2000 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Hoo
d Latc h

PIVOT S
Clea n th e hoo d latc h assembl y wit h a
mil d cleaner , the n lubricat e i t wit h a
multipurpos e grease . Lubricat e al l
th e movin g parts , includin g th e pivot .
Follo w th e tim e an d distanc e
recommendation s i n th e
Maintenanc e Schedule . I f yo u ar e
no t sur e ho w to clea n an d greas e th e
latch , contac t you r Hond a dealer .

Maintenanc e

Batter
y

Chec k th e conditio n o f you r car' s
batter y monthly . Yo u shoul d chec k
th e colo r o f th e tes t indicato r window ,
an d fo r corrosio n o n th e terminals .
TES
T INDICATO R WINDO W

Chec k th e batter y conditio n b y
lookin g a t th e tes t indicato r windo w
o n th e battery .
Th e labe l o n th e batter y explain s th e
tes t indicator' s colors . Chec
k th e batter y terminal s fo r
corrosio n ( a whit e o r yellowis h
powder) . T o remov e it , cove r th e
terminal s wit h a solutio n o f bakin g
sod a an d water . I t wil l bubbl e u p an d
tur n brown . Whe n thi s stops , was h it
of f wit h plai n water . Dr y of f th e
batter y wit h a clot h o r pape r towel .
Coa t th e terminal s wit h greas e t o
hel p preven t futur e corrosion .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Batter
y

I f th e terminal s ar e severel y cor -
roded , clea n the m wit h bakin g sod a
an d water . The n us e a wrenc h to
loose n an d remov e th e cable s fro m
th e terminals . Alway s disconnec t th e
negativ e ( — ) cable firs t an d recon -
nec t i t last . Clea n th e batter y termi -
nal s wit h a termina l cleanin g too l o r
wir e brush . Reconnec t an d tighte n
th e cables , the n coa t th e terminal s
wit h grease . I
f yo u nee d t o connec t th e batter y t o
a charger , disconnec t bot h cable s t o
preven t damag e t o th e car' s
electrica l system .
Charging
the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car's electronic controls. Detach the
battery cables before connecting the
battery to a charger.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

Th e batter y give s of f explosiv e
hydroge n ga s durin g norma l
operation .
A spar k o r flam e ca n caus e th e
batter y t o explod e wit h enoug h
forc e t o kil l o r seriousl y hur t you .
Wea r protectiv e clothin g an d a
fac e shield , o r hav e a skille d
mechani c d o th e batter y
maintenance .

Wipe
r Blade s
Chec k th e conditio n o f th e wipe r
blade s a t leas t ever y si x months .
Loo k fo r sign s o f crackin g in th e
rubber , o r area s tha t ar e gettin g
hard . Replac e th e blade s i f yo u fin d
thes e signs , o r the y leav e streak s
an d unwipe d area s whe n used . WIPE
R ARM S
T o replac e th e blade :
1 . Rais e th e wipe r ar m of f th e
windshield . 2
. Disconnec t th e blad e assembl y
fro m th e wipe r ar m b y pushin g i n
th e loc k tab . Hol d i t i n whil e yo u
pus h th e blad e assembl y towar d
th e bas e o f th e arm .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

LOC
K TA B

Wipe
r Blade s

3 . Remov e th e blad e fro m its holde r
b y graspin g th e tabbe d en d o f th e
blade . Pul l firml y unti l th e tab s
com e ou t o f th e holder . 4
. Examin e th e ne w wipe r blades . I f
the y hav e n o plasti c o r meta l rein -
forcemen t alon g th e bac k edge ,
remov e th e meta l reinforcemen t
strip s fro m th e ol d wipe r blad e an d
instal l the m in th e slot s alon g th e
edg e o f th e ne w blade . 5
. Slid e th e ne w wipe r blad e int o th e
holde r unti l th e tab s lock .
6 . Slid e th e wipe r blad e assembl y
ont o th e wipe r arm . Mak e sur e it
lock s i n place .
7 . Lowe r th e wipe r ar m dow n agains t
th e windshield .
Maintenanc e
BLAD
E
BLADE
REINFORCEMEN T

