2000 HONDA INSIGHT ECO mode

Fue
l Econom y

Th e conditio n o f you r ca r an d you r
drivin g habit s ar e th e tw o mos t
importan t thing s tha t affec t th e fue l
mileag e yo u get .
Vehicl e Conditio n
Alway s maintai n you r ca r accordin g
t o th e maintenanc e schedule . Thi s
wil l kee p it i n to p operatin g condition .
A n importan t par t o f tha t mainte -
nanc e is th e Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (se e pag e 15 7 ) . Fo r
example , a n underinflate d tir e
cause s mor e "rollin g resistance, "
whic h use s fuel . I t als o wear s ou t
faster , s o chec k th e tir e pressur e a t
leas t monthly . Engin
e oi l als o affect s fue l economy .
Th e fue l efficient , low-viscosit y
OW-2 0 oi l recommende d fo r you r
Insigh t i s formulate d t o hel p th e
engin e us e les s fuel . Thi s oi l i s
availabl e a t you r Hond a dealer .
I n winter , th e build-u p o f sno w o n
you r car' s undersid e add s weigh t an d
rollin g resistance . Frequen t cleanin g
help s you r fue l mileag e an d reduce s
th e chanc e o f corrosion .
Drivin g Habit s
Yo u ca n improv e fue l econom y b y
drivin g moderately . Rapi d acceler -
ation , abrup t cornering , an d har d
brakin g us e mor e fuel .
T o ge t th e bes t fue l mileage , driv e in
th e highes t gea r tha t i s practica l fo r
th e spee d yo u ar e driving , an d
alway s accelerat e slowly . Yo
u ma y fin d tha t you r Insight' s
uniqu e combinatio n o f a n engin e an d
a n electri c moto r ha s drivin g
characteristic s tha t ar e somewha t
differen t fro m wha t yo u ar e use d to .
Shif t U p an d Shif t Dow n indicator s
o n th e instrumen t pane l sho w whe n
t o shif t t o a highe r o r lowe r gear . B y
shiftin g a s soo n a s th e indicato r
come s on , yo u wil l kee p th e engin e
operatin g in it s mos t economica l

range .

Dependin g o n traffi c conditions , tr y
t o maintai n a constan t speed . Ever y
tim e yo u slo w dow n an d spee d up ,
you r ca r use s extr a fuel .
Win d resistanc e cause s vehicle s t o
us e mor e fue l a t highe r speeds .
Drivin g a t moderat e speed s o n th e
highwa y reduce s win d resistanc e
an d conserve s fuel .

Befor e Drivin g

Fue
l Econom y

A col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y in abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d it i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m up faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t dow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o
combin e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e is

moderate .
I
f ai r conditionin g is needed , yo u ca n
sav e som e fue l b y usin g th e A/ C in
"Econ " mode . Thi s mod e allow s th e
Aut o Idl e Sto p functio n to shu t of f
th e engin e whe n th e vehicl e is
stopped , resultin g in fue l savings .
Yo u ma y notic e tha t usin g th e A/ C
cause s a greate r dro p in fue l
econom y tha n yo u ar e use d to in
othe r vehicles . Althoug h th e amoun t
o f extr a fue l use d b y th e A/ C loa d o n
th e engin e is n o greate r tha n othe r
vehicles , i t i s mor e noticeabl e
becaus e o f you r Insight' s excellen t
fue l mileage . Usin g th e A/ C is ho t
weathe r ma y resul t i n fue l econom y
tha t i s lowe r tha n expected .
Before Drivin g

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p
MALFUNCTIO N INDICATO R LAM P

Thi s indicato r come s o n fo r a fe w
second s whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n
switc h O N (II) . I f i t come s o n a t an y
othe r time , i t indicate s on e o f th e
engine' s emission s contro l system s
ma y hav e a problem . Eve n thoug h
yo u ma y fee l n o differenc e in you r
car' s performance , i t ca n reduc e
you r fue l econom y an d caus e you r
ca r t o pu t ou t excessiv e emissions .
Continue d operatio n ma y caus e
seriou s damage .
I
f yo u hav e recentl y refuele d you r
car , th e caus e o f thi s indicato r
comin g o n coul d b e a loos e o r
missin g fue l fil l cap . Chec k th e ca p
an d tighte n it unti l i t click s severa l
times . Replac e th e fue l fil l ca p if i t i s
missing . Tightenin g th e ca p wil l no t
mak e th e indicato r tur n of f
immediately ; i t take s thre e drivin g

trips .

I f th e indicato r remain s o n pas t thre e
drivin g trips , o r th e fue l ca p wa s no t
loos e o r missing , hav e th e ca r
checke d b y th e deale r a s soo n a s
possible . Driv e moderatel y unti l th e
deale r ha s inspecte d th e problem .
Avoi d full-throttl e acceleratio n an d
drivin g a t hig h speed .
Yo
u shoul d als o hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r i f thi s indicato r
come s o n repeatedly , eve n thoug h it
ma y tur n of f a s yo u continu e driving .

If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car's warranties.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E