2001 HONDA S2000 maintenance

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

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

Differentia
l Flui d

Chec k th e flui d leve l wit h th e
differentia l a t norma l operatin g
temperatur e an d th e vehicl e sittin g
o n leve l ground . Remov e the
differentia l flui d fille r bol l an d
washe r an d carefull y fee l insid e th e
bol t hol e wit h you r finger . Th e flui d
leve l shoul d b e u p to th e edg e o f th e
bol t hole . I f i t i s not , slowl y ad d flui d
unti l i t start s t o ru n ou t o f the hole . Us
e a SA E 9 0 viscosit y hypoi d gea r
oil , AP I servic e classifie d GL 5 o r
GL 6 only , i n th e differential .
Pu t a ne w washe r o n th e fille r bolt ,
the n reinstal l th e fille r bolt . Tighte n
i t securely . Tightenin g torque :
33 lbf .
ft (45N .
m , 4.6 kgf .
m )

Th e differentia l shoul d b e draine d
an d refille d wit h ne w flui d accordin g
t o th e tim e an d distanc e
recommendation s i n th e
maintenanc e schedule .

Maintenance

FILLE
R BOL T

CORREC T LEVE L

Batter
y

I f th e terminal s ar e severel y cor -
roded , clea n the m wit h bakin g sod a
an d water . The n us e a wrenc h t o
loose n an d remov e th e cable s fro m
th e terminals . Alway s disconnec t th e
negativ e (— ) cabl e firs t an d recon -
nec t i t last . Clea n th e batter y termi -
nal s wit h a termina l cleanin g too l o r
wir e brush . Reconnec t an d tighte n
th e cables , the n coa t th e terminal s
wit h grease . I
f yo u nee d t o connec t th e batter y t o
a charger , disconnec t bot h cable s t o
preven t damag e t o th e car' s
electrica l system .

Maintenanc e
Th
e batter y give s of f explosiv e
hydroge n ga s durin g norma l
operation .
A spar k o r flam e ca n caus e th e
batter y t o explod e wit h enoug h
forc e t o kil l o r seriousl y hur t you .
Wea r protectiv e clothin g an d a
fac e shield , o r hav e a skille d
mechani c d o th e batter y
maintenance .

Batter
y

I f you r car' s batter y i s disconnecte d
o r goe s dead , th e audi o syste m wil l
disabl e itself . Th e nex t tim e yo u tur n
o n th e radi o yo u wil l se e "Code " i n
th e frequenc y display . Us e th e
Prese t button s t o ente r th e five-digi t
cod e (se e pag e 11 4).
Charging
the batter y with the cables

connected can seriously damage your

car's electronic controls. Detach the

battery cables before connecting the

battery to a charger.

Maintenance

NOTIC
E

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m

You r car' s air conditionin g is a seale d
system . An y majo r maintenance ,
suc h a s recharging , shoul d b e don e
b y a qualifie d mechanic . Yo u ca n d o
a coupl e o f thing s t o mak e sur e th e
air conditionin g work s efficiently .
Periodicall y chec k th e engine' s
radiato r an d air conditionin g
condense r fo r leaves , insects , an d
dir t stuc k t o th e fron t surface . Thes e
bloc k th e air flow an d reduc e coolin g
efficiency . Us e a ligh t spra y fro m a
hos e o r a sof t brus h t o remov e them .

The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Ru
n th e ai r conditionin g a t leas t onc e
a wee k durin g th e col d weathe r
months . Ru n it fo r a t leas t te n
minute s whil e yo u ar e drivin g a t a
stead y spee d wit h th e engin e a t
norma l operatin g temperature . Thi s
circulate s th e lubricatin g oi l con -
taine d in th e refrigerant . I
f th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t ge t a s
col d a s before , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e system . Recharg e th e
syste m wit h Refrigeran t HFC-134 a
(R-134a) . (Se e Specification s o n pag e
247 .)

Whenever you have the air conditioning
syste m serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

AI R CONDITIONIN G CONDENSE R

NOTIC E

Tire
s

T o safel y operat e you r car , you r tire s
mus t b e th e prope r typ e an d size , i n
goo d conditio n wit h adequat e tread ,
an d correctl y inflated . Th e followin g
page s giv e mor e detaile d informatio n
o n ho w an d whe n to chec k ai r
pressure , ho w to inspec t you r tire s
fo r damag e an d wear , an d wha t t o d o
whe n you r tire s nee d to b e replaced .
Inflatio
n

Keepin g th e tire s properl y inflate d
provide s th e bes t combinatio n o f
handling , trea d lif e an d ridin g
comfort . Underinflate d tire s wea r
unevenly , adversel y affec t handlin g
an d fue l economy , an d ar e mor e
likel y t o fai l fro m bein g overheated .
Overinflate d tire s ca n mak e you r ca r
rid e mor e harshly , ar e mor e pron e t o
damag e fro m road hazards , an d wea r

unevenly .

W e recommen d tha t yo u visuall y
chec k you r tire s ever y day . I f yo u
thin k a tire migh t b e low , chec k i t
immediatel y wit h a tir e gauge .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Usin
g tire s tha t ar e excessivel y
wor n o r improperl y inflate d ca n
caus e a cras h in whic h yo u ca n
b e seriousl y hur t o r killed .
Follo w al l instruction s in thi s
owner' s manua l regardin g tir e

inflatio n an d maintenance .