2000 HONDA INSIGHT wheel

Protectin
g Adult s

Introductio n
Th e followin g page s provid e
instruction s o n ho w to properl y
protec t adul t occupants .
Thes e instruction s als o appl y t o a
chil d who m yo u hav e decide d is
larg e enoug h an d matur e enoug h t o
rid e a s a passenger . (Se e pag e 2 9 fo r
importan t additiona l guideline s o n
ho w to properl y protec t large r
children. )
1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Door s
Afte r everyon e ha s entere d th e car ,
b e sur e th e door s ar e close d an d

locked .
You
r ca r ha s a doo r monito r ligh t o n
th e instrumen t pane l t o indicat e
whe n a specifi c doo r i s no t tightl y

closed .

Fo r safety , lockin g th e door s reduce s
th e chanc e tha t a passenger ,
especiall y a child , wil l ope n a doo r
whil e th e ca r i s movin g an d
accidentall y fal l out . I t als o reduce s
th e chanc e o f someon e bein g throw n
ou t o f th e ca r durin g a crash .
Fo r security , locke d door s ca n
preven t a n outside r fro m
unexpectedl y openin g a doo r whe n
yo u com e to a stop .
Se e pag e 6 9 fo r ho w to loc k th e

doors .
2.Adjus
t th e Fron t Seat s
An y drive r wh o sit s to o clos e t o th e
steerin g whee l i s a t ris k o f bein g
seriousl y injure d o r kille d b y strikin g
th e steerin g wheel , o r fro m bein g
struc k b y a n inflatin g airba g durin g a

crash .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Adult s
T o reduc e th e chanc e o f injury , wea r
you r sea t bel t properly , si t uprigh t
wit h you r bac k agains t th e seat , an d
mov e th e sea t a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l whil e stil l
maintainin g ful l contro l o f th e car .
Als o mak e sur e you r passenge r
move s th e sea t a s fa r t o th e rea r a s

possible .
Mos
t shorte r driver s ca n ge t fa r
enoug h awa y fro m th e steerin g
whee l an d stil l reac h th e pedals .
However , i f yo u ar e concerne d abou t
sittin g to o close , w e recommen d tha t
yo u investigat e whethe r som e typ e
o f adaptiv e equipmen t ma y help .
Onc e you r sea t i s adjuste d correctly ,
roc k i t bac k an d fort h t o mak e sur e
th e sea t i s locke d in position .
Se e pag e 7 4 fo r ho w to adjus t th e

seats .
3.Adjus
t th e Seat-Back s
Adjus t th e driver' s seat-bac k t o a
comfortable , uprigh t position ,
leavin g ampl e spac e betwee n you r
ches t an d th e airba g cove r i n th e
cente r o f th e steerin g wheel . I f yo u
si t to o clos e t o th e steerin g wheel ,
yo u coul d b e injure d i f th e airba g
inflates .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Sittin
g to o clos e t o a n airba g
ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r
deat h if th e airbag s inflate .
Alway s si t a s fa r bac k fro m th e
airbag s 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

Instrument
s an d Control s

Thi s sectio n give s informatio n abou t

th e control s an d display s tha t
contribut e to th e dail y operatio n o f

you r Honda . Al l th e essentia l

control s ar e withi n eas y reach .
Contro
l Locations........................... . 4 4

Indicato r Lights............................... . 4 5

Gauges............................................. . 4 9

Speedometer............................... . 4 9

Displa y Chang e Button.............. . 4 9

Odometer..................................... . 4 9

Curren t Fue l Mileage................. . 5 1

Tri p Meters................................. . 5 1
Tri p Mileage................................ . 5 2
Segmen t Distanc e an d Fue l
Mileage.................................... . 5 2
Lifetim e Fue l Mileage................ . 5 3
Turnin g Of f th e Mileag e
Displays.................................... . 5 3
Batter y Leve l Gaug e .................. . 5 4
Charge/Assis t Gauge................ . 5 5
Fue l Gauge.................................. . 5 6
Temperatur e Gauge................... . 5 6
Tachometer................................. . 5 6
Maintenanc e Require d
Indicator................................... . 5 7
Control s Nea r th e Steerin g
Wheel....................................... . 5 8

Headlights................................... . 5 9

Daytim e Runnin g Lights............ . 6 0

Instrumen t Pane l Brightness.... . 6 0
Tur
n Signals................................ . 6 1
Windshiel d Wipers..................... . 6 1
Windshiel d Washers.................. . 6 2
Rea r Windo w Wipe r an d

Washer..................................... . 6 3

Hazar d Warning.......................... . 6 3

Rea r Windo w Defogger............. . 6 3
Key s an d Locks............................... . 6 5

Keys.............................................. . 6 5

Immobilize r System.................... . 6 6
Ignitio n Switch............................ . 6 7
Doo r Locks.................................. . 6 9
Hatch............................................ . 6 9
Remot e Transmitter................... . 7 1

Sea t Adjustments............................ . 7 4

Fron t Sea t Adjustments............. . 7 4
Powe r Windows.............................. . 7 5

Mirrors............................................. . 7 6

Parkin g Brake................................. . 7 7

Storag e Box..................................... . 7 7
Glov e Box........................................ . 7 8

