2010 HONDA INSIGHT battery

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 .386
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .387
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start . 394
................................
Jump Starting .396
..............
If the Engine Overheats . 398
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 401
12 Volt Battery Charging System .....................................
Indicator .402
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 403
...............
Brake System Indicator . 404
..............................................
Fuses .405
..............................
Fuse Locations .410
......................
Emergency Towing .412
..........
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck . 413
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
385
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The engine normally starts with the
IMA motor. If the engine does not
start while the IMA battery charge is
normally suf f icient, check the
f ollowing:Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
or neutral or the starter will not
operate. 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 ).
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 ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to
on page . 127
405
303
If theEngineWon’tStart
Starting the
Engine
394
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When the IMA battery charge is low,
the starter motor is used to start the
engine. If the engine does not start,
check the f ollowing:If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the 12 volt battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the 12 volt battery and terminal
connections (see page ). You
canthentryjumpstartingthe
vehicle f rom a booster 12 volt
battery (see page ).If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See
on page .
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page .
Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. See on page . 412
381
396
396
412
If theEngineWon’tStart
Emergency
Towing
Jump Starting
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
395
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.To jump start your vehicle:
The numbers in the illustration show
you the order to connect the jumper
cables.
You cannot start your vehicle by
pushing or pulling it. Open the hood, and check the
physical condition of the 12 volt
battery.
Turn of f all the electrical
accessories: climate control, audio
system, lights, etc. Put the
transmission in Park, and set the
parking brake.
1.
2.
Jump Starting
396
BOOSTER
BATTERY
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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µ
´
´ Start the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
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.
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.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery. 7. 6.
4.
5.
3.
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
397
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If your vehicle’s 12 volt battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the IMA
battery level gauge reading will not
be correct the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. It will show less than the
actual level temporarily. It will show
the correct level af ter you drive f or
at least 30 minutes.The high temperature indicator
should be of f under most conditions.
If the engine coolant temperature
gets higher than normal, the
indicator will blink. If it stays on, you
should determine the reason (hot
day, driving up a steep hill, etc.).
You will also see a ‘‘WATER TEMP
HOT’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display (see page ).If the vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the high
temperature indicator blinking or
remaining on. Or you may see steam
or spray coming f rom under the
hood.
67
If the Engine Overheats
Jump Starting, If the Engine Overheats
398
Driving with the high temperature
indicator on can cause serious damage
to your engine.
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If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the 12
volt battery is not being charged.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance. 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. You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
CHARGING SYSTEM’’ message on
the multi-information display (see
page ). The charging system indicator may
also come on if the Integrated Motor
Assist (IMA) battery charge drops
below a desired level and the engine
starts to recharge the battery.
This indicator may blink af ter you
start the vehicle in the morning
when the temperature is below 20
°F ( 30°C). It will stop blinking
when the IMA battery warms up.
63
12 Volt Battery Charging System Indicator
402
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If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn of f as you
continue driving, have your vehicle
checked by your dealer as soon as
possible.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.
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. If your vehicle’s battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It can take several
days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, without starting the engine.
The malf unction indicator lamp will
come on f or 20 seconds. If it then
goes of f , the readiness codes are set.
If it blinks f ive times, the readiness
codes are not set. If possible, do not
take your vehicle f or an emissions
test until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to
for
more information (see page ).
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
f uel f ill cap. You will also see a
‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP’’ message on
the multi-information display.
Tighten the cap until it clicks at least
once (see page ). Tightening the
cap will not turn the indicator of f
immediately; it can take several days
of normal driving.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
EMISSION SYSTEM’’ message on
the multi-information display. For
more information, see page .
286
89
428
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness Code
Emissions T esting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
403
If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties. This indicator may also
come on with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.
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