2000 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Protectin
g Childre n

Additiona l Safet y Precautio n
Do
not leave a child alone in your

car. Leavin g a chil d withou t adul t
supervisio n is illega l i n mos t state s
an d Canadia n province s an d ca n
b e ver y hazardous . Fo r example , a
smal l chil d lef t i n a ca r o n a ho t
da y ca n di e fro m heatstroke . A
chil d lef t alon e wit h th e ke y i n th e
ignitio n ca n accidentall y se t th e
ca r i n motion , possibl y injurin g
themselve s o r others . Genera
l Guideline s fo r Usin g
Chil d Seat s
A s discusse d o n pag e 20 , becaus e
you r ca r doe s no t hav e a bac k seat ,
an d becaus e o f th e passenger' s
airba g hazard , w e strongl y
recommen d tha t yo u d o no t carr y a
smal l chil d a s a passenge r i n thi s car .
However , i f yo u mus t carr y a smal l
chil d in thi s car , th e chil d mus t b e
properl y restraine d in a chil d seat .
Th e followin g page s giv e genera l
guideline s fo r selectin g an d installin g
a chil d seat . Se e pag e 2 6 fo r
additiona l information .
Selecting
a Child Seat

T o provid e prope r protection , a chil d
sea t shoul d mee t thre e
requirements :

1. The child seat should meet safety

standards. The chil d sea t shoul d
mee t Federa l Moto r Vehicl e
Safet y Standar d 21 3 (FMVS S 213 )
o r Canadia n Moto r Vehicl e Safet y
Standar d 21 3 (CMVS S 213) . Loo k
fo r th e manufacturer' s statemen t
o f complianc e o n th e bo x an d seat .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

2. The child seat should be of the
proper type and size to fit the child.
Small Children: A chil d wh o ca n si t
u p withou t suppor t shoul d b e
restraine d in a forward-facin g chil d
seat . Se e pag e 2 6 fo r additiona l
informatio n o n protectin g smal l

children .
3.
The child seat should fit the

passenger's seat.

Du e to variation s in th e desig n o f
chil d seats , vehicl e seats , an d sea t
belts , al l chil d seat s wil l no t fi t al l
seatin g position s in al l cars .
However , Hond a is confiden t tha t
on e o r mor e chil d sea t model s ca n fi t
an d b e properl y installe d in thi s car . Befor
e purchasin g a chil d seat , w e
recommen d tha t parent s tes t th e
chil d sea t t o mak e sur e it fit s
properl y in th e passenger' s seat . I f a
previousl y purchase d chil d sea t doe s
no t fit , yo u wil l nee d to bu y a
differen t on e tha t wil l fit .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Placing a Child Seat
Thi s pag e briefl y summarize s
Honda' s recommendation s o n wher e
t o plac e a chil d sea t i n you r car . Passenger's
Seat
Infants: Never i n th e passenger' s
seat , du e to th e passenger' s airba g

hazard .

Small children: Not recommended ,

du e t o th e passenger' s airba g
hazard . I f a smal l chil d mus t rid e
i n thi s car , mov e th e vehicl e sea t
t o th e rear-mos t positio n an d
secur e a front-facin g chil d sea t
wit h th e sea t belt , (se e pag e 27 ).

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Airbag
s Pos e Seriou s
Risk s t o Childre n
Th e passenger' s airba g inflate s
wit h enoug h forc e t o kil l o r
seriousl y injur e a n infan t i n a
rear-facin g chil d seat .
A smal l chil d in a forward-facin g
chil d sea t i s als o a t risk . I f th e
vehicl e sea t i s to o fa r forward ,
o r th e child' s hea d is throw n
forwar d durin g a collision , a n
inflatin g airba g ca n kil l o r
seriousl y injur e th e child .
I f a smal l chil d mus t rid e in thi s
car , follo w th e instruction s
provide d in thi s section .

Protectin
g Childre n

Installing a Child Seat

Afte r selectin g a prope r chil d seat ,
ther e ar e thre e mai n step s in
installin g th e seat :

1. Secure the child seat to the car

with a seat belt. All chil d seat s

mus t b e secure d to th e ca r wit h
th e la p par t o f a lap/shoulde r belt .
A chil d whos e sea t i s no t properl y
secure d to th e ca r ca n b e
endangere d in a crash . Se e pag e
2 7 fo r instruction s o n ho w to
secur e a forward-facin g chil d sea t
i n thi s car .

