tire type HONDA PRELUDE 2000 Owner's Manual (in English)

Important
Safety Precautions

You'll find many safety recommendations throughout thissection, and throughout this manual.
The recommendations on this page are the ones we consider to b e the
most important.
Alway s Wea r You r
Sea
t Bel t
A seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbagssupplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inflate only in a
moderate to severe frontal collision.
So even though your car is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and
your passengers always wear your seat belts, and wear them properly. (See page 16.)
Restrai n Al l Childre n
Children are safest when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
not the front seat. A child who is too small for a seat belt must be properly
restrained in a child safety seat. (See
page 21.) B
e Awar e o f Airba g Hazard s
While airbags can save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries tooccupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Infants, young children, and short adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page 7.)

Don' t Drin k an d Driv e

Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink. So don't drink
and drive, and don't let your friends
drink and drive, either. Contro
l You r Spee d
Excessive speed is a major factor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also occur at lower speeds. Never drive
faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Kee p You r Ca r i n Saf e Conditio n
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical failure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition frequently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page 170.)
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Tire
s

To safely operate your car, your tires must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread, and correctly inflated. The following
pages give more detailed information on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced. Inflatio
n
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life and riding
comfort. Underinflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards, and wear

unevenly.

We recommend that you visually check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it immediately with a tire gauge.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf/cm2) per month. Remember to check the spare tire at
the same time you check all the other tires. Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car
has been parked for at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
before checking the tire pressure,
the tires can still be considered "cold" if you drive less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the car has been driven several miles), you will see readings
4 to 6 psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4
kgf/cm2) higher than the cold reading. This is normal. Do not letair out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be underinflated.
You should get your own tire pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier for you to tell if a pressure loss is due to a tire problemand not due to a variation between

gauges.

Maintenance
CONTINUED

Using tires that are excessivel
y
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire inflation and maintenance.

Tire
s

Tir e Rotatio n
To help increase tire life and distribute wear more evenly, youshould have the tires rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the chart each time they are rotated. When shopping for replacement
tires, you may find that some tiresare "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in onedirection. If you use directional
tires, they should be rotated only

front-to-back.

Replacin g Tire s an d Wheel s
The tires that came with your car were selected to match the perform- ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comfort, and long life.
You should replace them with radial tires of the same size, load range,speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce
its braking ability, traction, and steering accuracy. It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible
or necessary, then replace the two
front tires or the two rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire canseriously affect your car's handling.
Maintenanc e
Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and stability. This can cause a crashin which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner's manual.

Fron
t Fron
t

(Fo r Non-directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )(Fo
r Directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )

Tire
s

Snow Tires
If you mount snow tires on your
Honda, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels to balance
your car's handling in all weather conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your car's
original equipment tires. You shoulddrive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommenda-

tions.
Tire Chains
Mount traction devices (cable-type)
only when required by driving
conditions or local laws. Make sure
they are the correct size for your
tires. Install them only on the front
tires.

When installing traction devices, follow the manufacturer'sinstructions and mount them as
tightly as you can. Drive slowly with
them installed. If you hear them coming in contact with the body or
chassis, stop and investigate. Make sure the traction devices are
installed tightly, and that they are
not contacting the brakes or
suspension.

Remove them as soon as you start
driving on cleared roads.
Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can

damage your car's brake lines,

suspension, body, and wheels. Stop

driving if they are hitting any part of
the car.

Maintenanc e
NOTICE

Changing a Fla t Tire , I f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
19. Secure the flat tire by screwing
the wing bolt back into its hole.
20. Store the jack in its holder. Turn the jack's end bracket to lock it in
place. Replace the cover. Store the tool kit. 21. Store the center cap in the trunk.
Make sure it does not get scratch-ed or damaged.
22. Lower the trunk floor, then close the trunk lid.
Type SH only
If you mount the compact spare on
either front or rear tire, it may cause
the ATTS indicator light in the instrument panel to come on due to
the difference in tire diameter. The
light will go out when the proper tire
is installed.
I f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
Diagnosing why your engine won't start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almost nothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack and tools
securely before driving.

