2000 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Tire
s

T o safel y operat e you r car , you r tire s
mus t b e th e prope r typ e an d size , i n

goo d conditio n wit h adequat e tread ,

an d correctl y inflated . Th e followin g

page s giv e mor e detaile d informatio n

o n ho w an d whe n to chec k ai r
pressure , ho w to inspec t you r tire s
fo r damag e an d wear , an d wha t t o d o
whe n you r tire s nee d to b e replaced .Inflatio
n
Keepin g th e tire s properl y inflate d
provide s th e bes t combinatio n o f
handling , trea d lif e an d ridin g
comfort . Underinflate d tire s wea r
unevenly , adversel y affec t handlin g
an d fue l economy , an d ar e mor e
likel y t o fai l fro m bein g overheated .
Overinflate d tire s ca n mak e you r ca r
rid e mor e harshly , ar e mor e pron e to
damag e fro m roa d hazards , an d wea r

unevenly .

W e recommen d tha t yo u visuall y
chec k you r tire s ever y day . I f yo u
thin k a tir e migh t b e low , chec k it
immediatel y wit h a tir e gauge .
Us e a gaug e to measur e th e ai r
pressur e a t leas t onc e a month . Eve n
tire s tha t ar e in goo d conditio n ma y
los e on e to tw o ps i (1 0 to 2 0 kPa , 0. 1
t o 0. 2 kgf/cm 2) pe r month .
Remembe r t o chec k th e spar e tir e a t
th e sam e tim e yo u chec k al l th e
othe r tires . Chec
k th e pressur e in th e tire s whe n
the y ar e cold . Thi s mean s th e ca r
ha s bee n parke d fo r a t leas t thre e
hours . I f yo u hav e to driv e th e ca r

befor e checkin g th e tir e pressure ,

th e tire s ca n stil l b e considere d

"cold " i f yo u driv e les s tha n 1 mil e

(1.6km) .

I f yo u chec k th e pressur e whe n th e
tire s ar e ho t (th e ca r ha s bee n drive n
severa l miles) , yo u wil l se e reading s
4 to 6 ps i (3 0 to 4 0
kPa ,
0. 3 to 0. 4
kgf/cm 2) highe r tha n th e col d
reading . Thi s is normal . D o no t le t
ai r ou t t o matc h th e specifie d col d
pressure . Th e tir e wil l b e

underinflated .

Maintenanc e

Usin
g tire s tha t ar e excessivel y
wor n o r improperl y inflate d ca n
caus e a cras h i n whic h yo u ca n
b e seriousl y hur t o r killed .
Follo w al l instruction s i n thi s
owner' s manua l regardin g tir e
inflatio n an d maintenance .

Tire
s

Yo u shoul d ge t you r ow n tir e
pressur e gaug e an d us e it wheneve r
yo u chec k you r tir e pressures . Thi s
wil l mak e it easie r fo r yo u t o tel l i f a
pressur e los s i s du e t o a tir e proble m
an d no t du e to a variatio n betwee n

gauges .

Recommended Tire Pressures for
Normal Driving

Th e followin g char t show s th e
recommende d col d tir e pressure s fo r
mos t norma l drivin g condition s an d

speeds .

Th e compac t spar e tir e pressur e is :

6 0 ps i
(42 0
kPa )
Thes
e pressure s ar e als o give n on
th e tir e informatio n labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Tubeles s tire s hav e som e abilit y t o
self-sea l i f the y ar e punctured .
However , becaus e leakag e is ofte n
ver y slow , yo u shoul d loo k closel y
fo r puncture s i f a tir e start s losin g
pressure .

