2001 HONDA S2000 lock

Drivin
g
Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
manua l transmission . I t als o include s
importan t informatio n o n parkin g
you r car , an d th e brakin g system . Preparin
g to Drive........................ . 13 0
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 13 1
Startin g i n Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitud e .................... . 13 2
6-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 13 3
Recommende d Shif t Points..... . 13 4
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 13 4
Revers e Lockout....................... . 13 4
Parking........................................... . 13 5
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 13 6
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 13 6
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 13 7
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 13 7
Importan t Safet y
Reminders......................... . 13 8
AB S Indicator........................ . 13 9
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 14 0
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 14 1

Drivin g

Preparin
g to Driv e

Yo u shoul d d o th e followin g check s
an d adjustment s ever y da y befor e
yo u driv e you r car .
1 . Mak e sur e al l windows , mirrors ,
an d outsid e light s ar e clea n an d
unobstructed . Remov e frost , snow ,
o r ice .
2 . Chec k tha t th e hoo d an d trun k ar e
full y closed .
3 . Visuall y chec k th e tires . I f a tir e
look s low , us e a gaug e to chec k it s

pressure .
4
. Chec k tha t an y item s yo u ma y b e
carryin g wit h yo u insid e ar e store d
properl y o r fastene d dow n

securely .

5 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e sea t
(se e pag e 6 9 ) .
6 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e
insid e an d outsid e mirror s (se e
pag e 8 0 ) .
7 . Mak e sur e th e door s ar e securel y

close d an d locked .
8
. Faste n you r sea t belt . Chec k tha t
you r passenge r ha s fastene d hi s
sea t bel t (se e pag e 1 5 ) .
9 . Tur n th e ignitio n switc h O N (II) .
Chec k th e indicato r light s i n th e
instrumen t panel .
10. Star t th e engin e (se e pag e 131 ).
11. Chec k th e gauge s an d indicato r
light s i n th e instrumen t pane l (se e
pag e 43 ).

Drivin g

6-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Th e manua l transmissio n is synchro -
nize d in al l forwar d gear s fo r smoot h
operation . I t ha s a lockou t s o yo u
canno t shif t directl y fro m Fift h t o
Revers e instea d o f sixt h (se e pag e
134 ). Whe n shiftin g u p o r down ,
mak e sur e yo u pus h th e clutc h peda l
dow n al l th e way , shif t t o th e nex t
gear , an d le t th e peda l u p gradually .
Whe n yo u ar e no t shifting , d o no t
res t you r foo t o n th e clutc h pedal .
Thi s ca n caus e you r clutc h t o wea r
ou t faster . Com
e t o a ful l sto p befor e yo u shif t
int o Reverse . Yo u ca n damag e th e
transmissio n b y tryin g t o shif t int o
Revers e wit h th e ca r moving . Pus h
dow n th e clutc h pedal , an d paus e fo r
a fe w second s befor e shiftin g int o
Reverse , o r shif t int o on e o f th e
forwar d gear s fo r a moment . Thi s
stop s th e gear s s o the y won' t "grind. "
Whe n slowin g down , yo u ca n ge t
extr a brakin g fro m th e engin e b y
shiftin g t o a lowe r gear . Thi s extr a
brakin g ca n hel p yo u maintai n a saf e
spee d an d preven t you r brake s fro m
overheatin g whil e goin g dow n a
stee p hill . Befor e downshifting ,
mak e sur e engin e spee d wil l no t g o
int o th e tachometer' s re d zon e in th e
lowe r gear .

Driving

Rapi
d slowin g o r speeding-u p
ca n caus e los s o f contro l o n
slipper y surfaces . I f yo u crash ,

yo u ca n b e injured .

Us e extr a car e whe n drivin g o n

slipper y surfaces .

