2001 HONDA S2000 brake

Break-i
n Period , Gasolin e

Break-i n Perio d
Hel p assur e you r car' s futur e
reliabilit y an d performanc e b y payin g
extr a attentio n t o ho w yo u driv e
durin g th e firs t 60 0 mile s (1,00 0 km) .
Durin g thi s period : Avoi
d full-throttl e start s an d rapi d

acceleration .

D o no t excee d 5,50 0 rp m fo r th e
firs t 60 0 mile s (1,00 0 km ) o f

operation .
Avoi
d har d braking . Ne w brake s
nee d to b e broken-i n b y moderat e
us e fo r th e firs t 20 0 mile s (30 0
km) .
D
o no t chang e th e oi l unti l th e

recommende d tim e o r mileag e

interva l show n in th e maintenanc e

schedule .
Yo
u shoul d follo w thes e sam e re -

commendation s wit h a n overhaule d

o r exchange d engine , o r whe n th e

brake s ar e relined .

Gasolin e

You r Hond a is designe d to operat e

o n premiu m unleade d gasolin e wit h a

pum p octan e numbe r o f 9 1 o r higher .
I f yo u ar e unabl e to fin d premiu m

unleade d gasoline , yo u ma y substi -

tut e a n unleade d regula r gasoline .

Th e engin e wil l compensat e fo r th e
lowe r octane , bu t yo u ma y notic e a
sligh t decreas e in powe r a s a result .

W e recommen d gasoline s containin g

detergen t additive s tha t hel p preven t
fue l syste m an d engin e deposits .Usin
g gasolin e containin g lea d wil l
damag e you r car' s emission s
controls . Thi s contribute s t o ai r

pollution .

I n Canada , som e gasoline s contai n
a n octane-enhancin g additiv e calle d
MMT . I f yo u us e suc h gasolines ,
you r emissio n contro l syste m
performanc e ma y deteriorat e an d
th e Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p o n
you r instrumen t pane l ma y tur n on .
I f thi s happens , contac t you r
authorize d Hond a deale r fo r service .

Befor e Drivin g

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

4 . Sto p fillin g th e tan k afte r th e fue l
nozzl e automaticall y click s off . D o
no t tr y t o "to p off " th e tank , leav e
som e roo m fo r th e fue l t o expan d
wit h temperatur e changes .
5 . Scre w th e fue l fil l ca p bac k on ,
tighte n i t unti l i t click s severa l
times . I f yo u d o no t properl y
tighte n th e cap , th e Malfunctio n
Indicato r Lam p ma y com e o n (se e
pag e 230 ).
6 . Pus h th e fue l fil l doo r close d unti l
i t latches . Openin
g th e Hoo d
1 . Shif t t o Neutra l an d se t th e
parkin g brake . Pul l th e hoo d
releas e handl e locate d unde r th e
lowe r lef t corne r o f th e dashboard .
Th e hoo d wil l po p u p slightly .
2 . Standin g in fron t o f th e car , pu t
you r finger s unde r th e fron t edg e
o f th e hoo d t o th e righ t o f center .
Slid e you r han d t o th e lef t unti l
yo u fee l th e hoo d latc h handle .
Pus h thi s handl e t o th e lef t unti l i t
release
s th e hood . Lif t th e hood .
I f yo u ca n ope n th e hoo d withou t
liftin g th e hoo d latc h handle , o r
th e hoo d latc h handl e move s
stiffl y o r doe s no t sprin g bac k a s
before , th e mechanis m shoul d b e
cleane d an d lubricate d (se e pag e

