2000 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Exterio
r Car e
Roo f Antenn a
Befor e usin g a n automati c ca r wash ,
remov e th e radi o antenn a s o it doe s
no t ge t damaged . Remov e th e
antenn a b y unscrewin g it . Whe n yo u
reinstal l th e antenna , tighte n i t
securely .
Rea
r Whee l Skir t

I f a n automati c ca r was h ha s tir e
cleanin g brushes , remov e th e skirt s
coverin g th e rea r wheel s s o the y wil l
no t b e damaged . Se e pag e 20 8 fo r
ho w to remov e an d instal l th e skirts .

Appearanc e Car e

Exterio
r Car e

Although almost all exterior panels on
your Honda are made of hardened
aluminum, they may dent more easily
than steel under some conditions.
Exercise care when leaning on or over
any part of the body.

Washin g

Frequen t washin g help s preserv e
you r car' s beauty . Dir t an d gri t ca n
scratc h th e paint , whil e tre e sa p an d
bir d dropping s ca n permanentl y rui n
th e finish .
Was h you r ca r i n a shad y area , no t i n
direc t sunlight . I f th e ca r i s parke d in
th e sun , mov e it int o th e shad e an d
le t th e exterio r coo l dow n befor e yo u
start .
Onl y us e th e solvent s an d cleaner s
recommende d in thi s Owner' s

Manual .
Chemical
solvents and strong cleaners

can damage the paint, metal, and

plastic on your car.

Rins e th e ca r thoroughl y wit h coo l
wate r t o remov e loos e dirt .
Fil l a bucke t wit h coo l water . Mi x
i n a mil d detergent , suc h a s
dishwashin g liqui d o r a produc t
mad e especiall y fo r ca r washing .
Was h th e ca r usin g th e wate r an d
detergen t solutio n an d a soft -
bristl e brush , sponge , o r sof t cloth .
Star t a t th e to p an d wor k you r wa y
down . Rins e frequently . Chec
k th e bod y fo r roa d tar , tre e
sap , etc . Remov e thes e stain s wit h
ta r remove r o r turpentine . Rins e it
of f immediatel y s o it doe s no t
har m th e finish . Remembe r t o re -
wa x thes e areas , eve n if th e res t o f
th e ca r doe s no t nee d waxing .
Whe n yo u hav e washe d an d rinse d
th e whol e exterior , dr y it wit h a
chamoi s o r sof t towel . Lettin g it
air-dr y wil l caus e dullin g an d wate r

spots .

A s yo u dr y th e car , inspec t i t fo r
chip s an d scratche s tha t coul d allo w
corrosio n to start . Repai r the m wit h
touch-u p pain t (se e pag e 200 ).
Appearanc e Car e

NOTIC
E
NOTICE

Exterio
r Car e

Waxin g
Alway s was h an d dr y th e whol e ca r
befor e waxin g it . Yo u shoul d wa x
you r car , includin g th e meta l trim ,
wheneve r wate r sit s o n th e surfac e
i n larg e patches . I t shoul d for m int o
bead s o r droplet s afte r waxing .
Yo u shoul d us e a qualit y liqui d o r
past e wax . Appl y i t accordin g t o th e
instruction s o n th e container . I n
general , ther e ar e tw o type s o f
products :
Waxe s — A wa x coat s th e finis h an d
protect s i t fro m damag e b y exposur e
t o sunlight , ai r pollution , etc . Yo u
shoul d us e a wa x o n you r Hond a
whe n it i s new . Polishe
s — Polishe s an d cleaner /
waxe s ca n restor e th e shin e t o pain t
tha t ha s oxidize d an d los t som e o f it s
shine . The y normall y contai n mil d
abrasive s an d solvent s tha t remov e
th e to p laye r o f th e finish . Yo u
shoul d us e a polis h o n you r Hond a if
th e finis h doe s no t hav e it s origina l
shin e afte r usin g a wax .
Cleanin g tar , insects , etc . wit h
remover s als o take s of f th e wax .
Remembe r t o re-wa x thos e areas ,
eve n if th e res t o f th e ca r doe s no t

nee d waxing .

