HONDA Insight 2000 Owner's Manual
2000 Insight Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com.
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... i
A Few Words About Safety.................................................................................................................ii
Your Car at a Glance.........................................................................................................2
Driver and Passenger Safety ..............................................................................................................5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls.................................................................................................................43
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ............................................................................................. 81
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving..................................................................................................................................117
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ..............................................................................................................................................131
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance.....................................................................................................................................145
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care..............................................................................................................................197
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected......................................................................................................205
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information.....................................................................................................................231
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................243
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)......................................................................................................249
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index...................................................................................................................................................... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.
Contents
Owner's Identification
Main Menu
OWNER
ADDRESS
CITY
V. I. N.
DELIVERY DATE
DEALER NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
OWNER'S
SIGNATURE
DEALER'S SIGNATURE
STREET
STATE/PROVINCE
(Date sold to original retail purchaser)
DEALER NO.
STREET
STATE/PROVINCE
ZIP CODE /
POSTAL CODE
ZIP
CODE/
POSTAL CODE
This Owner's Manual should be considered
a permanent part of the car, and should
remain with the car when it i
s sold.
The information and specifications included
in this publication were in affect at the time
of approval for printing. Honda Motor Co.,
Ltd. reserves the right, however, to
discontinue or change specifications or
design at any time without notice and
with out incurring any obligation whatsoever.
Introduction
Main Menu
Congratulations ! Your selection of a 2000 Honda Insight was a wise
investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Honda is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Afterwards, keep this owner's manual in your car so you
can refer to it at any time.
Several warranties protect your new Honda. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.
Maintaining your car according to the schedules given in this manual helps
to keep your driving trouble-free while it preserves your investment. When
your car needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Honda dealer's staff is
specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to your Honda. Your
Honda dealer is dedicated to your satisfaction and will be pleased to answer
any questions and concerns.
As you read this manual, you will
find information that is preceded by
a
NOTICE
symbol. This
information is intended to help you
avoid damage to your Honda, other
property, or the environment.
A Few Words About Safety
−
−
on the vehicle.
preceded by a safety alert symbol and one of
three signal words: , , or .
These signal words mean:
DANGER WARNING CAUTION
You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don’t follow instructions.
You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don’t follow instructions.
You CAN be HURT if you don’t follow
▲
▼
Main Menu
Your safety, and the safety of others,
is very important. And operating this
car safely is an important
responsibility.
You will find this important safety information in a variety of forms,
including:
Safety Labels — on the car.
Safety Messages — preceded by a safety alert symbol and one of
three signal words: DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION.
To help you make informed
These signal words mean:
decisions about safety, we have
provided operating procedures and
other information on labels and in
this manual. This information alerts
you to potential hazards that could
hurt you or others.
Of course, it is not practical or
possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or
maintaining your car. You must use
your own good judgement.
Safety Headings — such as Important Safety Reminders or Important
Safety Precautions.
Safety Section — such as Driver and Passenger Safety.
Instructions — how to use this car correctly and safely.
This entire book is filled with important safety information — please read it
carefully.
You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don't follow instructions.
You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don't follow instructions.
You CAN be HURT if you don't follow
instructions.
Your Car at a Glance
Main Menu
FCD SELECT BUTTON
(P.52)
DOOR LOCK
(P.69)
FUEL FILL
DOOR RELEASE
(P.119)
POWER WINDOW SWITCHES
(P.75)
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
(P.120)
HEATING/COOLING CONTROLS
(P.82, 89)
AUDIO SYSTEM
(P.96)
DIGITAL CLOCK
Your Car at a Glance
Main Menu
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P.75)
HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS
(P.59, 61)
MIRROR CONTROLS
(P.76)
HORN
WINDSHIELD WIPERS/WASHERS
(P.61)
HAZARD WARNING
LIGHTS
(P.63)
REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER
(P.63)
4
Main Menu
Driver and Passenger Safety
Main Menu
This section gives you important
information about how to protect
yourself and your passenger. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain children
in your car.
Important Safety Precautions.......... 6
Your Car's Safety Features.............. 7
Seat Belts........................................ 8
Airbags............................................ 9
Seats & Seat-Backs...................... 10
Head Restraints........................... 10
Door Locks................................... 10
Pre-Drive Safety Checklist......... 11
Protecting Adults............................. 12
1. Close and Lock the Doors...... 12
2. Adjust the Front Seats............ 12
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs............. 13
4. Fasten and Position the Seat
Belts...................................... 15
5. Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position................................. 16
Advice for Pregnant Women...... 17
Additional Safety Precautions.... 18
Protecting Children......................... 19
All Children Must Be
Restrained................................ 19
Your Car is Not Recommended
for Child Passengers............... 20
The Passenger's Airbag Poses
Serious Risks to Children....... 20
Additional Safety Precaution...... 22
General Guidelines for Using
Child Seats................................ 22
Protecting Small Children.......... 26
Protecting Larger Children........ 29
Using Child Seats with
Tethers...................................... 33
Additional Information About Your
Seat Belts.................................. 34
Seat Belt System Components... 34
Lap/Shoulder Belt....................... 34
Seat Belt Maintenance................ 35
Additional Information About
Your SRS...................................36
SRS Components......................... 36
How Your Airbags Work............ 36
How the Automatic Seat Belt
Tensioners Work..................... 38
How the SRS Indicator Light
Works........................................ 38
SRS Service................................... 39
Additional Safety Precautions.... 39
Carbon Monoxide Hazard..............
