2000 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Aut
o Idl e Sto p

T o maximiz e fue l economy , yo u
Insigh t ha s a n Aut o Idl e Sto p
function . Unde r certai n conditions ,
th e engin e wil l shu t of f whe n yo u
com e to a stop . Thos e condition s are :
Th e engin e coolan t i s nearl y u p to
norma l operatin g temperature .
Th e vehicle' s spee d is belo w 1 9
mp h (3 0 km/h ) an d yo u ar e
pressin g o n th e brak e peda l t o
com e to a stop .
Yo u depres s th e clutc h pedal .
Yo u ar e no t pressin g o n th e
accelerato r pedal .
Th e IM A batter y i s sufficientl y
charge d (a t leas t 1/ 3 o n th e
Batter y Leve l Gauge) .
Th e A/ C is off , o r i n ECO N mod e
(Se e pag e 82 , 91 ). Ther
e is adequat e vacuu m reserv e
fo r th e powe r brakes .
Whe n thes e condition s ar e met , th e
engin e wil l shu t of f a s yo u com e to a
stop . I t wil l star t agai n automaticall y
whe n yo u depres s th e clutc h peda l
an d mov e thi s shif t leve r t o firs t gear .
Ther e is n o nee d to star t th e engin e
wit h th e ignitio n switch .
I t i s recommende d tha t yo u mov e
th e shif t leve r t o Neutra l an d remov e
you r foo t fro m th e clutc h peda l whil e
yo u ar e stopped . Sittin g wit h th e
clutc h peda l depresse d an d th e shif t
leve r i n gea r wil l caus e th e engin e to
continu e running , defeatin g th e fue l
econom y benefit s o f th e Aut o Idl e

Sto p function .
Durin
g Aut o Stop , th e IM A charg e
an d powe r brak e vacuu m reserv e is
monitore d b y th e system . I f eithe r
drop s belo w a desire d level , an d th e
shif t leve r i s in Neutral , th e engin e
wil l restar t s o it ca n recharg e th e
IM A batter y o r replenis h th e vacuu m

supply .

Drivin g

Aut
o Idl e Sto p

Aut o Idl e Sto p Indicato r
Thi s indicato r come s o n a s a
reminde r tha t th e engin e ha s
stoppe d becaus e o f th e Aut o Sto p
function . Yo u canno t restar t th e
engin e wit h th e ignitio n switc h whe n
thi s ligh t i s blinking .
Thi s indicato r wil l blink , an d yo u wil l
hea r a chime , i f yo u ope n th e doo r
whe n Aut o Sto p is active .
Alway
s tur n th e ignitio n switc h t o

LOC K an d remov e th e ke y if yo u ar e

gettin g ou t o f th e vehicle .

Driving

AUT
O IDL E STO P INDICATO R

5-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Th e manua l transmissio n is syn -
chronize d in al l forwar d gear s fo r
smoot h operation . I t ha s a lockou t s o
yo u canno t shif t directl y fro m Fift h
t o Reverse . Whe n shiftin g u p o r
down , mak e sur e yo u pus h th e clutc h
peda l dow n al l th e way , shif t t o th e
nex t gear , an d le t th e peda l u p
gradually . Whe n yo u ar e no t shifting ,
d o no t res t you r foo t o n th e clutc h
pedal . Thi s ca n caus e you r clutc h to
wea r ou t faster . Com
e t o a ful l sto p befor e yo u shif t
int o Reverse . Yo u ca n damag e th e
transmissio n b y tryin g t o shif t int o
Revers e wit h th e ca r moving . Pus h
dow n th e clutc h pedal , an d paus e fo r
a fe w second s befor e shiftin g int o
Reverse , o r shif t int o on e o f th e
forwar d gear s fo r a moment . Thi s
stop s th e gear s s o the y won' t "grind. "
Whe n slowin g down , yo u ca n ge t
extr a brakin g fro m th e engin e b y
shiftin g to a lowe r gear . Thi s extr a
brakin g ca n hel p yo u maintai n a saf e
spee d an d preven t you r brake s fro m
overheatin g whil e goin g dow n a
stee p hill . Befor e downshifting ,
mak e sur e th e vehicl e spee d is lo w
enoug h tha t yo u wil l no t activat e th e
engin e spee d limite r i n th e lowe r
gear . Mak e sur e th e engin e spee d
wil l no t g o int o th e tachometer' s re d
zon e i n th e lowe r gea r befor e
downshifting .
Drivin g
Rapi
d slowin g o r speeding-u p
ca n caus e los s o f contro l o n
slipper y surfaces . I f yo u crash ,
yo u ca n b e injured .
Us e extr a car e whe n drivin g o n

slipper y surfaces .

