engine HONDA INSIGHT 2000 1.G User Guide

Fue
l Econom y

A col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y in abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d it i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m up faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t dow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o
combin e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e is

moderate .
I
f ai r conditionin g is needed , yo u ca n
sav e som e fue l b y usin g th e A/ C in
"Econ " mode . Thi s mod e allow s th e
Aut o Idl e Sto p functio n to shu t of f
th e engin e whe n th e vehicl e is
stopped , resultin g in fue l savings .
Yo u ma y notic e tha t usin g th e A/ C
cause s a greate r dro p in fue l
econom y tha n yo u ar e use d to in
othe r vehicles . Althoug h th e amoun t
o f extr a fue l use d b y th e A/ C loa d o n
th e engin e is n o greate r tha n othe r
vehicles , i t i s mor e noticeabl e
becaus e o f you r Insight' s excellen t
fue l mileage . Usin g th e A/ C is ho t
weathe r ma y resul t i n fue l econom y
tha t i s lowe r tha n expected .
Before Drivin g

Drivin
g

Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
manua l transmission . I t als o include s
importan t informatio n o n parkin g
you r car , an d th e brakin g system . Preparin
g to Drive........................ . 13 2
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 13 3
Startin g in Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitude.................... . 13 3
Aut o Idl e Stop................................ . 13 4
5-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 13 6
Shif t Up/Shif t Dow n
Indicators............................... . 13 7
Engin e Spee d Limiter.............. . 13 7
Parking........................................... . 13 8
Parkin g Tips.............................. . 13 8
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 13 9
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 13 9
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 14 0
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 14 0
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 14 2
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 14 3

Drivin g

Startin
g th e Engin e

1 . Appl y th e parkin g brake .
2 . I n col d weather , tur n of f al l
electrica l accessorie s t o reduc e
th e drai n o n th e battery .
3 . Pus h th e clutc h peda l dow n al l th e
way . STAR T (III ) doe s no t
functio n unles s th e clutc h peda l i s

depressed .

4 . Withou t touchin g th e accelerato r
pedal , tur n th e ignitio n ke y t o th e
STAR T (III ) position . I f th e engin e
doe s no t star t righ t away , d o no t
hol d th e ke y i n STAR T (III ) fo r
mor e tha n 1 5 second s a t a time .
Paus e fo r a t leas t 1 0 second s
befor e tryin g again .
5 . I f th e engin e doe s no t star t withi n
1 5 seconds , o r start s bu t stall s
righ t away , repea t ste p 4 wit h th e
accelerato r peda l presse d half-wa y
down . I f th e engin e starts , releas e
pressur e o n th e accelerato r peda l s
o th e engin e doe s no t race .
6 . I f th e engin e stil l doe s no t start ,
pres s th e accelerato r peda l al l th e
wa y dow n an d hol d i t ther e whil e
startin g in orde r t o clea r flooding .
A s before , kee p th e ignitio n ke y i n
th e STAR T (III ) positio n fo r n o
mor e tha n 1 5 seconds . Retur n to
ste p 5 if th e engin e doe s no t start .
I f i t starts , lif t you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r peda l s o th e engin e
doe s no t race .

Startin g in Col d Weathe r a t Hig h
Altitud e (Abov e 8,00 0 feet /
2,40 0 meters )

A n engin e is harde r t o star t i n col d
weather . Th e thinne r ai r foun d a t
hig h altitud e abov e 8,00 0 fee t (2,40 0
meters ) add s t o th e problem .
Us e th e followin g procedure :
1 . Tur n of f al l electrica l accessorie s
t o reduc e th e drai n o n th e battery .2
. Pus h th e accelerato r peda l half -
wa y t o th e floo r an d hol d it ther e
whil e startin g th e engine . D o no t
hol d th e ignitio n ke y i n STAR T
(III ) fo r mor e tha n 1 5 seconds .
Whe n th e engin e starts , releas e
th e accelerato r peda l graduall y a s
th e engin e speed s u p an d smooth s
out .
3 . I f th e engin e fail s t o star t i n ste p 2 ,
pus h th e accelerato r peda l t o th e
floo r an d hol d i t ther e whil e yo u
tr y t o star t th e engin e fo r n o mor e
tha n 1 5 seconds . I f th e engin e
doe s no t start , retur n to ste p 2 .

