2001 HONDA S2000 Owners Manual

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p
MALFUNCTIO N INDICATO R LAM P

Thi s indicato r come s o n fo r a fe w
second s whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n
switc h O N (II) . I f i t come s o n a t an y
othe r time , i t indicate s on e o f th e
engine' s emission s contro l system s
ma y hav e a problem . Eve n thoug h
yo u ma y fee l n o differenc e i n you r
car' s performance , i t ca n reduc e
you r fue l econom y an d caus e you r
ca r t o pu t ou t excessiv e emissions .
Continue d operatio n ma y caus e
seriou s damage .
I
f yo u hav e recentl y refuele d you r
car , th e caus e o f thi s indicato r
comin g o n coul d b e a loos e o r
missin g fue l fil l cap . Chec k th e ca p
an d tighte n it unti l i t click s severa l
times . Replac e th e fue l fil l ca p if i t i s
missing . Tightenin g th e ca p wil l no t
mak e th e indicato r tur n of f
immediately ; i t take s thre e drivin g

trips .

I f th e indicato r remain s o n pas t thre e
drivin g trips , o r th e fue l ca p wa s no t
loos e o r missing , hav e th e ca r
checke d b y th e deale r a s soo n a s
possible . Driv e moderatel y unti l th e
deale r ha s inspecte d th e problem .
Avoi d full-throttl e acceleratio n an d
drivin g a t hig h speed .
Yo u shoul d als o hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r i f thi s indicato r
come s o n repeatedly , eve n thoug h it
ma y tur n of f a s yo u continu e driving .If
you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by you r car's warranties.

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

PUS H CANCE L

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p

Readines s Code s
You r ca r ha s certai n "readines s
codes " tha t ar e par t o f th e on-boar d
diagnostic s fo r th e emission s
systems . I n som e states , par t o f th e
emission s testin g is t o mak e sur e
thes e code s ar e set . I f the y ar e no t
set , th e tes t canno t b e completed .
I f you r car' s batter y ha s bee n
disconnecte d o r gon e dead , thes e
code s ar e erased . I t take s severa l
day s o f drivin g unde r variou s
condition s t o se t th e code s again . I
f possible , d o no t tak e you r ca r fo r a
stat e emission s tes t unti l th e
readines s code s ar e set . Se e Stat e
Emission s Testin g o n page s 25 5 an d

256 .
Taking Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Brak
e Syste m Indicato r

Th e Brak e Syste m Indicato r
normall y come s o n whe n yo u tur n
th e ignitio n switc h O N (II) . I t i s a
reminde r t o chec k th e parkin g brake .
I t come s o n an d stay s li t i f yo u d o no t
full y releas e th e parkin g brake . I
f i t come s o n a t an y othe r time , i t
indicate s a proble m wit h th e car' s
brak e system . I n mos t cases , th e
proble m is a lo w flui d leve l i n th e
brak e flui d reservoir . Pres s lightl y o n
th e brak e peda l t o se e if i t feel s
normal . I f i t does , chec k th e brak e
flui d leve l th e nex t tim e yo u sto p a t a
servic e statio n (se e pag e 17 0). I f th e
flui d leve l i s low , tak e th e ca r t o you r
deale r an d hav e th e brak e syste m
inspecte d fo r leak s o r wor n brak e

pads .

However , i f th e brak e peda l doe s no t
fee l normal , yo u shoul d tak e
immediat e action . Becaus e o f th e
brak e system' s dual-circui t design , a
proble m in on e par t o f th e syste m
wil l stil l giv e yo u brakin g a t tw o
wheels . Yo u wil l fee l th e brak e peda l
g o clow n muc h farthe r befor e th e ca r
begin s t o slo w clown , an d yo u wil l
hav e t o pres s harde r o n th e pedal .
Th e distanc e neede d to sto p wil l b e
muc h longer . Slo
w dow n b y shiftin g to a lowe r
gear , an d pul l t o th e sid e o f th e roa d
whe n it i s safe . Becaus e o f th e
longe r distanc e neede d to stop , i t i s
hazardou s t o driv e th e car . Yo u
shoul d hav e it towed , an d repaire d a s

soo n a s possible .

