This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
If you have the skills and tools to
perf 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.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance minder messages on
the information display, and
instructions f or simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself .......................
Maintenance Saf ety .160
....................
Maintenance Minder .161
..............................
Fluid Locations .169
........................
Adding Engine Oil .170
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter .171
..............................
Engine Coolant .173
....................
Windshield Washers .175
........
Manual Transmission Fluid .176
..........................
Dif f erential Fluid .177
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid .178
.............................................
Lights .179
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts .184
.....................................
Floor Mats .185
..................
DustandPollenFilter .185
..............................
Audio Antenna .185
.................................
Wiper Blades .186
...........................................
Wheels .188
...............................................
Tires .188
...................
Checking the Battery .196
.............................
Vehicle Storage .198
251
Maintenance
Maint enance
159
2009 S2000
To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.
All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.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 flames away from the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air. 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 performing maintenance.
Only you can decide whether or
not you should perf orm a given
task.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down bef ore touching any parts. Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the
engine.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions Injury f rom moving parts.
Burns f rom hot parts.
Carbon Monoxide poison
f rom engine exhaust.
Potential Vehicle Hazards
160
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.
2009 S2000
µ
Ì µµµ
µ
U.S. Vehicles:
Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the appropriate
page listed. Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
and license plate lights monthly.
See page .
According to state and federal
regulations, f ailure to perf orm
maintenance on the items marked
with will not void your emissions
warranties. However, all
maintenance services should be
perf ormed in accordance with the
intervals indicated by the
inf ormation display. Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page.
Brakes and clutch Check the
f luid level monthly. See page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
youfillthefueltank.Seepage.
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page.
131
132
178
189 179
CONT INUED
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are ‘‘certif ied’’ to EPA
standards.
Owner’s Maintenance Checks
Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
167
2009 S2000
Î
Ì Ì Î
Ì
Î
Î
Maintenance Minder
168
Maintenance Sub Items
Check tire inflation and condition
Replace air cleaner element
Replace dust and pollen filter
Inspect drive belt
Replace transmission fluid
Replace spark plugs
Inspect valve clearance
Replace engine coolant
Replace rear differential fluid
Maintenance Main Items
Replace engine oil
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Inspect front and rear brakes
Check parking brake adjustment
Inspect these items: Tie rod ends, steering gear box, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Brake hoses and lines (including VSA)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system
Fuel lines and connections
Check expiration date for tire sealant bottle
:
A
B
Symbol
Symbol
1
2
3
4
5
61
2
Adjust the valves during services A, B, 1, 2, or 3 if they are noisy.
Inspect idle speed every 160,000 miles (256,000 km).
Independent of the maintenance messages in the information display,
replace the brake fluid every 3 years.
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty on page .
If the message ‘‘SERVICE’’ does not appear more than 12 months after the
display is reset, change the engine oil every year.
NOTE: 1:
2 : CR models
167
If you drive in dusty conditions, replace every 15,000
miles (24,000 km).
If you drive primarily in urban areas that have high
concentrations of soot in the air from industry and
from diesel-powered vehicles, replace every 15,000
miles (24,000 km).
Driving in mountainous areas results in higher level
of mechanical (shear) stress to fluid. This requires
differential fluid changes more frequently than
recommended by the maintenance minder. If you
regularly drive your vehicle under these conditions,
have the differential fluid changed every 15,000 miles
(24,000 km).
Maintenance Minder
2009 S2000
Fluid Locations
Maint enance
169
WASHER FLUID
(Blue cap)ENGINE OIL FILL CAP
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
(Black handle) CLUTCH FLUID
(Gray cap)
BRAKE FLUID
(Black cap)
ENGINE COOLANT
RESERVOIR
RADIATOR CAP
2009 S2000
Check the brake f luid level in the
reservoirs monthly.
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.The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If it is not, add
brake f luid to bring it up to that level.
Use the same fluid specified for the
brake system.
Replace the brake f luid according to
the time recommendation in the
maintenance schedule.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your vehicle’s
braking system and can cause
extensive damage.
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.
A low f luid level can indicate a leak
in the clutch system. Have this
system inspected as soon as possible.
Brake Fluid
Clutch Fluid
Brake and Clutch Fluid
178
MAX
MIN MAX
MIN
2009 S2000
You should not rotate your vehicle’s
tires. The f ront and rear tires are
dif f erent sizes, so they cannot be
rotated f ront-to-rear. The original-
equipment tires on your vehicle have
a unidirectional tread pattern, so
they cannot be rotated side-to-side.
The tires that came on your vehicle
were designed and constructed to
provide superior grip during
acceleration, braking, and cornering.
As a trade-of f , they will wear more
rapidly than tires used on ordinary
passenger vehicles. Because of the
vehicle’s weight distribution, and the
fact that the rear wheels are the
driving wheels, you can expect them
to wear more rapidly than the f ront
tires.Themileageyoucanexpectfrom
yourvehicletiresisthesameas
comparable mid-and rear-engine
sports cars, and it will vary greatly
with your driving habits.
If you drive moderately, the rear
tires could last more than 10,000
miles (16,000 km). However, the
mileage will be substantially less if
you tend to drive your vehicle at the
upper limits of its capabilities.
You should caref ully inspect your
vehicle’s tires f or wear, damage, and
proper inf lation every 7,500 miles
(12,000 km) or when tire inspection
is indicated on the inf ormation
display (see page ).
It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, replace the two f ront
tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
af f ect your vehicle’s handling.
Replace your tires with radial tires of
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s side wall).
Mixing radial and bias-ply tires on
your vehicle can reduce braking
ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Using tires of a dif f erent
size or construction can cause the
anti-lock brake and the vehicle
stability assist systems to work
inconsistently.
168
Tires
Tire Rotation
Tire Wear Replacing T ires and Wheels
192
2009 S2000
´If you mount snow tires on your
vehicle, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as original tires. Mount snow tires on
all f our wheels. The traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
maybelowerthanyouroriginaltires.
Check with the tire dealer f or
maximum speed recommendations. Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, Honda strongly
recommends using the chains listed
below.
When installing cables, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions, and
mount them as tight as you can.
Make sure they are not contacting
the brake lines or suspension. Drive
slowly with them installed. If you
hear them coming into contact with
the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Remove them as soon as
you begin driving on cleared roads.
For more inf ormation on snow tires,
consult your dealer.
Your vehicle’s tires are not suitable
f or mounting any traction device.
Mount tire chains on your tires when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Install them only on the
rear tires.
Your vehicle is equipped with
summer tires. Be aware that these
tires are not designed f or winter
driving conditions.
Tires marked ‘‘M S’’ or ‘‘All
Season’’ on the sidewall have an all-
weather tread design suitable for
most winter driving conditions.
For the best perf ormance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions.
Cable-type: Security Chain Company
(SCC) Radial Chain SC1034
Cable-type: RUD 48493
Except CR modelsU.S. S2000 model
Canadian model
CR models only
Winter Driving
Tires
Snow T ires
T ire Chains
194
2009 S2000