Maintenance

Tire
s

Inspectio n

Ever y tim e yo u chec k inflation , yo u
shoul d als o examin e th e tire s fo r
damage , foreig n objects , an d wear .
Yo u shoul d loo k for :
Bump s o r bulge s in th e trea d o r
sid e o f th e tire . Replac e th e tir e if
yo u fin d eithe r o f thes e conditions .
Cuts , splits , o r crack s in th e sid e
o f th e tire . Replac e th e tir e if yo u
ca n se e fabri c o r cord .
Excessiv e trea d wear .
INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MARK S

TREA D WEA R INDICATOR S

You r car' s tire s hav e wea r indicator s
molde d int o th e tread . Whe n th e
trea d wear s dow n to tha t point , yo u
wil l se e a 1/ 2 inc h (12. 7 mm ) wid e
ban d runnin g acros s th e tread . Thi s
show s ther e is les s tha n 1/1 6 inc h
(1. 6 mm ) o f trea d lef t o n th e tire . A
tir e tha t i s thi s wor n give s ver y littl e
tractio n o n we t roads . Yo u shoul d
replac e th e tir e if yo u ca n se e th e
trea d wea r indicato r i n thre e o r mor e
place s aroun d th e tire .
Maintenanc
e

I n additio n t o prope r inflation ,
correc t whee l alignmen t help s t o
decreas e tir e wear . I f yo u fin d a tir e
i s wor n unevenly , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e whee l alignment .
Th e tire s wer e properl y balance d b y
th e factory . The y ma y nee d to b e
rebalance d a t som e tim e befor e the y
ar e wor n out . Hav e you r deale r
chec k th e tire s i f yo u fee l a consis -
ten t vibratio n whil e driving . A tir e
shoul d alway s b e rebalance d if i t i s
remove d fro m th e whee l fo r repair .
Mak e sur e th e installe r balance s th e
wheel s whe n yo u hav e ne w tire s
installed . Thi s increase s ridin g
comfor t an d tir e life . You r car' s
origina l tire s wer e dynami c o r "spin "
balance d a t th e factory . Fo r bes t
results , hav e th e installe r perfor m a
dynami c balance .
Maintenanc e

Tire
s

Tir e Rotatio n
T o hel p increas e tir e lif e an d
distribut e wea r mor e evenly , yo u
shoul d hav e th e tire s rotate d ever y
7,50 0 mile s (12,00 0 km) . Mov e th e
tire s t o th e position s show n in th e
char t eac h tim e the y ar e rotated . Whe
n shoppin g fo r replacemen t
tires , yo u ma y fin d tha t som e tire s
ar e "directional. " Thi s mean s the y
ar e designe d t o rotat e onl y in on e
direction . I f yo u us e directiona l tires ,
the y shoul d b e rotate d onl y front-to -
back . Replacin
g Tire s an d Wheel s
Th e tire s tha t cam e wit h you r ca r
wer e selecte d to matc h th e perform -
anc e capabilitie s o f th e ca r whil e
providin g th e bes t combinatio n o f
handling , rid e comfort , an d lon g life .
Yo u shoul d replac e the m wit h radia l
tire s o f th e sam e size , loa d range ,
spee d rating , an d maximu m col d tir e
pressur e ratin g (a s show n o n th e
tire' s sidewall) . Mixin g radia l an d
bias-pl y tire s o n you r ca r ca n reduc e
it s brakin g ability , traction , an d
steerin g accuracy .
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
Fron
t

Front

(Fo r Non-directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )(Fo
r Directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )

Tire
s

I t i s bes t t o replac e al l fou r tire s a t
th e sam e time . I f tha t i s no t possibl e
o r necessary , the n replac e th e tw o
fron t tire s o r th e tw o rea r tire s a s a
pair . Replacin g jus t on e tir e ca n
seriousl y affec t you r car's handling .
I f yo u eve r nee d to replac e a wheel ,
mak e sur e th e wheel' s specification s
matc h thos e o f th e origina l whee l
tha t cam e o n you r car . Replacemen t
wheel s ar e availabl e a t you r Hond a

dealer .
Wheel
s an d Tire s

Wheels :

14x51/ 2 J J
Tires :

P165/65R1478 S

Se e pag e 23 6 fo r informatio n abou t
DO T Tir e Qualit y Grading .
Winte
r Drivin g

