HONDA PRELUDE 2000 (in English) Service Manual

Protectin
g Childre n

Do not put any accessories on a seat
belt. Devices intended to improve
occupant comfort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt, severely
compromise the protective capability of the seat belt and increase the
chance of serious injury in a crash.

Two children should never use the

same seat belt. If they do, they could
be very seriously injured in a crash.
Using a Booster Seat

If a child needs a booster seat, we recommend choosing a style that
allows the child to use the lap/
shoulder belt directly, without a
shield, as shown.
Whichever style you select, follow the booster seat maker's instructions. A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of the ears are
even with the top of the seat-back. A
child of this height should be tall
enough to use the lap/shoulder belt
without a booster.

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
The back seat is the safest place for a child of any age or size.
In addition, the passenger's airbag
poses serious risks to children. If the seat is too far forward, or the child's
head is thrown forward during a
collision, or the child is unrestrained or out of position, an inflating airbag
can kill or seriously injure the child.
Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can safely ride in the
front, there are other important
factors you should consider. Physical Size
Physically, a child must be large
enough for the lap/shoulder belt to
properly fit over the hips, chest, and shoulder (see pages 16 and 37). If
the seat belt does not fit properly,
the child should not sit in the front.

Maturity

To safely ride in front, a child must be able to follow the rules, includingsitting properly and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.
If you decide that a child can safely

ride up front, be sure to:
Carefully read the owner's manual
and make sure you understand all seat belt instructions and all safety

information.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-

most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back

against the seat, and feet on or

near the floor.
Check that the child's seat belt is

properly positioned and secured.
Supervise the child. Even mature

children sometimes need to be
reminded to fasten the seat belts

or sit properly.

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Usin g Chil d Seat s wit h Tether s

U.S. Models

You car has two places on the rear shelf where a tether anchor can be
installed. A tether anchor is used to
secure a tether-style child seat to the
car. Since a tether can provide additional
security, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or

available.

To attach a tether to your car:
1. Using the illustration on page 40 , locate the attachment point you
want to use.
2. Remove the plug with a small flat- tipped screwdriver or a fingernail

file.

3. Install the anchor plate andmounting hardware. The
hardware is available from your
Honda dealer (part number 82410-

SE3-C01).

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n
When installing tether hardware, make sure the toothed washer is on
the bottom of the bolt. Tighten the
bolt to:

16 lbf.ft (22 N.m,2.2 kgf.m)

If a torque wrench was not used, see
your Honda dealer as soon as possible to verify proper installation.
To attach the tether to the child seat, follow the child seat maker'sinstructions.
If you are not sure how to install the
tether, or you need mounting
hardware, contact your Honda dealer. Usin
g Chil d Seat s wit h Tether s

Canadian Models

Your car has two tether anchorage points on the rear shelf for securinga tether-style child seat to the car.
Since a tether can provide additionalsecurity, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.
Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchorage point and tighten
the strap according to the child seat
maker's instructions.

Driver an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s

Sea t Bel t Syste m Component s

Your seat belt system includes lap/ shoulder belts in all four seating

positions.

The seat belt system alsoincludes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to fasten your belts. If the driver's seat belt is not
fastened before the ignition is turned ON (II), the light will come on and a
beeper will also sound. The beeper
will stop after a few seconds, but the
light will stay on until the driver's seat belt is fastened.
Lap/Shoulde
r Bel t

This seat belt has a single belt that goes over your shoulder, across yourchest and across your hips. To fasten the belt, insert the latch
plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is

latched.

To unlock the belt, push the red PRESS button on the buckle.
Guide the belt across your body to
the door pillar. After exiting the car, be sure the belt is out of the way and
will not get closed in the door.
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s

All seat belts have an emergency locking retractor. In normal driving,
the retractor lets you move freely in
your seat while it keeps some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop, the retractor
automatically locks the belt to help
restrain your body.
The seat belts in all seating positions except the driver's have an additional
locking mechanism that must be activated to secure a child seat. (See
pages 30 and 34 for instructions on
how to secure child seats with this
type of seat belt.)
If the shoulder part of the belt is
pulled all the way out, the locking
mechanism will activate. The belt
will retract, but it will not allow the
passenger to move freely. To deactivate the locking
mechanism, unlatch the buckle and
let the seat belt fully retract. To
refasten the belt, pull it out only as
far as needed.
See page 16 for instructions on how
to wear the lap/shoulder belt
properly.
Driver an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s

Sea t Bel t Maintenanc e
For safety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out fully and look for
frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
that the lap/shoulder belts retract easily. Any belt not in good condition
or not working properly will not
provide good protection and should
be replaced as soon as possible.

U.S. Models

Honda provides a lifetime warranty
on seat belts. Honda will repair or
replace any seat belt component that
fails to function properly during
normal use. Please see your Honda
Warranty Information booklet for

details.
If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
you should have your dealer inspect the belt, and replace it if necessary.
A belt that has been worn during a crash may not provide the same levelof protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the anchors for damage and replace
them if needed.
For information on how to clean yourseat belts, see page 231.
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S

SR S Component s

Your Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) includes: Two front airbags. The driver's
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the front
passenger's airbag is stored in the dashboard. Both are marked "SRS
AIRBAG." Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal
collision. A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors thesensors, control unit, the airbag
activators, and all related wiring
when the ignition is ON (II). An indicator light on the
instrument panel that alerts you to
a possible problem with thesystem (see page 47). Emergency backup power in case
your car's electrical system is disconnected in a crash. Ho
w You r Airbag s Wor k
If you ever have a moderate to severe frontal collision, the sensors
will detect rapid deceleration and signal the control unit to instantly
inflate the airbags.
During a crash, your seat belt helps
restrain your lower body and torso.
Your airbag provides a cushion to help restrain and protect your headand chest.
Driver an d Passenge r Safet y
CONTINUED

Additional Informatio n Abou t You r SR S
Since both airbags use the same
sensors, both airbags normally
inflate at the same time. However, it is possible for only one airbag to
inflate.
This can occur when the severity of a collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether or not the airbags will deploy. Insuch cases, the seat belt will provide
sufficient protection, and the
supplemental protection offered by
the airbag would be minimal.
After inflating, the airbagsimmediately deflate, so they won'tinterfere with the driver's visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and deflation is approximately one-tenth
of a second, so fast that most
occupants are not aware that the
airbags deployed until they see them
lying in their laps. After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder from the airbag's surface.
Although the powder is not harmful, people with respiratory problems
may experience some temporarydiscomfort. If this occurs, get out of
the car as soon as it is safe to do so.
U.S. Owners
For additional information on how
your airbags work, see the booklet
titled SRS: What You Need to Know
About Airbags that came with your
owner's manual.
Canadian Owners
For additional information on how
your airbags work, ask your dealer
for a copy of the booklet titled SRS:
What You Need to Know About Airbags.
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Additional Informatio n Abou t You r SR S

Ho w th e SR S Indicato r
Ligh
t
Work s
The purpose of the SRSlight is 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 may not deploy when
you need them. See your Honda dealer as soon as possible. SR
S Servic e
Your Supplemental Restraint System is virtually maintenance-free, and
there are no parts you can safely service. However, you must have
your car serviced if:
Your airbags ever inflate. The

airbags and the control unit must
be replaced. Do not try to remove or replace the airbags yourself.
This must be done by a Honda dealer or a knowledgeable body

shop.
The SRS indicator light alerts you

to a problem. Take your car to an
authorized Honda dealer as soon
as possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inflate when you need them (see
page 45).
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

SRS

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.