2000 HONDA PRELUDE steering

Activ
e Torqu e Transfe r Syste m
Type SH only
Your Honda is equipped wit
h an
Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS). Under certain driving
conditions, the ATTS enhances the car's cornering performance by
transferring some torque between
the inside and outside front wheels during a turn.
Based on steering wheel turn angle,
lateral acceleration, and engine
power, the ATTS regulates the driving force to each drive wheel
through an electronically-controlled
hydraulic system and two sets of clutches and gears.
Important Safety Information

Th e ATT S canno t preven t

skiddin g if yo u ente r a corne r to o
fast . It has almost no effect on

braking and vehicle speed.
It is still your responsibility to drive
at reasonable speeds and to leave a
sufficient margin of safety.
ATTS Indicator

The Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS) is self-checking. If a problem
is detected in the system, the ATTS
indicator on the instrument panel
comes on.

If this happens, take the car to your Honda dealer to have it checked.
With the indicator on, your car will corner normally, but you will not
have active torque transfer.

Driving

ATT
S INDICATO R

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Rain, fog, and snow conditions re-
quire a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well- maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control should not be used in these condi-
tions. Drivin
g Techniqu e — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to react, even in conditions that mayseem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-

cation of the brakes can cause loss of

control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious for the first few miles (kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Visibilit
y — Being able to see

clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To beseen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind-shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defrosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see

page 104).

Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Your Honda has been designed primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,and follow the guidelines in this

section.

Loa d Limit s Tota
l Traile r Weight : The total
weight of the trailer and everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 Ibs (450 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously affect your vehicle's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine anddrivetrain. Tongu
e Load : The weight that
the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces front-tire
traction and steering control.
To achieve a proper tongue load, start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer and 40 percent toward the rear, then
readjust the load as needed.
Gros
s Vehicl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GVWR) :

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: 3,835 Ibs (1,740 kg)
Gros
s Axl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GAWR) :

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
2,160 Ibs (980 kg)
on the front axle
1,685 Ibs (765 kg)
on the rear axle

Drivin g
Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive.

Towin
g a Traile r

Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting

Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt

your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a

large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.

Backing Up
Always drive slowly and have someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the bottom of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the left to get the trailer to move to the left,and turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right.
Parking

Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including firmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or in 1 st or Reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the trailer's tires.
Driving

Maintenanc
e

This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 279 for information on how toobtain a copy, or see your Honda

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 168
Important Safety Precautions ..169
Maintenance Schedule.................. 170
Required Maintenance Record.... 177 Owner Maintenance Checks........ 17
9

Fluid Locations............................... 180

Engine Oil.......................................

181

Adding Oil...................................
181

Recommended Oil.....................
181

Synthetic Oil............................... 182

Additives.....................................182
Changing
the Oil and Filter...... 183
Cooling System.............................. 185 Adding Engine Coolant............. 185Replacing Engine Coolant........ 187
Windshield Washers..................... 190
Transmission Fluid........................ 19

1

Automatic Transmission.......................... 19

1

5-speed ManualTransmission.......................... 192
Brake an
d Clutch Fluid................. 193
Brake System............................. 193 Clutch System............................ 194
Power Steering............................... 194
Air Cleaner Element...................... 195
Hood Latch.....................................

196

Spark Plugs.....................................
196

Replacement...............................
196

Specifications.............................
198

Battery............................................
198

Wiper Blades.................................. 200
Air Conditionin g
System............... 202
Air Conditioning Filter.................. 203 Drive Belts...................................... 204
Timing Belt..................................... 204
Tires................................................ 205

Inflation.......................................205

Inspection................................... 206
Maintenance............................... 20

7

Tire Rotation.............................. 208
Replacing Tire s
and Wheels .... 208
Wheels and Tires....................... 209
Winter Driving...........................209
Snow Tires.............................. 210

Tire Chains............................. 210
Lights..............................................

211

Headlight Aimimg..................... 213
Replacing Bulbs........................ .
214
Storing Your Car............................ 225
Maintenance

Brak
e an d Clutc h Fluid , Powe r Steerin g

Clutc h Syste m
The fluid should be between the MIN and MAX marks on the side of
the reservoir. If it is not, add brake
fluid to bring it up to that level. Use
the same fluid specified for the
brake system.
Low fluid level can indicate a leak in
the clutch system. Have this system

inspected as soon as possible.
Powe
r Steerin g
Check the level when the engine is
cold. Look at the side of the
reservoir. The fluid should be
between the UPPER LEVEL and

LOWER LEVEL. If it is below the
LOWER LEVEL, add power steering
fluid to the UPPER LEVEL. Always use Genuine Honda Power
Steering Fluid. If it is not available,
you may use another power steering
fluid as an emergency replacement. However, continued use can cause
increased wear and poor steering in
cold weather. Have the powersteering system flushed and refilled
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
A low power steering fluid level can indicate a leak in the system. Check
the fluid level frequently and have
the system inspected as soon as

possible.

Maintenanc e
Turning the steering wheel to full left
or right lock and holding it there can

damage the power steering pump.

MA
X
MI N UPPE
R LEVE L
LOWE R
LEVE L
NOTICE

Driv
e Belts , Timin g Bel t

Driv e Belt s
Check the condition of the two drive
belts. Examine the edges of each belt for cracks or fraying.Check the tension of each belt by
pushing on it with your thumb
midway between the pulleys. The belts should have the following
"play" or deflection.

Alternator belt:
0.37 — 0.49 in (9.5 — 12.5 mm)
Power steering belt:
0.53 — 0.65 in (13.5 — 16.5 mm)
If you see signs o
f wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace the belts.
Timin
g Bel t

The timing belt and balancer belt should normally be replaced at the
intervals shown in the maintenance schedule.
Replace these belts at 60.000 miles (U.S.) or 100,000 km (Canada) if you
regularly drive your car in one or
more of these conditions: In very high temperatures

(over 110°F,43°C).

In very low temperatures
(under — 20°F, — 29°C).

Maintenanc e
POWE
R STEERIN G BEL T
ALTERNATO R BEL T

Tire
s

Tir e Rotatio n
To help increase tire life and distribute wear more evenly, youshould have the tires rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the chart each time they are rotated. When shopping for replacement
tires, you may find that some tiresare "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in onedirection. If you use directional
tires, they should be rotated only

front-to-back.

Replacin g Tire s an d Wheel s
The tires that came with your car were selected to match the perform- ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comfort, and long life.
You should replace them with radial tires of the same size, load range,speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce
its braking ability, traction, and steering accuracy. It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible
or necessary, then replace the two
front tires or the two rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire canseriously affect your car's handling.
Maintenanc e
Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and stability. This can cause a crashin which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner's manual.

Fron
t Fron
t

(Fo r Non-directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )(Fo
r Directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )