HONDA S2000 2000 1.G Owners Manual

The Braking System
You should never pump the
brake pedal, this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work for you by always keeping firm,
steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you
steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes referred to as
"stomp and steer."
You will feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the
ABS activates, and
you may
hear some noise. This is
normal, it is the
ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount of
traction your tires have.
On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
the brake pedal very
hard before you
activate the
ABS. However, you may
feel the
ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
138
Driving
Important Safety Reminders
ABS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the car, it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a safe following distance
from other vehicles.
ABS will not prevent a skid that
results from changing direction
abruptly, such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed for the road and
weather conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of
stability. Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard.
Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into
oncoming traffic
or off the road.
A car with ABS may require a
longer
distance to stop on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel
or
snow, than a car without anti-lock.
Slow down and allow a greater
distance between cars under those
conditions.

ABS Indicator
The ABS is self-checking. If anything
goes wrong,
the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see
page
45 ) . This means the anti-lock
function of the braking system has
shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti­
lock, providing normal stopping
ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your car as soon as possible.
The Braking System
Driving 139

Driving in Bad Weather
Rain, fog, and snow conditions re­
quire a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well­
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather.
The cruise control
should not be used in these condi­
tions.
140 Driving
Driving Technique -Always drive
slower than you would
in dry
weather.
It takes your car longer to
react, even
in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to
all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli­
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious for the first few miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions.
This is especially true in
snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months.
Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring
oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Visibility -Being able to see
clearly in
all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult
in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind­
shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced
if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped.
Use the defrosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on
the inside (see
page
91 ).

Traction -Check your tires
frequently for wear and proper
pressure. Both are important
in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four
wheels for the
best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully,
they can change from moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as
slip­
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become
covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the
drive wheels for a moment and cause
a skid.
Driving in Bad Weather, Towing a Trailer
Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other cars.
The
spray from large cars reduces your
visibility, and the wind buffeting can
cause you to lose control.
Towing a Trailer
Your car is not designed to tow a
trailer. Attempting to
do so can void
your warranties.
Driving 141

142

This section explains why it is
important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules for normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc­
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per­
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase
the Service Manual. See
page 259 for information on how to
obtain a copy,
or see your Honda
dealer. Maintenance
Safety .......................
144
Important
Safety Precautions .. 145
Maintenance Schedule .................. 146
Required Maintenance Record
.... 153
Owner Maintenance Checks ........ 155
Fluid Locations ............................... 156
Engine Oil ....................................... 157
Adding Oil... ................................ 157
Recommended Oil ..................... 157
Synthetic
Oil ............................... 158
Additives ..................................... 158
Changing the Oil and Filter.. .... 159
Cooling System .............................. 161
Adding Engine Coolant ............. 161
Replacing Engine Coolant ........ 163
Windshield Washers ..................... 167
6-speed Manual Transmission
Fluid ............................................
168
Differential Fluid ........................... 169
Brake and Clutch Fluid ................. 170
Brake Fluid ................................. 170
Brake System ............................. 170
Clutch System ............................ 171
Air Cleaner Element.. .................... 172
Hood Latch ..................................... 174
Maintenance
Spark Plugs ..................................... 174
Replacement ............................... 17 4
Specifications ............................. 176
Battery ............................................
177
Wiper Blades .................................. 180
Air Conditioning System ............... 182
Air Conditioning Filter, ................. 183
Drive Belt ........................................ 184
Tires ................................................ 185
Inflation ....................................... 185
Inspection ................................... 187
Maintenance ............................... 188
Tire Rotation .............................. 188
Tire Wear .................................... 188
Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 189
Wheels and Tires ....................... 190
Winter Driving ........................... 190
Snow
Tires .............................. 191
Tire Chains ............................. 191
Lights .............................................. 192
Replacing Bulbs ......................... 194
Storing Your Car ............................ 202
Maintenance 143

Maintenance Safety
Regularly maintaining your car is the
best way to protect your investment.
Proper maintenance is essential to
your safety and the safety of your
passengers.
It will also reward you
with more economical, trouble-free
driving and help reduce air pollution.
Improperly maintaining this car
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.
144 Maintenance
This section includes instructions for
simple maintenance tasks, such as
checking and adding
oil. Any service
items not detailed in this section
should be performed by a Honda
technician or other qualified
mechanic. Some
of
the most important safety
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 perform a given task.
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.

Important Safety Precautions
Before you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also,
be sure the engine
is off. This
will help to eliminate
several potential hazards:
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
from engine exhaust.
Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate
the engine.
• Bums from hot parts. Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
before touching any parts.
• Injury from moving parts. Do
not run the engine unless in­
structed to do so. Read
the instructions
before you
begin, and make sure you have
the
tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of fire or
explosion, be careful when working
around gasoline or batteries.
Use a
commercially available degreaser
or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and
all
fuel-related parts.
You should wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
near the battery or when using
compressed air.
Maintenance Safety
Maintenance 145

Maintenance Schedule
The Maintenance Schedule specifies
how often you should have your
car
serviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to
retain its high level of safety,
dependability,
and emissions control
performance.
146 Maintenance
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in
the maintenance
schedule
assume you will use your
car as normal transportation for your
passenger and possessions. You
should also follow these
recommendations:
• Avoid exceeding your car's load
limit.
This puts excess stress on
the engine, brakes, and many
other parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on
the label on the
driver's doorjamb.
• Operate your car on reasonable
roads within
the legal speed limit.
• Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).
• Always use unleaded gasoline with
the proper octane rating (see page
116 ).
Which Schedule to Follow:
Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule
for
"Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done
under one or
more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for
"Normal Conditions."

Your authorized Honda dealer
knows your
car best and can provide
competent, efficient service.
However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties
in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualified service facility or
person who is skilled in this type of
automotive service. Keep all the
receipts as proof of completion, and
have the person who does the work
fill out
the Maintenance Record.
Check your warranty booklet for
more information. We
recommend the use of Genuine
Honda parts and fluids whenever you
have maintenance done.
These are
manufactured to
the same high­
quality standards as the original
components, so you can be confident
of their performance and durability.
U.S. Cars:
Maintenance, replacement or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are "certified" to EPA
standards.
Maintenance Schedule
According to state and federal
regulations, failure to perform
maintenance on the items marked
with
# will not void your emissions
warranties. However, Honda
recommends that all maintenance
services be performed
at the
recommended time or mileage
period to ensure long-term reliability.
Maintenance 14 7