2000 HONDA INSIGHT service

2000 Insight Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com. Contents
Introduction
........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ .ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .43
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... 81
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................117
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .131
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................145
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .197
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................205
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................231
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................243
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................249
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.
Your Car at a Glance.....................................................................................\
....................2
Owner's Identification Form

Drive
r an d Passenge r Safet y

Thi s sectio n give s yo u importan t
informatio n abou t ho w to protec t
yoursel f an d you r passenger . I t
show s yo u ho w to us e sea t belt s
properly . I t explain s you r Supple -
menta l Restrain t System . An d it tell s
yo u ho w to properl y restrai n childre n
i n you r car . Importan
t Safet y Precautions......... . 6
You r Car' s Safet y Features............. . 7

Sea t Belts....................................... . 8

Airbags........................................... . 9
Seat s & Seat-Backs..................... . 1 0
Hea d Restraints.......................... . 1 0
Doo r Locks.................................. . 1 0
Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklist........ . 1 1

Protectin g Adults............................ . 1 2

1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Doors..... . 1 2
2 . Adjus t th e Fron t Seats........... . 1 2
3 . Adjus t th e Seat-Backs............ . 1 3
4 . Faste n an d Positio n th e Sea t

Belts..................................... . 1 5

5 . Maintai n a Prope r Sittin g

Position................................ . 1 6

Advic e fo r Pregnan t Women..... . 1 7

Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 1 8

Protectin g Children........................ . 1 9

Al l Childre n Mus t B e

Restrained............................... . 1 9

You r Ca r i s No t Recommende d

fo r Chil d Passengers.............. . 2 0

Th e Passenger' s Airba g Pose s

Seriou s Risk s t o Children...... . 2 0

Additiona l Safet y Precaution..... . 2 2
Genera
l Guideline s fo r Usin g
Chil d Seats............................... . 2 2
Protecting Small Children......... . 2 6
Protecting Larger Children....... . 2 9
Usin g Chil d Seat s wit h
Tethers..................................... . 3 3
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t You r

Sea t Belts................................. . 3 4

Sea t Bel t Syste m Components.. . 3 4
Lap/Shoulde r Belt...................... . 3 4
Sea t Bel t Maintenance............... . 3 5
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t
You r SRS................................... 36

SR S Components........................ . 3 6

Ho w You r Airbag s Work........... . 3 6
Ho w th e Automati c Sea t Bel t

Tensioner s Work.................... . 3 8

Ho w th e SR S Indicato r Ligh t

Works....................................... . 3 8

SR S Service.................................. . 3 9

Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 3 9

Carbo n Monoxid e Hazard............. .
40

Safet y Labels................................... .
4
1

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S

SR S Servic e
You r Supplementa l Restrain t Syste m
i s virtuall y maintenance-free , an d
ther e ar e n o part s yo u ca n safel y
service . However , yo u mus t hav e
you r ca r service d if :

Your airbags ever inflate. The

airbags , sea t bel t tensioners , an d
contro l uni t mus t b e replaced . D o
no t tr y t o remov e o r replac e th e
airbag s yourself .
Thi s mus t b e don e b y a Hond a
deale r o r a knowledgeabl e bod y
shop .

The SRS indicator light alerts you

t o a problem. Take you r ca r t o a n
authorize d Hond a deale r a s soo n
a s possible . I f yo u ignor e thi s
indication , th e airbag s migh t no t
inflat e whe n yo u nee d them . Additiona
l Safet y Precaution s
D o no t attemp t t o deactivat e you r
airbags . Together , airbag s an d
sea t belt s provid e th e bes t
protectio n i n a moderat e t o sever e
fronta l collision .
D o no t tampe r wit h SR S
component s o r wirin g fo r an y
reason . Tamperin g coul d caus e
th e airbag s t o deploy , possibl y
causin g ver y seriou s injury .
Se e pag e 12 6 fo r furthe r informatio n
an d precaution s relatin g t o you r SRS .

Driver an d Passenge r Safet y

Break-i
n Period , Gasolin e

Break-i n Perio d

Hel p assur e you r car' s futur e
reliabilit y an d performanc e b y payin g
extr a attentio n t o ho w yo u driv e
durin g th e firs t 60 0 mile s (1,00 0 km) .
Durin g thi s period :
Avoi d full-throttl e start s an d rapi d

acceleration .

Avoi d har d braking . Ne w brake s
nee d t o b e broken-i n b y moderat e
us e fo r th e firs t 20 0 mile s (30 0
km) .
Yo u shoul d follo w thes e sam e re -
commendation s wit h a n overhaule d
o r exchange d engine , o r whe n th e
brake s ar e relined .
Gasolin
e

You r Hond a is designe d t o operat e
o n unleade d gasolin e wit h a pum p
octan e numbe r o f 8 7 o r higher . Us e
o f a lowe r octan e gasolin e ca n caus e
a persistent , heav y metalli c rappin g
nois e in th e engin e tha t ca n lea d t o
mechanica l damage .
W e recommen d gasoline s containin g
detergen t additive s tha t hel p preven t
fue l syste m an d engin e deposits .
Usin g gasolin e containin g lea d wil l
damag e you r car' s emission s
controls . Thi s contribute s t o ai r
pollution . I
n Canada , som e gasoline s contai n
a n octane-enhancin g additiv e called
MMT . I f yo u us e suc h gasolines ,
you r emissio n contro l syste m
performanc e ma y deteriorat e an d
th e Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p o n
you r instrumen t pane l ma y tur n on .
I f thi s happens , contac t you r
authorize d Hond a deale r fo r service .

