2001 HONDA S2000 Owners Manual

142

Maintenanc
e

Thi s sectio n explain s wh y i t i s
importan t t o kee p you r ca r wel l
maintaine d an d to follo w basi c
maintenanc e safet y precautions .
Thi s sectio n als o include s
Maintenanc e Schedule s fo r norma l
drivin g an d sever e drivin g conditions ,
a Maintenanc e Record , an d instruc -
tion s fo r simpl e maintenanc e task s
yo u ma y wan t t o tak e car e o f
yourself .
I f yo u hav e th e skill s an d tool s t o per -
for m mor e comple x maintenanc e
task s o n you r Honda , yo u ma y wan t
t o purchas e th e Servic e Manual . Se e
pag e 26 3 fo r informatio n o n ho w to
obtai n a copy , o r se e you r Hond a

dealer .
Maintenanc
e Safety...................... . 14 4
Importan t Safet y Precautions. . 14 5
Maintenanc e Schedule................. . 14 6
Require d Maintenanc e Record... . 15 3
Owne r Maintenanc e Checks....... . 15 5
Flui d Locations.............................. . 15 6

Engin e Oil...................................... . 15 7
Addin g Oil.................................. . 15 7

Recommende d Oil.................... . 15 7

Syntheti c Oil.............................. . 15 8

Additives.................................... . 15 8
Changin g th e Oi l an d Filter..... . 15 9
Cooling System............................. . 16 1
Addin g Engin e Coolant............ . 16 1
Replacin g Engin e Coolant....... . 16 3
Windshiel d Washers.................... . 16 7
6-spee d Manua l Transmissio n

Fluid........................................... . 16 8

Differentia l Fluid.......................... . 16 9
Brak e an d Clutc h Fluid................ . 17 0
Brak e Fluid................................. 170
Brak e System............................ . 17 0
Clutc h System........................... . 17 1
Ai r Cleane r Element..................... . 17 2
Hoo d Latch.................................... . 17 4 Spar
k Plugs.................................... . 17 4
Replacement.............................. . 17 4
Specifications............................ . 17 6
Battery........................................... . 17 7
Wipe r Blades................................. . 18 0
Ai r Conditionin g System.............. . 18 2
Ai r Conditionin g Filter................. . 18 3
Driv e Belt....................................... . 18 4
Tires............................................... . 18 5

Inflation....................................... 185

Inspection.................................. . 18 7
Maintenance.............................. . 18 8
Tir e Rotation............................. . 18 8
Tir e Wear................................... . 18 8
Replacin g Tire s an d Wheel s ... . 18 9
Wheel s an d Tires...................... . 19 0
Winte r Driving.......................... . 19 0
Sno w Tires............................. . 19 1
Tir e Chains............................ . 19 1
Lights............................................. . 19 2
Replacin g Bulbs........................ . 19 4
Storin g You r Car........................... . 20 2

Maintenanc e

Maintenanc
e Safet y
Regularl y maintainin g you r ca r i s th e
bes t wa y t o protec t you r investment .
Prope r maintenanc e i s essentia l t o
you r safet y an d th e safety of you r
passengers . I t wil l als o rewar d yo u
wit h mor e economical , trouble-fre e
drivin g an d hel p reduc e ai r pollution .Thi
s sectio n include s instruction s fo r
simpl e maintenanc e tasks , suc h a s
checkin g an d addin g oil . An y servic e
item s no t detaile d i n thi s sectio n
shoul d b e performe d b y a Hond a
technicia n o r othe r qualifie d
mechanic . Som
e o f th e mos t importan t safet y
precaution s ar e give n here . However ,
w e canno t war n yo u o f ever y
conceivabl e hazar d tha t ca n aris e i n
performin g maintenance . Onl y yo u
ca n decid e whethe r o r no t yo u
shoul d perfor m a give n task .

Maintenanc e

Improperl
y maintainin g thi s ca r
o r failin g t o correc t a proble m
befor e drivin g ca n caus e a
cras h in whic h yo u ca n b e
seriousl y hur t o r killed .
Alway s follo w th e inspectio n
an d maintenanc e
recommendation s an d
schedule s i n thi s owner' s
manual . Failur
e t o properl y follo w
maintenanc e instruction s an d
precaution s ca n caus e yo u t o
b e seriousl y hur t o r killed .
Alway s follo w th e procedure s
an d precaution s i n thi s owner' s
manual .