5-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Shif t Up/Shif t Dow n Indicator s
Eithe r th e Shif t U p o r Shif t Dow n
indicato r wil l ligh t t o sho w th e bes t
tim e t o shif t t o a highe r o r lowe r
gear . Yo u ca n achiev e th e bes t fue l
econom y b y acceleratin g an d
deceleratin g slowly , an d shiftin g
whe n prompte d b y th e Shif t U p
indicator .
Th e Shif t Dow n indicato r prompt s t o
shif t t o a lowe r gea r t o kee p spee d i n
a hill y road . Roa
d an d traffi c condition s ma y
requir e yo u t o shif t a t time s othe r
tha n thos e indicated . Engin
e Spee d Limite r
I f yo u excee d th e maximu m spee d
fo r th e gea r yo u ar e in , th e engin e
spee d wil l ente r int o th e tachometer' s
re d zone . I f thi s occurs , yo u ma y fee l
th e engin e cu t i n an d out . Thi s i s
cause d b y a limite r i n th e engine' s
compute r controls . Th e engin e wil l
ru n normall y whe n yo u reduc e th e
RP M belo w th e re d zone .
Befor e downshifting , mak e sur e th e
engin e wil l no t g o int o th e
tachometer' s re d zone .

Drivin g

SHIF
T U P INDICATO R
SHIF T DOW N INDICATO R

Parkin
g
Alway s us e th e parkin g brak e whe n
yo u par k you r car . Th e indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l show s tha t th e
parkin g brak e is no t full y released ; i t
doe s no t indicat e tha t th e parkin g
brak e is firml y set . Mak e sur e th e
parkin g brak e is se t firml y o r you r
ca r ma y rol l i f i t i s parke d o n a n
incline . I
f th e ca r i s facin g uphill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s awa y fro m th e cur b an d
pu t th e transmissio n in firs t gear .
I f th e ca r i s facin g downhill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s towar d th e cur b an d pu t
th e transmissio n in revers e gear .
Mak e sur e th e parkin g brak e is full y
release d befor e drivin g away .
Drivin g wit h th e parkin g brak e
partiall y se t ca n overhea t o r damag e
th e rea r brakes . Parkin
g Tip s Mak
e sur e th e window s ar e closed .
Tur n of f th e lights .
Plac e an y packages , valuables , etc. ,
i n th e storag e bo x o r tak e the m
wit h you .
Loc k th e doors .
Neve r par k ove r dr y leaves , tal l
grass , o r othe r flammabl e
materials . Th e thre e wa y catalyti c
converte r get s ver y hot , an d coul d
caus e thes e material s t o catc h o n
fire .

Drivin g

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

You r Hond a is equippe d wit h fron t
dis c brakes . Th e brake s o n th e rea r
wheel s ar e drum . Th e brakin g
syste m is power-assiste d to reduc e
th e effor t neede d o n th e brak e pedal .
Pu t you r foo t o n th e brak e peda l onl y
whe n yo u inten d to brake . Restin g
you r foo t o n th e peda l keep s th e
brake s applie d lightly , causin g the m
t o buil d u p heat . Hea t build-u p ca n
reduc e ho w wel l you r brake s work . I t
als o keep s you r brak e light s o n al l
th e time , confusin g driver s behin d

you .
Constan
t applicatio n o f th e brake s
whe n goin g dow n a lon g hil l build s
u p hea t an d reduce s thei r effective -
ness . Us e th e engin e t o assis t th e
brake s b y downshiftin g t o a lowe r
gea r an d takin g you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r pedal .
Chec k you r brake s afte r drivin g
throug h dee p water . Appl y th e
brake s moderatel y t o se e i f the y fee l
normal . I f not , appl y the m gentl y an d
frequentl y unti l the y do . Sinc e a
longe r distanc e is neede d t o sto p
wit h we t brakes , b e extr a cautiou s
an d aler t i n you r driving .
Brak
e Wea r Indicator s

Th e fron t dis c brake s o n al l model s
hav e audibl e brak e wea r indicators .
Whe n th e brak e pad s nee d replacing ,
yo u wil l hea r a distinctiv e metalli c
"screeching " soun d whe n yo u appl y
th e brakes . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
brak e pad s replaced , the y wil l begi n
screechin g al l th e time .
You r brake s ma y sometime s squea l
o r squea k whe n yo u appl y the m
lightly . D o no t confus e thi s wit h th e
brak e wea r indicators . The y mak e a
ver y audibl e "screeching. "

Drivin g

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Brak e Syste m Desig n
Th e hydrauli c syste m tha t operate s
th e brake s ha s tw o separat e circuits .
Eac h circui t work s diagonall y acros s
th e vehicl e (th e left-fron t brak e i s
connecte d wit h th e right-rea r brake ,
etc.) . I f on e circui t shoul d develo p a
problem , yo u wil l stil l hav e brakin g
a t tw o wheels .
Anti-loc
k Brake s

You r ca r ha s a n Anti-loc k Brak e
Syste m (ABS ) a s standar d
equipment . AB S help s t o preven t th e
wheel s fro m lockin g u p an d skiddin g
durin g har d braking , allowin g yo u t o
retai n steerin g control .
Whe n th e fron t tire s skid , yo u los e
steerin g control ; th e ca r continue s
straigh t ahea d eve n thoug h yo u tur n
th e steerin g wheel . Th e AB S help s t o
preven t lock-u p an d help s yo u retai n
steerin g contro l b y pumpin g th e
brake s rapidly ; muc h faste r tha n a
perso n ca n d o it . Yo
u shoul d neve r pum p th e
brak e pedal , thi s defeat s th e
purpos e o f th e ABS . Le t th e AB S
wor k fo r yo u b y alway s keepin g firm ,
stead y pressur e o n th e brak e peda l
a s yo u stee r awa y fro m th e hazard .
Thi s i s sometime s referre d t o a s

"stomp and steer."

Yo u wil l fee l a pulsatio n i n th e brak e
peda l whe n th e AB S activates , an d
yo u ma y hea r som e noise . Thi s i s
normal , i t i s th e AB S rapidl y
pumpin g th e brakes .
Activatio n varie s wit h th e amoun t o f
tractio n you r tire s have . O n dr y
pavement , yo u wil l nee d t o pres s o n
th e brak e peda l ver y har d befor e yo u
activat e th e ABS . However , yo u ma y
fee l th e AB S activat e immediatel y i f
yo u ar e tryin g t o sto p o n sno w o r ice .

Drivin g

Fron
t

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Important Safety Reminders

AB S doe s no t reduc e th e tim e o r
distanc e i t take s t o sto p th e car , i t
onl y help s wit h steerin g contro l
durin g braking . Yo u shoul d alway s
maintai n a saf e followin g distanc e
fro m othe r vehicles .
AB S wil l no t preven t a ski d tha t
result s fro m changin g directio n
abruptly , suc h a s tryin g to tak e a
corne r to o fas t o r makin g a sudde n
lan e change . Alway s driv e a t a safe ,
pruden t spee d fo r th e roa d an d
weathe r conditions .
AB S canno t preven t a los s o f
stability . Alway s stee r moderatel y
whe n yo u ar e brakin g hard . Sever e
o r shar p steerin g whee l movemen t
ca n stil l caus e you r ca r t o vee r int o
oncomin g traffi c o r of f th e road . A
ca r wit h AB S ma y requir e a
longe r distanc e t o sto p o n loos e o r
uneve n surfaces , suc h a s grave l o r
snow , tha n a ca r withou t anti-lock .
Slo w dow n an d allo w a greate r
distanc e betwee n car s unde r thos e

conditions .
ABS
Indicator

Th e AB S is self-checking . I f anythin g
goe s wrong , th e AB S indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l come s o n (se e
pag e 46 ). Thi s mean s th e anti-loc k
functio n o f th e brakin g syste m ha s
shu t down . Th e brake s stil l wor k lik e
a conventiona l syste m withou t anti -
lock , providin g norma l stoppin g
ability . Yo u shoul d hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r a s soo n a s possible .
Drivin g

ANTI-LOC
K BRAK E SYSTE M

INDICATO R