Emergency Towin g
If your car needs to be towed, call a
professional towing service or, if you belong to one, an organization that
provides roadside assistance. Never
tow your car behind another vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.
There are three popular methods of
towing a vehicle:
Flat-bed Equipment — The operator
loads your car on the back of a truck.
Thi s i s th e bes t wa y t o transpor t
you r Honda .
Wheel-Lift Equipment — The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the tires (front or rear) and lift
them off the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground. Thi s is
a n acceptabl e wa y t o to w you r
Honda .
Sling-type Equipment — The tow
truck uses metal cables with hooks
on the ends. These hooks go around
parts of the frame or suspension and
the cables lift that end of the car off
the ground. Your car's suspension and body can be seriously damaged.
Thi s metho d o f towin g is
unacceptable .
If your Honda cannot be transported
by flat-bed, it should be towed by
wheel-lift equipment with the front
wheels off the ground. If, due to damage, your car must be towed
with the front wheels on the ground, do the following:
5-speed Manual Transmission
Release the parking brake.
Shift the transmission to Neutral.
Automatic Transmission:
Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
Shift to D4, then to N.
Turn off the engine.
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly If you cannot
shift the transmission or start theengine (automatic transmission), your
car must be transported with the frontwheels off the ground.
With the front wheels on the ground, it is best to tow the car no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep thespeed below 35 mph (55 km/h).
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTICE

Warrant
y Coverage s

U.S . Owner s
Your new Honda is covered by these
warranties:
New Car Limited Warranty — covers

your new vehicle, except fo
r the
battery, emissions control systems and accessories, against defects in

materials and workmanship.

Emissions Control Systems Defects
Warranty and Emissions
Performance Warranty — these two

warranties cover your vehicle's emis- sions control systems. Time, mileage,
and coverage are conditional. Please
read the warranty manual for exact
information.

Original Equipment Battery Limited
Warranty — this warranty gives up
to 100 percent credit toward a

replacement battery.
Seat Belt Limited Warranty — a seat

belt that fails to function properly is covered for the useful life of the

vehicle.

Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
— all exterior body panels are
covered for rust-through from the
inside for the specified time period
with no mileage limit.

Accessory Limited Warranty —
Genuine Honda Accessories are
covered under this warranty. Time
and mileage limits depend on the
type of accessory and other factors. Please read your warranty manual
for details.

Replacement Parts Limited
Warranty — covers all Genuine
Honda replacement parts against defects in materials and workman-

ship.
Replacement Battery Limited

Warranty — provides prorated
coverage for a replacement battery
purchased from a Honda dealer.
Replacement Muffler Lifetime
Limited Warranty — provides
coverage for as long as the pur-
chaser of the muffler owns the car.
Restrictions and exclusions apply to
all these warranties. Please read the
2000 Honda Warranty Information
booklet that came with your car for precise information on warranty
coverages. Your Honda's original
tires are covered by their
manufacturer. Tire warranty infor-
mation is in a separate booklet.
Canadia n Owner s
Please refer to the 2000 Warranty
Manual that came with your car.

Warrant y an d Custome r Relation s

Inde
x

Shift Lock Release......................... 151

Side Marker Lights, Bulb
Replacement in.......................... 217

Signaling Turns................................
63

Snow Tires...................................... 210

Solvent-type Cleaners....................
228

Sound System................................. 106

Spare Tire Inflating....................................... 236

Specifications............................. 265

Spark Plugs, Replacing................. 196

Specifications Charts ...........

264, 265

Speed Control................................... 67

Speedometer....................................
58

SRS, Additional Information........... 45 Additional Safety Precautions.... 48How the SRS Indicator Light
Works........................................ 47

HowYour Airbags Work............ 45

SRS Components......................... 45

SRS Service................................... 4

7

SRS Indicator.............................. 47, 55
START
(Ignition Key Position)..... 73

Starting the Engine........................ 141

In Cold Weather at HighAltitude................................... 141 With a Dead Battery................. 244
Steam Coming from Engine......... 246
Steering Wheel Adjustment................................... 66

Anti-theft Column Lock.............. 73

Stereo Sound System.................... 106

Storing Your Car............................ 225
Supplemental Restraint System..... 45
Servicing....................................... 47

SRS Indicator......................... 47, 55

Synthetic Oil................................... 182

Tachometer...................................... 58

Taillights, Changing Bulbs in....... 219
Taking Care of the
Unexpected................................ 235

Tape Player..................................... 119

Technical Descriptions

Emission Control Systems........ 270

Three Way Catalytic
Converter................................ 272
Temperature Gauge........................ 59

Tether Attachment Points.............. 40

Three Way Catalytic Converter... 272
Time, Setting the............................. 90

Timing Belt..................................... 204

Tire Chains..................................... 210
Tire, How to Change a Flat.......... 237
Tires................................................ 205
Air Pressure............................... 205Checking Wear.......................... 206

Compact Spare........................... 236

DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 266
Inflation....................................... 205

Inspection................................... 206

Maintenance............................... 207

Replacing.................................... 208
Rotating....................................... 208

Snow............................................ 210

Specifications............................. 265

Tire Chains................................. 210
Winter Driving........................... 209

Tools,Tire Changing.................... 237

Towing
ATrailer...................................... 160

Emergency................................. 258