174 ).
Befor e Drivin g RELEAS
E HANDL E

Accessorie
s an d Modification s

Modification s
D o no t remov e an y origina l
equipmen t o r modif y you r ca r i n an y
wa y tha t woul d alte r it s desig n o r
operation . Thi s coul d mak e you r ca r
unsaf e an d illega l t o drive .
Fo r example , d o no t mak e an y
modification s tha t woul d chang e th e
rid e heigh t o f you r car , o r instal l
wheel s an d tire s wit h a differen t
overal l diameter .
Suc h modification s ca n adversel y
affec t handling , an d interfer e wit h
th e operatio n o f th e car' s anti-loc k
brake s an d othe r systems . I
n addition , an y modification s tha t
decreas e groun d clearanc e increas e
th e chanc e o f undercarriag e part s
strikin g a curb , spee d bump , o r othe r
raise d object , whic h coul d caus e
you r airbag s t o deploy .
D o no t modif y you r steerin g whee l
o r an y othe r par t o f you r
Supplementa l Restrain t System .
Modification s coul d mak e th e
syste m ineffective . Additiona
l Safet y Precautio n
D o no t attac h o r plac e object s o n th e
airba g covers . An y objec t attache d t o
o r place d o n th e cover s marke d "SR S
AIRBAG, " i n th e cente r o f th e
steerin g whee l an d o n to p o f th e
dashboard , coul d interfer e wit h th e
prope r operatio n o f th e airbags . Or ,
i f th e airbag s inflate , th e object s
coul d b e propelle d insid e th e ca r an d
hur t someone .

Befor e Drivin g

Drivin
g
Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
manua l transmission . I t als o include s
importan t informatio n o n parkin g
you r car , an d th e brakin g system . Preparin
g to Drive........................ . 13 0
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 13 1
Startin g i n Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitud e .................... . 13 2
6-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 13 3
Recommende d Shif t Points..... . 13 4
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 13 4
Revers e Lockout....................... . 13 4
Parking........................................... . 13 5
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 13 6
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 13 6
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 13 7
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 13 7
Importan t Safet y
Reminders......................... . 13 8
AB S Indicator........................ . 13 9
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 14 0
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 14 1

Drivin g

Startin
g th e Engin e

1 . Appl y th e parkin g brake .
2 . I n col d weather , tur n of f al l
electrica l accessorie s t o reduc e
th e drai n o n th e battery .
3 . Pus h th e clutc h peda l dow n al l th e
way . Th e ENGIN E STAR T butto n
ha s n o effec t unles s th e clutc h
peda l i s depressed .
4 . Tur n th e ignitio n ke y t o O N (II )

position .

5. Withou t touchin g th e accelerato r
pedal , pus h th e ENGIN E STAR T
button . I f th e engin e doe s no t start
righ t away , d o no t hol d th e
ENGIN E STAR T butto n fo r mor e
tha n 1 5 second s a t a time . Paus e
fo r a t leas t 1 0 second s befor e
tryin g again . 6
. I f th e engin e doe s no t star t withi n
1 5 seconds , o r start s bu t stall s
righ t away , repea t ste p 5 wit h th e
accelerato r peda l presse d half-wa y
down . I f th e engin e starts , releas e
pressur e o n th e accelerato r peda l
s o th e engin e doe s no t race .
7 . I f th e engin e stil l doe s no t start ,
pres s th e accelerato r peda l al l th e
wa y dow n an d hol d it ther e whil e
startin g in orde r t o clea r flooding .
A s before , hol d th e ENGIN E
STAR T butto n fo r n o mor e tha n
1 5 seconds . Retur n to ste p 6 if th e
engin e doe s no t start . I f i t starts ,
lif t you r foo t of f th e accelerato r
peda l s o th e engin e doe s no t race .

Drivin g

ENGIN
E STAR T BUTTO N

6-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Th e manua l transmissio n is synchro -
nize d in al l forwar d gear s fo r smoot h
operation . I t ha s a lockou t s o yo u
canno t shif t directl y fro m Fift h t o
Revers e instea d o f sixt h (se e pag e
134 ). Whe n shiftin g u p o r down ,
mak e sur e yo u pus h th e clutc h peda l
dow n al l th e way , shif t t o th e nex t
gear , an d le t th e peda l u p gradually .
Whe n yo u ar e no t shifting , d o no t
res t you r foo t o n th e clutc h pedal .
Thi s ca n caus e you r clutc h t o wea r
ou t faster . Com
e t o a ful l sto p befor e yo u shif t
int o Reverse . Yo u ca n damag e th e
transmissio n b y tryin g t o shif t int o
Revers e wit h th e ca r moving . Pus h
dow n th e clutc h pedal , an d paus e fo r
a fe w second s befor e shiftin g int o
Reverse , o r shif t int o on e o f th e
forwar d gear s fo r a moment . Thi s
stop s th e gear s s o the y won' t "grind. "
Whe n slowin g down , yo u ca n ge t
extr a brakin g fro m th e engin e b y
shiftin g t o a lowe r gear . Thi s extr a
brakin g ca n hel p yo u maintai n a saf e
spee d an d preven t you r brake s fro m
overheatin g whil e goin g dow n a
stee p hill . Befor e downshifting ,
mak e sur e engin e spee d wil l no t g o
int o th e tachometer' s re d zon e in th e
lowe r gear .