Safety Labels....................................
40
41
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important Safety Precautions
Main Menu
Table of Contents
You'll find many safety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The recommendations on this page
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement 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 passenger always wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
(See page 15).
Your Car is Not Recommended
for Child Passengers
Since all children are safest in the
back seat of a car, and your car does
not have a back seat, we recommend
that you do not carry a child
passenger. Due to the passenger's
airbag hazard, you should never
carry an infant in a rear-facing child
seat in this car. If a small child who
must be restrained in a forwardfacing child seat, or a larger child,
must ride in this car, be sure to
follow all instructions and safety
warnings in this manual. (See pages
26 and 29.)
Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants 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 Drink and Drive
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.
Control Your Speed
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.
Keep Your Car in Safe Condition
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 148 .)
Driver and Passenger Safety
(1) Safety Cage
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Table of Contents
(2) Crush Zones
(3) Seats & Seat-Backs
(4) Head Restraints
(5) Collapsible Steering Column
(6) Seat Belts
(7) Seat Belt Tensioners
(8) Airbags
(9) Door Locks
Your Car's Safety Features
Your car is equipped with many
features that work together to
protect you and your passenger
during a crash.
Some safety features do not require
any action on your part. These
include a strong aluminum
framework that forms a safety cage
around the passenger compartment;
front and rear crush zones that are
designed to crumple and absorb
energy during a crash; a collapsible
steering column; and seat belt
tensioners that automatically tighten
the seat belts in the event of a crash.
These safety features are designed
to reduce the severity of injuries in a
crash. However, you and your
passenger can't take full advantage
of these safety features unless you
remain sitting in a proper position
and always wear your seat belts
properly. In fact, some safety
features can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Your Car's Safety Features
Main Menu
Table of Contents
Seat Belts
For your safety, and the safety of
your passenger, your car is equipped
with seat belts in both seating
positions.
Your seat belt system also
includes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passenger to fasten your seat
belts.
Why Wear Seat Belts
Seat belts have proven to be the
single most effective safety device.
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your car has airbags.
In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces require you to
wear seat belts.
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
if you have airbags.
Be sure you and your
passenger always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.
When properly worn, seat belts:
Keep you connected to the vehicle
so you can take advantage of the
car's built-in safety features.
Help protect you in almost every
type of crash, including side and
rear impacts and rollovers. (Your
airbag can only be helpful in a
moderate to severe frontal
collision.)
Help keep you from being thrown
against the inside of the vehicle
and against other occupants.
Keep you from being thrown out
of the vehicle.
Help keep you in a good position
should the airbags ever deploy. A
good position reduces the risk of
injury from an inflating airbag, and
allows you to get the best
advantage from the airbag.
Of course, seat belts cannot
completely protect you in every
crash. But in most cases, seat belts
can reduce your risk of serious
injury.
What you should do: Always wear
your seat belt, and make sure you
wear it properly.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Your Car's Safety Features
Main Menu
Table of Contents
Airbags
Your car has a Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) with frontal
airbags to help protect the driver and
a passenger.
SR
instrument panel to alert you to a
possible problem with the system.
This system also includes
S
an indicator light on the
The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
The seat belts are the occupants'
primary protection in all types of
collisions. Airbags supplement
seat belts by providing extra
protection for occupants' heads
and chests.
Airbags offer no protection in side
impacts, rear impacts, rollovers,
or minor collisions. Airbags are
designed to deploy only during a
moderate to severe frontal
collision.
Airbags can pose serious hazards.
To do their job, airbags must
inflate with tremendous force and
speed. So while airbags save lives,
they can cause serious injuries to
adults and larger children who are
not wearing seat belts, are not
wearing them properly, are sitting
too close to the airbag, or are not
sitting in a proper position. Infants
and small children are at an even
greater risk of injury or death.
What you should do: Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as far back as possible
from the steering wheel or
dashboard.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Your Car's Safety Features
Main Menu
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Seats & Seat-Backs
Your car's seats are designed to keep
you in a comfortable, upright
position so you can take full
advantage of the protection offered
by seat belts and the energy
absorbing materials in the seats.
