2000 HONDA PRELUDE maintenance schedule

2000 Prelude 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

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ .2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
......................................5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
........................ 97
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................125
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .139
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................167
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take yo ur vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
..................................................... .227
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................235
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ .261
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................273
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................279
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.

Introduction

Congratulations ! Your selection of
a 2000 Honda Prelude was a wise
investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Honda is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Afterwards, keep this owner's manual in your car so you
can refer to it at any time.
Several warranties protect your new Honda. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights and responsibilities.
Maintaining your car according to the schedules given in this manual helps
to keep your driving trouble-free while it preserves your investment. When
your car needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Honda dealer's staff is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to your Honda. Your
Honda dealer is dedicated to your satisfaction and will be pleased to answer
any questions and concerns. As you read this manual, you will
find information that is preceded by
symbol. This
information is intended to help you
avoid damage to your Honda, other
property, or the environment.

NOTIC E
a

Important
Safety Precautions

You'll find many safety recommendations throughout thissection, and throughout this manual.
The recommendations on this page are the ones we consider to b e the
most important.
Alway s Wea r You r
Sea
t Bel t
A seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbagssupplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inflate only in a
moderate to severe frontal collision.
So even though your car is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and
your passengers always wear your seat belts, and wear them properly. (See page 16.)
Restrai n Al l Childre n
Children are safest when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
not the front seat. A child who is too small for a seat belt must be properly
restrained in a child safety seat. (See
page 21.) B
e Awar e o f Airba g Hazard s
While airbags can save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries tooccupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Infants, young children, and short adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page 7.)

Don' t Drin k an d Driv e

Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink. So don't drink
and drive, and don't let your friends
drink and drive, either. Contro
l You r Spee d
Excessive speed is a major factor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also occur at lower speeds. Never drive
faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Kee p You r Ca r i n Saf e Conditio n
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical failure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition frequently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page 170.)
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Gauge
s

Maintenanc e Require d Indicato r
This indicator reminds you that it is nearing 7,500 miles (12,000 km)since the last scheduled maintenance.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules
for Normal and Severe Driving
Conditions on pages 172 — 176.
When the distance driven sinc
e the
last scheduled maintenance nears 7,500 miles (12,000 km), the
indicator will turn yellow. If you exceed 7,500 miles (12,000 km), the
indicator will turn red.

Your dealer will reset the indicator when he performs the scheduledmaintenance. If someone else
performs the maintenance, reset the
indicator by inserting your master or
valet key in the slot beside the
indicator.

Instrument s an d Control s
INDICATO
R
SLO T

Fuel Econom y
The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicl e Conditio n
Always maintain your car according to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (see page 179). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out faster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your fuel mileage and reduces
the chance of corrosion. Drivin
g Habit s
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, toincrease fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to "warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on the number of "cold starts," try to
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes ituse more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is moderate.
Befor e Drivin g

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

Maintenanc
e Safet y

Regularly maintaining your car is the
best way to protect your investment. Proper maintenance is essential to
your safety and the safety of your passengers. It will also reward you
with more economical, trouble-free driving and help reduce air pollution. This section includes instructions for
simple maintenance tasks, such as
checking and adding oil. Any service
items not detailed in this section
should be performed by a Honda
technician or other qualified
mechanic. Some of the most important safety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every conceivable hazard that can arise in
performing maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you should perform a given task.

Maintenanc e

Improperly maintaining this car
or failing to correct a problem before driving can cause a

crash in which you can be

seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection and maintenance recommendations and
schedules in this owner's manual. Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures and precautions in this owner'smanual.

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

The Maintenance Schedule specifies how often you should have your carserviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to retain its high level of safety,dependability, and emissions control
performance.
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenanceschedule assume you will use your
car as normal transportation for
passengers and their possessions.
You should also follow these
recommendations:

Avoid exceeding your car's loadlimit. This puts excess stress on
the engine, brakes, and manyother parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on the label on the driver's doorjamb.
Operate your car on reasonable
roads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).
Always use unleaded gasoline with
the proper octane rating (see page
126). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule
for "Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done under one or more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for "Normal Conditions."
Maintenanc e