Wipe
r Blade s

T o replac e th e rea r wipe r blade :
1 . Rais e th e wipe r ar m of f th e
windshield .
2 . Pul l on e en d o f th e blad e ou t fro m
th e holder . 3
. Slid e th e blad e ou t o f th e holder .
4 . Slid e th e ne w blad e int o th e holder .
Mak e sur e it i s engage d in th e slo t
alon g it s ful l length .
5. Inser t bot h end s o f th e blad e int o
th e holder . Mak e sur e the y ar e

secure .

6 . Slid e th e wipe r blad e assembl y
ont o th e wipe r arm . Mak e sur e it
lock s i n place .
7 . Lowe r th e wipe r arm .

Maintenanc e

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m (Optional )

You r car' s ai r conditionin g is a seale d
system . An y majo r maintenance ,
suc h a s recharging , shoul d b e don e
b y a qualifie d mechanic . Yo u ca n d o
a coupl e o f thing s t o mak e sur e th e
ai r conditionin g work s efficiently .
AI R CONDITIONIN G CONDENSE RPeriodicall
y chec k th e engine' s
radiato r an d ai r conditionin g
condense r fo r leaves , insects , an d
dir t stuc k t o th e fron t surface . Thes e
bloc k th e ai r flo w an d reduc e coolin g
efficiency . Us e a ligh t spra y fro m a
hos e o r a sof t brus h to remov e them .
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Ru n th e ai r conditionin g a t leas t onc e
a wee k durin g th e col d weathe r
months . Ru n it fo r a t leas t te n
minute s whil e yo u ar e drivin g a t a
stead y spee d wit h th e engin e a t
norma l operatin g temperature . Thi s
circulate s th e lubricatin g oi l con -
taine d in th e refrigerant . I
f th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t ge t a s
col d a s before , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e system . Recharg e th e
syste m wit h Refrigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a) . (Se e Specification s o n pag e
235 .)

Whenever you have the air conditioning

system serviced, make sure the service

facility uses a refrigerant recycling

system. This system captures the

refrigerant for reuse. Releasing

refrigerant into the atmosphere can

damage the environment.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E NOTIC
E

Ai
r Conditionin g Filter , Driv e Bel t

Ai r Conditionin g Filte r
Th e ai r conditionin g filte r remove s
polle n an d dus t fro m outsid e ai r th e
heatin g an d coolin g syste m bring s
int o th e interior . I t shoul d b e
replace d accordin g to th e tim e an d
distanc e recommendation s i n th e
maintenanc e schedule .
Thi s filte r shoul d b e replace d ever y
30,00 0 mile s (48,00 0 km ) unde r
norma l conditions . I t shoul d b e
replace d ever y 15,00 0 mile s (24,00 0
km ) i f yo u driv e primaril y i n urba n
area s tha t hav e hig h concentration s
o f soo t i n th e ai r fro m industr y an d
diesel-powere d vehicles . Replac e it
mor e ofte n i f ai r flo w fro m th e
climat e contro l syste m become s les s
tha n usual . Hav e th e ai r conditionin g
filte r replace d b y you r Hond a dealer .Driv
e Bel t
Chec k th e conditio n o f th e driv e belt .
Examin e th e edge s o f eac h bel t fo r
crack s o r fraying .
Chec k th e tensio n o f eac h bel t b y
pushin g o n i t wit h you r thum b
midwa y betwee n th e pulleys .
Th
e belt s shoul d hav e th e followin g
"play " o r deflection .
Wit h Ai r Conditionin g Syste m
0.30-0.4 1 i n (7. 5 10. 5 mm )
Withou t Ai r Conditionin g Syste m
0.33-0.4 3 i n (8.5-11. 0 mm )

I f yo u se e sign s o f wea r o r looseness ,
hav e you r deale r adjust or replac e
th e belts .
Maintenance

COMPRESSO
R BEL T