6-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Recommende d Shif t Point s
Driv e i n th e highes t gea r tha t let s
th e engin e ru n an d accelerat e
smoothly . Thi s wil l giv e yo u th e bes t
fue l econom y an d effectiv e emis -
sion s control . Th e followin g shif t
point s ar e recommended : Engin
e Spee d Limite r
I f yo u excee d th e maximu m spee d
fo r th e gea r yo u ar e in , th e engin e
spee d wil l ente r int o th e tachometer' s
re d zone . I f thi s occurs , yo u ma y fee l
th e engin e cu t i n an d ou t Thi s i s
cause d b y a limite r i n th e engine' s
compute r controls . Th e engin e wil l
ru n normall y whe n yo u reduc e th e
RP M belo w th e re d zone .
Befor e downshifting , mak e sur e th e
engin e wil l no t g o int o th e
tachometer' s re d zone . Revers
e Lockou t
Th e 6-spee d manua l transmissio n
ha s a lockou t s o yo u canno t
accidentall y shif t fro m Fift h t o
Revers e instea d o f Sixth .
Wit h th e clutc h peda l depressed ,
mov e th e shif t leve r t o th e Revers e
sid e o f th e Neutra l gate . The n pus h
th e shif t leve r dow n an d shif t t o

Reverse .

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

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Yo u shoul d neve r pum p th e
brak e pedal , thi s defeat s th e
purpos e o f th e ABS . Le t th e AB S
wor k fo r yo u b y alway s keepin g firm ,
stead y pressur e o n th e brak e peda l
a s yo u stee r awa y fro m th e hazard.
Thi s i s sometime s referre d t o a s

"stomp and steer."

Yo u wil l fee l a pulsatio n in th e brak e
peda l whe n th e AB S activates , an d
yo u ma y hea r som e noise . Thi s i s
normal , i t i s th e AB S rapidl y
pumpin g th e brakes .
Activatio n varie s wit h th e amoun t o f
tractio n you r tire s have . O n dr y
pavement , yo u wil l nee d to pres s o n
th e brak e peda l ver y har d befor e yo u
activat e th e ABS . However , yo u ma y
fee l th e AB S activat e immediatel y i f
yo u ar e tryin g to sto p o n sno w o r ice .
Important Safety Reminders

AB S doe s no t reduc e th e tim e o r
distanc e i t take s t o sto p th e car , i t
onl y help s wit h steerin g contro l
durin g braking . Yo u shoul d alway s
maintai n a saf e followin g distanc e
fro m othe r vehicles .
AB S wil l no t preven t a ski d tha t
result s fro m changin g directio n
abruptly , suc h a s tryin g to tak e a
corne r to o fas t o r makin g a sudde n
lan e change . Alway s driv e a t a safe ,
pruden t spee d fo r th e roa d an d
weathe r conditions .
AB S canno t preven t a los s o f
stability . Alway s stee r moderatel y
whe n yo u ar e brakin g hard . Sever e
o r shar p steerin g whee l movemen t
ca n stil l caus e you r ca r t o vee r int o
oncomin g traffi c o r of f th e road . A
ca r wit h AB S ma y requir e a
longe r distanc e t o sto p o n loos e o r
uneve n surfaces , suc h a s grave l o r
snow , tha n a car withou t anti-lock .
Slo w dow n an d allo w a greate r
distanc e betwee n car s unde r thos e
conditions .
Drivin g

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Drivin g

ABS Indicator
Th e AB S is self-checking . I f anythin g
goe s wrong , th e AB S indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l come s o n (se e
pag e 4 5). Thi s mean s th e anti-loc k
functio n o f th e brakin g syste m ha s
shu t down . Th e brake s stil l wor k lik e
a conventiona l syste m withou t anti -
lock , providin g norma l stoppin g
ability . Yo u shoul d hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r a s soo n a s possible .
ANTI-LOC
K BRAK E SYSTE M
INDICATOR *
* U.S . indicato r show n

PUS
H CANCE L

Coolin
g Syste m

RADIATO R CA P
2 . Tur n th e radiato r ca p counter -
clockwise , withou t pressin g dow n
o n it , unti l i t stops . Thi s relieve s
an y pressur e remainin g in th e
coolin g system .
3 . Remov e th e radiato r ca p b y
pushin g dow n an d turnin g
counterclockwise . RESERV
E TAN K

4 . Th e coolan t leve l shoul d b e u p to
th e bas e o f th e fille r neck . Ad d
coolan t i f i t i s low .
5 . Pu t th e radiato r ca p bac k on .
Tighte n i t fully .
6 . Pou r coolan t int o th e reserv e tank .
Fil l i t t o halfwa y betwee n th e MA X
an d MI N marks . Pu t th e ca p bac k
o n th e reserv e tank .
D
o no t ad d an y rus t inhibitor s o r
othe r additive s t o you r vehicle' s
coolin g system . The y ma y no t b e
compatibl e wit h th e coolan t o r
engin e components .
Maintenanc e