Drivin g

5-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Shif t Up/Shif t Dow n Indicator s
Eithe r th e Shif t U p o r Shif t Dow n
indicato r wil l ligh t t o sho w th e bes t
tim e t o shif t t o a highe r o r lowe r
gear . Yo u ca n achiev e th e bes t fue l
econom y b y acceleratin g an d
deceleratin g slowly , an d shiftin g
whe n prompte d b y th e Shif t U p
indicator .
Th e Shif t Dow n indicato r prompt s t o
shif t t o a lowe r gea r t o kee p spee d i n
a hill y road . Roa
d an d traffi c condition s ma y
requir e yo u t o shif t a t time s othe r
tha n thos e indicated . Engin
e Spee d Limite r
I f yo u excee d th e maximu m spee d
fo r th e gea r yo u ar e in , th e engin e
spee d wil l ente r int o th e tachometer' s
re d zone . I f thi s occurs , yo u ma y fee l
th e engin e cu t i n an d out . Thi s i s
cause d b y a limite r i n th e engine' s
compute r controls . Th e engin e wil l
ru n normall y whe n yo u reduc e th e
RP M belo w th e re d zone .
Befor e downshifting , mak e sur e th e
engin e wil l no t g o int o th e
tachometer' s re d zone .

Drivin g

SHIF
T U P INDICATO R
SHIF T DOW N INDICATO R

Maintenanc
e Safet y

Importan t Safet y Precaution s
Befor e yo u begi n an y maintenance ,
mak e sur e you r ca r i s parke d o n
leve l groun d an d tha t th e parkin g
brak e is set . Also , b e sur e th e engin e
i s off . Thi s wil l hel p t o eliminat e
severa l potentia l hazards :

Carbo n monoxid e poisonin g

fro m engin e exhaust . B e sur e

ther e is adequat e ventilatio n

wheneve r yo u operat e th e engine .
Burn s fro m ho t parts . Le t th e
engin e an d exhaus t syste m coo l
befor e touchin g an y parts .
Injur y fro m movin g parts . D o
no t ru n th e engin e unles s in -
structe d to d o so . Rea
d th e instruction s befor e yo u
begin , an d mak e sur e yo u hav e th e
tool s an d skill s required .
T o reduc e th e possibilit y o f fir e o r
explosion , b e carefu l whe n workin g
aroun d gasolin e o r batteries . Us e a
commerciall y availabl e degrease r o r
part s cleaner , no t gasoline , t o clea n
parts . Kee p cigarettes , sparks , an d
flame s awa y fro m th e batter y an d al l
fuel-relate d parts .
Yo u shoul d wea r ey e protectio n an d
protectiv e clothin g whe n workin g
nea r th e batter y o r whe n usin g
compresse d air .
Maintenance

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

Th e Maintenanc e Schedul e specifie s
ho w ofte n yo u shoul d hav e you r ca r
service d an d wha t thing s nee d
attention . I t i s essentia l tha t yo u hav e
you r ca r service d a s schedule d to
retai n it s hig h leve l o f safety ,
dependability , an d emission s contro l

performance .
Th
e service s an d tim e o r distanc e
interval s show n in th e maintenanc e
schedul e assum e yo u wil l us e you r
ca r a s norma l transportatio n fo r
passenger s an d thei r possessions .
Yo u shoul d als o follo w thes e

recommendations :

Avoi d exceedin g you r car' s loa d
limit . Thi s put s exces s stres s o n
th e engine , brakes , an d man y
othe r part s o f you r car . Th e loa d
limi t i s show n o n th e labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Operat e you r ca r o n reasonabl e
road s withi n th e lega l spee d limit .
Driv e you r ca r regularl y ove r a
distanc e o f severa l mile s

(kilometers) .

