warning HONDA PRELUDE 2000 (in English) User Guide

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Tractio n — 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 tomoment. 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. Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other vehicles. The spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting
can cause you to lose control.

Driving

Changin
g a Fla t Tir e

If you have a flat tire while driving, stop in a safe place to change it.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder
of a busy road is dangerous. Drive
slowly along the shoulder until you
get to an exit or an area to stop that is far away from the traffic lanes.
1. Park the car on firm, level andnon-slippery ground away from
traffic. Put the transmission in Park (automatic) or Reverse (manual). Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn on the hazard warning lights and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the car while
you change the tire.
3. Open the trunk. Raise the trunk

floor by lifting up on the back edge.

4. Take the tool kit out of the trunk.

5. Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of its well.

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

JAC
K

TOO L KI T TRUN
K

FLOO R

SPAR E
TIR E

The car can easily roll off the

jack, seriously injuring anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and never get under the car when it
is supported only by the jack.

If You r Engin e Won' t Start , Jum p Startin g
The Starte r Operate s Normall y
In this case, the starter motor's speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when yon turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting procedure? Refer to Startin g th e
Engin e on page 141.
Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you werenot reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses
(see page 254).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 258 . Jum
p Startin g
If your car's battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your car, follow these
directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 198). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushyor like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
2. Turn off all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
NOTIC E

If You r Engin e Overheat s
The pointer of your car's tempera-
ture gauge should stay in the mid-
range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a longsteep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should determine the reason.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine.
Your car can overheat for severalreasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red mark. Or you may see steam orspray coming from under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road. Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators. 2. If you see steam and/or spray
coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. Ifthe high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot clay with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTICE
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.

Lo
w Oi l Pressur e Indicato r
LO W OI L PRESSUR E INDICATO R

This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It shouldnever come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows
that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as yon can safely get
the car stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level(see page 130). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 181). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 258.)

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d NOTIC
E

DO
T Tir e Qualit y Gradin g (U.S . Cars )

The tires on your car meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements. All
tires are also graded for treadwear,
traction, and temperature perform-
ance according to Department of
Transportation (DOT) standards. The following explains these
gradings.

Unifor m Tir e Qualit y Gradin g

Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and the maximum section width. For
example:

Treadwea r 20 0
Traction AA

Temperatur e A
Treadwea
r

The treadwear grade
is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one
half (1-1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual condi- tions of their use, however, and maydepart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,service practices, and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Tractio
n

The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability tostop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.

Technica l Informatio n

DO
T Tir e Qualit y Gradin g (U.S . Cars )

Temperatur e
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law. Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire thatis properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading either separately or in combination, can
cause heat build-up and possible tire
failure.

Technical Informatio n

Inde
x

Emergency Brake............................ 89
Emergency Flashers....................... 65
Emergency Towing....................... 258
Emission Controls......................... 270
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge ..... 59

Malfunction Indicator
Lamp................................. 55, 250
Oil Pressure Indicator......... 55, 248
Oil, What Kind to Use............... 181
Overheating................................ 246

Specifications............................. 264

Ethanol in Gasoline ....................... 268
Evaporative Emission Controls.... 270
Exhaust Fumes................................ 49
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat Belts by......................................... 19
Exterior. Cleaning the................... 228
Fabric, Cleaning............................. 230

Fan, Interior...................................... 98

Features, Comfort and
Convenience.................................
97

Filling the Fuel Tank.....................
127

Filters
Air................................................ 195

Oil................................................ 183

First
Gear, Shifting........................ 150
5-speed Manual Transmission Checking Fluid Level................ 192

Shifting the................................. 142

Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 65

Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 237

Fluids Automatic Transmission........... 191
Brake........................................... 193

Clutch.......................................... 194

Manual Transmission............... 192

Power Steering........................... 194

Windshield Washer................... 190
FM Stereo Radio
Reception.................................... 110

Folding Rear Seat............................ 84
Foreign Countries, Driving in...... 269
Four-way Flashers........................... 65

Front End, Towing by
Emergency Wrecker................. 258

Fuel.................................................. 126
Fill Door and Cap....................... 127
Gauge............................................ 59
Octane Requirement................. 126

Oxygenated................................ 268

Reserve Indicator......................... 57

Tank, Filling the......................... 127

Fuses, Checking the...................... 254
Gas Mileage. Improving................ 132