How you adjust your seats and seat-
backs can also affect your safety. For
example, sitting too close to the
steering wheel or dashboard
increases the risk of you or your
passenger being injured by striking
the inside of the car, or by an
inflating airbag.
Reclining a seat-back too far reduces
the seat belt's effectiveness and
increases the chance that the seat's
occupant will slide under the seat
belt in a crash and be seriously
injured.
What you should do: Move the seats
as far back as possible, and keep
adjustable seat-backs in an upright
position whenever the car is moving.
Head Restraints
Head restraints can help protect you
from whiplash and other injuries.
Door Locks
Keeping your doors locked reduces
the chance of being thrown out of
the car during a crash. It also helps
prevent occupants from accidentally
opening a door and falling out, and
outsiders from unexpectedly opening
your doors.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Your Car's Safety Features
Main Menu
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Pre-Drive Safety Checklist
To make sure you and your
passenger get the maximum
protection from your car's safety
features, check the following each
time before you drive away:
You and any adult passenger, or a
larger child who has outgrown
child seats, are wearing your seat
belts and wearing them properly
(see page 15).
A small child riding in a forwardfacing child seat is properly
restrained (see page 26).
Occupants are sitting upright and
as far back as possible from the
steering wheel and dashboard
(see page 12 ).
Seat-backs are upright (see page
13).
Both doors are closed and locked
(see page 12 ).
All cargo is properly stored or
secured (see page 128).
The rest of this section gives more
detailed information about how you
can maximize your safety.
Remember, however, that no safety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in severe
crashes, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
Main Menu
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Introduction
The following pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect adult occupants.
These instructions also apply to a
child whom you have decided is
large enough and mature enough to
ride as a passenger. (See page 29 for
important additional guidelines on
how to properly protect larger
children.)
1. Close and Lock the Doors
After everyone has entered the car,
be sure the doors are closed and
locked.
Your car has a door monitor light on
the instrument panel to indicate
when a specific door is not tightly
closed.
For safety, locking the doors reduces
the chance that a passenger,
especially a child, will open a door
while the car is moving and
accidentally fall out. It also reduces
the chance of someone being thrown
out of the car during a crash.
For security, locked doors can
prevent an outsider from
unexpectedly opening a door when
you come to a stop.
See page 69 for how to lock the
doors.
2.Adjust the Front Seats
Any driver who sits too close to the
steering wheel is at risk of being
seriously injured or killed by striking
the steering wheel, or from being
struck by an inflating airbag during a
crash.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
Main Menu
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
To reduce the chance of injury, wear
your seat belt properly, sit upright
with your back against the seat, and
move the seat as far back as possible
from the steering wheel while still
maintaining full control of the car.
Also make sure your passenger
moves the seat as far to the rear as
possible.
Sitting too close to an airbag
can result in serious injury or
death if the airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
airbags as possible.
Most shorter drivers can get far
enough away from the steering
wheel and still reach the pedals.
However, if you are concerned about
sitting too close, we recommend that
you investigate whether some type
of adaptive equipment may help.
Once your seat is adjusted correctly,
rock it back and forth to make sure
the seat is locked in position.
See page 74 for how to adjust the
seats.
3.Adjust the Seat-Backs
Adjust the driver's seat-back to a
comfortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel. If you
sit too close to the steering wheel,
you could be injured if the airbag
inflates.
CONTINUED
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
Main Menu
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
A passenger should also adjust the
seat-back to an upright position, but
as far from the dashboard as
possible. A passenger who sits too
close to the dashboard could be
injured if the airbag inflates.
Reclining a seat-back so that the
shoulder part of the belt no longer
rests against the occupant's chest
reduces the protective capability of
the belt. It also increases the chance
of sliding under the belt in a crash
and being seriously injured. The
farther a seat-back is reclined, the
greater the risk of injury.
Reclining the seat-back too far
can result in serious injury or
death in a crash.
Adjust the seat-back to an
upright position and sit well
back in the seat.
See page 74 for how to adjust seat-
backs.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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Table of ContentsTable of Contents
4.Fasten and Position the Seat
Belts
Insert the latch plate into the buckle,
then tug on the belt to make sure the
belt is securely latched. Also check
that the belt is not twisted, because a
twisted belt can cause serious
injuries in a crash.
Position the lap part of the belt as
low as possible across your hips,
then pull up on the shoulder part of
the belt so the lap part fits snugly.
This lets your strong pelvic bones
take the force of a crash and reduces
the chance of internal injuries.
If necessary, pull up on the belt again
to remove any slack from the
shoulder part, then check that the
belt rests across the center of your
chest and over your shoulder. This
spreads the forces of a crash over
the strongest bones in your upper
body.
Improperly positioning the seat
belts can cause serious injury
or death in a crash.
