2005 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

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Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not saf ely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity in
step 4.
Steps f or determining correct load
limit:
The maximum load f or your vehicle
is 400 lbs (185 kg). This f igure
includes the total weight of all
occupants, cargo, and accessories. Locate the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 400
lbs’’ on your vehicle’s placard.
[The placard is on the driver’s
doorjamb.]
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passenger that
will be riding in your vehicle.
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passenger f rom 400
pounds or 185 kilograms.The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For
example, if the maximum load is
400 lbs and there will be two 150 lb.
passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 100 lbs.
[400 300 (2 150) = 100 lbs.]
In addition, the total weight of the
vehicle, all passengers, accessories,
and cargo must not exceed the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or
the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). Both are on a label on the
driver’s doorjamb.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Load Limits
Carrying Cargo
104
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.

Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Be sure items placed on the f loor
behind the seats cannot roll under
the seats and interfere with the
pedals or seat operation.Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible.
Tie down items that could be
thrown about the vehicle during a
crash or sudden stop.
Do not stack objects higher than
the tops of the seat-backs. They
could block your view and be
thrown about the vehicle during a
crash or sudden stop.If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
hatch, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of
, f ollow the instructions
on page .
The f loor of the storage box is
made of a sof t plastic material. It is
not strong enough to stand heavy
goods on it.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop. 38
Carrying Cargo
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Bef ore Driving
105

To secure the cargo, you can use the
f our cargo hooks on the cargo area.
The illustration shows the location of
each cargo hook.The cargo net can be used to help
hold down light items in the cargo
area. The cargo net may not prevent
heavy items f rom being thrown
forwardinacrashorasuddenstop.
Cargo secured with this net should
not exceed 22 lbs (10 kg). Heavy
items should be secured to the cargo
area floor with tie-downs or cinch
straps attached to the cargo hooks.
The air intake f or the IMA battery is
located behind the passenger’s seat.
Do not block this air intake with any
cargo.
Do not spill any liquids over the air
intake or put any small f oreign
objects in it. This may damage the
IMA battery and the power control
unit.
Carrying Cargo
Cargo HooksCargo Net A ir Intake
106
AIR INTAKE
Cargo Hooks and Cargo Net

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
and the braking system.........................
Preparing to Drive .108
.......................
Starting the Engine .109
...................
Manual Transmission . 110
Shif t Up/Shif t Down ...............................
Indicators .111
............................
Auto Idle Stop .111
.
Automatic Transmission (CVT) . 113
Continuously Variable ............
Transmission (CVT) . 113
Shif t Lever Position ...............................
Indicators .113
.......................................
Shif ting .114
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 117
............................
Auto Idle Stop .118
...........................................
Parking .120
.............................
Braking System .121
...............
Brake System Design . 121
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 121
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 122
............................
ABS Indicator .122
...........................
Towing a Trailer .123
Driving
Driving
107

Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is f ully closed. Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Make sure the doors and the
hatch are securely closed and
locked.
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely. Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
66
68
43
14
Preparing to Drive
108

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. START (III) does not
f unction unless the clutch pedal is
pressed.If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
If the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
downandholdittherewhile
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in START for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start right away, pause
f or at least 10 seconds bef ore
trying again. Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission (CVT):
Starting the Engine
Driving
109
Immobilizer System T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. See on page . The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
60

Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into Reverse, or shif t into
one of the f orward gears f or a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster.
Manual T ransmission
110
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.

CONT INUED
The Shif t Up or Shif t Down indicator
will come on at the best time to shif t
toahigherorlowergearforthebest
f uel economy. You can achieve the
best f uel economy by accelerating
and decelerating slowly, and shif ting
up when prompted.To maximize f uel economy, under
certain conditions, the engine will
shut of f when you come to a stop.
Those conditions are:
The A/C is of f , or in ECON mode,
and the outside temperature is
above 41°F (5°C) (see page ). The engine coolant is nearly up to
normal operating temperature.
The vehicle’s speed is below 19
mph (30 km/h) and you are
pressing on the brake pedal to
come to a stop.
You depress the clutch pedal.
You are not pressing on the
accelerator pedal.
The IMA battery is suf f iciently
charged (at least 1/3 on the
battery level gauge).
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone. If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone. Road and traffic conditions may
require you to shif t at times other
than those indicated. The Shift Down indicator prompts
you to shif t to a lower gear when you
are climbing a hill f aster than 12 mph
(19km/h),losingspeed,and
pressing on the accelerator pedal.
75
Shif t Up/Shif t Down Indicators
A uto Idle Stop
Engine Speed L imiter
Manual T ransmission
Driving
111
SHIFT UP INDICATOR
SHIFT DOWN INDICATOR