2000 HONDA PRELUDE trunk

Foldin
g Rea r Sea t
The back of the rear seat folds down, giving you direct access to the trunk.
The seat-back can be released from inside the car or inside the trunk.
To fold down the seat-back frominside the car. insert the master key
in the lock on the rear shelf. Turn
the key clockwise, pull down the top of the seat-back, then release the
key. To release the seat-back from inside
the trunk, pull the release under the
rear shelf.
To lock the seat-back upright, push it firmly against the rear shelf. Makesure it is latched in place by pulling
on the top of the seat.
Instrument s an d Control s MASTE
R KE Y RELEAS
E
Pull

Foldin
g Rea r Seat , Powe r Window s

Make sure both rear shoulder belts
are positioned in front of the rear seat-back whenever the seat-back is
in its upright position.
Make sure all items in the trunk, or
items extending through the opening
into the back seat, are secured.
Loose items can fly forward and
cause injury if you have to brake
hard. See Carrying Carg o on page
135.
Never drive with the seat-back
folded down and the trunk lid open. See Carbo n Monoxid e Hazar d on

page 49.
Powe
r Window s
Your car's windows are electrically- powered. Turn the ignition switch toON (II) to raise or lower any window.
Each door has a switch that controls
its window. To open the window,
push the switch down and hold it. Release the switch when you want
the window to stop. Close the
window by pulling back on the switch and holding it.
The driver's armrest has a masterpower window control panel. Toopen the passenger's window, pushdown on the switch and hold it down
until the window reaches the desired position. To close the window, pull
back on the window switch. Release
the switch when the window gets to
the position you want.

CONTINUED

Instrument s an d Control s
DRIVER'
S WINDO W

SWITC H
MAI
N

SWITC H

Befor
e Drivin g
Before you begin driving your Honda,
you should know what gasoline to use, and how to check the levels of
important fluids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggageor packages. The information in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your car,
please read the information in this
section first.
Break-in Period.............................. 126

Gasoline.......................................... 126

Service Station Procedures .......... 127 Filling the Fuel Tank................. 127

Opening the Hood..................... 128

Oil Check................................ 130
Engine Coolant Check.......... 131

Fuel Economy................................ 132
Vehicle Condition...................... 132
Driving Habits............................ 132
Accessories and Modifications.... 133
Accessories................................. 133Modifications............................. 134
Additional Safety Precaution.... 134

Carrying Cargo.............................. 135

Load Limit.................................. 136

Carrying Items in the Passenger Compartment......................... 136

Carrying Cargo in the Trunk or
on a Roof Rack....................... 137

Before Drivin g

Carryin
g Carg o

Your car has several convenient storage areas so you can stow cargo

safely.

The glove box, and the pockets in the front doors and seat-back, aredesigned for small, lightweight items.
The trunk is intended for larger, heavier items. In addition, the backseat can be folded down to allow you
to carry more cargo or longer items.
However, carrying too much cargo, or improperly storing it, can affect
your car's handling, stability and operation and make it unsafe. Before
carrying any type of cargo, be sure to
read the following pages.
Before Drivin g

GLOV
E BO X

SEAT-BAC
K POCKE T

TRUN K
FRON
T DOO R POCKE T

CONSOL E COMPARTMEN T

Carryin
g Carg o

Carryin g Carg o i n th e Trun k o r o n
a Roo f Rac k Distribute cargo evenly on the
floor of the trunk, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and as far forward as possible.
If you fold down the back seat, tie down items that could be thrown
about the car during a crash or
sudden stop. If you carry large items that
prevent you from closing the trunk
lid, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of carbo
n monoxid e
poisoning , follow the instructions

on page 49.
If you can carry any items on a
roof rack, be sure the total weight
of the rack and the items does not
exceed the maximum allowable
weight. Please contact your Honda dealer for further information.

Before Drivin g

Preparing to Driv e
You should do the following checks
and adjustments every day before
you drive your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
2. Check that the hood and trunk are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may becarrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down
securely.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat (see page 80).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 88).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 66 ).
8. Make sure the doors are securely closed and locked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastenedtheir seat belts (see page 16 ).10. Turn the ignition switch ON (II). Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 141).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (see
page 53).
Drivin g

Parkin
g

Always use the parking brake when you park your car. The indicator onthe instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not fully released; itdoes not indicate that the parking
brake is firmly set. Make sure the
parking brake is set firmly or your car may roll if it is parked on an

incline.

If your car has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
before you put the transmission in Park. This keeps the car from
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission — making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the car is facing uphill, turn the
front wheels away from the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put it in first gear.
If the car is facing downhill, turn the
front wheels toward the curb. If you
have a manual transmission, put it in reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Parkin
g Tip s
• Make sure the moonroof and the windows are closed.
Turn off the lights. Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lock the doors with the key or the
remote transmitter. Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on

fire.

Drivin g

Light
s
Headligh t Aimin g
The headlights were properly aimed when your car was new. You shouldcheck their aim if you regularly carry
heavy items in the trunk or pull a trailer. Each headlight assembly has
horizontal and vertical adjustment
indicators. These are set to their "0"
positions after the headlights are
aimed at the factory.
To check these settings:
1. Make sure the fuel tank is full. Park the vehicle on level ground.
2. The driver or someone who weighs the same should he sittingin the driver's seat for all checks
and adjustments.
Load the trunk with the items you
normally carry. HORIZONTA
L ANGL E GAUG E
If you usually pull a trailer, load it as
you would normally and attach it to
the car. Push down on the front and
rear bumpers several times to make sure the car is sitting normally.
3. Open the hood.
4. Check the horizontal angle gauge. The line on the adjustment screwindicator should line up with the
"0" mark on the gauge. VERTICA
L ANGL E GAUG E
5. Check the vertical angle gauge. The bubble should be centeredunderneath the longest scribe
mark on the gauge.
MaintenanceCONTINUED
BUBBLE