2001 HONDA S2000 service

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

Drive
r an d Passenge r Safet y

Thi s sectio n give s yo u importan t
informatio n abou t ho w to protec t
yoursel f an d you r passenger . I t
show s yo u ho w to us e sea t belt s
properly . I t explain s you r Supple -
menta l Restrain t System . An d it tell s
yo u ho w to properl y restrai n childre n
i n you r car . Importan
t Safet y Precaution s ......... . 6
You r Car' s Safet y Feature s ............. . 7

Sea t Belts....................................... . 8

Airbags........................................... . 9

Seat s & Seat-Backs..................... . 1 0
Hea d Restraints........................... . 1 0
Doo r Locks.................................. . 1 0
Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklist........ . 1 1
Protectin g Adults............................ . 1 2
1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Doors..... . 1 2
2 . Adjus t th e Fron t Seats........... . 1 2
3 . Adjus t th e Seat-Backs............ . 1 3
4 . Faste n an d Positio n th e Sea t

Belts..................................... . 1 5

5 . Maintai n a Prope r Sittin g
Position................................ . 1 6
Advic e fo r Pregnan t Women..... . 1 7
Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 1 8
Protectin g Children........................ . 1 9
Al l Childre n Mus t B e

Restrained............................... . 1 9

You r Ca r i s No t Recommende d

fo r Chil d Passengers.............. . 2 0

Th e Passenger' s Airba g Pose s

Seriou s Risk s t o Children...... . 2 0

Additiona l Safet y Precaution..... . 2 2
Genera
l Guideline s fo r Usin g
Chil d Seats.............................
22

Protectin g Smal l
Children.........
. 2 6
Protectin g Large r Children....... . 2 9
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t You r
Sea t Belts................................. . 3 3
Sea t Bel t Syste m Components.. . 3 3
Lap/Shoulde r Belt...................... . 3 3
Sea t Bel t Maintenance............... . 3 4
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t You r

SRS........................................... 35

SR S Components........................ . 3 5
Ho w You r Airbag s Work........... . 3 5
Ho w th e Automati c Sea t Bel t
Tensioner s Work.................... . 3 7
Ho w th e SR S Indicato r Ligh t

Works....................................... 37

SR S Service.................................. 38

Additiona l Safet y Precautions... .

38

Carbo n Monoxid e
Hazard.............
.

39

Safet y Labels................................... .
40

Drive r an d
Passenge
r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S

SR S Servic e
You r Supplementa l Restrain t Syste m
i s virtuall y maintenance-free , an d
ther e ar e n o part s yo u ca n safel y
service . However , yo u mus t hav e
you r ca r service d if :
Your airbags ever inflate. Th
e

airbags , sea t bel t tensioners , an d
contro l uni t mus t b e replaced . D o
no t tr y t o remov e o r replac e th e
airbag s yourself .
Thi s mus t b e don e b y a Hond a
deale r o r a knowledgeabl e bod y

shop .
The SRS indicator light alerts you

to a problem. Tak
e you r ca r t o a n
authorize d Hond a deale r a s soo n
a s possible . I f yo u ignor e thi s
indication , th e airbag s migh t no t
inflat e whe n yo u nee d them . Additiona
l Safet y Precaution s D
o no t attemp t t o deactivat e you r
airbags . Together , airbag s an d
sea t belt s provid e th e best
protectio n i n a moderat e t o sever e
fronta l collision . D
o no t tampe r wit h SRS
component s o r wirin g fo r an y
reason . Tamperin g coul d caus e
th e airbag s t o deploy , possibl y
causin g ver y seriou s injury .
Se e pag e 123 for furthe r informatio n
an d precaution s relatin g t o you r SRS .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Break-i
n Period , Gasolin e

Break-i n Perio d
Hel p assur e you r car' s futur e
reliabilit y an d performanc e b y payin g
extr a attentio n t o ho w yo u driv e
durin g th e firs t 60 0 mile s (1,00 0 km) .
Durin g thi s period : Avoi
d full-throttl e start s an d rapi d

acceleration .

D o no t excee d 5,50 0 rp m fo r th e
firs t 60 0 mile s (1,00 0 km ) o f

operation .
Avoi
d har d braking . Ne w brake s
nee d to b e broken-i n b y moderat e
us e fo r th e firs t 20 0 mile s (30 0
km) .
D
o no t chang e th e oi l unti l th e

recommende d tim e o r mileag e

interva l show n in th e maintenanc e

schedule .
Yo
u shoul d follo w thes e sam e re -

commendation s wit h a n overhaule d

o r exchange d engine , o r whe n th e

brake s ar e relined .

Gasolin e

You r Hond a is designe d to operat e

o n premiu m unleade d gasolin e wit h a

pum p octan e numbe r o f 9 1 o r higher .
I f yo u ar e unabl e to fin d premiu m

unleade d gasoline , yo u ma y substi -

tut e a n unleade d regula r gasoline .

Th e engin e wil l compensat e fo r th e
lowe r octane , bu t yo u ma y notic e a
sligh t decreas e in powe r a s a result .

W e recommen d gasoline s containin g

detergen t additive s tha t hel p preven t
fue l syste m an d engin e deposits .Usin
g gasolin e containin g lea d wil l
damag e you r car' s emission s
controls . Thi s contribute s t o ai r

pollution .

