a
cras h in whic h yo u ca n b e hur t
o r killed .
Follo w al l instruction s i n thi s
owner' s manua l regardin g
accessorie s an d modifications .

Accessorie
s an d Modification s

Modification s
D o no t remov e an y origina l
equipmen t o r modif y you r ca r i n an y
wa y tha t woul d alte r it s desig n o r
operation . Thi s coul d mak e you r ca r
unsaf e an d illega l t o drive .
Fo r example , d o no t mak e an y
modification s tha t woul d chang e th e
rid e heigh t o f you r car , o r instal l
wheel s an d tire s wit h a differen t
overal l diameter .
Suc h modification s ca n adversel y
affec t handling , an d interfer e wit h
th e operatio n o f th e car's other

systems .
I
n addition , an y modification s tha t
decreas e groun d clearanc e increas e
th e chanc e o f undercarriag e part s
strikin g a curb , spee d bump , o r othe r
raise d object , whic h coul d caus e
you r airbag s t o deploy .
D o no t modif y you r steerin g whee l
o r an y othe r par t o f you r
Supplementa l Restrain t System .
Modification s coul d mak e th e
syste m ineffective . Additiona
l Safet y Precautio n

Do not attach or place objects on the

airbag covers. Any objec t attache d to

o r place d o n th e cover s marke d "SR S
AIRBAG, " i n th e cente r o f th e
steerin g whee l an d o n to p o f th e
dashboard , coul d interfer e wit h th e
prope r operatio n o f th e airbags . Or ,
i f th e airbag s inflate , th e object s
coul d b e propelle d insid e th e ca r an d
hur t someone .

Befor e Drivin g

Carryin
g Carg o

STORAG E BO X
REA R CENTE R
POCKET *
CARG O ARE A SEAT-BAC
K POCKE TGLOVE BO X You
r ca r ha s severa l convenien t
storag e area s s o yo u ca n sto w carg o
safely .
Th e glov e box , rea r cente r pocke t
an d seat-bac k ar e designe d fo r small ,
lightweigh t items . Th e carg o are a is
intende d fo r larger , heavie r items .
However , carryin g to o muc h cargo ,
o r improperl y storin g it , ca n affec t
you r car' s handling , stabilit y an d
operatio n an d mak e it unsafe . Befor e
carryin g an y typ e o f cargo , b e sur e t o
rea d th e followin g pages .
* D
o no t stor e larg e object s i n th e
rea r cente r pocket . I t wil l b e
broke n whe n yo u adjus t th e seat s
backwards .

Befor e Drivin g

Carryin
g Carg o

Loa d Limi t

Th e maximu m loa d fo r you r vehicl e

i s
36 5 Ib s (17 0 kg) .
Thi s figur e include s th e tota l weigh t
o f al l occupants , cargo , an d

accessories .

T o figur e ou t ho w muc h carg o yo u
ca n carry :
Ad d u p th e weigh t o f al l occupants .
Subtrac t th e tota l fro m 36 5 Ib (17 0
kg) .

Th e fina l numbe r i s th e tota l weigh t
o f carg o yo u ca n carry .
Carryin
g Item s i n th e Passenge r
Compartmen t
Stor e o r secur e al l item s tha t coul d
b e throw n aroun d an d hur t
someon e durin g a crash .
B e sur e item s place d o n th e floo r
behin d th e fron t seat s canno t rol l
unde r th e seat s an d interfer e wit h
th e driver' s abilit y t o operat e th e
pedals , o r wit h th e prope r
operatio n o f th e seats .
Kee p th e glov e bo x close d whil e
driving . I f th e li d is open , a
passenge r coul d injur e thei r knee s
durin g a cras h o r sudde n stop .

Befor e Drivin g

Overloadin
g o r imprope r
loadin g ca n affec t handlin g an d
stabilit y an d caus e a cras h in
whic h yo u ca n b e hur t o r killed .
Follo w al l loa d limit s an d othe r
loadin g guideline s in thi s

manual .

Carryin
g Carg o

Carryin g Carg o i n th e Carg o Are a
Distribut e carg o evenl y o n th e
floo r o f th e carg o area , placin g th e
heaviest items o n th e botto m an d
a s fa r forwar d a s possible .
Ti e dow n item s tha t coul d b e
throw n abou t th e ca r durin g a
cras h o r sudde n stop .
D o no t stac k object s highe r tha n
th e top s o f th e seat-backs . The y
coul d bloc k you r vie w an d b e
throw n abou t th e vehicl e durin g a
cras h o r sudde n stop .
I f yo u carr y larg e item s tha t
preven t yo u fro m closin g th e
hatch , exhaus t ga s ca n ente r th e
passenge r area . T o avoi d th e
possibilit y o f carbo n monoxid e
poisoning , follo w th e instruction s

o n pag e 4 0 .
Th
e floo r o n th e storag e bo x i s
mad e o f a sof t ligh t plasti c
material . I t i s no t stron g enoug h t o
stan d heav y good s o n it .
T o secur e th e luggage , yo u ca n us e
th e fou r carg o hook s o n th e carg o
area . Th e illustratio n show s th e
locatio n o f eac h carg o hook .
Ai
r Intak e