Befor e Drivin g

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

Th e Maintenanc e Schedul e specifie s
ho w ofte n yo u shoul d hav e you r ca r
service d an d wha t thing s nee d
attention . I t i s essentia l tha t yo u hav e
you r ca r service d a s schedule d to
retai n it s hig h leve l o f safety ,
dependability , an d emission s contro l

performance .
Th
e service s an d tim e o r distanc e
interval s show n in th e maintenanc e
schedul e assum e yo u wil l us e you r
ca r a s norma l transportatio n fo r
passenger s an d thei r possessions .
Yo u shoul d als o follo w thes e

recommendations :

Avoi d exceedin g you r car' s loa d
limit . Thi s put s exces s stres s o n
th e engine , brakes , an d man y
othe r part s o f you r car . Th e loa d
limi t i s show n o n th e labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Operat e you r ca r o n reasonabl e
road s withi n th e lega l spee d limit .
Driv e you r ca r regularl y ove r a
distanc e o f severa l mile s

(kilometers) .

Alway s us e unleade d gasolin e wit h
th e prope r octan e ratin g (se e pag e

118 ). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Servic e you r ca r accordin g to th e
tim e an d mileag e period s o n on e o f
th e Maintenanc e Schedule s o n th e
followin g pages . Selec t th e schedul e
fo r "Sever e Conditions " i f mos t o f
you r drivin g is don e unde r on e o r
mor e o f th e condition s liste d o n tha t
page . Otherwise , follo w th e schedul e
fo r "Norma l Conditions. "
Maintenanc e

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

You r authorize d Hond a deale r
know s you r ca r bes t an d ca n provid e
competent , efficien t service .
However , servic e a t a deale r i s no t
mandator y t o kee p you r warrantie s
i n effect . Maintenanc e ma y b e don e
b y an y qualifie d servic e facilit y o r
perso n wh o is skille d in thi s typ e o f
automotiv e service . Kee p al l th e
receipt s a s proo f o f completion , an d
hav e th e perso n wh o doe s th e wor k
fil l ou t th e Maintenanc e Record .
Chec k you r warrant y bookle t fo r
mor e information . W
e recommen d th e us e o f Genuin e
Hond a part s an d fluid s wheneve r yo u
hav e maintenanc e done . Thes e ar e
manufacture d to th e sam e high -
qualit y standard s a s th e origina l
components , s o yo u ca n b e confiden t
o f thei r performanc e an d durability .

U.S . Vehicles :

Maintenance , replacemen t o r
repai r o f emission s contro l
device s an d system s ma y b e don e
b y an y automotiv e repai r
establishmen t o r individua l usin g
part s tha t ar e "certified " t o EP A
standards . Accordin
g to stat e an d federa l
regulations , failur e t o perfor m
maintenanc e o n th e item s marke d
wit h # wil l no t voi d you r emission s
warranties . However , Hond a
recommend s tha t al l maintenanc e
service s b e performe d a t th e
recommende d tim e o r mileag e
perio d t o ensur e long-ter m reliability .
Maintenanc e

Us
e thi s schedul e i f you r vehicl e i s MAINL Y drive n i n an y o f th e followin g Sever e Conditions , o r normall y drive n i n Canada ; otherwis e us e th e Norma l
Schedule. Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C, D as required for each distance/time.
Severe Conditions :

Drivin g les s tha n 5 mile s ( 8 km ) pe r tri p or , i n freezin g temperatures , drivin g les s tha n 1 0 mile s (1 6 km ) pe r trip .
Drivin g i n extremel y ho t (ove r 90°F/32°C ) conditions .
Extensiv e idlin g o r lon g period s o f stop-and-g o driving .
Drivin g wit h a roo f rack , o r drivin g i n mountainou s conditions .
Drivin g o n muddy , dusty , o r de-ice d roads .

# : Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t column , pag e 149 .

NOTE :

Chec k engin e oi l an d coolan t a t eac h fue l stop .

Maintenance

CONTINUED

page
185

Engin
e Oi l
Changin g th e Oi l an d Filte r
Alway s chang e th e oi l an d filte r
accordin g to th e tim e an d distanc e
(miles/kilometers ) recommenda -
tion s i n th e maintenanc e schedule .
Th e oi l an d filte r collec t contami -
nant s tha t ca n damag e you r engin e if
the y ar e no t remove d regularly .
Changin g th e oi l an d filte r require s
specia l tool s an d acces s fro m
underneat h th e car . Th e ca r shoul d
b e raise d o n a servic e station-typ e
hydrauli c lif t fo r thi s service . Unles s
yo u hav e th e knowledg e an d prope r
equipment , yo u shoul d hav e thi s
maintenanc e don e b y a skille d
mechanic . 1
. Ope n th e hoo d an d remov e th e
engin e oi l fil l cap . Remov e th e
blac k cove r unde r th e engine . WASHE
R OIL DRAI N BOL T
2 . Remov e th e oi l drai n bol t an d
washe r fro m th e botto m o f th e
engine . Drai n th e oi l int o a n
appropriat e container .
D o no t loose n th e smalle r bol t
locate d abov e th e drai n bolt .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e