Aluminu m Wheel s
Clea n you r Honda' s aluminu m allo y
wheel s a s yo u d o th e res t o f th e
exterior . Was h the m wit h th e sam e
solution , an d rins e the m thoroughly .
Th e wheel s hav e a protectiv e clear -
coa t tha t keep s th e aluminu m fro m
corrodin g an d tarnishing . Usin g
hars h chemicals , includin g som e commercia
l whee l cleaners , o r stif f
brushe s ca n damag e thi s clear-coat .
Onl y us e a mil d detergen t an d sof t
brus h o r spong e to clea n th e wheels .
Pain t Touch-u p
You r deale r ha s touch-u p pain t t o
matc h you r car' s color . Th e colo r
cod e is printe d o n a sticke r o n th e
driver' s doorjamb . Tak e thi s cod e to
you r deale r s o yo u ar e sur e to ge t
th e correc t color .
Inspec t you r ca r frequentl y fo r chip s
o r scratche s i n th e paint . Repai r
the m righ t awa y t o preven t corrosio n
o f th e meta l underneath . Us e th e
touch-u p pain t onl y o n smal l chip s
an d scratches . Mor e extensiv e pain t
damag e shoul d b e repaire d b y a

professional .

Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Car e

Carpetin g
Vacuu m th e carpetin g frequentl y t o
remov e dirt . Ground-i n dir t wil l mak e
th e carpe t wea r ou t faster .
Periodicall y shampo o th e carpet to
kee p it lookin g new . Us e on e o f th e
foam-typ e carpet cleaner s o n th e
market . Follo w th e instruction s tha t
com e wit h th e cleaner , applyin g it
wit h a spong e o r sof t brush . Kee p
th e carpetin g a s dr y a s possibl e b y
no t addin g wate r t o th e foam .
Fabri c
Vacuu m dir t an d dus t ou t o f th e
materia l frequently . Fo r genera l
cleaning , us e a solutio n o f mil d soa p
an d lukewar m water , lettin g it ai r dry .
T o clea n of f stubbor n spots , us e a
commercially-availabl e fabri c cleaner .
Tes t i t o n a hidde n are a o f th e fabri c
first , t o mak e sur e it doe s no t bleac h
o r stai n th e fabric . Follo w th e
instruction s tha t com e wit h th e

cleaner .
Viny
l

Remov e dir t an d dus t wit h a vacuu m
cleaner . Wip e th e viny l wit h a sof t
clot h dampene d in a solutio n o f mil d
soa p an d water . Us e th e sam e
solutio n wit h a soft-bristl e brus h o n
mor e difficul t spots . Yo u ca n als o us e
commercially-availabl e spra y o r
foam-typ e viny l cleaners .

Sea t Belt s

I f you r sea t belt s ge t dirty , yo u ca n
us e a sof t brus h wit h a mixtur e o f
mil d soa p an d war m wate r t o clea n

them . D o no t us e bleach , dye , o r

cleanin g solvents . The y ca n weake n
th e bel t material . Le t th e belt s air -
dr y befor e yo u us e th e car .
LOO
P

Dir t build-u p in th e loop s o f th e sea t
bel t anchor s ca n caus e th e belt s t o
retrac t slowly . Wip e th e inside s o f
th e loop s wit h a clea n clot h
dampene d in mil d soa p an d war m
wate r o r isopropy l alcohol .
Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Care , Corrosio n Protectio n

Window s
Clea n th e windows , insid e an d out ,
wit h a commercially-availabl e glas s
cleaner . Yo u ca n als o us e a mixtur e
o f on e par t whit e vinega r t o te n part s
water . Thi s wil l remov e th e haz e tha t
build s u p o n th e insid e o f th e
windows . Us e a sof t clot h o r pape r
towel s t o clea n al l glas s an d clea r
plasti c surfaces .
The rear window defogger wires are
bonded to the inside of the glass.
Wiping vigorously up-and-down can
dislodge and break the defogger wires.
When cleaning the rear window, use
gentle pressure and wipe side-to-side. Ai
r Freshener s
I f yo u wan t t o us e a n ai r freshener /
deodorize r i n th e interio r o f you r car ,
i t i s bes t t o us e a soli d type . Som e
liqui d ai r freshener s contai n chemi -
cal s tha t ma y caus e part s o f th e
interio r tri m an d fabri c t o crac k o r
discolor .
I f yo u us e a liqui d ai r freshener ,
mak e sur e yo u faste n it securel y s o it
doe s no t spil l a s yo u drive .
Corrosio
n Protectio n

