HONDA PRELUDE 2000 Owner's Manual (in English)

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.)

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E

Chargin
g Syste m Indicato r

This indicator should come on when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go
out after the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped charging the battery. Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C, rear
clefogger, cruise control, etc. Try not
to use other electrically-operated controls such as the power windows.
Keep the engine running and take
extra care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly. By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
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CHARGIN
G SYSTE M INDICATO R

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p

This indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emissions control systems
may have a problem. Even though
you may feel no difference in your car's performance, it can reduce
your fuel economy and cause your car to put out excessive emissions.
Continued operation may cause
serious damage.
If you have recently refueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing fuel fill cap. Check the cap
and tighten it until it clicks several
times. Replace the fuel fill cap if it is
missing. Tightening the cap will not
make the indicator turn off
immediately; it takes three driving

trips.

If the indicator remains on past three
driving trips, or the fuel cap was not
loose or missing, have the car
checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until the dealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving at high speed.
You should also have the dealer inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn off as you continue driving. If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controls and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car's warranties.

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MALFUNCTIO
N INDICATO R LAM P NOTIC
E

Brak
e Syste m Indicato r

The Brake System indicator light comes on when you turn the ignitionON (II). If the parking brake is not
set, it goes off after you start the
engine. If the parking brake is set, it
goes off when you fully release the
parking brake with the engine running.
If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the car's
brake system. In most cases, the
problem is a low fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it feels
normal. If it does, check the brake
fluid level the next time you stop at a service station (see page 193 ). If the
fluid level is low, take the car to your dealer and have the brake system
inspected for leaks or worn brake

pads.

However, if the brake pedal does not
feel normal, you should take
immediate action. Because of the
brake system's dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two wheels. You will feel the brake pedal
go down much farther before the car
begins to slow down, and you will
have to press harder on the pedal.
The distance needed to stop will be much longer.
Slow down by shifting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is safe. Because of the longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the car. Youshould have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 258.)
If you must drive the car a short distance in this condition, drive
slowly and cautiously.
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BRAK
E SYSTE M INDICATO R

Closing th e Moonroo f
If the electric motor will not close
the moonroof, do the following:
1. Check the fuse for the moonroof motor (see page 254). If the fuse
is blown, replace it with one of thesame or lower rating.
2. Try closing the moonroof. If the new fuse blows immediately or the
moonroof motor still does notoperate, you can close the
moonroof manually.
3. Get the sunroof wrench out of the tool kit in the trunk. 4. Use a screwdriver or coin to
remove the round plug in the
center of the headliner. 5. Insert the moonroof wrench into
the socket behind this plug. Turn
the wrench until the moonroof is
fully closed.
6. Remove the wrench. Replace the
round plug.
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ROUND PLU G
SOCKE T

Fuse
s

All the electrical circuits in your car have fuses to protect them from ashort circuit or overload. These
fuses are located in two fuse boxes.
The under-hood fuse box is locatedin the back of the engine compart-ment on the passenger's side. Toopen it, push the tab as shown. The interior fuse box is underneath
the dashboard on the driver's side.
To open it, turn the knob as shown.
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UNDER-HOO
D
TA
B

INTERIO R

KNOB

Fuse
s

Checkin g an d Replacin g Fuse s

If something electrical in your car stops working, the first thing you
should check for is a blown fuse.
Determine from the chart on pages 256 and 257 , or the diagram o n the
fuse box lid, which fus
e or fuses
control that component. Check those
fuses first, but check all the fuses before deciding that a blown fuse is
not the cause. Replace any blown
fuses and check the component's
operation.

1. Turn the ignition switch to LOCK (0). Make sure the headlights and
all other accessories are off.
2. Remove the cover from the fuse box.
FUS
E

3. Check each of the large fuses in the under-hood fuse box by
looking through the top at the wire
inside. Removing these fusesrequires a Phillips-head screw-
driver.
4. Check the smaller fuses in the
under-hood fuse box and all the
fuses in the interior fuse box by
pulling out each fuse with the fuse
puller provided in the interior fuse
box.
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BLOW
N
FUS
E PULLE R

Fuse
s

5. Look for a burned wire inside the fuse. If it is burned, replace it withone of the spare fuses of the same
rating or lower. If you cannot drive the car without
fixing the problem, and you do not have a spare fuse, take a fuse of the same rating or a lower rating from
one of the other circuits. Make sure
you can do without that circuit temporarily (such as the accessory
power socket or radio).
If you replace the blown fuse with aspare fuse that has a lower rating, it
might blow out again. This does not
indicate anything wrong. Replace the
fuse with one of the correct rating as soon as you can.
Replacing a fuse with one that has a

higher rating greatly increases the
chances of damaging the electrical

system. If you do not have a replace-
ment fuse with the proper rating for the

circuit, install one with a lower rating.

6. If the replacement fuse of the same rating blows in a short time,
there is probably a serious electrical problem in your car.
Leave the blown fuse in that
circuit and have your car checked
by a qualified mechanic.
If the radio fuse is removed, the
audio system will disable itself. The
next time you turn on the radio you will see in the frequency
display. Use the Preset buttons to
enter the five-digit code (see page
123).

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CONTINUED

BLOW
N
NOTIC
E

Fuse
s

INTERIO R FUS E BO X

* 1 : On Type SH
* 2 : On Canadian models

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Fuse
s

UNDER-HOO D FUS E BO X

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