HONDA S2000 2000 1.G Owners Manual

Service Station Procedures
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel
nozzle automatically clicks off. Do
not try to
"top off" the tank, leave
some room for the fuel to expand
with temperature changes.
5. Screw the fuel fill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks at least
three times.
If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may come on (see
page
228 ).
6. Push the fuel fill door closed until
it latches.
118 Before Driving
Opening the Hood
1. Shift to Neutral and set the
parking brake.
Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower left corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
2. Standing in front of the car, put
your fingers under the front edge
of the hood to the right of center.
Slide your hand to the left until
you feel the hood latch handle.
Push this handle to the left until it releases
the hood.
Lift the hood.
If you can open the hood without
lifting the hood latch handle, or
the hood latch handle moves
stiffly or does not spring back as
before, the mechanism should
be
cleaned and lubricated (see page
174 ).

3. Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert
the end into the hole on
the front of the hood around the
center.
To close the hood, lift it up slightly
to remove
the support rod from
the hole. Put the support rod back
into its holding clip. Lower
the
hood to about a foot (30 em) above
the fender, then let it drop.
After closing
the hood, make sure
it is securely latched.
Oil Check
Check the engine oil level every time
you
fill the car with fuel. Wait a few
minutes after turning
the engine off
before you check
the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (black
handle).
Service Station Procedures
2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth
or paper towel.
CONTINUED
Before Driving 119

Service Station Procedures
3. Insert it all the way back in its tube. 4. Remove the dipstick again and
check the level.
It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
120 Before Driving
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see
Adding Oil on page 157.
Engine Coolant Check
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between
the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see Adding
Engine Coolant
on page 161 for
information on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to
Owner Maintenance
Checks
on page 155 for information
on checking other items
in your
Honda.

The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things
that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Car Condition
Always maintain your car according
to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte­
nance is the
Owner Maintenance
Checks
(see page 155 ). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more
"rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure
at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car's underside adds weight and
rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your fuel mileage and reduces
the chance of corrosion.
Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler­
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive
in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler­
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra fuel.
Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy.
A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine.
It is not necessary to
"warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away
in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside.
The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of
"cold starts," try to
Fuel Economy
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel.
Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Before Driving 121

Accessories and Modifications
Modifying your car, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make your car unsafe. Before you
make any modifications or add any
accessories, be sure to read the
following information.
Accessories
Your dealer has Genuine Honda
accessories that allow you to
personalize your car.
These
accessories have been designed and
approved for your car, and are
covered by warranty.
Non-Honda accessories are usually
designed for universal applications.
Although aftermarket accessories
may fit on your car, they may not
meet factory specifications, and
could adversely affect your car's
handling and stability. (See
"Modifications" on the page 123 for
additional information.)
122 Before Driving
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
car's
handling, stability and
performance, and cause a
crash
in which you can be hurt
or
killed.
Follow all
instructions in this
owner's
manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interfere with your car's
computer-controlled systems, such
as the
SRS and anti-lock brake
system. However,
if electronic
accessories
are improperly installed, or exceed
your car's electrical system capacity,
they can interfere with the operation
of your car, or even cause the
airbags to deploy.
Before installing any accessory:
• Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights,
or interfere
with proper car operation or
performance.
• Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page 231).
• Have the installer contact your
Honda dealer for assistance before
installing any electronic accessory.
If possible, have your dealer inspect
the final installation.

Modifications
Do not remove any original
equipment or modify your car in any
way
that would alter its design or
operation. This could make your car
unsafe and illegal to drive.
For example, do not make any
modifications
that would change the
ride height of your car, or install
wheels and tires with a different
overall diameter.
Such modifications can adversely
affect handling, and interfere with
the operation of the car's anti-lock
brakes and other systems.
Accessories and Modifications
In addition, any modifications that
decrease ground clearance increase
the chance of undercarriage parts
striking a curb, speed bump, or other
raised object, which could cause
your airbags to deploy.
Do not modify your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modifications could make the
system ineffective. Additional Safety Precaution
Do not attach or place objects on the
airbag covers. Any object attached to
or placed on the covers marked
"SRS
AIRBAG," in the center of the
steering wheel and on top of the
dashboard, could interfere with the
proper operation of the airbags.
Or,
if the airbags inflate, the objects
could be propelled inside the car and
hurt someone.
Before Driving 123

Carrying Cargo
124 Before Driving
Your car has several convenient
storage areas so you can stow cargo
safely.
The upper and lower console
compartments are designed for small,
lightweight items.
The trunk is
intended for larger, heavier items.
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing
it, can affect
your car's handling, stability and
operation and make it unsafe. Before
carrying any type of cargo, be sure to
read the following pages.

Load Limit
The maximum load for your car is
400 lbs (185 kg).
This figure includes
the total weight
of
all occupants, cargo, and
accessories.
To figure out how much cargo you
can carry:
• Add up the weight of all occupants.
• Subtract the total from 400 lb (185
kg).
The final number is the total weight
of cargo you can carry.
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits
and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.
Carrying Cargo
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
• Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and
hurt
someone during a crash.
• Be sure items placed on the floor
behind the front seats cannot roll
under the seats and interfere with
the driver's ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper
operation of the seats.
Before Driving 125

Carrying Cargo
Carrying Cargo in the Trunk
• Distribute cargo evenly on the
floor of the trunk, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible.
126 Before Driving

Your Honda is designed to give you
optimum handling and performance
on well-maintained roads. As part of
this design, your car
has a minimum
of ground clearance and very
low­
profile tires.
• Use caution if you should drive
your car on very rough or rutted
roads. You could damage the
suspension and underbody by
bottoming out. Going too fast over
parking lot
"speed bumps" can
also cause damage.
• Curbs and steep inclines could
damage the front and rear
bumpers. Low curbs that
do not
affect the average car may be high
enough to hit the bumper on your
Honda.
The front or rear bumper
may scrape when trying to drive
onto an incline, such as a steep
driveway or trailer ramps.
General Precautions
• Because of the low-profile tires
fitted to your car, the alloy wheels
are closer to the ground. Driving
over a pothole or road debris at
too high a speed can seriously
damage a wheel. Slow down under
these conditions.
Before Driving 127