2000 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Protectin
g Childre n

However , i f th e bel t touche s o r
crosse s th e child' s neck , th e chil d
need s t o us e a booste r seat .

Do not let a child wear a seat belt

across the neck. This coul d resul t i n
seriou s nec k injurie s durin g a crash .

Do not let a child put the shoulder

part of a seat belt behind the back or

under the arm. This coul d caus e
ver y seriou s injurie s durin g a crash .
I t als o increase s th e chanc e tha t th e
chil d wil l slid e unde r th e bel t i n a
cras h an d b e injured .
Do
not put any accessories on a seat

belt. Device s intende d to improv e
occupan t comfor t o r repositio n th e
shoulde r par t o f a sea t belt , severel y
compromis e th e protectiv e capabilit y
o f th e sea t bel t an d increas e th e
chanc e o f seriou s injur y in a crash .

Two children should never use the

same seat belt. If the y do , the y coul d
b e ver y seriousl y injure d in a crash .
Using
a Booster Seat

I f a chil d need s a booste r seat , w e
recommen d choosin g a styl e tha t
allow s th e chil d t o us e th e lap /
shoulde r bel t directly , withou t a
shield , a s shown .
Whicheve r styl e yo u select , follo w
th e booste r sea t maker' s instructions .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

A chil d ma y continu e usin g a booste r
sea t unti l th e top s o f th e ear s ar e
eve n wit h th e to p o f th e seat-back . A
chil d o f thi s heigh t shoul d b e tal l
enoug h t o us e th e lap/shoulde r bel t
withou t a booster . When
Can a Larger Child Ride in this
Car
Childre n var y widely . An d whil e ag e
ma y b e on e indicato r o f whe n a chil d
ca n safel y rid e in thi s car , ther e ar e
othe r importan t factor s yo u shoul d

consider .
Physical
Size
Physically , a chil d mus t b e larg e
enoug h fo r th e lap/shoulde r bel t t o
properl y fi t ove r th e hips , chest , an d
shoulde r (se e page s 1 5 an d 29 ). I f
th e sea t bel t doe s no t fi t properly ,
th e chil d shoul d us e a booste r seat .

Maturity

T o safel y rid e in thi s car , a chil d
mus t b e abl e t o follo w th e rules ,
includin g sittin g properl y an d
wearin g th e sea t bel t properl y
throughou t a ride .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

I f yo u decid e tha t a chil d ca n safel y
rid e in thi s car , b e sur e to :
Carefull y rea d th e owner' s manua l
an d mak e sur e yo u understan d al l
sea t bel t instruction s an d al l safet y
information .
Mov e th e vehicl e sea t t o th e rear -
mos t position .
Hav e th e chil d si t u p straight , bac k
agains t th e seat , an d fee t o n o r
nea r th e floor .
Chec k tha t th e child' s sea t bel t i s
properl y positione d an d secured . Supervis
e th e child . Eve n a matur e
chil d sometime s need s to b e
reminde d to faste n th e sea t bel t o r
si t properly .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Usin g Chil d Seat s wit h Tether s

You r ca r ha s a tethe r anchorag e
poin t o n th e trun k linin g fo r securin g
a tether-styl e chil d sea t t o th e car .
Sinc e a tethe r ca n provid e additiona l
security , w e recommen d usin g a
tethe r wheneve r on e is require d o r

available .
Attac
h th e tethe r stra p hoo k t o th e
tethe r anchorag e poin t a s show n in
th e illustratio n an d tighte n th e stra p
accordin g to th e chil d sea t maker' s
instructions .
Driver an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s
Sea t Bel t Syste m Component s

You r sea t bel t syste m include s lap /
shoulde r belt s i n bot h seatin g

positions .

Th e sea t belt s ar e als o equippe d wit h
automati c sea t bel t tensioners .
Th e syste m als o include s a
ligh t o n th e instrumen t
pane l t o remin d yo u an d you r
passenge r t o faste n you r belts . I f th e
driver' s sea t bel t i s no t fastene d
befor e th e ignitio n is turne d O N (II) ,
th e ligh t wil l com e o n an d a beepe r
wil l als o sound . Th e beepe r wil l sto p
afte r a fe w seconds , bu t th e ligh t wil l
sta y o n unti l th e driver' s sea t bel t i s

fastened .
Lap/Shoulde
r Bel t

Thi s sea t bel t ha s a singl e bel t tha t
goe s ove r you r shoulder , acros s you r
ches t an d acros s you r hips .
T o faste n th e belt , inser t th e latc h
plat e int o th e buckle , the n tu g o n th e
bel t t o mak e sur e th e buckl e is

latched .

T o unloc k th e belt , pus h th e re d
PRES S butto n o n th e buckle . Guid e
th e bel t acros s you r bod y t o th e doo r
pillar . Afte r exitin g th e car , b e sur e
th e bel t i s ou t o f th e wa y an d wil l no t ge
t close d in th e door .
Bot h sea t belt s hav e a n emergenc y
lockin g retractor . I n norma l driving ,
th e retracto r let s yo u mov e freel y i n
you r sea t whil e i t keep s som e
tensio n o n th e belt .
Durin g a collisio n o r sudde n stop ,
th e retracto r automaticall y lock s th e
bel t t o hel p restrai n you r body .
Th e passenger' s sea t bel t ha s a n
additiona l lockin g mechanis m tha t
mus t b e activate d t o secur e a chil d
seat . (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 wit h thi s typ e o f belt. )
I f th e shoulde r par t o f th e bel t i s
pulle d al l th e wa y out , th e lockin g
mechanis m wil l activate . Th e bel t
wil l retract , bu t i t wil l no t allo w th e
passenge r t o mov e freely .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s

