2001 HONDA S2000 Owners Manual

Exterio
r Car e

Aluminu m Wheel s

Clea n you r Acura' s aluminu m allo y
wheel s a s yo u d o th e res t o f th e
exterior . Was h the m wit h th e sam e
solution , an d rins e the m thoroughly .
Th e wheel s hav e a protectiv e clear -
coa t tha t keep s th e aluminu m fro m
corrodin g an d tarnishing . Usin g
hars h chemicals , includin g som e
commercia l whee l cleaners , o r stif f
brushe s ca n damag e thi s clear-coat .
Onl y us e a mil d detergen t an d sof t
brus h o r spong e to clea n th e wheels .
Pain
t Touch-u p

You r deale r ha s touch-u p pain t t o
matc h you r car' s color . Th e colo r
cod e is printe d o n a sticke r o n th e
driver' s doorjamb . Tak e thi s cod e t o
you r deale r so yo u ar e sur e to ge t
th e correc t color . Inspec
t you r ca r frequentl y fo r chip s
o r scratche s i n th e paint . Repai r
the m righ t awa y t o preven t corrosio n
o f th e meta l underneath . Us e th e
touch-u p pain t onl y o n smal l chip s
an d scratches . Mor e extensiv e pain t
damag e shoul d b e repaire d b y a

professional .

Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Car e

Carpetin g

Vacuu m th e carpetin g frequentl y t o
remov e dirt . Ground-i n dir t wil l mak e
th e carpe t wea r ou t faster .
Periodicall y shampo o th e carpe t t o
kee p it lookin g new . Us e on e o f th e
foam-typ e carpe t cleaner s o n th e
market . Follo w th e instruction s tha t
com e wit h th e cleaner , applyin g it
wit h a spong e o r sof t brush . Kee p
th e carpetin g a s dr y a s possibl e b y
no t addin g wate r t o th e foam . Floo
r Mat s
Th e Genuin e Hond a driver' s floo r
ma t tha t cam e wit h you r ca r wa s
designe d t o b e hooke d ove r th e floo r
ma t anchor . Thi s keep s th e floo r ma t
fro m slidin g forwar d an d possibl y
interferin g wit h th e pedals . I
f yo u remov e th e floo r mat , mak e
sur e t o re-ancho r i t whe n yo u pu t i t
bac k i n you r car .
I f yo u replac e it , us e a genuin e
Hond a floo r ma t tha t i s designe d t o
b e use d wit h th e floo r ma t ancho r i n
you r car .
I f yo u us e a non-Hond a floo r ma t i n
th e driver' s footwell , mak e sur e it
fit s properl y an d tha t i t ca n b e use d
wit h th e floo r ma t anchor .
D o no t pu t additiona l floo r mat s o n
to p o f th e anchore d mat , otherwis e
th e additiona l mat s ma y slid e
forwar d an d interfer e wit h th e pedals .

Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Car e
Fabri c
Vacuu m dir t an d dus t ou t o f th e
materia l frequently . Fo r genera l
cleaning , us e a solutio n of mil d soa p
an d lukewar m water , lettin g it ai r dry .
T o clea n of f stubbor n spots , us e a
commercially-availabl e fabri c cleaner .
Tes t i t o n a hidde n are a o f th e fabri c
first , t o mak e sur e it doe s no t bleac h
o r stai n th e fabric . Follo w th e
instruction s tha t com e wit h th e

cleaner .
Viny
l

Remov e dir t an d dus t wit h a vacuu m
cleaner . Wip e th e viny l wit h a sof t
clot h dampene d in a solutio n o f mil d
soa p an d water . Us e th e sam e
solutio n wit h a soft-bristl e brus h o n
mor e difficul t spots . Yo u ca n als o us e
commercially-availabl e spra y o r
foam-typ e viny l cleaners .
Leathe r
Vacuu m dir t an d dus t fro m th e
leathe r frequently . Pa y particula r
attentio n t o th e pleat s an d seams .
Clea n th e leathe r wit h a sof t clot h
dampene d wit h clea r water , the n
buf f i t wit h a clean , dr y cloth . I f
furthe r cleanin g is needed , us e a
soa p specificall y fo r leather , suc h a s
saddl e soap . Appl y thi s soa p wit h a
damp , sof t cloth . Wip e dow n an d
buf f a s describe d above . Rea
r Windo w
Clea n th e rea r windo w wit h eithe r
clea n wate r o r a mil d detergent /
wate r solutio n an d a soft , dam p cloth .
Neve r us e a brus h o r dr y cloth , an d
d o no t us e an y hars h chemical s o r
abrasiv e cleaners . Yo u wil l damag e
th e window .
Polis h th e rea r windo w periodicall y
wit h a commerciall y availabl e plasti c
polis h mad e especiall y fo r
convertibl e rea r windows .
Sea t Belt s
I f you r sea t belt s ge t dirty , yo u ca n
us e a sof t brus h wit h a mixtur e o f
mil d soa p an d war m wate r t o clea n

them . D o no t us e bleach , dye , o r

cleanin g solvents . The y ca n weake n
th e bel t material . Le t th e belt s air -
dr y befor e yo u us e th e car .

Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Care , Corrosio n Protectio n

Window s
Clea n th e windows , insid e an d out ,
wit h a commercially-availabl e glas s
cleaner . Yo u ca n als o us e a mixtur e
o f on e par t whit e vinega r t o te n part s
water . Thi s wil l remov e th e haz e tha t
build s u p o n th e insid e o f th e
windows . Us e a sof t clot h o r pape r
towel s t o clea n al l glas s an d clea r
plasti c surfaces . Ai
r Freshener s
I f yo u wan t t o us e a n ai r freshener /
deodorize r i n th e interio r o f you r car ,
i t i s bes t t o us e a soli d type . Som e
liqui d ai r freshener s contai n chemi -
cal s tha t ma y caus e part s o f th e
interio r tri m an d fabri c t o crac k o r
discolor .
I f yo u us e a liqui d ai r freshener ,
mak e sur e yo u faste n i t securel y s o i t
doe s no t spil l a s yo u drive . Corrosio
n Protectio n
Tw o factor s normall y contribut e t o
causin g corrosio n i n you r car :
1 . Moistur e trappe d in bod y cavities .
Dir t an d roa d sal t tha t collect s i n
hollow s o n th e undersid e o f th e
ca r stay s damp , promotin g
corrosio n in tha t area .
2 . Remova l o f pain t an d protectiv e
coating s fro m th e exterio r an d
undersid e o f th e car .

Appearanc e Car e

Corrosio
n Protectio n

Man y corrosion-preventiv e measure s
ar e buil t int o you r Honda . Yo u ca n
hel p kee p you r ca r fro m corrodin g
b y performin g som e simpl e periodi c

maintenance :

Repai r chip s an d scratche s in th e
pain t a s soo n a s yo u discove r them . Inspec
t an d clea n ou t th e drai n
hole s i n th e botto m o f th e door s
an d body . Chec
k th e floo r covering s fo r
dampness . Carpetin g an d floo r
mat s ma y remai n dam p fo r a lon g
time , especiall y in winter . Thi s
dampnes s ca n eventuall y caus e
th e floo r panel s t o corrode . Us
e a high-pressur e spra y t o clea n
th e undersid e o f you r car . Thi s i s
especiall y importan t i n area s tha t
us e roa d sal t i n winter . I t i s als o a
goo d ide a in humi d climate s an d
area s subjec t t o sal t air . B e carefu l
o f th e AB S whee l sensor s an d
wirin g a t eac h wheel . Hav
e th e corrosion-preventiv e
coating s o n th e undersid e o f you r
ca r inspecte d an d repaire d
periodically .
Appearanc e Car e

Bod
y Repair s

Bod y repair s ca n affec t you r car' s
resistanc e to corrosion . I f you r ca r
need s repair s afte r a collision , pa y
clos e attentio n to th e part s use d in
th e repai r an d th e qualit y o f th e
work .
Mak e sur e th e repai r facilit y use s
genuin e Hond a replacemen t bod y

parts . Som e companie s mak e shee t
meta l piece s tha t see m to duplicat e
th e origina l Hond a bod y parts , bu t
ar e actuall y inferio r i n fit , finish , an d
corrosio n resistance . Onc e installed ,
the y d o no t giv e th e sam e high -
qualit y appearance . Whe
n reportin g you r collisio n t o th e
insuranc e company , tel l the m yo u
wan t genuin e Hond a part s use d in
th e repair . Althoug h mos t insurer s
recogniz e th e qualit y o f origina l
parts , som e ma y tr y t o specif y tha t
th e repair s b e don e wit h othe r
availabl e parts . Yo u shoul d investi -
gat e thi s befor e an y repair s hav e

begun .

Tak e you r ca r t o you r authorize d
Hond a deale r fo r inspectio n afte r th e
repair s ar e completed . You r deale r
ca n mak e sur e tha t qualit y material s
wer e used , an d tha t corrosion -
preventiv e coating s wer e applie d t o
al l repaire d an d replace d parts .
Appearance Car e

212

Takin
g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Thi s sectio n cover s th e more -
commo n problem s tha t motorist s
experienc e wit h thei r vehicles . I t
give s yo u informatio n abou t ho w to
safel y evaluat e th e proble m an d wha t
t o d o t o correc t it . I f th e proble m ha s
strande d yo u o n th e sid e o f th e road ,
yo u ma y b e abl e t o ge t goin g again .
I f not , yo u wil l als o fin d instruction s
o n gettin g you r ca r towed . Compac
t Spar e Tire...................... . 21 4
Changin g a Fla t Tir e .................... . 21 5
I f You r Engin e Won' t Start.......... . 22 0
Nothin g Happen s o r th e
Starte r Moto r Operate s
Ver y Slowly........................ . 22 0
Th e Starte r Operate s
Normally................................ . 22 1
Jum p Starting................................ . 22 2
I f You r Engin e Overheats............ . 22 5
Lo w Oi l Pressur e Indicator......... . 22 8
Chargin g Syste m Indicator.......... . 22 9
Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p ....... . 23 0
Brak e Syste m Indicator............... . 23 2
Closin g th e Convertibl e Top....... . 23 3
Fuses.............................................. . 23 4
Checkin g an d Replacing.......... . 23 5
I f You r Ca r Get s Stuck................. . 23 9
Emergenc y Towing...................... . 24 1

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d