S2000 2001 Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com. Contents
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................... i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
....................................... ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
........................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
.................................... 5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .41
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... . 85
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................115
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .129
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................143
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .203
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................213
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................243
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................257
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................263
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.
Owner's Identification Form
Servic
e Statio n Procedure s
Fillin g th e Fue l Tan k
1 . Becaus e th e fue l fil l ca p is o n th e
driver' s sid e o f th e car , par k wit h
tha t sid e closes t t o th e servic e
statio n pumps .
2 . Ope n th e fue l fil l doo r b y pullin g
o n th e kno b o n th e driver' s doo r
jamb .
3
. Remov e th e fue l fil l ca p slowly .
Yo u ma y hea r a hissing sound a s
pressur e insid e th e tan k escapes .
Plac e th e ca p in th e holde r o n th e
fue l fil l door .
CONTINUED
Befor e Drivin g
Gasolin
e i s highl y flammabl e
an d explosive . Yo u ca n b e
burne d o r seriousl y injure d
whe n handlin g fuel .
Sto
p th e engin e an d kee p
heat , sparks , an d flam e away . Handl
e fue l onl y outdoors . Wip
e u p spill s immediately .
FUEL FIL L CA P
Windshiel
d Washer s
RESERVOI R CA P
Chec k th e leve l i n th e windshiel d
washe r reservoi r a t leas t monthl y
durin g norma l usage . I n ba d weather ,
whe n yo u us e th e washer s often ,
chec k th e leve l ever y tim e yo u sto p
fo r fuel .
Th e windshiel d washe r reservoi r i s
locate d in th e rea r o f th e engin e
compartmen t o n th e passenger' s side .
Chec
k th e reservoir' s flui d leve l b y
removin g th e ca p an d lookin g a t th e
leve l gaug e attache d to th e cap . Fil
l th e reservoi r wit h a good-qualit y
windshiel d washe r fluid . Thi s
increase s th e cleanin g capabilit y an d
prevent s freezin g in col d weather .
Whe n yo u refil l th e reservoir , clea n
th e edge s o f th e windshiel d wipe r
blade s wit h windshiel d washe r flui d
o n a clea n cloth . Thi s wil l hel p to
conditio n th e blad e edges .
Do not use engine antifreeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antifreeze can damage your car's paint,
while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer fluid.
Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E
I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
I f th e headlight s di m noticeabl y o r
g o ou t whe n yo u tr y t o star t th e
engine , eithe r th e batter y i s dis -
charge d o r th e connection s ar e
corroded . Chec k th e conditio n o f th e
batter y an d termina l connection s
(se e pag e 177 ). Yo u ca n the n tr y
jum p startin g th e ca r fro m a booste r
batter y (se e pag e 222 ). Th
e Starte r Operate s Normall y
I n thi s case , th e starte r motor' s
spee d sound s normal , o r eve n faste r
tha n normal , whe n yo u pres s th e
ENGIN E STAR T button , bu t th e
engin e doe s no t run . Ar
e yo u usin g th e prope r startin g
procedure ? Refe r t o Startin g th e
Engin e o n pag e 131 . D
o yo u hav e fuel ? Tur n th e
ignitio n switc h t o O N (II ) fo r a
minut e an d watc h th e fue l gauge .
Th e lo w fue l leve l warnin g ligh t
ma y no t b e working , s o yo u wer e
no t reminde d t o fil l th e tank . Ther
e ma y b e a n electrica l
problem , suc h a s n o powe r t o th e
fue l pump . Chec k al l th e fuse s
(se e pag e 235 ).
I f yo u fin d nothin g wrong , yo u wil l
nee d a qualifie d technicia n t o fin d
th e problem . Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 241 .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Oxygenate
d Fuel s
Som e conventiona l gasolines are
bein g blende d wit h alcoho l o r a n
ethe r compound . Thes e gasoline s
ar e collectivel y referre d t o a s
oxygenate d fuels . T o mee t clea n ai r
standards , som e area s o f th e Unite d
State s an d Canad a us e oxygenate d
fuel s t o hel p reduc e emissions .
I f yo u us e a n oxygenate d fuel , b e
sur e i t i s unleade d an d meet s th e
minimu m octan e ratin g requirement .
Befor e usin g a n oxygenate d fuel , tr y
t o confir m th e fuel' s contents . Som e
states/province s requir e thi s
informatio n to b e poste d o n th e
pump .
Th
e followin g ar e th e U.S . EP A an d
Canadia n CGS B approve d
percentage s o f oxygenates :
ETHANO L (ethy l o r grai n alcohol )
Yo u ma y us e gasolin e containin g u p
t o 1 0 percen t ethano l b y volume .
Gasolin e containin g ethano l ma y b e
markete d unde r th e nam e "Gasohol. "
MTB E (Methy l Tertiar y Buty l
Ether )
Yo u ma y us e gasolin e containin g u p
t o 1 5 percen t MTB E b y volume . METHANO
L (methy l o r woo d
alcohol )
You r vehicl e wa s no t designe d to us e
fue l tha t contain s methanol .
Methano l ca n corrod e meta l part s in
th e fue l system , an d als o damag e
plasti c an d rubbe r components . Thi s
damag e woul d no t b e covere d b y
you r warranties .
I f yo u notic e an y undesirabl e
operatin g symptoms , tr y anothe r
servic e statio n o r switc h to anothe r
bran d o f gasoline .
Fue l syste m damag e o r performanc e
problem s resultin g fro m th e us e o f
a n oxygenate d fue l containin g mor e
tha n th e percentage s o f oxygenate s
give n abov e ar e no t covere d unde r
warranty .
Technica l Informatio n