2. Make sure the child seat is firmly

secured. After installin g a chil d

seat , pus h an d pul l th e sea t
forwar d an d fro m sid e to sid e to
verif y tha t i t i s secure . T
o provid e securit y durin g norma l
drivin g maneuver s a s wel l a s durin g
a collision , w e recommen d tha t
parent s secur e a chil d sea t a s firml y
a s possible .
However , a chil d sea t doe s no t nee d
t o b e "roc k solid. " I t ma y b e difficul t
t o instal l a chil d sea t s o tha t i t doe s
no t mov e a t all . Som e side-to-sid e o r
back-and-fort h movemen t ca n b e
expecte d an d shoul d no t reduc e th e
chil d seat' s effectiveness . 3.
Secure the child in the child seat.
Mak e sur e th e chil d is properl y
strappe d in th e chil d sea t
accordin g to th e chil d sea t maker' s
instructions . A chil d wh o is no t
properl y secure d in a chil d sea t
ca n b e throw n ou t o f th e sea t i n a
cras h an d seriousl y injured .
Storing a Child Seat
Whe n yo u ar e no t usin g a chil d seat ,
eithe r remov e it an d stor e it i n a saf e
place , o r mak e sur e it i s properl y
secured . A n unsecure d chil d sea t ca n
b e throw n aroun d th e ca r durin g a
cras h o r sudde n sto p an d injur e

someone .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n
Protectin g Smal l Childre n
Th e passenger' s airba g pose s
seriou s risk s t o smal l children . I f th e
vehicl e sea t i s to o fa r forward , o r th e
child' s hea d is throw n forwar d
durin g a collision , o r th e chil d is
unrestraine d o r improperl y
restrained , a n inflatin g airba g ca n kil l
o r seriousl y injur e th e child .
Fo r thes e reasons , w e recommen d
tha t yo u d o no t carr y a smal l chil d a s
a passenger . I
f yo u decid e t o carr y a smal l chil d in
thi s car , follo w th e instruction s an d
guideline s below .
Child Seat Type
A chil d wh o ca n si t u p withou t
support , an d wh o fit s withi n th e chil d
sea t maker' s weigh t an d heigh t
limits , shoul d b e restraine d in a
forward-facing , uprigh t chil d seat .
O f th e differen t seat s available , w e
recommen d thos e tha t hav e a five -
poin t harnes s syste m a s shown .
W e als o recommen d tha t a smal l
chil d sta y in th e chil d sea t a s lon g a s
possible , unti l th e chil d reache s th e
weigh t o r heigh t limi t fo r th e seat .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y Improperl
y placin g a forward -
facin g chil d sea t i n th e fron t
sea t ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y
o r deat h i f th e airbag s inflate .
I f yo u mus t plac e a forward -
facin g chil d sea t i n front , mov e
th e vehicl e sea t a s fa r bac k a s
possibl e an d properl y restrai n
th e child .

Protectin
g Childre n

Child Seat Installation
Th e passenger' s sea t bel t ha s a
lockin g mechanis m tha t mus t b e
activate d to secur e a chil d seat .
Th e followin g page s provid e
instruction s an d tip s o n ho w to
secur e a forward-facin g chil d sea t
wit h thi s typ e o f sea t belt .
1 . Mov e th e vehicl e sea t t o th e rear -
mos t position . Movin g th e sea t a s
fa r bac k a s possibl e reduce s th e
chanc e o f a chil d bein g injure d o r
kille d i f th e passenger' s airba g
inflates . (Se e pag e 7 4 fo r
instruction s o n ho w to adjus t th e
seat. ) 2
. Wit h th e chil d sea t i n position ,
rout e th e bel t throug h th e chil d
sea t accordin g t o th e sea t maker' s
instructions , the n inser t th e latc h
plat e int o th e buckle . 3
. T o activat e th e lockabl e retractor ,
slowl y pul l th e shoulde r par t o f th e
bel t al l th e wa y ou t unti l i t stops ,
the n le t th e bel t fee d bac k int o th e
retracto r (yo u migh t hea r a
clickin g nois e a s th e bel t retracts) .
4 . Afte r th e bel t ha s retracted , tu g o n
it . I f th e bel t i s locked , yo u wil l no t
b e abl e t o pul l i t out . I f yo u ca n pul l
th e bel t out , i t i s no t locke d an d
yo u wil l nee d t o repea t thes e steps .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