Maintenanc
e Safet y

Importan t Safet y Precaution s
Befor e yo u begi n an y maintenance ,
mak e sur e you r ca r i s parke d o n
leve l groun d an d tha t th e parkin g
brak e is set . Also , b e sur e th e engin e
i s off . Thi s wil l hel p t o eliminat e
severa l potentia l hazards : Carbo
n monoxid e poisonin g
fro m engin e exhaust . B e sur e
ther e is adequat e ventilatio n
wheneve r yo u operat e th e engine . Burn
s fro m ho t parts . Le t th e
engin e an d exhaus t syste m coo l
befor e touchin g an y parts . Injur
y fro m movin g parts . D o
no t ru n th e engin e unles s in -
structe d to d o so . Rea
d th e instruction s befor e yo u
begin , an d mak e sur e yo u hav e th e
tool s an d skill s required .
T o reduc e th e possibilit y o f fir e o r
explosion , b e carefu l whe n workin g
aroun d gasolin e o r batteries . Us e a
commerciall y availabl e degrease r o r
part s cleaner , no t gasoline , t o clea n
parts . Kee p cigarettes , sparks , an d
flame s awa y fro m th e batter y an d al l
fuel-relate d parts .
Yo u shoul d wea r ey e protectio n an d
protectiv e clothin g whe n workin g
nea r th e batter y o r whe n usin g
compresse d air .

Maintenance

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

Th e Maintenanc e Schedul e specifie s
ho w ofte n yo u shoul d hav e you r ca r
service d an d wha t thing s nee d
attention . I t i s essentia l tha t yo u hav e
you r ca r service d a s schedule d to
retai n it s hig h leve l o f safety ,
dependability , an d emission s contro l
performance .
Th
e service s an d tim e o r distanc e
interval s show n in th e maintenanc e
schedul e assum e yo u wil l us e you r
ca r a s norma l transportatio n fo r you r
passenge r an d possessions . Yo u
shoul d als o follo w thes e

recommendations :

Avoi d exceedin g you r car' s loa d
limit . Thi s put s exces s stres s o n
th e engine , brakes , an d man y
othe r part s o f you r car . Th e loa d
limi t i s show n o n th e labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Operat e you r ca r o n reasonabl e
road s withi n th e lega l spee d limit . Driv
e you r ca r regularl y ove r a
distanc e o f severa l mile s

(kilometers) .
Alway
s us e unleade d gasolin e wit h
th e prope r octan e ratin g (se e pag e

116 ). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Servic e you r ca r accordin g t o th e
tim e an d mileag e period s o n on e o f
th e Maintenanc e Schedule s o n th e
followin g pages . Selec t th e schedul e
fo r "Sever e Conditions " i f mos t o f
you r drivin g is don e unde r on e o r
mor e o f th e condition s liste d o n tha t
page . Otherwise , follo w th e schedul e
fo r "Norma l Conditions. "

Maintenanc e

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

You r authorize d Hond a deale r
know s you r ca r bes t an d ca n provid e
competent , efficien t service .
However , servic e a t a deale r i s no t
mandator y t o kee p you r warrantie s
i n effect . Maintenanc e ma y b e don e
b y an y qualifie d servic e facilit y o r
perso n wh o is skille d in thi s typ e o f
automotiv e service . Kee p al l th e
receipt s a s proo f o f completion , an d
hav e th e perso n wh o doe s th e wor k
fil l ou t th e Maintenanc e Record .
Chec k you r warrant y bookle t fo r
mor e information . W
e recommen d th e us e o f genuin e
Hond a part s an d fluid s wheneve r yo u
hav e maintenanc e done . Thes e ar e
manufacture d to th e sam e high -
qualit y standard s a s th e origina l
components , s o yo u ca n b e confiden t
o f thei r performanc e an d durability .
U.S . Cars :
Maintenance , replacemen t o r
repai r o f emission s contro l
device s an d system s ma y b e don e
b y an y automotiv e repai r
establishmen t o r individua l usin g
part s tha t ar e "certified " t o EP A
standards . Accordin
g to stat e an d federa l
regulations , failur e t o perfor m
maintenanc e o n th e item s marke d
wit h # wil l no t voi d you r emission s
warranties . However , Hond a
recommend s tha t al l maintenanc e
service s b e performe d a t th e
recommende d tim e o r mileag e
perio d t o ensur e long-ter m reliability .

Maintenanc e

U.S
. Owner s
Follo w th e Norma l Condition s
Maintenanc e Schedul e i f th e
sever e drivin g condition s
specifie d in th e Sever e
Condition s Maintenanc e
Schedul e d o no t apply .
NOTE : I f yo u onl y

OCCASIONALLY drive unde r a

"severe " condition , yo u shoul d
follo w th e Norma l Condition s
Maintenanc e Schedule .
Canadia n Owner s
Follo w th e Maintenanc e
Schedul e fo r Sever e Conditions .
# : Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d
emission s warranty , las t column , pag e 14 7 .

Maintenanc e

Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C, D as required for each distance/time interval.
U.S. Owner s — Refe r t o pag e 14 8 t o determin e whic h schedul e to use .
Canadia n owners : Follo w th e schedul e fo r Sever e Conditions .

Note:
Chec k engin e oi l an d coolan t a t eac h fue l stop . Chec
k an d adjus t valv e clearance , col d engine , onl y i f noisy .

Maintenanc e

#
: Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t
column , pag e 147 .