check engine HONDA S2000 2000 1.G Owners Manual

Protecting Adults
If a seat belt does not seem to work
as it should, it may not protect
the
occupant in a crash. No one should
sit in a seat with an inoperative seat
belt. Anyone using a seat belt that is
not working properly can be
seriously injured or killed. Have your
Honda dealer check
the belt as soon
as possible.
See page 33 for additional
information about your seat belt
system and how to take care of your
belts.
16 Driver and Passenger Safety
5.Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position
After occupants have adjusted their
seats and put on seat belts, it is very
important
that they continue to sit
upright, well back in their seats, with
their feet on the floor, until the car is
parked and the engine is off.
Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example,
if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward or sideways,
or puts one or both feet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is
greatly increased.
In addition, an occupant who is out of
position can be seriously or fatally
injured by striking interior parts of
the car, or by being struck by an
inflating airbag.
Sitting improperly or out of
position can
result in serious
injury or death
in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the
floor.
Remember, to get the best
protection from your car's airbags
and other safety features, you must
sit properly and wear your seat belt
properly.

How the Automatic Seat Belt
Tensioners Work
Your Honda has automatic seat belt
tensioners for added protection
during a moderate to severe frontal
collision.
If your airbags inflate, the tensioners
immediately tighten the front
seat
belts to help hold the occupants in
place.
The belts will remain tight
until you unbuckle
them in the
normal way.
Additional Information About Your SRS
How the SRS Indicator Light
Works
~ ~he J?Urpose of the SRS
~ hght 1s to alert you to a
potential problem with your
Supplemental Restraint System.
When you turn the ignition
ON (II),
this indicator will light up briefly
then go out. This tells you that the
system is working properly.
However,
if the light comes on at any
other time, you should have the
system checked by your dealer. For
example:
• If the SRS indicator light does not
come on after you turn the ignition
ON(II).
• If the light stays on after the
engine starts.
• If the light comes on or flashes on
and off while you drive.
If you see any of these indications,
your airbags and
seat belt tensioners
may not deploy when you need them.
See your Acura dealer as soon as
possible.
Ignoring the SRS indicator light
can result in serious injury or
death if the airbags do not
inflate when needed.
Have your
vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS
light alerts you to a
potential problem.
Driver and Passenger Safety 37

~ Supplemen~al Restraint
~ System Indicator
This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch
0 N (II). If it
comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem in
the
supplemental restraint system. For
complete information, see page 37.
U.S. Canada
I ABS II@) I
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Indicator
This light normally comes on for a
few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch
ON (II), and when
you push the START button.
If this
light comes on at any other time,
there
is a problem in the ABS. If this
happens, take the car to your dealer
to have it checked. With
the light on,
your car still
has normal braking
ability but no anti-lock.
~ Malfunction Indicator
~Lamp
See page 228 .
I F¥ I Trunk-open Indicator
This light comes on if the trunk lid is
not closed tightly.
[I] Door-open Indicator
This light comes on if either door is
not closed tightly.
Indicator Lights
~ Electric Power Steering
~ (EPS) Indicator
This light normally comes on when
you turn the ignition
ON (II) and
goes off after the engine starts.
If it
comes on at any other time, there is
a problem
in the Electric Power
Steering system. If this happens,
stop the car
in a safe place and turn
off the engine. Reset the system by
restarting the engine, and watch the
EPS light. If it does not go off, or
comes back on again while driving,
take the car to your dealer to have it
checked. With the light
on, the EPS
is turned off, making the car harder
to steer.
Instruments and Controls 45

