2005 HONDA INSIGHT check engine

Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement.
Using any non-Honda brake f luid can
cause corrosion and decrease the lif e
of the system. Have the brake
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 as soon as possible.
Check the f luid level in the
reservoirs monthly. There are up to
two reservoirs, depending on the
model. They are:
Brake f luid reservoir (all models)
Clutch f luid reservoir
(manual transmission only)
Replace the brake f luid according to
the recommendation in the
maintenance schedule.
If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40
viscosity motor oil with the API
Certif ication seal that says ‘‘FOR
GASOLINE ENGINES’’ as a
temporary replacement. However,
motor oil does not contain the proper
additives, and continued use can
cause stiffer shifting. Replace as
soon as it is convenient.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
If you are not sure how to check and
add f luid, contact your dealer.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your vehicle’s
braking system and can cause
extensive damage.
Transmission Fluid, Brake and Clutch Fluid
Brake and Clutch Fluid
144

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .166
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .167
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start . 173
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates ........................
Very Slowly .173
................................
Jump Starting .175
..............
If the Engine Overheats . 177
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 179
..........
Charging System Indicator . 180
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 180
...............
Brake System Indicator . 182
......................
Emergency Towing .183
......
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck . 184
..............................................
Fuses .185
Checking and Replacing ......................................
Fuses .185
..............................
Fuse Locations .188
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
165

CONT INUED
Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ). Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights, and check
their brightness. If the headlights
areverydimordonotcomeonat
all, the battery is discharged. See
on page .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereis
probably something wrong with
the electrical circuit f or the
ignition switch or starter motor.
You will need a qualif ied
technician to determine the
problem (see
on page ). 175
60 183
If theEngineWon’tStart
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
173

If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ).In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See
on page .
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
162
175 109
185 183
If theEngineWon’tStart
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
174

µStart the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Once the vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom the vehicle,
and then from the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle. Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
5. 7. 6.
4.
Jump Starting
176

If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the reading
reaches the middle of the
temperature gauge, or lower,
bef ore checking the radiator.Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.
Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
6.
7.
8.
9.
11.10.
183
If theEngineOverheats
Emergency
Towing
178
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible and you should
take immediate action. Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn of f the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(see
on page
). The engine running generates the
oil pressure.
When the auto idle stop is
activated, the engine is stopped,
but the low oil pressure indicator
does not come on.
1.
2.
3. 4. 97
135
183
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
179
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.

If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator could come on
because of a loose or missing f uel f ill
cap. Tighten the cap until it clicks at
least three times. Tightening the cap
will not turn the indicator of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving.If the indicator remains on, or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have your vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible.
If the indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly. If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance. This indicator may also come on
along with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.
Charging System Indicator, Malf unction Indicator L amp
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Charging System Indicator
180
If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and the engine. Those repairs
may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.