2005 HONDA S2000 engine overheat

2005 S2000 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


Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................... i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
........................................... 3
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
.................................... 5
Seat belts, SRS, and child protection.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ 37
Indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column.
Features ........................................................................\
...................................................................... 73
Heating and Cooling, audio, steering wheel and cruise control
Before Driving........................................................................\
........................................................... 99
Fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... . 111
Engine and transmission operation.
Maintenance........................................................................\
............................................................. 121
Schedules, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.............................. 157
Flat tire, dead battery, overheating, fuses.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ . 181
Vehicle specifications, tires, fuels, and emissions controls.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................ 193
Warranty and contact information.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.............................. 197
How to order.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
..... I
Service Information Summary
Fluid capacities and tire pressures.
Main controls
Owner's Identification Form

The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse instead of Sixth (see page). When shif ting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch 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 f aster. 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.
Your vehicle is equipped with an
aluminum shif t lever. If you leave the
vehicle parked outside f or a long
time on a hot day, be caref ul bef ore
moving the shift lever. Because of
the heat, the shift lever may be
extremely hot. If the outside
temperature is low, the shif t lever
f eels cold.
116
Manual T ransmission
Driving
115
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.

Make sure the convertible top and
the windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lock the doors.
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.If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the f ront wheels away f rom the
curb, and put the transmission in
f irst gear.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb, and put the transmission 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.
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.
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.
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 on an
incline.
Your vehicle 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.
CONT INUED
Parking
Parking T ipsBraking System
Parking, Braking System
Driving
117

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 .158
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .159
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start . 164
................................
Jump Starting .166
..............
If the Engine Overheats . 167
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 170
..........
Charging System Indicator . 170
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 171
...............
Brake System Indicator . 172
.......
Closing the Convertible Top . 173
..............................................
Fuses .174
..........
Checking and Replacing . 175
..............................
Fuse Locations .177
......................
Emergency Towing .179
..........
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck . 179
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
157

µThe reading on your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
If it reaches the red mark, you
should determine the reason (hot
day, driving up a steep hill, etc.).
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge reading reaching the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
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. Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
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.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle. 6.
7.
5. 4.
CONT INUED
Jump Starting, If the Engine Overheats
If the Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
167
Driving with the temperature gauge
reading at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.

Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (seeon page ).
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running, and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving. If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood. Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral,
and set the parking brake. Turn
of f the all accessories, and turn on
the hazard warning indicators. If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark
(seeon
page ).
2. 1.
3. 4.
5.
6.
179
134 Emergency
Towing
A dding Engine Coolant
If theEngineOverheats
168
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.

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.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.
Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum heat. 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.
9. 8.
7. 10.
11.179
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
169
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.

CONT INUED
.....................................
Fan, Interior .75
...........................................
Features .73
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 101
Filters .........................
Dust and Pollen .146
...............................................
Oil .132
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning . 49
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a . 159
Fluids ..........................................
Brake .139
.........................................
Clutch .139
..............
Manual Transmission . 137
..................
Windshield Washer . 136
..........
FM Stereo Radio Reception . 81
..........................
Four-way Flashers .49
.................................................
Fuel .100
......................
Fill Door and Cap .101
...........................................
Gauge .45
.....................
Low Fuel Indicator .42
................
Octane Requirement . 100
...............................
Oxygenated .100 ........................
Tank, Ref ueling .101
...............................
Fuel Economy .104
..............
Fuel Station Procedures . 101
.....................
Fuses, Checking the .174
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 171
..................
Overheated Engine . 167
.......................................
Towing .179
...........................
Emergency Brake .67
......................
Emergency Flashers .49
......................
Emergency Towing .179
............
Emergency Trunk Opener . 55
.......................
Emissions Controls .189
.............
Emissions Testing, State . 192
Engine ............
Adding Engine Coolant . 134
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge . 45
.........................
If It Won’t Start .164
Malf unction Indicator ................................
Lamp .41, 171
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 40,170
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use . 131
...............................
Overheating .167
............................
Specif ications .184
............................
Speed Limiter .116
...............................
Start Button .114
.......................................
Starting .114
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline .100
...
Evaporative Emission Controls . 189
...............................
Exhaust Fumes .35 Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat
........................................
Belts by .14
...............
Gas Mileage, Improving . 104
..........................................
Gasohol .100
.........................................
Gasoline .100
...........................................
Gauge .45
.....................
Low Fuel Indicator .42
................
Octane Requirement . 100
........................
Tank, Ref ueling .101
.............................................
Gauges .44
...
Engine Coolant Temperature . 45
...............................................
Fuel .45
Gearshif t Lever Positions ..............
Manual Transmission . 116
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating .............................
(GVWR) .108, 184
Index
F
G
INDEX
III