Tire s tha t ar e marke d "M+S " o r
"Al l Season " o n th e sidewal l hav e a n
all-weathe r trea d design . The y
shoul d b e suitabl e fo r mos t winte r
drivin g conditions . Tire s withou t
thes e marking s ar e designe d fo r
optimu m tractio n i n dr y conditions .
The y ma y no t provid e adequat e
performanc e i n winte r driving .
Fo r th e bes t performanc e i n snow y
o r ic y conditions , yo u shoul d instal l
sno w tire s o r tir e chains . The y ma y
b e require d b y loca l law s unde r
certai n conditions .

Maintenanc e

Installin
g imprope r tire s o n you r
ca r ca n affec t handlin g an d
stability . Thi s ca n caus e a cras h
i n whic h yo u ca n b e seriousl y
hur t o r killed .
Alway s us e th e siz e an d typ e o f
tire s recommende d in thi s
owner' s manual .

Tire
s

Snow Tires
I f yo u moun t sno w tire s o n you r
Honda , mak e sur e the y ar e radia l
tire s o f th e sam e siz e an d loa d rang e
a s th e origina l tires . Moun t sno w
tire s o n al l fou r wheel s t o balanc e
you r car' s handlin g in al l weathe r
conditions . Kee p in min d th e tractio n
provide d b y sno w tire s o n dr y road s
ma y no t b e a s hig h a s you r car' s
origina l equipmen t tires . Yo u shoul d
driv e cautiousl y eve n whe n th e road s
ar e clear . Chec k wit h th e tir e deale r
fo r maximu m spee d recommenda -
tions . Tire
Chains
Moun t sno w chain s o n you r vehicl e
whe n warrante d b y drivin g condi -
tion s o r require d b y loca l laws . Mak e
sur e th e chain s ar e th e correc t siz e
fo r you r tires . Instal l the m onl y o n
th e fron t tires . I f meta l chain s ar e
used , the y mus t b e SA E clas s "S. "
Cabl e typ e tractio n device s ca n als o
b e used .
Whe n installin g chains , follo w th e
manufacturer' s instruction s an d
moun t the m as tightl y a s yo u can .
Driv e slowl y wit h chain s installed . I f
yo u hea r th e chain s contactin g th e
bod y o r chassis , sto p an d investigate .
Mak e sur e th e chain s ar e installe d
tightly , an d tha t the y ar e no t
contactin g th e brak e line s o r
suspension . Remov e th e chain s a s
soo n a s yo u begi n drivin g o n cleare d

roads .
Chains
of the wrong size or that are
improperly installed can damage your
car's brake lines, suspension, body, and
wheels. Stop driving if you hear the
chains hitting any pan of the car.
Maintenanc e

NOTIC
E

Light
s

Chec k th e operatio n o f you r car' s
exterio r light s a t leas t onc e a month .
A burne d ou t bul b ca n creat e a n
unsaf e conditio n b y reducin g you r
car' s visibilit y an d th e abilit y t o
signa l you r intention s t o othe r
drivers .
HEADLIGH
T
FRON T PARKIN G LIGH T

Maintenanc e SID
E MARKE R LIGH T
TUR N SIGNA L LIGH T

Light
s

HIGH-MOUN T BRAK E LIGH T

STOP/TAILLIGHT

LICENS E PLAT E LIGHT S
TURN SIGNA L

LIGH T

BACK-U P LIGH T
Chec
k th e following :

Headlight s (lo w an d hig h beam )
Parkin g light s
Taillight s
Brak e light s
High-moun t brak e ligh t
Tur n signal s
Back-u p light s
Hazar d ligh t functio n
Licens e plat e ligh t
Sid e marke r light s
Daytim e runnin g light s
(Canadia n models )
I f yo u fin d an y bulb s ar e burne d out ,

replac e the m as soo n a s possible .

Refe r t o th e char t o n pag e 23 5 to

determin e wha t typ e o f replacemen t

bul b is needed .

Maintenanc e