Driving

Rapi
d slowin g o r speeding-u p
ca n caus e los s o f contro l o n
slipper y surfaces . I f yo u crash ,

yo u ca n b e injured .

Us e extr a car e whe n drivin g o n

slipper y surfaces .

Parkin
g

Alway s us e th e parkin g brak e whe n
yo u par k you r car . Th e indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l show s tha t th e
parkin g brak e is no t full y released ; i t
doe s no t indicat e tha t th e parkin g
brak e is firml y set . Mak e sur e th e
parkin g brak e is se t firml y o r you r
ca r ma y rol l i f i t i s parke d o n a n
incline . I
f th e ca r i s facin g uphill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s awa y fro m th e cur b an d
pu t th e transmissio n in firs t gear .
I f th e ca r i s facin g downhill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s towar d th e cur b an d pu t
th e transmissio n in revers e gear .
Mak e sur e th e parkin g brak e is full y
release d befor e drivin g away .
Drivin g wit h th e parkin g brak e
partiall y se t ca n overhea t o r damag e
th e rea r brakes . Parkin
g Tip s Mak
e sur e th e convertibl e to p an d
th e window s ar e closed . Tur
n of f th e lights . Plac
e an y packages , valuables , etc. ,
i n th e trun k o r tak e the m wit h you . Loc
k th e door s wit h th e ke y o r th e
remot e transmitter . Neve
r par k ove r dr y leaves , tal l
grass , o r othe r flammabl e
materials . Th e thre e wa y catalyti c
converte r get s ver y hot , an d coul d
caus e thes e material s t o catc h o n

fire .

Driving

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

You r Hond a is equippe d wit h dis c
brake s a t al l fou r wheels . A powe r
assis t help s reduc e th e effor t neede d
o n th e brak e pedal . Th e AB S help s
yo u retai n steerin g contro l whe n
brakin g ver y hard .
Pu t you r foo t o n th e brak e peda l onl y
whe n yo u inten d to brake . Restin g
you r foo t o n th e peda l keep s th e
brake s applie d lightly , causin g the m
t o buil d u p heat . Hea t build-u p ca n
reduc e ho w wel l you r brake s work . I t
als o keep s you r brak e light s o n al l
th e time , confusin g driver s behin d

you .
Constan
t applicatio n o f th e brake s
whe n goin g dow n a lon g hil l build s
u p hea t an d reduce s thei r effective -
ness . Us e th e engin e to assis t th e
brake s b y downshiftin g to a lowe r
gea r an d takin g you r foo t of f th e

accelerato r pedal .

Chec k you r brake s afte r drivin g
throug h dee p water . Appl y th e
brake s moderatel y t o se e if the y fee l
normal . I f not , appl y the m gentl y an d
frequentl y unti l the y do . Sinc e a
longe r distanc e is neede d to sto p
wit h we t brakes , b e extr a cautiou s
an d aler t i n you r driving . Brak
e Wea r Indicator s
Al l fou r brake s hav e audibl e brak e
wea r indicators .
Whe n th e brak e pad s nee d replacing ,
yo u wil l hea r a distinctiv e metalli c
"screeching " soun d whe n yo u appl y
th e brakes . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
brak e pad s replaced , the y wil l begi n
screechin g al l th e time .
You r brake s ma y sometime s squea l
o r squea k whe n yo u appl y the m
lightly . D o no t confus e thi s wit h th e
brak e wea r indicators . The y mak e a
ver y audibl e "screeching. "

Drivin g