Beverag e Holder............................. . 7 8

Accessor y Powe r Socket............... . 7 9

Interio r Light................................... . 8 0

Instrument s an d Control s

Keys an d Lock s
Ignitio n Switc h
The ignitio n switc h is o n th e righ t
sid e o f th e steerin g column . I t ha s
fou r positions :
LOC K (0 )
ACCESSOR Y (I )
O N (II )
STAR T (III ) LOC
K (0 ) — Yo u ca n inser t o r
remov e th e ke y onl y in thi s position .
T o switc h fro m ACCESSOR Y to
LOCK , yo u mus t pus h th e ke y in
slightl y a s yo u tur n it . Th e anti-thef t
loc k wil l loc k th e steerin g colum n
whe n yo u remov e th e key . I f th e
fron t wheel s ar e turned , th e anti -
thef t loc k ma y sometime s mak e i t
difficul t t o tur n th e ke y fro m LOC K
t o ACCESSORY . Firml y tur n th e
steerin g whee l t o th e lef t o r t o th e
righ t a s yo u tur n th e key .
CONTINUED
Instrument s an d Control s
Removin g th e ke y fro m th e
ignitio n switc h whil e drivin g
locks th e steering . Thi s ca n
caus e yo u to los e control .
Remov e th e ke y fro m th e
ignitio n switc h onl y whe n
parked .

Accessorie
s an d Modification s

Modification s
D o no t remov e an y origina l
equipmen t o r modif y you r ca r i n an y
wa y tha t woul d alte r it s desig n o r
operation . Thi s coul d mak e you r ca r
unsaf e an d illega l t o drive .
Fo r example , d o no t mak e an y
modification s tha t woul d chang e th e
rid e heigh t o f you r car , o r instal l
wheel s an d tire s wit h a differen t
overal l diameter .
Suc h modification s ca n adversel y
affec t handling , an d interfer e wit h
th e operatio n o f th e car's other

systems .
I
n addition , an y modification s tha t
decreas e groun d clearanc e increas e
th e chanc e o f undercarriag e part s
strikin g a curb , spee d bump , o r othe r
raise d object , whic h coul d caus e
you r airbag s t o deploy .
D o no t modif y you r steerin g whee l
o r an y othe r par t o f you r
Supplementa l Restrain t System .
Modification s coul d mak e th e
syste m ineffective . Additiona
l Safet y Precautio n

Do not attach or place objects on the

airbag covers. Any objec t attache d to

o r place d o n th e cover s marke d "SR S
AIRBAG, " i n th e cente r o f th e
steerin g whee l an d o n to p o f th e
dashboard , coul d interfer e wit h th e
prope r operatio n o f th e airbags . Or ,
i f th e airbag s inflate , th e object s
coul d b e propelle d insid e th e ca r an d
hur t someone .

Befor e Drivin g

Parkin
g
Alway s us e th e parkin g brak e whe n
yo u par k you r car . Th e indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l show s tha t th e
parkin g brak e is no t full y released ; i t
doe s no t indicat e tha t th e parkin g
brak e is firml y set . Mak e sur e th e
parkin g brak e is se t firml y o r you r
ca r ma y rol l i f i t i s parke d o n a n
incline . I
f th e ca r i s facin g uphill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s awa y fro m th e cur b an d
pu t th e transmissio n in firs t gear .
I f th e ca r i s facin g downhill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s towar d th e cur b an d pu t
th e transmissio n in revers e gear .
Mak e sur e th e parkin g brak e is full y
release d befor e drivin g away .
Drivin g wit h th e parkin g brak e
partiall y se t ca n overhea t o r damag e
th e rea r brakes . Parkin
g Tip s Mak
e sur e th e window s ar e closed .
Tur n of f th e lights .
Plac e an y packages , valuables , etc. ,
i n th e storag e bo x o r tak e the m
wit h you .
Loc k th e doors .
Neve r par k ove r dr y leaves , tal l
grass , o r othe r flammabl e
materials . Th e thre e wa y catalyti c
converte r get s ver y hot , an d coul d
caus e thes e material s t o catc h o n
fire .

Drivin g

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

You r Hond a is equippe d wit h fron t
dis c brakes . Th e brake s o n th e rea r
wheel s ar e drum . Th e brakin g
syste m is power-assiste d to reduc e
th e effor t neede d o n th e brak e pedal .
Pu t you r foo t o n th e brak e peda l onl y
whe n yo u inten d to brake . Restin g
you r foo t o n th e peda l keep s th e
brake s applie d lightly , causin g the m
t o buil d u p heat . Hea t build-u p ca n
reduc e ho w wel l you r brake s work . I t
als o keep s you r brak e light s o n al l
th e time , confusin g driver s behin d

you .
Constan
t applicatio n o f th e brake s
whe n goin g dow n a lon g hil l build s
u p hea t an d reduce s thei r effective -
ness . Us e th e engin e t o assis t th e
brake s b y downshiftin g t o a lowe r
gea r an d takin g you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r pedal .
Chec k you r brake s afte r drivin g
throug h dee p water . Appl y th e
brake s moderatel y t o se e i f the y fee l
normal . I f not , appl y the m gentl y an d
frequentl y unti l the y do . Sinc e a
longe r distanc e is neede d t o sto p
wit h we t brakes , b e extr a cautiou s
an d aler t i n you r driving .
Brak
e Wea r Indicator s

Th e fron t dis c brake s o n al l model s
hav e audibl e brak e wea r indicators .
Whe n th e brak e pad s nee d replacing ,
yo u wil l hea r a distinctiv e metalli c
"screeching " soun d whe n yo u appl y
th e brakes . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
brak e pad s replaced , the y wil l begi n
screechin g al l th e time .
You r brake s ma y sometime s squea l
o r squea k whe n yo u appl y the m
lightly . D o no t confus e thi s wit h th e
brak e wea r indicators . The y mak e a
ver y audibl e "screeching. "

Drivin g