I n Canada , som e gasoline s contai n
a n octane-enhancin g additiv e calle d
MMT . I f yo u us e suc h gasolines ,
you r emissio n contro l syste m
performanc e ma y deteriorat e an d
th e Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p o n
you r instrumen t pane l ma y tur n on .
I f thi s happens , contac t you r
authorize d Hond a deale r fo r service .

Befor e Drivin g

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

Th e Maintenanc e Schedul e specifie s
ho w ofte n yo u shoul d hav e you r ca r
service d an d wha t thing s nee d
attention . I t i s essentia l tha t yo u hav e
you r ca r service d a s schedule d to
retai n it s hig h leve l o f safety ,
dependability , an d emission s contro l
performance .
Th
e service s an d tim e o r distanc e
interval s show n in th e maintenanc e
schedul e assum e yo u wil l us e you r
ca r a s norma l transportatio n fo r you r
passenge r an d possessions . Yo u
shoul d als o follo w thes e

recommendations :

Avoi d exceedin g you r car' s loa d
limit . Thi s put s exces s stres s o n
th e engine , brakes , an d man y
othe r part s o f you r car . Th e loa d
limi t i s show n o n th e labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Operat e you r ca r o n reasonabl e
road s withi n th e lega l spee d limit . Driv
e you r ca r regularl y ove r a
distanc e o f severa l mile s

(kilometers) .
Alway
s us e unleade d gasolin e wit h
th e prope r octan e ratin g (se e pag e

116 ). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Servic e you r ca r accordin g t o th e
tim e an d mileag e period s o n on e o f
th e Maintenanc e Schedule s o n th e
followin g pages . Selec t th e schedul e
fo r "Sever e Conditions " i f mos t o f
you r drivin g is don e unde r on e o r
mor e o f th e condition s liste d o n tha t
page . Otherwise , follo w th e schedul e
fo r "Norma l Conditions. "

Maintenanc e

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

You r authorize d Hond a deale r
know s you r ca r bes t an d ca n provid e
competent , efficien t service .
However , servic e a t a deale r i s no t
mandator y t o kee p you r warrantie s
i n effect . Maintenanc e ma y b e don e
b y an y qualifie d servic e facilit y o r
perso n wh o is skille d in thi s typ e o f
automotiv e service . Kee p al l th e
receipt s a s proo f o f completion , an d
hav e th e perso n wh o doe s th e wor k
fil l ou t th e Maintenanc e Record .
Chec k you r warrant y bookle t fo r
mor e information . W
e recommen d th e us e o f genuin e
Hond a part s an d fluid s wheneve r yo u
hav e maintenanc e done . Thes e ar e
manufacture d to th e sam e high -
qualit y standard s a s th e origina l
components , s o yo u ca n b e confiden t
o f thei r performanc e an d durability .
U.S . Cars :
Maintenance , replacemen t o r
repai r o f emission s contro l
device s an d system s ma y b e don e
b y an y automotiv e repai r
establishmen t o r individua l usin g
part s tha t ar e "certified " t o EP A
standards . Accordin
g to stat e an d federa l
regulations , failur e t o perfor m
maintenanc e o n th e item s marke d
wit h # wil l no t voi d you r emission s
warranties . However , Hond a
recommend s tha t al l maintenanc e
service s b e performe d a t th e
recommende d tim e o r mileag e
perio d t o ensur e long-ter m reliability .

Maintenanc e

Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C, D as required for each distance/time interval.
U.S. Owner s — Refe r t o pag e 14 8 t o determin e whic h schedul e to use .
Canadia n owners : Follo w th e schedul e fo r Sever e Conditions .

Note:
Chec k engin e oi l an d coolan t a t eac h fue l stop . Chec
k an d adjus t valv e clearance , col d engine , onl y i f noisy .

Maintenanc e

#
: Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t
column , pag e 147 .

Engin
e Oi l

Changin g th e Oi l an d Filte r
Alway s chang e th e oi l an d filte r
accordin g to th e tim e an d distanc e
(miles/kilometers ) recommenda -
tion s i n th e maintenanc e schedule .
Th e oi l an d filte r collec t contami -
nant s tha t ca n damag e you r engin e if
the y ar e no t remove d regularly .
Changin g th e oi l an d filte r require s
specia l tool s an d acces s fro m
underneat h th e car . Th e ca r shoul d
b e raise d o n a servic e station-typ e
hydrauli c lif t fo r thi s service . Unles s
yo u hav e th e knowledg e an d prope r
equipment , yo u shoul d hav e thi s
maintenanc e don e b y a skille d
mechanic .
1 . Ru n th e engin e unti l i t reache s
norma l operatin g temperature ,
the n shu t i t off . WASHE
R OIL DRAI N BOL T
2 . Remov e th e engin e oi l fil l cap .
Remov e th e oi l drai n bol t fro m th e
botto m of th e engine . Drai n th e oi l
int o a n appropriat e container .3
. Remov e th e oi l filte r an d le t th e
remainin g oi l drain . A specia l
wrenc h (availabl e fro m you r
Hond a dealer ) i s require d t o
remov e th e filter .
4 . Instal l a ne w oi l filte r accordin g to
instruction s tha t com e wit h it .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e
OI
L FILTE R