Th e air intak e fo r th e batter y i s
locate d behin d th e passenger' s seat .
D o no t bloc k thi s ai r intak e wit h an y
cargo .
Befor e Drivin g AI
R INTAK E
Carg o Hook s

Drivin
g

Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
manua l transmission . I t als o include s
importan t informatio n o n parkin g
you r car , an d th e brakin g system . Preparin
g to Drive........................ . 13 2
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 13 3
Startin g in Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitude.................... . 13 3
Aut o Idl e Stop................................ . 13 4
5-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 13 6
Shif t Up/Shif t Dow n
Indicators............................... . 13 7
Engin e Spee d Limiter.............. . 13 7
Parking........................................... . 13 8
Parkin g Tips.............................. . 13 8
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 13 9
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 13 9
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 14 0
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 14 0
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 14 2
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 14 3

Drivin g

Preparin
g to Driv e

Yo u shoul d d o th e followin g check s
an d adjustment s ever y da y befor e
yo u driv e you r car .
1 . Mak e sur e al l windows , mirrors ,
an d outsid e light s ar e clea n an d
unobstructed . Remov e frost , snow ,
o r ice .
2 . Chec k tha t th e hoo d an d hatc h ar e
full y closed .
3 . Visuall y chec k th e tires . I f a tir e
look s low , us e a gaug e to chec k it s
pressure .
4 . Chec k tha t an y item s yo u ma y b e
carryin g wit h yo u insid e ar e store d
properl y o r fastene d dow n
securely . 5
. Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e sea t
(se e pag e 7 4 ) .
6 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e
insid e an d outsid e mirror s (se e
pag e 7 6 ) .
7 . Mak e sur e th e door s ar e securel y

close d an d locked .

8 . Faste n you r sea t belt . Chec k tha t
you r passenge r ha s fastene d hi s
sea t bel t (se e pag e 15 ). 9
. Tur n th e ignitio n switc h O N (II) .
Chec k th e indicato r light s i n th e
instrumen t panel .
10 . Star t th e engin e (se e pag e 13 3 ) .
11 . Chec k th e gauge s an d indicato r
light s i n th e instrumen t pane l (se e
pag e 45 ).

Drivin g

Startin
g th e Engin e

1 . Appl y th e parkin g brake .
2 . I n col d weather , tur n of f al l
electrica l accessorie s t o reduc e
th e drai n o n th e battery .
3 . Pus h th e clutc h peda l dow n al l th e
way . STAR T (III ) doe s no t
functio n unles s th e clutc h peda l i s

depressed .

4 . Withou t touchin g th e accelerato r
pedal , tur n th e ignitio n ke y t o th e
STAR T (III ) position . I f th e engin e
doe s no t star t righ t away , d o no t
hol d th e ke y i n STAR T (III ) fo r
mor e tha n 1 5 second s a t a time .
Paus e fo r a t leas t 1 0 second s
befor e tryin g again .
5 . I f th e engin e doe s no t star t withi n
1 5 seconds , o r start s bu t stall s
righ t away , repea t ste p 4 wit h th e
accelerato r peda l presse d half-wa y
down . I f th e engin e starts , releas e
pressur e o n th e accelerato r peda l s
o th e engin e doe s no t race .
6 . I f th e engin e stil l doe s no t start ,
pres s th e accelerato r peda l al l th e
wa y dow n an d hol d i t ther e whil e
startin g in orde r t o clea r flooding .
A s before , kee p th e ignitio n ke y i n
th e STAR T (III ) positio n fo r n o
mor e tha n 1 5 seconds . Retur n to
ste p 5 if th e engin e doe s no t start .
I f i t starts , lif t you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r peda l s o th e engin e
doe s no t race .

Startin g in Col d Weathe r a t Hig h
Altitud e (Abov e 8,00 0 feet /
2,40 0 meters )

A n engin e is harde r t o star t i n col d
weather . Th e thinne r ai r foun d a t
hig h altitud e abov e 8,00 0 fee t (2,40 0
meters ) add s t o th e problem .
Us e th e followin g procedure :
1 . Tur n of f al l electrica l accessorie s
t o reduc e th e drai n o n th e battery .2
. Pus h th e accelerato r peda l half -
wa y t o th e floo r an d hol d it ther e
whil e startin g th e engine . D o no t
hol d th e ignitio n ke y i n STAR T
(III ) fo r mor e tha n 1 5 seconds .
Whe n th e engin e starts , releas e
th e accelerato r peda l graduall y a s
th e engin e speed s u p an d smooth s
out .
3 . I f th e engin e fail s t o star t i n ste p 2 ,
pus h th e accelerato r peda l t o th e
floo r an d hol d i t ther e whil e yo u
tr y t o star t th e engin e fo r n o mor e
tha n 1 5 seconds . I f th e engin e
doe s no t start , retur n to ste p 2 .

Drivin g