2012 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Be sure items placed on the f loor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
under the seats and interf ere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals, the operation of the seats,
or the operation of the sensors
under the seats.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop.Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the hatch, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible.
Trytosecuretheitemswithrope
or cord so they will not shif t while
you are driving.
Do not place items on the cargo
area cover (if equipped), or stack
objects higher than the top of the
back seat. They could block your
view and be thrown about the
vehicle during a crash or sudden
stop.If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
hatch, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of
, f ollow the instructions
on page .
If youfoldtherearseatsdown,tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop. Keep all cargo below
the bottom of the windows. If it is
higher, it could interf ere with
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.
Refer to page for folding rear
seats.
Do not spill any liquids on or
around the IMA battery. Spilled
liquids may damage the IMA
battery. If you accidentally spill
liquids on or around the battery,
ensure that the spill is completely
wiped up at the earliest possible
time. 56
145
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
261

Do not spill any liquids over the air
intake or insert any f oreign objects
in it. This may damage the IMA
battery and the power control unit.
The air intake for the IMA battery
and electronics is located on the rear
lef t pillar. Do not block this air intake.
Doing so may cause the IMA battery
and the power control unit to
overheat, causing the IMA to shut
down. It will start working again
af ter it cools. Air Intake
Carrying Cargo
262
AIR INTAKE

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmissions (CVT). It
also includes important inf ormation
on parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the vehicle stability assist
(VSA
) system, and the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS). ........................
Preparing to Drive . 264
.......................
Starting the Engine . 265
........................
Eco Assist System . 266
.
Automatic Transmission (CVT) . 273
Driving with the Paddle
.......................................
Shif ters . 278
................................
Auto Idle Stop . 283
...........................................
Parking . 286
.............................
Braking System . 287
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 289
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
......................................
(TPMS) . 291
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
),
aka Electronic Stability ....
Control (ESC), System . 295
...........
Hill Start Assist System . 297
...........................
Towing a Trailer . 298
Driving
Driving
263

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.
Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page ). Check that the hood and hatch are
f ully closed. When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel, and the
messages on the multi-inf ormation
display (see pages , and
).
1.
2.
3.
8. 7. 6.9.
4.
5.
61 7217
10.
340 141
147
128 89
Preparing to Drive
264

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.In cold weather, the conventional
starter is used instead of the IMA
system starter. This is normal.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position f or more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for at least
10 seconds bef ore trying again.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Starting the Engine
Starting in Cold Weather
Driving
265
The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page .
130

The multi-inf ormation display (see
page ).
Your vehicle’s f uel economy may
improve more with the ECON mode
on (see page ).
The driver f eedback inf ormation is
shownintwolocations:
The ambient meter, located
behind the speedometer (see page ).
The system monitors your driving
style, and can display how it impacts
your vehicle’s f uel economy. You can
then make adjustments to your
driving style to maximize f uel
economy. (For additional
inf ormation on f uel economy, see
page .)
Eco Assist System is a driver
f eedback system designed to help
you develop and maintain a f uel
ef f icient driving style.
7275 127
253
Eco A ssist System
266
ECO-drive Result
ECON BUTTON
ECO-guide feedback
ECON MODE INDICATOR
Ambient Meter

TheEcoDriveBarontheEcoguide
f eedback display appears on the
multi-inf ormation display while you
drive.During acceleration, the bar
extends to the right of the center
line.
If the bar extends into the
Inef f icient Driving Zones, your
current driving style is not
conducive to good f uel economy. If the bar stays within the Efficient
Driving Zones, your current
driving style is conducive to good
f uel economy. During deceleration, the bar
extends to the left of the center
line.
It is recommended to drive in the D
position f or better f uel ef f iciency.
CONT INUED
Eco Drive Bar
Driving Style
Slow, steady
acceleration -
maximizes f uel
economy
Slow deceleration -
maximizes f uel
economy
Moderate
acceleration
Moderate
deceleration
Aggressive/
Inconsistent
acceleration - lowers
fuel economy
Aggressive
deceleration - lowers
fuel economy
Eco Guide FeedbackEco Drive Bar Examples
Eco A ssist System
Driving
267
ECO
DRIVE
BAR
Acceleration
Monitor
Inefficient Driving Zone
Center Position
Deceleration
Monitor
Inefficient Braking Zone Efficient Zones
ECO ELEMENTS

The Ambient Meter (the light
behind the speedometer) changes
color to show the ef f ects of your
driving style. This f eature can be
turned of f (see page ).Fuel Economy
Meter Background Color
103
A mbient Met er
Eco A ssist System
268
AMBIENT METER
U.S. model is shown. (Background Color)
Green
Blue Green Blue High
Low