Tw o factor s normall y contribut e t o
causin g corrosio n in you r car :
1 . Moistur e trappe d in bod y cavities .
Dir t an d roa d sal t tha t collect s i n
hollow s o n th e undersid e o f th e
ca r stay s damp , promotin g
corrosio n in tha t area .
2 . Remova l o f pain t an d protectiv e
coating s fro m th e exterio r an d
undersid e o f th e car .
Man y corrosion-preventiv e measure s
ar e buil t int o you r Honda . Yo u ca n
hel p kee p you r ca r fro m corrodin g
b y performin g som e simpl e periodi c

maintenance :

Repai r chip s an d scratche s i n th e
pain t a s soo n a s yo u discove r them .
Appearanc e Car e

NOTIC
E

Corrosio
n Protection , Bod y Repair s

Inspec t an d clea n ou t th e drai n
hole s i n th e botto m o f th e door s
an d body .
Chec k th e floo r covering s fo r
dampness . Carpetin g an d floo r
mat s ma y remai n dam p fo r a lon g
time , especiall y i n winter . Thi s
dampnes s ca n eventuall y caus e
th e floo r panel s t o corrode .
Us e a high-pressur e spra y t o clea n
th e undersid e o f you r car . Thi s i s
especiall y importan t i n area s tha t
us e roa d sal t i n winter . I t i s als o a
goo d ide a in humi d climate s an d
area s subjec t t o sal t air .
Hav e th e corrosion-preventiv e
coating s o n th e undersid e o f you r
ca r inspecte d an d repaire d
periodically . Bod
y Repair s

Bod y repair s ca n affec t you r car' s
resistanc e to corrosion . I f you r ca r
need s repair s afte r a collision , pa y
clos e attentio n to th e part s use d in
th e repai r an d th e qualit y o f th e
work .
Mak e sur e th e repai r facilit y use s
Genuin e Hond a replacemen t bod y
parts . Som e companie s mak e shee t
meta l piece s tha t see m to duplicat e
th e origina l Hond a bod y parts , bu t
ar e actuall y inferio r i n fit , finish , an d
corrosio n resistance . Onc e installed ,
the y d o no t giv e th e sam e high -
qualit y appearance .
Whe
n reportin g you r collisio n t o th e
insuranc e company , tel l the m yo u
wan t Genuin e Hond a part s use d in
th e repair . Althoug h mos t insurer s
recogniz e th e qualit y o f origina l
parts , som e ma y tr y t o specif y tha t
th e repair s b e don e wit h othe r
availabl e parts . Yo u shoul d investi -
gat e thi s befor e an y repair s hav e

begun .

Tak e you r ca r t o you r authorize d
Hond a deale r fo r inspectio n afte r th e
repair s ar e completed . You r deale r
ca n mak e sur e tha t qualit y material s
wer e used , an d tha t corrosion -
preventiv e coating s wer e applie d t o
al l repaire d an d replace d parts .
Appearanc e Car e

204

Takin
g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Thi s sectio n cover s th e more -
commo n problem s tha t motorist s
experienc e wit h thei r vehicles . I t
give s yo u informatio n abou t ho w to
safel y evaluat e th e proble m an d wha t
t o d o to correc t it . I f th e proble m ha s
strande d yo u o n th e sid e o f th e road ,
yo u ma y b e abl e to ge t goin g again .
I f not , yo u wil l als o fin d instruction s
o n gettin g you r ca r towed . Compac
t Spar e Tire...................... . 20
6

Changin g a
Fla
t Tir e .................... . 20

7

I f You r
Engin
e Won' t Start.......... . 21

3

Nothin g Happen s
o
r th e
Starte r Moto r Operate s
Ver y Slowly............................ . 21

3

Th e Starte r
Operate
s
Normally................................ . 21 4
Jum p Starting................................ . 21 4
I f You r Engin e Overheats............ . 21 7
Lo w Oi l Pressur e Indicator......... . 21 8
Chargin g Syste m Indicator.......... . 21 9
Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p ....... . 22 0
Brak e Syste m Indicator............... . 22 1
Fuses.............................................. . 22 2
Checkin g an d Replacing.......... . 22 3
Emergenc y Towing...................... . 22 8

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d