2000 HONDA PRELUDE light

Exterio
r Car e

Washin g
Frequent washing helps preserve
your car's beauty. Dirt and grit can scratch the paint, while tree sap and
bird droppings can permanently ruin
the finish.
Wash your car in a shady area, not in direct sunlight. If the car is parked in
the sun, move it into the shade and
let the exterior cool down before you start.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommended in this Owner's
Manual.

Chemical solvents and strong cleaners

can damage the paint, metal, and

plastic on your car.
Rinse the car thoroughly with cool
water to remove loose dirt.
Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix
in a mild detergent, such as dishwashing liquid or a product
made especially for car washing.
Wash the car using the water and detergent solution and a soft-
bristle brush, sponge, or soft cloth. Start at the top and work your waydown. Rinse frequently. Check the body for road tar, tree
sap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it off immediately so it does not
harm the finish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of the car does not need waxing. When you have washed and rinsed
the whole exterior, dry it with achamois or soft towel. Letting it
air-dry will cause dulling and water
spots.

As you dry the car, inspect it for chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page 229).
Appearanc e Car e

NOTIC
E

Exterio
r Car e

Waxin g
Always wash and dry the whole car before waxing it. You should wax
your car, including the metal trim,
whenever water sits on the surface in large patches. It should form into
beads or droplets after waxing.
You should use a quality liquid or paste wax. Apply it according to theinstructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of
products:
Waxes — A wax coats the finish and protects it from damage by exposure
to sunlight, air pollution, etc. Youshould use a wax on your Honda
when it is new.
Polishes — Polishes and cleaner/
waxes can restore the shine to paint that has oxidized and lost some of itsshine. They normally contain mild
abrasives and solvents that remove
the top layer of the finish. You should use a polish on your Honda if
the finish does not have its original shine after using a wax.
Cleaning tar, insects, etc. with
removers also takes off the wax.
Remember to re-wax those areas,
even if the rest of the car does not

need waxing.

Aluminu m Wheel s
Clean your Honda's aluminum alloy
wheels as you do the rest of the exterior. Wash them with the same
solution, and rinse them thoroughly.
The wheels have a protective clear- coat that keeps the aluminum from
corroding and tarnishing. Using
harsh chemicals, including some commercial wheel cleaners, or stiff
brushes can damage this clear-coat. Only use a mild detergent and soft
brush or sponge to clean the wheels.
Pain
t Touch-u p

Your dealer has touch-up paint to match your car's color. The colorcode is printed on a sticker on thedriver's doorjamb. Take this code to
your dealer so you are sure to get the correct color.
Inspect your car frequently for chips
or scratches in the paint. Repair
them right away to prevent corrosion of the metal underneath. Use the
touch-up paint only on small chips and scratches. More extensive paintdamage should be repaired by a
professional.

Appearance Car e

Changin
g a Fla t Tir e

If you have a flat tire while driving, stop in a safe place to change it.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder
of a busy road is dangerous. Drive
slowly along the shoulder until you
get to an exit or an area to stop that is far away from the traffic lanes.
1. Park the car on firm, level andnon-slippery ground away from
traffic. Put the transmission in Park (automatic) or Reverse (manual). Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn on the hazard warning lights and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the car while
you change the tire.
3. Open the trunk. Raise the trunk

floor by lifting up on the back edge.

4. Take the tool kit out of the trunk.

5. Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of its well.

CONTINUED

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JAC
K

TOO L KI T TRUN
K

FLOO R

SPAR E
TIR E

The car can easily roll off the

jack, seriously injuring anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and never get under the car when it
is supported only by the jack.

Changing a Fla t Tire , I f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
19. Secure the flat tire by screwing
the wing bolt back into its hole.
20. Store the jack in its holder. Turn the jack's end bracket to lock it in
place. Replace the cover. Store the tool kit. 21. Store the center cap in the trunk.
Make sure it does not get scratch-ed or damaged.
22. Lower the trunk floor, then close the trunk lid.
Type SH only
If you mount the compact spare on
either front or rear tire, it may cause
the ATTS indicator light in the instrument panel to come on due to
the difference in tire diameter. The
light will go out when the proper tire
is installed.
I f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
Diagnosing why your engine won't start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almost nothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack and tools
securely before driving.

I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t

Nothin g Happen s o r th e Starte r
Moto r Operate s Ver y Slowl y
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things: Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 71).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer systemindicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed all the way to the floor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral. Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See

Jum p Startin g on page 244 .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignitionswitch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. (See

Emergenc y Towin g on page 258.)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections (see page 198). You can then try
jump starting the car from a booster battery (see page 244).
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If You r Engin e Won' t Start , Jum p Startin g
The Starte r Operate s Normall y
In this case, the starter motor's speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when yon turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting procedure? Refer to Startin g th e
Engin e on page 141.
Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you werenot reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses
(see page 254).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 258 . Jum
p Startin g
If your car's battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your car, follow these
directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 198). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushyor like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
2. Turn off all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
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A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
NOTIC E

Lo
w Oi l Pressur e Indicato r
LO W OI L PRESSUR E INDICATO R

This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It shouldnever come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows
that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as yon can safely get
the car stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level(see page 130). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 181). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 258.)

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E

Brak
e Syste m Indicato r

The Brake System indicator light comes on when you turn the ignitionON (II). If the parking brake is not
set, it goes off after you start the
engine. If the parking brake is set, it
goes off when you fully release the
parking brake with the engine running.
If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the car's
brake system. In most cases, the
problem is a low fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it feels
normal. If it does, check the brake
fluid level the next time you stop at a service station (see page 193 ). If the
fluid level is low, take the car to your dealer and have the brake system
inspected for leaks or worn brake

pads.

However, if the brake pedal does not
feel normal, you should take
immediate action. Because of the
brake system's dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two wheels. You will feel the brake pedal
go down much farther before the car
begins to slow down, and you will
have to press harder on the pedal.
The distance needed to stop will be much longer.
Slow down by shifting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is safe. Because of the longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the car. Youshould have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 258.)
If you must drive the car a short distance in this condition, drive
slowly and cautiously.
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BRAK
E SYSTE M INDICATO R