2001 HONDA S2000 wheel

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

Th
e Brakin g Syste m
Brak e Syste m Desig n
Th e hydrauli c syste m tha t operate s
th e brake s ha s tw o separat e circuits .
Eac h circui t work s diagonall y acros s
th e ca r (th e left-fron t brak e i s
connecte d wit h th e right-rea r brake ,
etc.) . I f on e circui t shoul d develo p a
problem , yo u wil l stil l hav e brakin g
a t tw o wheels .
Anti-loc
k Brake s

You r ca r ha s a n Anti-loc k Brak e
Syste m (ABS ) a s standar d
equipment . AB S help s t o preven t th e
wheel s fro m lockin g u p an d skiddin g
durin g har d braking , allowin g yo u t o
retai n steerin g control . Whe
n th e fron t tire s skid , yo u los e
steerin g control ; th e ca r continue s
straigh t ahea d eve n thoug h yo u tur n
th e steerin g wheel . Th e AB S help s t o
preven t lock-u p an d help s yo u retai n
steerin g contro l b y pumpin g th e
brake s rapidly ; muc h faste r tha n a
perso n ca n d o it .

CONTINUED

Drivin g

Fron
t

Drivin
g in Ba d Weather , Towin g a Traile r

Tractio n — Chec k you r tire s
frequentl y fo r wea r an d prope r
pressure . Bot h ar e importan t i n
preventin g "hydroplaning " (los s o f
tractio n o n a we t surface) . I n th e
winter , moun t sno w tire s o n al l fou r
wheel s fo r th e bes t handling .
Watc h roa d condition s carefully ,
the y ca n chang e fro m momen t t o
moment . We t leave s ca n b e a s slip -
per y a s ice . "Clear " road s ca n hav e
patche s o f ice . Drivin g condition s
ca n b e ver y hazardou s whe n th e
outsid e temperatur e is nea r freezing .
Th e roa d surfac e ca n becom e
covere d wit h area s o f wate r puddle s
mixe d wit h area s o f ice , s o you r
tractio n ca n chang e withou t warning .
B e carefu l whe n downshifting . I f
tractio n is low , yo u ca n loc k u p th e
driv e wheel s fo r a momen t an d caus e

a skid .
B
e ver y cautiou s whe n passing , o r
bein g passe d b y othe r cars . Th e
spra y fro m larg e car s reduce s you r
visibility , an d th e win d buffetin g ca n
caus e yo u to los e control . Towin
g a Traile r
You r ca r i s no t designe d t o to w a
trailer . Attemptin g to d o s o ca n voi d
you r warranties .

Driving

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

Tire
s

Maintenanc e
I n additio n t o prope r inflation ,
correc t whee l alignmen t help s t o
decreas e tir e wear . I f yo u fin d a tir e
i s wor n unevenly , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e whee l alignment .
Th e tire s wer e properl y balance d b y
th e factory . The y ma y nee d t o b e
rebalance d a t som e tim e befor e the y
ar e wor n out . Hav e you r deale r
chec k th e tire s i f yo u fee l a consis -
ten t vibratio n whil e driving . A tir e
shoul d alway s b e rebalance d if i t i s
remove d fro m th e whee l fo r repair .Mak
e sur e th e installe r balance s th e
wheel s whe n yo u hav e ne w tire s
installed . Thi s increase s ridin g
comfor t an d tir e life . You r car' s
origina l tire s wer e dynami c o r "spin "
balance d a t th e factory . Fo r bes t
results , hav e th e installe r perfor m a
dynami c balance .

Improper wheel weights can damage

your vehicle's aluminum wheels. Use

only genuine Honda wheel weights for

balancing.
Tir
e Rotatio n
Yo u shoul d no t rotat e you r Honda' s
tires . Th e fron t an d rea r tire s ar e
differen t sizes , s o the y canno t b e
rotate d front-to-rear . Th e original -
equipmen t tire s o n you r Hond a hav e
a unidirectiona l trea d pattern , s o
the y canno t b e rotate d side-to-side .

Tir e Wea r

Th e tire s tha t cam e o n you r ca r wer e
designe d an d constructe d to provid e
superio r gri p durin g acceleration ,
braking , an d cornering . A s a trade -
off , the y wil l wea r mor e rapidl y tha n
tire s use d o n ordinar y passenge r
cars . Becaus e o f th e car' s weigh t
distribution , an d th e fac t tha t the y
ar e th e drivin g wheels , yo u ma y
expec t th e rea r tire s t o wea r mor e
rapidl y tha n th e fron t tires .
Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

Tire
s

Yo u shoul d carefull y inspec t you r
car' s tire s fo r wear , damage , an d
prope r inflatio n ever y 7,50 0 mile s
(12,000km ) (se e pag e 185 ). Replacin
g Tire s an d Wheel s
Th e tire s tha t cam e wit h you r ca r
wer e selecte d t o matc h th e perform -
anc e capabilitie s o f th e ca r whil e
providin g th e bes t combinatio n o f
handling , rid e comfort , an d lon g life .
Yo u shoul d replac e the m wit h radia l
tire s o f th e sam e size , loa d range ,
spee d rating , an d maximu m col d tir e
pressur e ratin g (a s show n o n th e
tire' s sidewall) . Mixin g radia l an d
bias-pl y tire s o n you r ca r ca n reduc e
it s brakin g ability , traction , an d
steerin g accuracy .
It i s bes t t o replac e al l fou r tire s a t
th e sam e time . I f tha t i s no t possibl e
o r necessary , the n replac e th e tw o
fron t tire s o r th e tw o rea r tire s a s a
pair . Replacin g jus t on e tir e ca n
seriousl y affec t you r car' s handling .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e
Installin
g imprope r tire s o n you r
ca r ca n affec t handlin g an d
stability . Thi s ca n caus e a cras h
i n whic h yo u ca n b e seriousl y
hur t o r killed .
Alway s us e th e siz e an d typ e o f
tire s recommende d in thi s
owner' s manual .

Tire
s

Th e AB S work s b y comparin g th e
spee d o f th e wheels . Whe n replacin g
tires , us e th e sam e siz e originall y
supplie d wit h th e car . Tir e siz e an d
constructio n ca n affec t whee l spee d
an d ma y caus e th e syste m to wor k in -

consistently .

I f yo u eve r nee d to replac e a wheel ,
mak e sur e th e wheel' s specification s
matc h thos e o f th e origina l whee l
tha t cam e o n you r car . Replacemen t
wheel s ar e availabl e a t you r Hond a

dealer .
Wheel
s an d Tire s

Wheels :

Front :
16x6 1/ 2 J J

Rear :

16x 7 1/ 2 J J

Tires :

Front :

205/55 R 1 6 89 W

Rear :

225/50 R 1 6 92 W

Se e pag e 24 8 fo r informatio n abou t
DO T Tir e Qualit y Grading . Winte
r Drivin g
Tire s tha t ar e marke d " M + S " o n th e
sidewal l hav e a n all-weathe r trea d
design . The y shoul d b e suitabl e fo r
mos t winte r drivin g conditions . Tire s
wi t ou t thes e marking s ar e designe d
fo r optimu m tractio n in dr y
conditions . The y ma y no t provid e
adequat e performanc e i n winte r

driving .

Fo r th e bes t performanc e in snow y
o r ic y conditions , yo u shoul d instal l
sno w tire s o r tir e chains . The y ma y
b e require d b y loca l law s unde r
certai n conditions .
Maintenanc e