2005 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly or
your vehicle may roll if it is parked
on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission.Make sure the windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the f ront wheels away f rom the
curb. If you have a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.
in the storage box or take them
with you.
Lock the doors and the hatch with
the key or the remote transmitter. If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb. If you have a manual
transmission, put it in reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.
Parking
Parking T ips
120

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 taking your f oot of f the
accelerator and downshif ting to a
lower gear. Resting your f oot on the pedal keeps
the brakes applied lightly, builds up
heat, and reduces their ef f ectiveness.
It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you. Your vehicle is equipped with f ront
disc brakes. The brakes on the rear
wheels are drum. A power assist
helps reduce the ef f ort needed on
thebrakepedal.TheABShelpsyou
retain steering control when braking
very hard.The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (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.
If the brake pads need replacing, you
will hear a distinctive, metallic
screeching sound when you apply
the brake pedal. If you do not have
the brake pads replaced, they will
screech all the time. It is normal f or
the brakes to occasionally squeal or
squeak when you apply them.
Check the brakes after 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. Be extra
cautious in your driving.
Braking System
Braking System Design
Brake Wear Indicators
Driving
121

The anti-lock brake system (ABS)
helps prevent the brakes f rom
locking up, and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly, much f aster than a
person can do it.
this def eats the purpose of the ABS.
Let the ABS work f or you by always
keeping f irm, steady pressure on the
brake pedal as you steer away from
the hazard. This is sometimes
ref erred to as ‘‘stomp and steer.’’If the ABS indicator comes on, the
anti-lock f unction of the braking
system has shut down. The brakes
still work like a conventional system,
but without anti-lock. You should
have your dealer inspect your vehicle
as soon as possible.
You will f eel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is
normal: it is the ABS rapidly
pumpingthebrakes.Ondry
pavement, you will need to press on
thebrakepedalveryhardbeforethe
ABS activates. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
You should never pump the brake pedal;
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
ABS Indicator
122

It only helps with the
steering control during braking. Your vehicle is not designed to tow a
trailer, attempting to do so can void
your warranties.
such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change.
Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your vehicle to veer
into oncoming traffic or off the road. on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), Towing a Trailer
Important Saf ety Reminders
A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the
vehicle. Towing a Trailer
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS cannot prevent the loss of
stability. A vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stop
Driving
123

124

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 vehicle, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .126
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 127
....................
Maintenance Record .131
..............................
Fluid Locations .134
........................
Adding Engine Oil .135
.......
Recommended Engine Oil . 135
..............................
Synthetic Oil .136
................
Engine Oil Additives . 136
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 136
..............................
Engine Coolant .139
....................
Windshield Washers .141
.......................
Transmission Fluid .142
Automatic Transmission .....................................
(CVT) .142
..............
Manual Transmission . 143
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 144
.............................................
Lights .146
.......................................
Seat Belts .151
.....................................
Floor Mats .151
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 152
................................
Roof Antenna .152
..........................
Rear Wheel Skirt .153
.................................
Wiper Blades .153
...............................................
Tires .156
..................
Inf lation Guidelines . 156
..........................
Tire Inspection .158 .....................
Tire Maintenance .158
.............................
Tire Rotation .159
.........................
Replacing Tires .159
Wheels and Tires ........................
Specif ications .160
..........................
Winter Driving .160
.................................
Snow Tires .161
................................
Tire Chains .161
...................
Checking the Battery . 162
.............................
Vehicle Storage .163
207
Maintenance
Maint enance
125

All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied 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
Important Saf ety Precautions Injury f rom moving parts.
Potential Vehicle Hazards Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
126
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.

µµ
The maintenance schedule assumes
you will use your vehicle as normal
transportation for passengers and
their possessions. You should also
f ollow these recommendations:
Avoid exceeding your vehicle’s
load limit. This puts excess stress
on the engine, brakes, and many
other vehicle parts. The load limit
is shown on the tire inf ormation
label on the driver’s doorjamb.
Drive your vehicle regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).
Always use unleaded gasoline with
theproperoctanerating(seepage ). Service your vehicle according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
f ollowing pages.
Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions if you drive your vehicle
MAINLY under one or more of the
f ollowing conditions.
Driving less than 5 miles (8 km)
per trip or, in f reezing
temperatures, driving less than 10
miles (16 km) per trip.
Driving in extremely hot [over
90°F (32°C)] conditions. Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-
iced roads.
If you only OCCASIONALLY
drive under a ‘‘severe’’ condition, you
should f ollow the Maintenance
Schedule f or Normal Conditions.
Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions. Driving in mountainous conditions.
Operate your vehicle on
reasonable roads within the legal
speed limit. Extensive idling or long periods of
stop and go driving.
94
Maintenance Schedule
Which Schedule to Follow:
U.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
Maint enance
127
NOTE: