2004 HONDA INSIGHT maintenance schedule

2004 Insight 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

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Your Vehicle at a Glanc e........................................................................\
.............................................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........................................................................\
........................................ .39
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
....................... .71
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
........................................................... .91
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .105
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................123
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................163
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................189
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................201
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................205
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.

Congratulations! Your selection of a 2004 Honda Insight was a wise
investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Honda is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Af terwards, keep this owner’s manual in your vehicle so
youcanrefertoitatanytime.As you read this manual, you will
f ind inf ormation that is preceded by
a symbol. This inf ormation
is intended to help you avoid damage
to your Honda, other property, or the
environment.
Several warranties protect your new Honda. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the schedules given in this manual
helps to keep your driving trouble-f ree while it preserves your investment.
When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Honda
dealer’s staf f is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to
your Honda. Your Honda dealer is dedicated to your satisf action and will be
pleased to answer any questions and concerns.
Calif ornia Proposition 65 Warning This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of
Calif ornia to cause cancer and birth def ects or other reproductive harm.
Introduction
WARNING: NOTICE:
i

You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
Since all children are saf est in the
back seat of a vehicle, and your
vehicle does not have a back seat, we
recommend that you do not carry achild passenger.
If a small child who must be
restrained in a f orward-f acing child
seat, or a larger child, must ride in
this vehicle, be sure to f ollow all
instructions and saf ety warnings in
this manual (see pages and ).
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual (see page
).
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inf late only in a
moderate to severe f rontal collision.
So even though your vehicle is
equipped with airbags, make sure
you and your passenger always wear
your seat belts, and wear them
properly (see page ).
9 127
27 32
13
Important Saf ety Precautions
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Your Vehicle is Not
Recommended f or Child
Passengers Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
Don’t Drink and DriveControl Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Due to the
passenger’s airbag hazard, you should never carry an inf ant in arear-f acing child seat in t his vehicle.
6

This indicator reminds you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for
scheduled maintenance.
Ref er to the Maintenance Schedules
f or Normal and Severe Driving
Conditions on pages and .
When the distance driven since the
last scheduled maintenance reaches
6,000 miles (9,600 km), the indicator
starts blinking. If you exceed 7,500
miles (12,000 km), the indicator
stays on.
Your dealer will reset this indicator
af ter completing the scheduled
maintenance. If this maintenance is
done by someone other than your
Honda dealer, reset the indicator as
f ollows.Turn of f the engine. Press and hold the TRIP button in
the instrument panel, then turn
the ignition switch to ON (II).
Hold the button for about 10
seconds until the indicator resets.
1. 2.
3.
127 128
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Maintenance Required
Indicator
45
TRIP BUTTON

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
f uel system and engine deposits.
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized Honda dealer f or
service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
Your Honda is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
occasional metallic knocking noises
in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
Quick Start Guide.
Break-in Period, Gasoline T ype
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period Gasoline Type
92

CONT INUED
Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. Seeon page
. Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible.
Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
f uel.
Shif t Up and Shif t Down indicators
(5-speed manual transmission
only) on the instrument panel
show when to shif t to a higher or
lower gear, so you will keep the
engine operating in its most
economical range. Wind resistance causes vehicles to
usemorefuelathigherspeeds.
Driving at moderate speeds on the
highway also reduces wind
resistance and conserves f uel.
The current f uel mileage display is
available to drive appropriately and
save the fuel.
Driving in ECON mode, the A/C
of f , and using the Auto Idle Stop
function is the most effective way
to get the best f uel economy.
Combine several short trips into
one.
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel.
The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion.
The f uel ef f icient, low-viscosity
0W- 20oil recommended f or your
Insightisformulatedtohelpthe
engine use less f uel. This oil is
available at your Honda dealer. 126
For example,
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
97

......................
Maintenance Saf ety .124
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 125
....................
Maintenance Record .129
..............................
Fluid Locations .132
........................
Adding Engine Oil .133
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 134
..............................
Engine Coolant .137
....................
Windshield Washers .139
.......................
Transmission Fluid .140
Automatic Transmission .....................................
(CVT) .140
5-speed Manual .........................
Transmission .141
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 142
....................................
Hood Latch .143
.............................................
Lights .144
.......................................
Seat Belts .149
.....................................
Floor Mats .149
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 150
................................
Roof Antenna .150
..........................
Rear Wheel Skirt .151
.................................
Wiper Blades .151
...............................................
Tires .154
...................
Checking the Battery . 160
.............................
Vehicle Storage .161
This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions f or simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.
205
Maintenance
Maint enance123

All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
Honda technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.
To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and f lames away f rom the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air.
Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
bef ore touching any parts.
Maintenance Saf ety
Maint enance
Important Saf ety Precautions Injury f rom moving parts.
Potential Vehicle Hazards Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
124
Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner’s
manual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection
and maintenance
recommendations, and
schedules in this owner’s
manual.