Gasohol........................................... 268

Gasoline.......................................... 126
Fuel Reserve Indicator................ 57

Gauge............................................ 59

Octane Requirement................. 126

Tank, Filling the......................... 127

Gas Station Procedures................. 127

Gauges
Engine Coolant Temperature .... 59

Fuel................................................ 59

Gearshift Lever Positions Automatic Transmission........... 144
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 142
Glass Cleaning............................... 231
Glove Box......................................... 79

Inde
x

Halogen Headlight Bulbs..............
214

Hazard Warning Flashers...............
65

Headlights Aiming......................................... 213
Daytime Running Lights............
. 62
High Beam Indicator................... 62 High Beams, Turning on............ 62
Low Beams, Turning on............. 62
Reminder Chime.......................... 62

Replacing Halogen Bulbs......... 214

Turning on....................................

62

Head Restraints............................... 82
Heating and
Cooling........................ 98
High Altitude, Stalling at.............. 141
High-Low Beam Switch .................. 62
High-mount Brake Light............... 221

Hood Latch..................................... 196

Hood, Opening the........................ 128

Horn................................................... 61

Hot Coolant, Warning About........ 185
Hydraulic Clutch............................ 194

Hydroplaning.................................. 159
Identification Number, Vehicle.... 262
If Your Car Has to be Towed....... 258
Ignition
Keys............................................... 70
Switch............................................ 72
Timing Control System............. 27

1

Immobilizer System......................... 7
1

Indicator Lights. Instrument
Panel.............................................. 53

Infan
t Restraint................................ 29

Inflation, Proper Tire .................... 205 High Speed Driving................... 266Normal Driving.......................... 206

Inside Mirror.................................... 88

Inspection, Tire.............................. 206
Instrument Panel............................. 52
Instrument Panel Brightness......... 63
Interior Cleaning............................ 230

Interior Lights.................................. 94

Introduction.........................................

i

Jacking up the Car......................... 23
9
Jack, Tire........................................ 238

Jump Starting................................. 244

Keys................................................... 70
Label, Certification........................ 262
Lane Change, Signaling.................. 63
Lap/Shoulder Belts......................... 42
Leaking of Exhaust into Car.......... 49

Learning Key.................................... 7

1

Lights
Bulb Replacement..................... 214

Indicator........................................ 5
3

Parking.......................................... 62

Turn Signal................................... 63

Loading Cargo................................ 135

LOCK (Ignition Key Position)....... 73
CONTINUED

Inde
x

Transmission Checking Fluid Level,Automatic...............................
191

Checking Fluid Level, Manual.................................... 192

Flui
d Selection............................ 191

Identification Number............... 262
Shifting the Automatic.............. 144
Shifting the Manual................... 142
Treadwear...................................... 266

Trip Meter........................................ 58

Trunk................................................. 78
Opening the.................................. 78

Open Monitor Light.................... 57

Turn Signals..................................... 63
Underside, Cleaning...................... 232
Unexpected, Taking Care
of the........................................... 235

Uniform Tire Quality Grading..... 266

Unleaded Gasoline......................... 126

Upholstery Cleaning...................... 230
Used Oil, How to Dispose of........ 184 Vehicle Capacity Load .................. 136
Vehicle Dimensions....................... 264
Vehicle Identification Number..... 262 Vehicle Storage.............................. 225
Ventilation...................................... 100

VTN.................................................. 262

Vinyl Cleaning................................ 230
Viscosity, Oil................................... 182
Warning Beepers Headlights on............................... 62

Key in Ignition.............................. 73

Seat Belts........................................ 8

WARNING, Explanation of..............

ii

Warning Labels, Location of.......... 5
0

Warranty Coverages*................... 277
Washer, Windshield Checking the Fluid Level......... 190
Operation...................................... 65
Washing.......................................... 228
Waxing and Polishing................... 229 Wheels

Adjusting the Steering................ 66

Alignment and Balance............. 207
Compact Spare........................... 236

Wrench....................................... 238
Windows Cleaning...................................... 231
Operating the Power................... 85
Rear, Defogger............................ 65

Windshield
Cleaning........................................ 64
Defroster................................... 104
Wipers, Windshield Changing Blades........................ 200

Operation...................................... 64

Worn Tires..................................... 206
Wrecker, Emergency Towing...... 258
* U.S. and Canada only