2001 HONDA S2000 Owners Manual

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

Ai
r Conditionin g Filte r

Th e ai r conditionin g filte r remove s
polle n an d dus t fro m outsid e ai r th e
heatin g an d coolin g syste m bring s
int o th e interior . I t shoul d b e
replace d accordin g to th e lim e an d
distanc e recommendation s i n th e
maintenanc e schedule .
Thi s filte r shoul d b e replace d ever y
30,00 0 mile s (48,00 0 km ) unde r
norma l conditions . I t shoul d b e
replace d ever y 15,00 0 mile s (24,00 0
km ) i f yo u driv e primaril y i n urba n
area s tha t hav e hig h concentration s
o f soo t i n th e ai r fro m industr y an d
diesel-powere d vehicles . Replac e it
mor e ofte n i f ai r flo w fro m th e
climat e contro l syste m become s les s
tha n usual . Hav e th e ai r conditionin g
filte r replace d b y you r Hond a dealer .Replacement
Th e ai r conditionin g filte r i s locate d
i n th e engin e compartmen t o n th e
passenger' s sid e nea r th e bas e o f th e
windshield .
1 . Ope n th e hood . Uncli p th e
windshiel d bas e b y pullin g it up . 2
. Pus h th e ta b o n th e ai r
conditionin g filte r t o unloc k i t
fro m th e holder .
3 . Remov e th e ol d filter . Pu t a ne w
filte r i n th e holde r an d pus h i t i n
unti l i t locks .
4 . Pu t th e pin s o n th e windshiel d
bas e int o thei r matin g hole s o n the
support , an d pus h the bas e dow n
unti l th e pin s sna p in .

Maintenanc e

Driv
e Bel t

Yo u shoul d chec k th e conditio n o f
th e driv e bel t ever y 2 years . Examin e
th e edge s o f bel t fo r crack s o r
fraying . Auto-tensione
r
AUTO-

TENSIONE R

POINTE R

A n auto-tensione r adjust s th e tensio n
o f th e driv e belt .
Th e pointe r o n th e auto-tensione r
shoul d b e betwee n th e tw o line s o f
th e indicator . I f th e pointe r i s no t
betwee n th e lines , contac t you r
Hond a dealer .
Maintenanc e
INDICATO
R

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 .

Tire
s

Us e a gaug e to measur e the air
pressur e a t leas t onc e a month . Eve n
tire s tha t ar e in goo d conditio n ma y
los e on e to tw o ps i (1 0 to 2 0 kPa , 0. 1
t o 0. 2 kgf/cm 2) pe r month .
Remembe r t o chec k th e spar e tir e a t
th e sam e tim e yo u chec k al l th e
othe r tires .
Chec k th e pressur e in th e tire s whe n
the y ar e cold . Thi s mean s th e ca r
ha s bee n parke d fo r a t leas t thre e
hours . I f yo u hav e t o driv e th e ca r
befor e checkin g the tire pressure ,
th e tire s ca n stil l b e considere d
"cold " i f yo u driv e les s tha n 1 mil e

(1. 6 km) .
I
f yo u chec k th e pressur e whe n th e
tire s ar e ho t (th e ca r ha s bee n drive n
severa l miles) , yo u wil l se e reading s

4 to
6
ps i (3 0 to 4 0
kPa ,
0. 3 to 0. 4

kgf/cm 2) highe r tha n th e col d
reading . Thi s is normal . D o no t le t
ai r ou t t o matc h th e specifie d col d
pressure . Th e tir e wil l b e

underinflated .

Yo u shoul d ge t you r ow n tir e
pressur e gaug e an d us e it wheneve r
yo u chec k you r tir e pressures . Thi s
wil l mak e it easie r fo r yo u t o tel l i f a
pressur e los s is du e to a tir e proble m
an d no t du e to a variatio n betwee n

gauges .

Recommended Tire Pressures for
Normal Driving

Th e followin g char t show s th e
recommende d col d tir e pressure s fo r
mos t norma l drivin g condition s an d
speeds . Tir e pressure s fo r hig h
spee d drivin g ar e th e sam e a s fo r
norma l driving . Th
e compac t spar e tir e pressur e is :
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm 2
)

Thes e pressure s ar e als o give n o n
th e tir e informatio n labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Maintenanc e

Tire
s

Tubeles s tire s hav e som e abilit y t o
self-sea l i f the y ar e punctured .
However , becaus e leakag e is ofte n
ver y slow , yo u shoul d loo k closel y
fo r puncture s i f a tir e start s losin g

pressure .
Inspectio
n

Ever y tim e yo u chec k inflation , yo u
shoul d als o examin e th e tire s fo r
damage , foreig n objects , an d wear .
Yo u shoul d loo k for : Bump
s o r bulge s i n th e trea d o r
sid e o f th e tire . Replac e th e tir e if
yo u fin d eithe r o f thes e conditions .
Cuts , splits , o r crack s in th e sid e
o f th e tire . Replac e th e tir e if yo u
ca n se e fabri c o r cord .
Excessiv e trea d wear . INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MARK S
You r car' s tire s hav e wea r indicator s
molde d int o th e tread . Whe n th e
trea d wear s dow n t o tha t point , yo u
wil l se e a 1/ 2 inc h (12. 7 mm ) wid e
ban d runnin g acros s th e tread . Thi s
show s ther e i s les s tha n 1/1 6 inc h
(1. 6 mm ) o f trea d lef t o n th e tire . A
tir e tha t i s thi s wor n give s ver y littl e
tractio n o n we t roads . Yo u shoul d
replac e th e tir e if yo u ca n se e th e
trea d wea r indicato r i n thre e o r mor e
place s aroun d th e tire .

Maintenanc e

TREA
D WEA R INDICATOR S

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 .