CONTINUED

Protectin
g Childre n

5 . Afte r confirmin g tha t th e bel t i s
locked , gra b th e shoulde r par t o f
th e bel t nea r th e buckl e an d pul l
u p to remov e an y slac k fro m th e
la p par t o f th e belt . Remember , i f
th e la p par t o f th e bel t i s no t tight ,
th e chil d sea t wil l no t b e secure . I t
ma y hel p to pu t weigh t o n th e
chil d seat , o r pus h o n th e bac k o f
th e seat , whil e pullin g u p o n th e

belt .
6
. Pus h an d pul l th e chil d sea t
forwar d an d fro m sid e t o sid e t o
verif y tha t i t i s secur e enoug h t o
sta y uprigh t durin g norma l drivin g
maneuvers . I f th e chil d sea t i s no t
secure , unlatc h th e belt , allo w it t o
retrac t fully , the n repea t thes e

steps .

T o deactivat e th e lockin g
mechanis m in orde r t o remov e a
chil d seat , unlatc h th e buckle ,
unrout e th e sea t belt , an d le t th e bel t
full y retract .
Additional
Precautions for Small

Children
Never hold a small child on your
lap. If yo u ar e no t wearin g a sea t
bel t i n a crash , yo u coul d b e
throw n forwar d int o th e
dashboar d an d crus h th e child .
I f yo u ar e wearin g a sea t belt , th e
chil d ca n b e tor n fro m you r arm s
durin g a crash . Fo r example , i f
you r ca r crashe s int o a parke d
vehicl e a t 3 0 mp h (4 8 km/h) , a
30-l b (1 4 kg ) chil d wil l becom e a
900-l b (41 0 kg ) force , an d yo u wil l
no t b e abl e to hol d on .
Never
put a seat belt over yourself

and a child. During a crash , th e

bel t coul d pres s dee p int o th e chil d
an d caus e ver y seriou s injuries .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Protectin g Large r Childre n
Th e passenger' s airba g pose s
seriou s risk s t o children , includin g
thos e wh o hav e outgrow n chil d seats .
I f th e vehicl e sea t i s to o fa r forward ,
o r th e child' s head is throw n forwar d
durin g a collision , o r th e chil d is
unrestraine d o r ou t o f position , a n
inflatin g airba g ca n kil l o r seriousl y
injur e th e child .
Fo r thes e reasons , w e recommen d
tha t yo u d o no t carr y a chil d

passenger .

Wit h thi s i n mind , followin g ar e
som e guideline s t o hel p yo u decid e
whe n a give n chil d ma y rid e in you r
car .

The Child Should Wear a Seat Belt

Whe n a chil d reache s th e
recommende d weigh t o r heigh t limi t
fo r a forward-facin g chil d seat , th e
chil d shoul d wea r a lap/shoulde r belt .I
f a chil d is to o shor t fo r th e shoulde r
par t o f th e bel t t o properl y fit , w e
recommen d tha t th e chil d us e a
booste r sea t unti l the y ar e tal l
enoug h t o us e th e sea t bel t withou t a

booster .

Th e followin g page s giv e
instruction s o n ho w to chec k prope r
sea t bel t fit , wha t kin d o f booste r
sea t t o us e if on e is needed , an d
importan t precaution s fo r a chil d
wh o mus t rid e i n thi s car .
Checking
Seat Belt Fit

T o determin e i f a lap/shoulde r bel t
properl y fit s a child , hav e th e chil d
pu t o n th e sea t belt . Follo w th e
instruction s o n pag e 15 . The n chec k
ho w th e bel t fits .
I f th e shoulde r par t o f th e bel t rest s
ove r th e child' s collarbon e an d
agains t th e cente r o f th e chest , a s
shown , th e chil d is larg e enoug h to
wea r th e sea t belt .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Allowin
g a large r chil d t o si t

improperl y i n th e fron t sea t ca n
resul t i n injur y o r deat h i f th e

airbag s inflate .
I f a large r chil d mus t si t i n front ,
mak e sur e th e chil d move s th e
sea t a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
an d wear s th e sea t bel t properly .
CONTINUED