HONDA INSIGHT 2005 1.G Owners Manual

The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
If air conditioning is needed, you
can save some f uel by using the
A/C in ‘‘ECON’’ mode. When the
outside temperature is above 41°F
(5°C), this mode allows the Auto
Idle Stop f unction to shut of f the
engine when the vehicle is stopped,
resulting in f uel savings.
You may notice that using the A/C
causes a greater drop in f uel
economy. Although the extra f uel
used by the A/C load on the
engine is no greater than other
vehicles, it is more noticeable
because of your Insight’s excellent
f uel mileage.
Fuel Economy
100

Your dealer has Honda accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved f or your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags and anti-lock brakes.Bef ore installing any accessory:
Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make your vehicle unsaf e. Bef ore
you make any modif ications or add
anyaccessories,besuretoreadthe
f ollowing inf ormation.
Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
proper operation. Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
Have the installer contact your
dealer for assistance before
installing any electronic accessory.
If possible, have your dealer
inspect the f inal installation.
Although non-Honda accessories
may f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability. 185
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
101
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.

Some examples are:Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Lowering your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Raising your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Non-Honda wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components. If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with
non-Honda components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability. Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
saf ety systems could make the
systems inef f ective.
Modif ying Your Vehicle
A ccessories and Modif ications
102

ÎÎ
Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:Glove box
Do not store large objects in the
rear center pocket. The objects in
the pocket will be broken when
you adjust the seats backwards.
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can af f ect
your vehicle’s handling, stability,
stopping distance, and tires, and
make it unsaf e. Bef ore carrying any
type of cargo, be sure to read the
f ollowing pages.
Rear center pocket Cargo area
Storage box
Seat-back pocket
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
103
STORAGE BOX
CARGO AREA REAR CENTER
POCKET
SEAT-BACK POCKET GLOVE BOX

µ·
Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not saf ely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity in
step 4.
Steps f or determining correct load
limit:
The maximum load f or your vehicle
is 400 lbs (185 kg). This f igure
includes the total weight of all
occupants, cargo, and accessories. Locate the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 400
lbs’’ on your vehicle’s placard.
[The placard is on the driver’s
doorjamb.]
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passenger that
will be riding in your vehicle.
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passenger f rom 400
pounds or 185 kilograms.The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For
example, if the maximum load is
400 lbs and there will be two 150 lb.
passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 100 lbs.
[400 300 (2 150) = 100 lbs.]
In addition, the total weight of the
vehicle, all passengers, accessories,
and cargo must not exceed the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or
the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). Both are on a label on the
driver’s doorjamb.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Load Limits
Carrying Cargo
104
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
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 seats cannot roll under
the seats and interfere with the
pedals or seat operation.Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible.
Tie down items that could be
thrown about the vehicle during a
crash or sudden stop.
Do not stack objects higher than
the tops of the seat-backs. 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 .
The f loor of the storage box is
made of a sof t plastic material. It is
not strong enough to stand heavy
goods on it.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop. 38
Carrying Cargo
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Bef ore Driving
105

To secure the cargo, you can use the
f our cargo hooks on the cargo area.
The illustration shows the location of
each cargo hook.The cargo net can be used to help
hold down light items in the cargo
area. The cargo net may not prevent
heavy items f rom being thrown
forwardinacrashorasuddenstop.
Cargo secured with this net should
not exceed 22 lbs (10 kg). Heavy
items should be secured to the cargo
area floor with tie-downs or cinch
straps attached to the cargo hooks.
The air intake f or the IMA battery is
located behind the passenger’s seat.
Do not block this air intake with any
cargo.
Do not spill any liquids over the air
intake or put any small f oreign
objects in it. This may damage the
IMA battery and the power control
unit.
Carrying Cargo
Cargo HooksCargo Net A ir Intake
106
AIR INTAKE
Cargo Hooks and Cargo Net

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
and the braking system.........................
Preparing to Drive .108
.......................
Starting the Engine .109
...................
Manual Transmission . 110
Shif t Up/Shif t Down ...............................
Indicators .111
............................
Auto Idle Stop .111
.
Automatic Transmission (CVT) . 113
Continuously Variable ............
Transmission (CVT) . 113
Shif t Lever Position ...............................
Indicators .113
.......................................
Shif ting .114
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 117
............................
Auto Idle Stop .118
...........................................
Parking .120
.............................
Braking System .121
...............
Brake System Design . 121
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 121
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 122
............................
ABS Indicator .122
...........................
Towing a Trailer .123
Driving
Driving
107

Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is f ully closed. Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Make sure the doors and the
hatch are securely closed and
locked.
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely. Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
66
68
43
14
Preparing to Drive
108

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. START (III) does not
f unction unless the clutch pedal is
pressed.If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
If the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
downandholdittherewhile
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in START for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start right away, pause
f or at least 10 seconds bef ore
trying again. Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission (CVT):
Starting the Engine
Driving
109
Immobilizer System 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. See on page . 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.
60