2000 HONDA INSIGHT radiator

Safet
y Label s

Thes e label s ar e i n th e location s
shown . The y war n yo u o f potentia l
hazard s tha t coul d caus e seriou s
injury . Rea d thes e label s carefully .
I f a labe l come s of f o r become s har d
t o read , contac t you r Hond a deale r
fo r a replacement . SU
N VISO R
Driver an d Passenge r Safet y
HOO
D
RADIATOR CA P
BATTER
Y

U.S.
models
GLOV E BO X
U.S. models only Canadian
models

Coolin
g Syste m

Addin g Engin e Coolan t

I f th e coolan t leve l i n th e reserv e
tan k is a t o r belo w th e MI N line , ad d
coolan t t o brin g it u p t o th e MA X line .
Inspec t th e coolin g syste m fo r leaks .
Thi s coolan t shoul d alway s b e a
mixtur e o f 5 0 percen t antifreez e an d
5 0 percen t water . Neve r ad d straigh t
antifreez e o r plai n water . Alway
s us e Genuin e Hond a
Antifreeze/Coolant . I f i t i s no t
available , yo u ma y us e anothe r
major-bran d non-silicat e coolan t a s a
temporar y replacement . Mak e sur e it
i s a high-qualit y coolan t
recommende d fo r aluminu m engines .
However , continue d us e o f an y non -
Hond a coolan t ca n resul t i n
corrosion , causin g th e coolin g
syste m to malfunctio n o r fail . Hav e
th e coolin g syste m flushe d an d
refille d wit h Hond a antifreeze /
coolan t a s soo n a s possible . I
f th e reserv e tan k is completel y
empty , yo u shoul d als o chec k th e
coolan t leve l i n th e radiator .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

RESERV
E TAN K

Removing th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e i s ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .

Coolin
g Syste m

Replacin g Engin e Coolan t
Th e coolin g syste m shoul d b e
completel y draine d an d refille d wit h
ne w coolan t accordin g t o th e tim e
an d distanc e recommendation s i n
th e maintenanc e schedule . Onl y us e
Genuin e Hond a Antifreeze/Coolant .
Drainin g th e coolan t require s acces s
t o th e undersid e o f th e car . Unles s
yo u hav e th e tool s an d knowledge ,
yo u shoul d hav e thi s maintenanc e
don e b y a skille d mechanic .
1. Tur n th e ignitio n O N (II) . Tur n
th e temperatur e contro l dia l t o
maximu m heat . Tur n of f th e
ignitio n an d remov e th e key . Ope n
th e hood . Mak e sur e th e engin e
an d radiato r ar e coo l t o th e touch .
2 . Remov e th e radiato r cap . 3
. Remov e th e allo y cove r unde r th e
radiator .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Coolin
g Syste m

4 . Loose n th e drai n plu g o n th e
botto m o f th e radiator . Th e
coolan t wil l drai n throug h th e
splas h guard . Remov e th e drai n
bol t an d washe r fro m th e engin e
block . 5
. Remov e th e reserv e tan k fro m its
holde r b y pullin g it straigh t up .
Drai n th e coolant , the n pu t th e
tan k bac k i n it s holder .

Maintenanc e
DRAI
N BOL T RESERV
E TAN K CA P
RESERV E TAN K HOLDE
R

Coolin
g Syste m

6 . Whe n th e coolan t stop s draining ,
tighte n th e drai n plu g a t th e
botto m o f th e radiator .
Appl y non-hardenin g sealan t t o th e
drai n bol t threads , pu t a ne w
washe r o n th e drai n bolt , an d
reinstal l th e bol t i n th e engin e
block . Tighte n it securely .
Tightenin g torque :
6 1 Ibf .
f t (8 3 N .
m , 8. 5 kgf .
m )
7 . Mi x th e recommende d antifreez e
wit h a n equa l amoun t o f purifie d
o r distille d wate r i n a clea n
container . Th e coolin g syste m
capacit y is :
0.61 US gal (2.3 , 0.51 Imp gal)

