ESP HONDA S2000 2001 1.G User Guide

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Rain , fog , an d sno w condition s
requir e a differen t drivin g techniqu e
becaus e o f reduce d tractio n an d
visibility . Kee p you r ca r well -
maintaine d an d exercis e greate r
cautio n whe n yo u nee d to driv e in
ba d weather . Th e cruis e contro l
shoul d no t b e use d in thes e

conditions .
Drivin
g Techniqu e — Alway s driv e
slowe r tha n yo u woul d in dr y
weather . I t take s you r ca r longe r t o
react , eve n in condition s tha t ma y
see m jus t barel y damp . Appl y
smooth , eve n pressur e to al l th e
controls . Abrup t steerin g whee l
movement s o r sudden , har d appli -
catio n o f th e brake s ca n caus e los s o f
contro l i n we t weather . B e extr a
cautiou s fo r th e firs t fe w mile s
(kilometers ) o f drivin g whil e yo u
adjus t t o th e chang e i n drivin g
conditions . Thi s i s especiall y tru e in
snow . A perso n ca n forge t som e
snow-drivin g technique s durin g th e
summe r months . Practic e is neede d
t o relear n thos e skills .
Exercis e extr a cautio n whe n drivin g
i n rai n afte r a lon g dr y spell . Afte r
month s o f dr y weather , th e firs t
rain s brin g oi l t o th e surfac e o f th e
roadway , makin g it slippery . Visibilit
y — Bein g abl e to se e
clearl y in al l direction s an d bein g
visibl e t o othe r driver s ar e importan t
i n al l weathe r conditions . Thi s i s
mor e difficul t i n ba d weather . T o b e
see n mor e clearl y durin g dayligh t
hours , tur n o n you r headlights .
Inspec t you r windshiel d wiper s an d
washer s frequently . Kee p th e wind -
shiel d washe r reservoi r ful l o f th e
prope r fluid . Hav e th e windshiel d
wipe r blade s replace d i f the y star t t o
strea k th e windshiel d o r leav e part s
unwiped . Us e th e defroster s an d ai r
conditionin g t o kee p th e window s
fro m foggin g u p o n th e insid e (se e

pag e 9 1).

Drivin g

Exterio
r Car e

Washin g

Frequen t washin g help s preserv e
you r car' s beauty . Dir t an d gri t ca n
scratc h th e paint , whil e tre e sa p an d
bir d dropping s ca n permanentl y rui n
th e finish .
Was h you r ca r i n a shad y area , no t i n
direc t sunlight . I f th e ca r i s parke d in
th e sun , mov e it int o th e shad e an d
le t th e exterio r coo l dow n befor e yo u

start .

Onl y us e th e solvent s an d cleaner s
recommende d in thi s Owner' s

Manual .
Chemical
solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your car.

Rins e th e ca r thoroughl y wit h coo l
wate r t o remov e loos e dirt . Fil
l a bucke t wit h coo l water . Mi x
i n a mil d detergent , suc h a s
dishwashin g liqui d o r a produc t
mad e especiall y fo r ca r washing . Was
h th e car , usin g th e wate r an d
neutra l detergen t solutio n an d
spong e o r sof t cloth . Star t a t a to p
an d wor k you r wa y down . Rins e
frequently . Chec
k th e bod y fo r roa d tar , tre e
sap , etc . Remov e thes e stain s wit h
ta r remove r o r turpentine . Rins e it
of f immediatel y s o it doe s no t
har m th e finish . Remembe r t o re -
wa x thes e areas , eve n if th e res t o f th
e ca r doe s no t nee d waxing .
D o no t us e hars h chemical s t o
remov e stain s fro m th e
convertibl e to p o r rea r window .
Us e a mil d detergent/wate r
solutio n wit h a soft-bristl e brus h
o n th e top , an d wit h a sof t clot h o n
th e rea r window . Whe
n yo u hav e washe d an d rinse d
th e whol e exterior , dr y it wit h a
chamoi s o r sof t towel . Lettin g it
air-dr y wil l caus e dullin g an d wate r

spots .

Mak e sur e th e to p is completel y
dr y befor e yo u fol d it .
A s yo u dr y th e car , inspec t i t fo r
chip s an d scratche s tha t coul d allo w
corrosio n to start . Repai r the m wit h
touch-u p pain t (se e pag e 20 6).
Appearanc e Car e
NOTIC
E

Interio
r Car e
Fabri c
Vacuu m dir t an d dus t ou t o f th e
materia l frequently . Fo r genera l
cleaning , us e a solutio n of mil d soa p
an d lukewar m water , lettin g it ai r dry .
T o clea n of f stubbor n spots , us e a
commercially-availabl e fabri c cleaner .
Tes t i t o n a hidde n are a o f th e fabri c
first , t o mak e sur e it doe s no t bleac h
o r stai n th e fabric . Follo w th e
instruction s tha t com e wit h th e