Alway s us e unleade d gasolin e wit h
th e prope r octan e ratin g (se e pag e

118 ). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Servic e you r ca r accordin g to th e
tim e an d mileag e period s o n on e o f
th e Maintenanc e Schedule s o n th e
followin g pages . Selec t th e schedul e
fo r "Sever e Conditions " i f mos t o f
you r drivin g is don e unde r on e o r
mor e o f th e condition s liste d o n tha t
page . Otherwise , follo w th e schedul e
fo r "Norma l Conditions. "
Maintenanc e

Servic
e a t th e indicate d distanc e o r time , whicheve r come s first . D o th e item s i n A , B , C as require d fo r eac h distance/tim e interval . Follo w thi s
schedul e i f th e sever e drivin g condition s describe d i n th e Sever e Condition s Schedul e o n th e nex t pag e d o no t apply .
Canadia n owners : Follo w th e schedul e fo r Sever e Conditions .
# : Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t
column , pag e 149 .

NOTE :

Chec k engin e oi l an d coolan t a t eac h fue l stop .
Chec k an d adjus t valv e clearance , col d engine , i f noisy .

Maintenanc e

#
: Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t
column , pag e 149 .
* 1 : Refer to page 181 for replacement information under special
drivin g conditions .

NOTE :

Chec k engin e oi l an d coolan t a t each fuel stop .
Chec k an d adjus t valv e clearance , col d engine , i f noisy .

Maintenanc e

Engin
e Oi l

Addin g Oi l
ENGIN E OI L FIL L CA P
T o ad d oil , unscre w an d remov e th e
engin e oi l fil l ca p o n to p o f th e valv e
cover . Pou r i n th e oil , an d instal l th e
engin e oi l fil l cap . Tighte n it securely .
Wai t a fe w minute s an d rechec k th e
oi l level . D o no t fil l abov e th e uppe r
mark ; yo u coul d damag e th e engine .Recommende
d Oi l
Oi l i s a majo r contributo r t o you r
engine' s performanc e an d longevity .
Alway s us e a premium-grad e deter -
gen t oil . I t i s highl y recommende d
tha t yo u us e Genuin e Hond a Moto r
Oi l i n you r vehicl e fo r a s lon g a s yo u
ow n it .
Yo u ca n determin e an oil' s SA E
viscosit y an d Servic e Classificatio n
fro m th e AP I Servic e labe l o n th e oi l
container .
A ver y low-viscosity , fuel-efficien t
OW-2 0 oi l i s preferre d engin e
lubrican t fo r you r Insight . Thi s i s
show n o n th e AP I Servic e labe l b y
th e word s "Energ y Conserving. "
Thi s specia l oi l i s formulate d t o hel p
you r engin e us e les s fuel . I t i s
availabl e a t you r Hond a dealer .
Th
e AP I Servic e labe l als o tell s yo u

th e servic e classificatio n o f th e oil .
Alway s us e a n oi l tha t i s labele d "AP I

Servic e SJ. "

AP I SERVIC E LABE L

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Engin
e Oi l

Th e oi l containe r ma y als o displa y
th e AP I Certificatio n seal . Mak e sur e
i t say s "Fo r Gasolin e Engines. "
AP I CERTIFICATIO N SEA L Th
e SA E number s tel l yo u th e oil' s
viscosit y o r weight . Selec t th e oi l fo r
you r ca r accordin g t o thi s chart .
A n oi l wit h a viscosit y o f 0W-2 0 is
preferre d fo r optimu m fue l econom y
an d year-roun d protectio n in you r
Honda . A 5W-2 0 o r 5W-3 0 oi l ma y b e
use d if OW-2 0 is no t available . Syntheti
c Oi l
Yo u ma y us e a syntheti c moto r oi l i f
i t meet s th e sam e requirement s a s
th e specifie d oil : energ y conserving ,
a servic e classificatio n o f SJ , an d a
weigh t o f eithe r OW-20 , 5W-20 , o r
5W-30 . Whe n usin g syntheti c oil , yo u
mus t follo w th e oi l an d filte r chang e
interval s give n in th e maintenanc e

schedule .

Additive s
You r Hond a doe s no t nee d an y oi l
additives . Purchasin g additive s fo r
th e engin e o r transmissio n wil l no t
increas e you r car' s performanc e o r
longevity . I t onl y increase s th e cos t
o f operatin g you r car .
Maintenanc e
Ambien
t Temperatur e