I f yo u mus t driv e th e ca r a shor t
distanc e in thi s condition , driv e
slowl y an d cautiously .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

BRAK
E SYSTE M INDICATO R

Closin
g th e Convertibl e To p

I f th e electri c moto r wil l no t clos e
th e convertibl e top , d o th e following .
1 . Chec k th e fus e fo r th e convertibl e
to p moto r (se e pag e 23 5). I f th e
fus e is blown , replac e it wit h on e
o f th e sam e o r lowe r rating .
2 . Tr y closin g th e convertibl e top . I f
th e ne w fus e blow s immediatel y o r
th e convertibl e to p stil l doe s no t
operate , yo u ca n clos e th e
convertibl e to p manually .
CONNECTO
R

3 . Locat e th e electrica l connecto r fo r
th e convertibl e to p motor .
I t i s unde r th e lowe r corne r o f th e
dashboar d o n th e passenger' s side .
Disconnec t th e connecto r b y
pushin g th e ta b an d pullin g th e
connecto r down . 4
. Holdin g eac h corne r o f th e
convertibl e top , rais e th e to p an d
pus h it forwar d a s fa r a s i t wil l go .
5 . Follo w step s 5 throug h 7 of th e
closin g procedur e o n pag e 7 6 .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Fuse
s

Al l th e electrica l circuit s i n you r ca r
hav e fuse s t o protec t the m fro m a
shor t circui t o r overload . Thes e
fuse s ar e locate d in thre e fus e boxes .
The interio r fus e bo x i s underneat h
th e dashboar d o n th e driver' s side . Ther
e ar e tw o under-hoo d fus e
boxe s in th e engin e compartment .
Th e mai n fus e bo x is locate d o n th e
passenger' s sid e nea r th e battery . T o
ope n it , pus h th e tw o tab s a s shown .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Fuse
s

Th e auxiliar y fus e bo x i s locate d o n
th e driver' s sid e nea r th e brak e flui d
reservoir . T o ope n it , pus h th e ta b o n
eac h sid e an d remov e th e lid . Checkin
g an d Replacin g Fuse s

I f somethin g electrica l i n you r ca r
stop s working , th e firs t thin g yo u
shoul d chec k fo r i s a blow n fuse .
Determin e fro m th e char t o n page s
23 7 an d 23 8 , o r th e diagra m on th e
fus e bo x lid , whic h fus e o r fuse s
contro l tha t component . Chec k thos e
fuse s first , bu t chec k al l th e fuse s
befor e decidin g tha t a blow n fus e is
no t th e cause . Replac e an y blow n
fuse s an d chec k th e component' s

operation .

1 . Tur n th e ignitio n switc h to LOC K
(0) . Mak e sur e th e headlight s an d
al l othe r accessorie s ar e off .
2 . Remov e th e cove r fro m th e fus e
box . 3
. Chec k eac h o f th e larg e fuse s in
th e under-hoo d fus e bo x b y
lookin g throug h th e to p a t th e wir e
inside . Removin g thes e fuse s
require s a Phillips-hea d screw -
driver .

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Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

BLOW
N

Fuse
s

4 . Chec k th e smalle r fuse s b y pullin g
ou t th e fus e wit h th e fus e pulle r
provide d in th e interio r fus e box . 5
. Loo k fo r a burne d wir e insid e th e
fuse . I f i t i s burned , replac e it wit h
on e o f th e spar e fuse s o f th e sam e
ratin g o r lower .
I f yo u canno t driv e th e vehicl e
withou t fixin g th e problem , an d yo u
d o no t hav e a spar e fuse , tak e a fus e
o f th e sam e ratin g o r a lowe r ratin g
fro m on e o f th e othe r circuits . Mak e
sur e yo u ca n d o withou t tha t circui t
temporaril y (suc h a s th e accessor y
powe r socke t o r radio) . I
f yo u replac e th e blow n fus e wit h a
spar e fus e tha t ha s a lowe r rating , i t
migh t blo w ou t again . Thi s doe s no t
indicat e anythin g wrong . Replac e th e
fus e wit h on e o f th e correc t ratin g a s
soo n a s yo u can .

Replacing a fuse with one that has a
higher rating greatl y increases the
chances of damaging the electrical
system. If you do not have a replace-
ment fuse with the proper rating for the
circuit, install one with a lower rating.

6 . I f th e replacemen t fus e o f th e
sam e ratin g blow s i n a shor t time ,
ther e is probabl y a seriou s
electrica l proble m in you r car .
Leav e th e blow n fus e i n tha t
circui t an d hav e you r ca r checke d
b y a qualifie d mechanic .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

FUS
E PULLE R

BLOWN

NOTICE

Fuse
s

INTERIO R FUS E BO X
*
: Canadian Model

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Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d