2003 HONDA S2000 ABS

Your car is equipped with many
features that work together to
protect you and your passenger
during a crash.
These saf ety f eatures are designed
to reduce the severity of injuries in a
crash. However, you and your
passenger can’t take full advantage
of these saf ety f eatures unless you
remain sitting in a proper position
andIn f act, some saf ety
f eatures can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly. Some saf ety f eatures do not require
anyactiononyourpart.These
include a strong steel f ramework
that forms a safety cage around the
passenger compartment; f ront and
rear crush zones that are designed to
crumple and absorb energy during a
crash; a collapsible steering column;
and seat belt tensioners that
automatically tighten the seat belts
in the event of a crash.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Your Car’s Saf ety Features
always wear your seat belts
properly.
7
(8) (1) (9) (3) (4) (7) (6)
(2)
(5)
(2)
(1) Safety Cage
(2) Crush Zones
(3) Seats & Seat-Backs
(4) Head Restraints
(5) Collapsible Steering Column
(6) Seat Belts
(7) Seat Belt Tensioners
(8) Airbags
(9) Door Locks

Head restraints can help protect you
f rom whiplash and other injuries.Keeping your doors locked reduces
thechanceof beingthrownoutof
the car during a crash. It also helps
prevent occupants f rom accidentally
opening a door and f alling out, and
outsiders f rom unexpectedly opening
your doors.
Move the seats
as far back as possible, and keep
adjustable seat-backs in an upright
position whenever the car is moving.
Your car’s seats are designed to keep
you in a comf ortable, upright
position so you can take f ull
advantage of the protection offered
by seat belts and the energy
absorbing materials in the seats.
How you adjust your seats and seat-
backs can also affect your safety. For
example, sitting too close to the
steering wheel or dashboard
increases the risk of you or your
passenger being injured by striking
theinsideof thecar,orbyan
inf lating airbag.
Reclining a seat-back too f ar reduces
the seat belt’s ef f ectiveness and
increases the chance that the seat’s
occupant will slide under the seat
belt in a crash and be seriously
injured. Seats & Seat-Backs
Door L ocks
Head Restraints
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Your Car’s Saf ety Features
What you should do:
10

Î
ÎÎ
The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or the Canadian models are noted in the text.
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols45
CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR
(P.48)MAINTENANCE REQUIRED
INDICATOR
(P.51)
TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD
WARNING INDICATORS
(P.48)
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE
SYSTEM (ABS)
INDICATOR
(P.47)
PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P.46)
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P.46) ELECTRIC POWER STEERING INDICATOR
(P.47)
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR (P.48)
LOW FUEL INDICATOR (P.
48)
SEAT BELT REMINDER LIGHT (P.
46)
SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P.47)
DOOR-OPEN
INDICATOR
(P.47)
TRUNK-OPEN INDICATOR (P.47)
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM INDICATOR (P.48)
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR (P.46) (P.234)

This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). If it
comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem in the
supplemental restraint system. For
complete inf ormation, see page .
This light normally comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch ON (II), and when
you push the START button. If this
light comes on at any other time,
there is a problem in the ABS. If this
happens, take the car to your dealer
to have it checked. With the light on,
your car still has normal braking
ability but no anti-lock.See page .
This light comes on if the trunk lid is
not closed tightly.
This light comes on if either door is
not closed tightly.
This light normally comes on when
you turn the ignition ON (II) and
goes of f af ter the engine starts. If it
comes on at any other time, there is
a problem in the Electric Power
Steering system. If this happens,
stop the car in a safe place and turn
of f the engine. Reset the system by
restarting the engine, and watch the
EPS light. If it does not go of f , or
comes back on again while driving,
take the car to your dealer to have it
checked. With the light on, the EPS
is turned off, making the car harder
to steer.
38
234
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Indicator Malf unction Indicator
Lamp
Trunk-open Indicator
Door-open Indicator
Electric Power Steering
(EPS) Indicator
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols47
U.S. Canada

Push the appropriate edge of the
adjustment switch to move the
mirrorright,left,up,ordown.
When you f inish, move the
selector switch to the center (off)
position. This turns of f the
adjustment switch so you can’t
move a mirror out of position by
accidentally bumping the switch.To apply the parking brake, pull the
lever up f ully. To release it, pull up
slightly, push the button, and lower
the lever. The parking brake light on
the instrument panel should go out
when the parking brake is f ully
released (see page ). If you try to
drive the vehicle without releasing
the parking brake, the ABS indicator
maycomeon,andtheABSmaynot
work properly.
3.
4.
46
Parking Brake
Mirrors, Parking Brake
Inst rument s and Cont rols81
Driving the car with the parking brake
applied can damage the rear brakes
and axles.

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual transmission. It also includes
important inf ormation on parking
your car, and the braking system.........................
Preparing to Drive .134
.......................
Starting the Engine .135
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .136
....
6-speed Manual Transmission . 137
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 138
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 138
.......................
Reverse Lockout .138
...........................................
Parking .139
.....................
The Braking System .140
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 140
...............
Brake System Design . 141
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .141
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .142
........................
ABS Indicator .143
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 144
...........................
Towing a Trailer .145
Driving
Driving133

All f our brakes have audible brake
wear indicators.
Check your brakes af ter driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious
and alert in your driving. Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshif ting to a lower
gear and taking your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
Put your f oot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your f oot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It
also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you. When the brake pads need replacing,
you will hear a distinctive metallic
‘‘screeching’’ sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin
screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal
or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not conf use this with the
brakewearindicators.Theymakea
very audible ‘‘screeching.’’
Your Honda is equipped with disc
brakes at all f our wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
Brake Wear Indicators
The Braking System
Driving140

CONT INUED
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the car (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.Your car has an Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS) as standard
equipment. ABS helps to prevent the
wheels f rom locking up and skidding
during hard braking, allowing you to
retain steering control.
When the f ront tires skid, you lose
steering control; the car continues
straight ahead even though you turn
the steering wheel. The ABS helps to
prevent lock-up and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly; much f aster than a
person can do it.
Brake System Design
A nti-lock Brakes
The Braking System
Driving141
Front