T o deactivat e th e lockin g
mechanism , unlatc h th e buckl e an d
le t th e sea t bel t full y retract . T o
refaste n th e belt , pul l i t ou t onl y a s
fa r a s needed .
Se e pag e 1 5 fo r instruction s o n ho w
t o wea r th e lap/shoulde r bel t
properly . Sea
t Bel t Maintenanc e
Fo r safety , yo u shoul d chec k th e
conditio n o f you r sea t belt s regularly .
Pul l eac h bel t ou t full y an d loo k fo r
frays , cuts , burns , an d wear . Chec k
tha t th e latche s wor k smoothl y an d
tha t th e lap/shoulde r belt s retrac t
easily . An y bel t no t i n good conditio n
o r no t workin g properl y wil l no t
provid e goo d protectio n an d shoul d
b e replace d a s soo n a s possible .

U.S. Models

Hond a provide s a lifetim e warrant y
o n sea t belts . Hond a wil l repai r o r
replac e an y sea t bel t componen t tha t
fail s t o functio n properl y durin g
norma l use . Pleas e se e you r Honda

Warranty Information booklet fo r

details .
I
f a sea t bel t i s wor n durin g a crash ,
yo u shoul d hav e you r deale r inspec t
th e belt , an d replac e it i f necessary .
A bel t tha t ha s bee n wor n durin g a
cras h ma y no t provid e th e sam e leve l
o f protectio n in a subsequen t crash .
Th e deale r shoul d als o inspec t th e
anchor s fo r damag e an d replac e
the m if needed .
Fo r informatio n o n ho w to clea n you r
sea t belts , se e pag e 201 .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

No
t checkin g o r maintainin g
sea t belt s ca n resul t i n seriou s
injur y o r deat h i f th e sea t belt s
d o no t wor k properl y whe n
needed .
Chec k you r sea t belt s regularl y
an d hav e an y proble m
correcte d a s soo n a s possible .

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S

SR S Component s
You r Supplementa l Restrain t Syste m
(SRS ) includes :
Tw o fron t airbags . Th e driver' s
airba g is store d in th e cente r o f
th e steerin g wheel ; th e fron t
passenger' s airba g is store d in th e
dashboard . Bot h ar e marke d "SR S
AIRBAG. "
Automati c sea t bel t tensioner s
tha t tighte n th e fron t sea t belt s
durin g a moderat e to sever e
fronta l collision .
Sensor s tha t ca n detec t a
moderat e t o sever e fronta l

collision .

A sophisticate d electroni c syste m
tha t continuall y monitor s an d
record s informatio n abou t th e
sensors , th e contro l unit , th e
airba g activators , drive r an d
passenge r sea t bel t use , an d al l
relate
d wirin g whe n th e ignitio n is
O N (II) .
A n indicato r ligh t o n th e
instrumen t pane l tha t alert s yo u to
a possibl e proble m wit h th e

syste m (se e pag e 3 8 ).

Emergenc y backu p powe r i n cas e

you r car' s electrica l syste m is

disconnecte d in a crash .
Ho
w You r Airbag s Wor k
I f yo u eve r hav e a moderat e to

sever e fronta l collision , th e sensor s

wil l detec t rapi d deceleratio n an d
signa l th e contro l uni t t o instantl y
inflat e th e airbag s an d activat e th e

automati c sea t bel t tensioners .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S

Durin g a crash , you r sea t bel t help s
restrai n you r lowe r bod y an d torso ,
whil e th e tensione r tighten s an d
lock s th e sea t bel t t o hel p kee p yo u
i n place . You r airba g provide s a
cushio n to hel p restrai n an d protec t
you r hea d an d chest .
Sinc e bot h airbag s us e th e sam e
sensors , bot h airbag s normall y
inflat e a t th e sam e time . However , i t
i s possibl e fo r onl y on e airba g to
inflate .
Thi s ca n occu r whe n th e severit y o f
a collisio n is a t th e margin , o r
threshold , tha t determine s whethe r
o r no t th e airbag s wil l deploy . I n
suc h cases , th e sea t bel t wil l provid e
sufficien t protection , an d th e
supplementa l protectio n offere d b y
th e airba g woul d b e minimal . Afte
r inflating , th e airbag s
immediatel y deflate , s o the y won' t
interfer e wit h th e driver' s visibility ,
o r th e abilit y t o stee r o r operat e
other controls .
Th e tota l tim e fo r inflatio n an d
deflatio n is approximatel y one-tent h
o f a second , s o fas t tha t mos t
occupant s ar e no t awar e tha t th e
airbag s deploye d unti l the y se e the m
lyin g in thei r laps . Afte
r a crash , yo u ma y se e wha t
look s lik e smoke . Thi s is actuall y
powde r fro m th e airbag' s surface .
Althoug h th e powde r i s no t harmful ,
peopl e wit h respirator y problem s

ma y experienc e som e temporar y

discomfort . I f thi s occurs , ge t ou t o f
th e ca r a s soo n a s it i s saf e to d o so .

U.S. Owners

Fo r additiona l informatio n o n ho w

you r airbag s work , se e th e bookle t

title d SRS: What You Need to Know
About Airbags that came wit h you r

owner' s manual .

Canadian Owners

Fo r additiona l informatio n o n ho w

you r airbag s work , as k you r deale r

fo r a cop y o f th e bookle t title d SRS:

What You Need to Know About Airbags.

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y