8. Remov e th e engin e cover .
9. Loose n th e bleede r bol t on top of
th e engine . Pou r coolan t int o th e
radiato r u p t o th e bas e o f th e fille r
neck . Tighte n th e bleede r bol t
whe n coolan t come s ou t i n a
stead y strea m wit h n o bubbles .
Instal l th e radiato r cap .
10.Remov e th e ca p fro m th e wate r
outlet , an d instal l a pip e an d funnel .11.Pou
r coolan t int o th e funne l unti l
th e coolan t stop s flowin g int o th e
engine .
12.Star t th e engin e an d le t i t ru n fo r
abou t 3 0 seconds . The n tur n of f
th e engine .
13.Pou r coolan t int o th e wate r outle t
u p t o it s edge . Instal l th e cap .
14.Instal l th e engin e cover .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

CA
P
BLEEDE R BOL T

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m (Optional )

You r car' s ai r conditionin g is a seale d
system . An y majo r maintenance ,
suc h a s recharging , shoul d b e don e
b y a qualifie d mechanic . Yo u ca n d o
a coupl e o f thing s t o mak e sur e th e
ai r conditionin g work s efficiently .
AI R CONDITIONIN G CONDENSE RPeriodicall
y chec k th e engine' s
radiato r an d ai r conditionin g
condense r fo r leaves , insects , an d
dir t stuc k t o th e fron t surface . Thes e
bloc k th e ai r flo w an d reduc e coolin g
efficiency . Us e a ligh t spra y fro m a
hos e o r a sof t brus h to remov e them .
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Ru n th e ai r conditionin g a t leas t onc e
a wee k durin g th e col d weathe r
months . Ru n it fo r a t leas t te n
minute s whil e yo u ar e drivin g a t a
stead y spee d wit h th e engin e a t
norma l operatin g temperature . Thi s
circulate s th e lubricatin g oi l con -
taine d in th e refrigerant . I
f th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t ge t a s
col d a s before , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e system . Recharg e th e
syste m wit h Refrigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a) . (Se e Specification s o n pag e
235 .)

Whenever you have the air conditioning

system serviced, make sure the service

facility uses a refrigerant recycling

system. This system captures the

refrigerant for reuse. Releasing

refrigerant into the atmosphere can

damage the environment.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E NOTIC
E

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
4 . I f th e temperatur e gaug e stay s a t
th e re d mark , tur n of f th e engine .
5 . Wai t unti l yo u se e n o mor e sign s
o f stea m o r spray , the n ope n th e

hood .

6 . Loo k fo r an y obviou s coolan t leaks ,
suc h a s a spli t radiato r hose .
Everythin g is stil l extremel y hot ,
s o us e caution . I f yo u fin d a leak , i t
mus t b e repaire d befor e yo u
continu e drivin g (se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 22 8 ) .
7 . I f yo u don' t fin d a n obviou s leak ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tan k (se e pag e
10 5 ) . I f th e leve l i s belo w th e
MI N mark , ad d coolan t t o halfwa y
betwee n th e MI N an d MA X marks .
8 . I f ther e wa s n o coolan t i n th e
reserv e tank , yo u ma y als o hav e to
ad d coolan t t o th e radiator . Le t th e
engin e coo l dow n unti l th e pointe r reache
s th e middl e o f th e tempera -
tur e gauge , o r lower , befor e check -
in g th e radiator .
9 . Usin g glove s o r a larg e heav y
cloth , tur n th e radiato r ca p
counterclockwise , withou t pushin g
down , t o th e firs t stop . Thi s
release s an y remainin g pressur e i n
th e coolin g system . Afte r th e
pressur e releases , pus h dow n o n
th e ca p an d tur n i t unti l i t come s
off . 10.Star
t th e engin e an d se t th e
temperatur e contro l dia l t o
maximum . Ad d coolan t t o th e
radiato r u p t o th e bas e o f th e fille r
neck . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
prope r coolan t mixtur e available ,
yo u ca n ad d plai n water .
Remembe r t o hav e th e coolin g
syste m draine d an d refille d wit h
th e prope r mixtur e a s soo n a s yo u

can .

11.Pu t th e radiato r ca p bac k o n
tightly . Ru n th e engin e an d watc h
th e temperatur e gauge . I f i t goe s
bac k t o th e re d mark , th e engin e
need s repair . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 22 8 .)
12.I f th e temperatur e stay s normal ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tank . I f i t ha s
gon e down , ad d coolan t t o th e
MA X mark . Pu t th e ca p bac k o n

tightly .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Removin
g th e radiato r ca p

whil e th e engin e i s ho t ca n

caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .

Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e

removin g th e radiato r cap .