cleaner .
Viny
l

Remov e dir t an d dus t wit h a vacuu m
cleaner . Wip e th e viny l wit h a sof t
clot h dampene d in a solutio n o f mil d
soa p an d water . Us e th e sam e
solutio n wit h a soft-bristl e brus h o n
mor e difficul t spots . Yo u ca n als o us e
commercially-availabl e spra y o r
foam-typ e viny l cleaners .
Leathe r
Vacuu m dir t an d dus t fro m th e
leathe r frequently . Pa y particula r
attentio n t o th e pleat s an d seams .
Clea n th e leathe r wit h a sof t clot h
dampene d wit h clea r water , the n
buf f i t wit h a clean , dr y cloth . I f
furthe r cleanin g is needed , us e a
soa p specificall y fo r leather , suc h a s
saddl e soap . Appl y thi s soa p wit h a
damp , sof t cloth . Wip e dow n an d
buf f a s describe d above . Rea
r Windo w
Clea n th e rea r windo w wit h eithe r
clea n wate r o r a mil d detergent /
wate r solutio n an d a soft , dam p cloth .
Neve r us e a brus h o r dr y cloth , an d
d o no t us e an y hars h chemical s o r
abrasiv e cleaners . Yo u wil l damag e
th e window .
Polis h th e rea r windo w periodicall y
wit h a commerciall y availabl e plasti c
polis h mad e especiall y fo r
convertibl e rea r windows .
Sea t Belt s
I f you r sea t belt s ge t dirty , yo u ca n
us e a sof t brus h wit h a mixtur e o f
mil d soa p an d war m wate r t o clea n

them . D o no t us e bleach , dye , o r

cleanin g solvents . The y ca n weake n
th e bel t material . Le t th e belt s air -
dr y befor e yo u us e th e car .

Appearanc e Car e

Corrosio
n Protectio n

Man y corrosion-preventiv e measure s
ar e buil t int o you r Honda . Yo u ca n
hel p kee p you r ca r fro m corrodin g
b y performin g som e simpl e periodi c

maintenance :

Repai r chip s an d scratche s in th e
pain t a s soo n a s yo u discove r them . Inspec
t an d clea n ou t th e drai n
hole s i n th e botto m o f th e door s
an d body . Chec
k th e floo r covering s fo r
dampness . Carpetin g an d floo r
mat s ma y remai n dam p fo r a lon g
time , especiall y in winter . Thi s
dampnes s ca n eventuall y caus e
th e floo r panel s t o corrode . Us
e a high-pressur e spra y t o clea n
th e undersid e o f you r car . Thi s i s
especiall y importan t i n area s tha t
us e roa d sal t i n winter . I t i s als o a
goo d ide a in humi d climate s an d
area s subjec t t o sal t air . B e carefu l
o f th e AB S whee l sensor s an d
wirin g a t eac h wheel . Hav
e th e corrosion-preventiv e
coating s o n th e undersid e o f you r
ca r inspecte d an d repaire d
periodically .
Appearanc e Car e

Compac
t Spar e Tir e

You r ca r ha s a compac t spar e tir e
tha t take s u p les s space . Us e thi s
spar e tir e a s a temporar y replace -
men t only . Ge t you r regula r tir e
repaire d o r replace d an d pu t i t bac k
o n you r ca r a s soo n a s yo u can .
Chec k th e inflatio n pressur e o f th e
compac t spar e tir e ever y tim e yo u
chec k th e othe r tires . I t shoul d b e
inflate d to :60 ps i (42 0 kP a , 4. 2 kgf/cm 2)
Follo w thes e precaution s wheneve r
yo u ar e usin g th e compac t spar e tire : D
o no t excee d 5 0 mp h (8 0 km/h )
unde r an y circumstances . Thi
s tir e give s a harshe r rid e an d
les s tractio n o n som e roa d sur -
face s tha n th e regula r tire . Us e
greate r cautio n whil e drivin g o n
thi s tire . D
o no t moun t sno w chain s o n th e
compac t spare . Th
e whee l o f th e compac t spar e
tir e i s designe d especiall y t o fi t
you r car . D o no t us e you r spar e
tir e o n anothe r vehicl e unles s i t i s
th e sam e mak e an d model . INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MAR K
Th e compac t spar e tir e ha s a shorte r
trea d lif e tha n a regula r tire . Replac e
i t whe n yo u ca n se e th e trea d wea r
indicato r bars . Th e replacemen t
shoul d b e th e sam e siz e an d desig n
tire , mounte d o n th e sam e wheel .
Th e compac t spar e tir e is no t
designe d to b e mounte d o n a regula r
wheel , an d th e compac t whee l i s no t
designe d fo r mountin g a regula r tire .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d TREA
D WEA R INDICATO R BA R

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

Temperatur e — A, B , C
Th e temperatur e grade s ar e A (th e
highest) , B , an d C , representin g th e
tire' s resistanc e to th e generatio n o f
hea t an d it s abilit y t o dissipat e hea t
whe n teste d unde r controlle d
condition s o n a specifie d indoo r
laborator y tes t wheel . Sustaine d hig h
temperatur e ca n caus e th e materia l
o f th e tir e t o degenerat e an d reduc e
tir e life , an d excessiv e temperatur e
ca n lea d to sudde n tir e failure . Th e
grad e C correspond s t o a leve l o f
performanc e whic h al l passenge r ca r
tire s mus t mee t unde r th e Federa l
Moto r Vehicl e Safet y Standar d No .
109 . Grade s B an d A represen t
highe r level s o f performanc e o n th e
laborator y tes t whee l tha n th e
minimu m require d b y law .
Warning
: Th e temperatur e grad e fo r

thi s tir e is establishe d fo r a tir e tha t

i s properl y inflate d an d no t over -

loaded . Excessiv e speed , underinfla -
tion , o r excessiv e loading , eithe r

separatel y o r i n combination , ca n

caus e hea t buildu p an d possibl e tir e

failure .

Technical Informatio n