maintenance HONDA INSIGHT 2012 2.G Owner's Guide

µ
Check the condition of the 12 volt
battery monthly by looking at the
test indicator window. The label on
the battery explains the test
indicator’s colors.
If your vehicle’s 12 volt battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the IMA
battery level gauge reading will not
be correct the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. It will show less than the
actual level temporarily. It will show
the correct level af ter you drive f or
at least 30 minutes.
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f urther corrosion.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last. If additional 12 volt battery
maintenance is needed, see your
dealer or a qualif ied technician.
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the 12 Volt Battery
346
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.

µ
Driving on a signif icantly under-
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inf lation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.TPMS malf unctions may occur f or a
variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS f rom
f unctioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malf unction
telltale af ter replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to f unction
properly.
Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malf unction indicator
to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS
malf unction indicator is combined
with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a
malf unction, the telltale will f lash f or
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists.
When the malf unction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Required Federal Explanation
388

T he publications shown below can be purchased f rom Helm
Incorporated. You can order by phone or online:Call Helm Inc. at 1-800-782-4356 (credit card orders only)
Go online at
If you are interested in other years or models, contact Helm Inc.
at 1-800-782-4356.Covers maintenance and recommended procedures f or
repair to engine and chassis components. It is written
f or the journeyman mechanic, but it is simple enough
f or most mechanically inclined owners to understand.
Complements the Service Manual by providing in-depth
troubleshooting inf ormation f or each electrical circuit
in your vehicle.
Describes the procedures involved in the replacement
of damaged body parts.
Purchasing Factory Authorized Manuals Service Manual:
Electrical T roubleshooting Manual:
Body Repair Manual:
(U.S. only)
Authorized Manuals
Authorized Manuals
399
Publication
Form Number 61TM802
61TM802EL
61TM830
31TM8620
31TM8820
31TM8M20 31TM8Q20 HON-R Form Description
2012 Honda Insight Service Manual 2012 Honda Insight
Electrical Troubleshooting Manual 2012 Model Series Honda Insight Body Repair Manual
2012 Honda Insight Owner’s Manual 2012 Honda Insight
Navigation System Owner’s Manual
2012 Honda Insight Honda Service History
2012 Honda Insight Technology Reference Guide Order Form for Previous Years-
Indicate Year and Model Desired
www.helminc.com

CONT INUED
....................................
Accessories . 256
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key
.....................................
Position) . 131
.............
Accessory Power Socket . 157
................
Active Head Restraints . 144
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 313
.............................
Airbag (SRS) . 10, 25
...
Airbags, Additional Information . 25
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 37
..........
AdvancedAirbagSystem .30
.............................
Airbag Service . 36
How the Passenger Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works . 35
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works . 34
..
How the SRS Indicator Works . 34
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work . 28
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 32
How Your Side Curtain Airbags
.........................................
Work . 33
........................
SRS Components . 25
..............
Air Conditioning System . 164
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires . 341................................
Ambient Meter . 72
......................................
Antif reeze . 317
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ...............................
Indicator . 64, 289
...................................
Operation . 289
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 221
Anti-thef t Steering Column
............................................
Lock . 131
..........................................
Armrest . 146
................................
Audio System . 170
.......................
Auto Door Locking . 109
...................
Auto Door Unlocking . 110
................................
Auto Idle Stop . 283
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 23
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 224
.
Automatic Transmission (CVT) . 273
..........................
Capacity,Fluid .382
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 420
Paddle Shif ters in the
..............................
D Position . 278
Paddle Shif ters in the ...............................
S Position . 281
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 282
.......................................
Shif ting . 274
Shif t Lever Position ...............................
Indicators . 273 ................
Shif t Lever Positions . 275
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 277
......................
Auxiliary Input Jack . 220
Battery Charging System ...........................
Indicator . 63, 366
............................
Jump Starting . 360
..............................
Maintenance . 346
............................
Specif ications . 383
..............................
Bef ore Driving . 245
....................................
Belts,Seat .9,21
...........................
Beverage Holder . 156
.......
Bluetooth
HandsFreeLink. 227
Brakes ...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 289
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 246
....................
Bulb Replacement . 332
...........................................
Fluid . 321
...................
Pad Wear Indicator . 288
.......................................
Parking . 151
...........
System Indicator . 63, 64, 368
Index
A
B
INDEX
I

..................................
Maintenance . 299
......
Main Items and Sub Items . 306
........................................
Minder . 301
Owner’s Maintenance
...................................
Checks . 309
..........................................
Saf ety . 300
.
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 62, 367
.........................
Meters, Gauges . 61, 72
...................
Methanol in Gasoline . 246
...........................................
Mirrors . 147
....................................
Adjusting . 147
........................................
Heated . 148
...................
Neutral Gear Position . 275
..................
New Vehicle Break-in . 246
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of . i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication . 380
Octane Requirement,
.............................
Gasoline . 246, 296 .........................................
Odometer . 79
Oil
........................
Change, How to . 314
......................
Change, When to . 301
......................
Checking Engine . 251
..............
Pressure Indicator . 62, 365
.......
Selecting Proper Viscosity . 313
.........
ON (Ignition Key Position) . 132
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
....................................
Recovery . 389
............................
Outside Mirrors . 147
....
Outside Temperature Indicator . 80
....................
Overheating, Engine . 362
....
Owner’s Maintenance Checks . 309
.........................
Oxygenated Fuels . 240
..............................
Paddle Shif ters . 278
............
Panel Brightness Control . 124
........................
Park Gear Position . 275
...........................................
Parking . 286
...............................
Parking Brake . 151
Parking Brake and Brake
.................
System Indicator . 63, 368
...............................
Parking Lights . 120 ..
Parking Over Things that Burn . 286
.............................
PGM-FI System . 390
..................
Playing the Radio . 171, 183
........................
Playing a Disc . 175, 190
............................
PlayinganiPod
. 197
Playing a USB Flash Memory ........................................
Device . 204
...................................
Pollen Filter . 334
.........
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . 19
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens . 12
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 20
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 19
........................
Protecting Children . 38
.......................
Protecting Inf ants . 43
.......
Protecting Larger Children . 52
.........
Protecting Small Children . 44
...................
Radiator Overheating . 362
..........
Radio/Disc/Sound System . 170
.................
Radio Thef t Protection . 221
...................
Readiness Codes . 367, 392
Rear Lights, Bulb
..............................
Replacement . 329
..........................
Rear View Mirror . 147
Index
O P
R
M
N
VI

