2001 HONDA S2000 Owners Manual

Jum
p Startin g
I f you r car' s batter y ha s ru n down ,
yo u ma y b e abl e t o star t th e engin e
b y usin g a booste r battery . Althoug h
thi s seem s lik e a simpl e procedure ,
yo u shoul d tak e severa l precautions . T
o jum p star t you r car , follo w thes e
direction s closely :
1 . Ope n th e hoo d an d chec k th e
physica l conditio n o f th e batter y
(se e pag e 17 7). I n ver y col d
weather , chec k th e conditio n o f
th e electrolyte . I f i t seem s slush y
o r lik e ice , d o no t tr y jum p startin g
unti l i t thaws .

If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

2 . Tur n of f al l th e electrica l acces -

sories : heater , A/C , stere o system ,
lights , etc .

Pu t th e transmissio n in Neutra l

an d se t th e parkin g brake .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E

A
batter y ca n explod e if yo u d o
no t follo w th e correc t procedure ,
seriousl y injurin g anyon e
nearby .
Kee p al l sparks , ope n flames ,
an d smokin g material s awa y
fro m th e battery .

Jum
p Startin g

3 . Connec t on e jumpe r cabl e t o th e
positiv e ( + ) termina l o n you r
Honda' s batteiy . Connec t th e
othe r en d t o th e positiv e ( + )
termina l o n th e booste r battery .4
. Connec t th e secon d jumpe r cabl e
t o th e negativ e (— ) termina l o n
th e booste r battery . Connec t th e
othe r en d t o th e meta l projectio n
nea r th e intak e manifol d a s show n
i n th e illustration . D o no t connec t
thi s jumpe r cabl e t o an y othe r par t
o f th e engine . 5
. I f th e booste r batter y i s i n anothe r
vehicle , hav e a n assistan t star t
tha t vehicl e an d ru n it a t a fas t idle .

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Jum
p Startin g

6 . Star t you r car . I f th e starte r moto r
stil l operate s slowly , chec k th e
jumpe r cabl e connection s t o mak e
sur e the y hav e goo d metal-to -
meta l contact . 7
. Onc e you r ca r i s running , discon -
nec t th e negativ e cabl e fro m you r
car , the n fro m th e booste r battery .
Disconnec t th e positiv e cabl e fro m
you r car , the n th e booste r battery .
Kee p th e end s o f th e junipe r
cable s awa y fro m eac h othe r an d
an y meta l o n th e ca r unti l al l ar e
disconnected . Otherwise , yo u ma y
caus e a n electrica l short .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

BOOSTE
R BATTER Y

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s

Th e readin g o n you r car' s
temperatur e gaug e shoul d sta y in
th e midrang e unde r mos t conditions .
I t ma y g o highe r i f yo u ar e drivin g u p
a lon g stee p hil l o n a ver y ho t day . I f
i t climb s t o th e re d mark , yo u shoul d
determin e th e reason .
Driving with the temperature gauge
reading at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.
You r ca r ca n overhea t fo r severa l
reasons , suc h as lac k of coolan t or a
mechanica l problem . Th e onl y
indicatio n ma y b e th e temperatur e
gaug e climbin g to o r abov e th e re d
mark . O r yo u ma y se e stea m or
spra y comin g fro m unde r th e ca r o r
engin e cover . I n eithe r case , yo u
shoul d tak e immediat e action . 1
. Safel y pul l t o th e sid e o f th e road .
Pu t th e transmissio n in Neutra l
an d se t th e parkin g brake . Tur n
of f th e heatin g an d coolin g syste m
an d al l othe r accessories . Tur n o n
th e hazar d warnin g indicators .
2 . I f yo u se e stea m and/o r spra y
comin g fro m unde r th e hood , tur n
of f th e engine . 3
. I f yo u d o no t se e stea m o r spray ,
leav e th e engin e runnin g an d
watc h th e temperatur e gauge . I f
th e hig h hea t i s du e t o overloadin g
(climbin g a long , stee p hil l o n a
ho t da y wit h th e A/ C running , fo r
example) , th e engin e shoul d star t
t o coo l clow n almos t immediately .
I f i t does , wai t unti l th e tempera -
tur e gaug e come s dow n t o th e mid -
poin t the n continu e driving .
4 . I f th e temperatur e gaug e stay s a t
th e re d mark , tur n of f th e engine .
5 . Wai t unti l yo u se e n o mor e sign s
o f stea m o r spray , the n ope n th e
hood .

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E
Stea
m an d spra y fro m a n
overheate d engin e ca n
seriousl y scal d you .
D o no t ope n th e hoo d i f stea m
i s comin g out .

