2003 HONDA S2000 cruise control

You can improve f uel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
A cold engine uses more f uel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
‘‘warm-up’’ a cold engine by letting it
idle f or a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up f aster, and you get
better f uel economy. To cut down on
the number of ‘‘cold starts,’’ try tocombine several short trips into one.
The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Always maintain your car according
to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
Depending on traf f ic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra f uel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase f uel economy.The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Turnoff theA/Cto
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the f low-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car’s underside adds weight and
rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your f uel mileage and reduces
thechanceof corrosion. An important part of that mainte-
nance is the (see page ). For
example, an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel. It also wears out
f aster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly. 159 Driving Habits
Car Condition
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Bef ore Driving
Fuel Economy
125

µ
µ
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery. Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more dif f icult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers f requently. Keep the wind-
shield washer reservoir f ull of the
proper f luid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the def rosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
f rom f ogging up on the inside (see
page ).
Rain, f og, and snow conditions
require a dif f erent driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well-
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control
should not be used in these
conditions. Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to
react, even in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills. 91
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving
Visibility
Driving T echnique
144

This indicator should come on when
the ignition switch is ON (II), and go
out af ter the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped
charging the battery.By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to
a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories:radio,heater,A/C,
cruise control, etc. Try not to use
other electrically-operated controls
such as the power windows. Keep
the engine running and take extra
care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly.
Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed233
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR

Then drive in city/suburban
traffic for at least 10 minutes.
When traf f ic conditions allow, let
the vehicle coast f or several
seconds without using the
accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal.
Select a nearby lightly traveled
major highway where you can
maintain a speed of 50 to 60 mph
(80to97km/h)foratleast20
minutes. Drive on the highway in
5th.Donotusethecruisecontrol.
When traffic allows, drive for 90
seconds without moving the
accelerator pedal. (Vehicle speed
may vary slightly; this is okay.) If
you cannot do this f or a
continuous 90 seconds because of
traf f ic conditions, drive f or at least
30 seconds, then repeat it two
more times (for a total of 90
seconds). If the testing f acility determines the
readiness codes are still not set, see
your Honda dealer.
St at e Emissions T est ing
T echnical Inf ormation261

..............................
Economy, Fuel .125
............
Emergencies on the Road . 217
.............
Battery, Jump Starting . 226
................
Changing a Flat Tire . 219
.....
Charging System Indicator . 233
..................
Checking the Fuses . 239
Changing Oil
........................................
How to .163
......................................
When to .150
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .219
............
Changing Engine Coolant . 167
...
Charging System Indicator . 46,233
...............
Check Engine Light . 47,234
............
Checklist, Bef ore Driving . 134
.....................................
Child Saf ety .18
.......................................
Child Seats .22
...................................
Cleaner, Air .176
.........................................
Cleaning .207
....................
Aluminum Wheels .210
...................................
Carpeting .211
......................................
Exterior .208
.................................
Floor Mats .211
.......................................
Interior .211
.......................................
Leather .212
...................................
Seat Belts .212
...........................................
Vinyl .212
....................................
Windows .213
...................................
Clutch Fluid .175
........................
CO in the Exhaust .257
............
Cold Weather, Starting in . 136
......................
Compact Spare Tire .218
.............
Controls, Instruments and . 43..............................
Convertible Top .72
...............
Convertible Top Cover . 77
..
Lowering the Convertible Top . 72
................................
Maintenance .78
.....
Raising the Convertible Top . 75
Coolant ........................................
Adding .165
....................................
Checking .124
.........................
Proper Solution .165
...................
Temperature Gauge . 49
....................
Corrosion Protection .213
Crankcase Emission Control ........................................
System .257
............
Cruise Control Operation . 115
Customer Relations ................................
Inf ormation .264
................
DANGER, Explanation of . ii
.......................................
Dashboard .44
................
Daytime Running Lights . 54
............
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety . 266
................
Def rosting the Windows . 91
....................................
Dimensions .250
...............
Dimming the Headlights . 53Dipstick
..................................
Engine Oil .123
..........................
Directional Signals .55
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators . 140
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil .164
...................
Do Not Tow a Trailer . 145
Doors ..............
Locking and Unlocking . 62
..............................
Monitor Light .47
......................
Power Door Locks .62
..........
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 252
Downshif ting, 6-speed Manual .............................
Transmission .138
...........................................
Driving .133
....................................
Economy .125
.........................
In Bad Weather .144
................
In Foreign Countries . 256
Index
D
E
II