CONT INUED
..................................
Saf ety Belts . 9, 21
............
Safety Defects, Reporting . 398 .................................
Saf ety Features . 8
.........................................
Airbags . 10
.......................................
Seat Belts . 9
.............
Saf ety Labels, Location of . 57
..............................
Saf ety Messages . iii
.....................................
Seat Belts . 9, 21
...............
Additional Information . 21
Automatic Seat Belt
...............................
Tensioners . 23
.....................................
Cleaning . 333
................
Lap/Shoulder Belt . 17, 22
........................
Maintenance . 24, 333
Reminder Light and ................................
Beeper . 21, 62
...................
System Components . 21
...............
Use During Pregnancy . 19
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder
.....................................
Belt . 17, 22
......................
Seats, Adjusting the . 141
............................
Security System . 223
...............................
Serial Number . 380
...........................
Service Intervals . 310
.............................
Service Manual . 399
.........
Service Station Procedures . 247
..........................
Setting the Clock . 222
...
Shif t Lever Position Indicators . 273 ........................
Shif t Lock Release . 277
..............................
Side Airbags . 10, 32
..........................
Of f Indicator . 34, 65
......................
Side Curtain Airbags . 33
Side Marker Lights, Bulb ..............................
Replacement . 328
.............................
Signaling Turns . 121
.....................................
Snow Tires . 344
Spare Tire ......................................
Inf lating . 350
............................
Specif ications . 383
....................
Specif ications Charts . 382
................................
Speed Control . 224
Speed-Sensitive Volume ...............
Compensation (SVC) . 189
.......................................
Spotlights . 161
...............
Rear Window Def ogger . 126
..............
Reclining the Seat-backs . 141
.........
Recommended Shif t Points . 282
................
Remote Audio Controls . 219
.....................
Remote Transmitter . 135
Replacement Inf ormation ..............
Dust and Pollen Filter . 334
................
Engine Oil and Filter . 314
..........................................
Fuses . 371
................................
Light Bulbs . 323
.............
Maintenance Minder . 301
...........................................
Tires . 340
.............................
Wiper Blades . 337
Replacing Seat Belts Af ter a ............................................
Crash . 24
.............
Reporting Saf ety Def ects . 398
Reserve Tank, Engine
...............................
Coolant . 252, 317
...............................
Restraint, Child . 38
..................
Reverse Gear Position . 275
................................
Rotation, Tire . 343
Index
INDEXS
VII
TM

..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation . 25
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 37
..........
AdvancedAirbagSystem .30
.............................
Airbag Service . 36
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
......................
Indicator Works . 35
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works . 34
..
How the SRS Indicator Works . 34
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work . 28
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 32
How Your Side Curtain
..........................
Airbags Work . 33
........................
SRS Components . 25
.............................
SRS Indicator . 34, 64
..
START (Ignition Key Position) . 131
.......................
Starting the Engine . 265
In Cold Weather at High ..................................
Altitude . 265
................
With a Dead Battery . 360
........
Steam Coming f rom Engine . 362
Steering Wheel
..............................
Adjustments . 128
...........
Anti-thef t Column Lock . 131
....................
Storing Your Vehicle . 348 ......................................
Sun Visors . 160
Supplemental Restraint System
......................................
Servicing . 36
.........................
SRS Indicator . 34, 64
...................
System Components . 25
.................................................
SVC . 189
..................................
Synthetic Oil . 313
Taillights, Changing
..........................................
Bulbs . 332
.
Taking Care of the Unexpected . 349
Technical Descriptions
......
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 384
.....
Emissions Control Systems . 389
....................
Emissions Testing . 392
.....................
Oxygenated Fuels . 246
Three Way Catalytic
...............................
Converter . 391
...................
Temperature Indicator . 67
..............
Tether Anchorage Points . 51
............................
Thef t Protection . 221
..
Three Way Catalytic Converter . 390
Tighten Fuel
.............................
Cap Message . 249 ..........................
Time, Setting the . 222
....................................
Tire Chains . 344
.........
Tire, How to Change a Flat . 351
...........................
Tire Inf ormation . 384
.................................
Tire Labeling . 385
Tire Pressure Monitoring
............
System (TPMS) . 291, 387
.............................
Check TPMS . 387
Low Tire Pressure/TPMS
...........................
Indicator . 66, 291
Required Federal ............................
Explanation . 387
...............................................
Tires . 340
..............................
Air Pressure . 341
........................................
Chains . 344
.........................
Checking Wear . 342
..........................
Compact Spare . 350
......
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 384
......................................
Inf lation . 340
..................................
Inspection . 341
..............................
Maintenance . 342
...................................
Replacing . 343
......................................
Rotating . 343
................................
Service Lif e . 342
Index
T
VIII