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
6 . Loo k fo r an y obviou s coolan t leaks ,
suc h a s a spli t radiato r hose .
Everythin g i s stil l extremel y hot ,
s o us e caution . I f yo u fin d a leak , i t
mus t b e repaire d befor e yo u
continu e drivin g (se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 241 ). 7
. I f yo u don' t fin d a n obviou s leak ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tan k (se e pag e
120 ). I f th e leve l i s belo w th e
MI N mark , ad d coolan t t o halfwa y
betwee n th e MI N an d MA X marks .
8 . I f ther e wa s n o coolan t i n th e
reserv e tank , yo u ma y als o hav e t o
ad d coolan t t o th e radiator . Le t th e
engin e coo l dow n unti l th e readin g
reache s th e middl e o f th e
temperatur e gauge , o r lower ,
befor e checkin g th e radiator . 9
. Usin g glove s o r a larg e heav y
cloth , tur n th e radiato r ca p
counterclockwise , withou t pushin g
down , t o th e firs t stop . Thi s
release s an y remainin g pressur e i n
th e coolin g system . Afte r th e
pressur e releases , pus h dow n o n
th e ca p an d tur n i t unti l i t come s

off .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Removin
g th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e is ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
10. Star t th e engin e an d se t th e
temperatur e contro l dia l t o
maximum . Ad d coolan t t o th e
radiato r u p t o th e bas e o f th e fille r
neck . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
prope r coolan t mixtur e available ,
yo u ca n ad d plai n water .
Remembe r t o hav e th e coolin g
syste m draine d an d refille d wit h
th e prope r mixtur e a s soo n a s yo u

can .
11. Pu
t th e radiato r ca p bac k o n
tightly . Ru n th e engin e an d watc h
th e temperatur e gauge . I f i t goe s
bac k t o th e re d mark , th e engin e
need s repair . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 241 .)
12. I
f th e temperatur e stay s normal ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tank . I f i t ha s
gon e down , ad d coolan t t o th e
MA X mark . Pu t th e ca p bac k o n
tightly .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Lo
w Oi l Pressur e Indicato r

Thi s indicato r shoul d ligh t whe n th e
ignitio n switc h is O N (II) , an d g o ou t
afte r th e engin e starts . I t shoul d
neve r com e o n whe n th e engin e is
running . I f i t start s flashing , i t
indicate s tha t th e oi l pressur e
droppe d ver y lo w fo r a moment , the n
recovered . If th e indicato r stay s on
wit h th e engin e running , i t show s
tha t th e engin e ha s los t oi l pressur e
an d seriou s engin e damag e is
possible . I n eithe r case , yo u shoul d
tak e immediat e action .
Running
the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost irnmediately. Turn off
the engine as soon as yo u can safel y get
the car slopped.

1 . Safel y pul l of f th e roa d an d shu t
of f th e engine . Tur n o n th e hazar d
warnin g indicators .
2 . Le t th e ca r si t fo r a minute . Ope n
th e hoo d an d chec k th e oi l leve l
(se e pag e 11 9). Althoug h oi l leve l
an d oi l pressur e ar e no t directl y
connected , a n engin e tha t i s ver y
lo w o n oi l ca n los e pressur e durin g
cornerin g an d othe r drivin g

maneuvers .

3 . I f necessary , ad d oi l t o brin g th e
leve l bac k t o th e ful l mar k o n th e
dipstic k (se e pag e 157 ). 4
. Star t th e engin e an d watc h th e oi l
pressur e indicator . I f th e ligh t
doe s no t g o ou t withi n te n seconds ,
tur n of f th e engine . Ther e is a
mechanica l proble m tha t need s t o
b e repaire d befor e yo u ca n
continu e driving . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 241 .)
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
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E

LO
W OI L PRESSUR E INDICATO R

PUS H CANCE L

Chargin
g Syste m Indicato r

CHARGIN G SYSTE M INDICATO R
Thi s indicato r shoul d com e o n whe n
th e ignitio n switc h is O N (II) , an d g o
ou t afte r th e engin e starts . I f i t
come s o n brightl y whe n th e engin e
i s running , i t indicate s tha t th e
chargin g syste m ha s stoppe d
chargin g th e battery . Immediatel
y tur n of f al l electrica l
accessories : radio , heater , A/C ,
cruis e control , etc . Tr y no t t o us e
othe r electrically-operate d control s
suc h a s the powe r windows . Kee p
the engin e runnin g an d tak e extr a
car e no t t o stal l it . Startin g th e
engin e wil l discharg e the batter y
rapidly . B
y eliminatin g a s muc h o f th e
electrica l loa d a s possible , yo u ca n
driv e severa l mile s (kilometers )
befor e th e batter y is to o discharge d
t o kee p th e engin e running . Driv e to
a servic e statio n o r garag e wher e
yo u ca n ge t technica l assistance .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

PUS
H CANCE L