Liquid crystal is used in the meter
panel. You may feel the indicators
appear slowly
in the low temperature.
Speedometer
This shows your speed in miles per
hour (mph) or kilometers per hour
(km/h). Select
Button
The Select button switches the
speedometer reading between miles
per hour and kilometer per hour.
It
also changes the odometer and trip
meters to read in miles or kilometers
correspondingly. To change the
readings, push the Select button and
hold it until you
hear a beep.
Gauges
Tachometer
The tachometer shows the engine
speed
in revolutions per minute
(rpm). To protect the engine from
damage, never drive with the
tachometer reading in the red zone.
Temperature Gauge
This shows the temperature of the
engine's coolant. During normal
operation, the reading should be
in
the middle of the gauge. In severe
driving conditions, such as very hot
weather or a long period of uphill
driving, the reading may reach near
the red mark.
If it reaches the red
mark, pull safely to the side of the
road.
Turn to page 223 for
instructions and precautions on
checking
the engine's cooling
system.
Instruments and Controls 4 7

Before you begin driving your Honda,
you should know what gasoline to
use, and how to check
the levels of
important fluids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage
or packages.
The information in this
section will help you.
If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
·
please read the information in this
section first.
Before Driving
Break-in Period .............................. 116
Gasoline .......................................... 116
Service Station Procedures ..........
117
Filling the Fuel Tank ................. 117
Opening the Hood ..................... 118
Oil Check ................................ 119
Engine Coolant Check .......... 120
Fuel Economy ................................ 121
Car Condition ............................. 121
Driving Habits ............................ 121
Accessories and Modifications .... 122
Accessories ................................. 122
Modifications ............................. 123
Additional Safety Precaution .... 123
Carrying Cargo .............................. 124
General Precautions ...................... 127
Before Driving 115

3. Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert
the end into the hole on
the front of the hood around the
center.
To close the hood, lift it up slightly
to remove
the support rod from
the hole. Put the support rod back
into its holding clip. Lower
the
hood to about a foot (30 em) above
the fender, then let it drop.
After closing
the hood, make sure
it is securely latched.
Oil Check
Check the engine oil level every time
you
fill the car with fuel. Wait a few
minutes after turning
the engine off
before you check
the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (black
handle).
Service Station Procedures
2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth
or paper towel.
CONTINUED
Before Driving 119

Service Station Procedures
3. Insert it all the way back in its tube. 4. Remove the dipstick again and
check the level.
It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
120 Before Driving
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see
Adding Oil on page 157.
Engine Coolant Check
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between
the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see Adding
Engine Coolant
on page 161 for
information on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to
Owner Maintenance
Checks
on page 155 for information
on checking other items
in your
Honda.

The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things
that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Car Condition
Always maintain your car according
to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte­
nance is the
Owner Maintenance
Checks
(see page 155 ). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more
"rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure
at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car's underside adds weight and
rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your fuel mileage and reduces
the chance of corrosion.
Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler­
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive
in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler­
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra fuel.
Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy.
A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine.
It is not necessary to
"warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away
in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside.
The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of
"cold starts," try to
Fuel Economy
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel.
Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Before Driving 121

Preparing to Drive
You should do the following checks
and adjustments every day before
you drive
your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights
are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
2. Check that the hood and trunk are
fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low,
use a gauge to check its
pressure.
130 Driving
4. Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down
securely.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page 68 ) .
6. Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page
79 ).
7. Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
8. Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passenger has fastened his
seat belt (see page 15 ) .
9. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check
the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
10.Start
the engine (see page 131 ) .
1l.Check the gauges and indicator
lights in
the instrument panel (see
page
43 ).

The Braking System
Your Honda is equipped with disc
brakes at
all four wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the effort needed
on the brake pedal.
The ABS helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
Put your foot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your foot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work.
It
also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, confusing drivers behind
you.
136 Driving
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their effective­
ness.
Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshifting to a lower
gear and taking your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see
if they feel
normal.
If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they
do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious
and alert in your driving.
Brake Wear Indicators
All four brakes have audible brake
wear indicators.
When the brake pads need replacing,
you will
hear a distinctive metallic
"screeching" sound when you apply
the brakes.
If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin
screeching
all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal
or squeak when you apply
them
lightly. Do not confuse this with the
brake wear indicators.
They make a
very audible
"screeching."