Make sure all seat belts are
properly positioned before
driving.
Never place the shoulder portion of a
lap/shoulder belt under your arm or
behind your back. This could cause
very serious injuries in a crash.
CONTINUED
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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Table of ContentsTable of Contents
If a seat belt does not seem to work
as it should, it may not protect the
occupant in a crash. No one should
sit in a seat with an inoperative seat
belt. Anyone using a seat belt that is
not working properly can be
seriously injured or killed. Have your
Honda dealer check the belt as soon
as possible.
See page 34 for additional
information about your seat belt
system and how to take care of your
belts.
5.Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position
After occupants have adjusted their
seats and put on seat belts, it is very
important that they continue to sit
upright, well back in their seats, with
their feet on the floor, until the car is
parked and the engine is off.
Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example, if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward or sideways,
or puts one or both feet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is
greatly increased.
In addition, an occupant who is out of
position can be seriously or fatally
injured by striking interior parts of
the car, or by being struck by an
inflating airbag.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the
floor.
Remember, to get the best
protection from your car's airbags
and other safety features, you must
sit properly and wear your seat belt
properly.
Advice for Pregnant Women
Because protecting the mother is the
best way to protect her unborn child,
a pregnant woman should always
wear a seat belt whenever she drives
or rides in a vehicle.
Remember to keep the lap portion of
the belt as low as possible across
your hips.
Pregnant women should also sit
upright and as far back as possible
from the steering wheel or
dashboard. This will reduce the risk
of injuries to both the mother and
her unborn child that can be caused
by a crash or an inflating airbag.
Each time you have a check-up, ask
your doctor if it's okay for you to
drive.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
Main Menu
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Additional Safety Precautions
Two people should never use the
same seat belt. If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
Do not put any accessories on seat
belts. Devices intended to improve
occupant comfort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt can
severely compromise the
protective capability of the seat
belt and increase the chance of
serious injury in a crash.
Do not place hard or sharp objects
between yourself and an airbag.
Carrying hard or sharp objects on
your lap, or driving with a pipe or
other sharp object in your mouth,
can result in injuries if your
airbags inflate.
Do not attach or place objects on
the front 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.
Keep your hands and arms away
from the airbag covers. If your
hands or arms are close to the
airbag covers in the center of the
steering wheel and on top of the
dashboard, they could be injured if
the airbags inflate.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Children depend on adults to protect
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Table of ContentsTable of Contents
them. However, despite their best
intentions, many parents and other
adults may not know how to properly
protect young passengers.
So if you have children, or if you ever
need to drive with a grandchild or
other children in your car, be sure to
read this section.
Children who are unrestrained
or improperly restrained can be
seriously injured or killed in a
crash.
Any child too small for a seat
belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. A
larger child should be properly
restrained with a seat belt.
Protecting Children
All Children Must Be Restrained
Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In fact, vehicle
accidents are the number one cause
of death of children ages 12 and
under.
To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state and
Canadian province requires that
infants and children be restrained
whenever they ride in a vehicle.
Any child who is too small to wear a
seat belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. (See page
26.)
A larger child should always be
restrained with a seat belt. (See page
29.)
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Your Car is Not Recommended
for Child Passengers
We strongly recommend that you do
not carry any child in this car.
One reason is that your car does not
have a back seat, and accident
statistics show that a child of any
size or age is safer when they are
properly restrained in the back seat
of a vehicle.
In addition, your car has a passenger's
airbag which poses serious risks to
children — particularly infants and
small children.
The Passenger's Airbag Poses
Serious Risks to Children
Airbags have been designed to help
protect adults in a moderate to
severe frontal collision. To do this,
the passenger's airbag is quite large,
and it inflates with tremendous
speed.
As a result, we urge you to follow
these guidelines.
Infants
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front seat of a car equipped with
a passenger's airbag. If the airbag
inflates, it can hit the back of the
child seat with enough force to kill or
very seriously injure an infant.
Small Children
Placing a forward-facing child seat in
the front seat of a car equipped with
a passenger's airbag can be
hazardous. If the vehicle seat is too
far forward, or the child's head is
thrown forward during a collision, an
inflating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to kill or very
seriously injure a small child. If a
small child must ride in this car,
follow the instructions on page 23 .
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
seats are also at risk of being injured
or killed by an inflating passenger's
airbag. If a larger child must ride in
this car, see page 29 for important
guidelines on how to decide whether
a child is large enough and mature
enough to ride as a passenger, and
how to properly protect the child.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
Main Menu
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
U.S. Models
To remind you of the passenger's
airbag hazards, your car has warning
labels hanging from the glove box
and on the driver's and passenger's
visors. Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
Canadian Models
To remind you of the airbag hazards,
your car has warning labels on the
driver's and passenger's visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
CAUTION
TO AVOID SERIOUS INJURY:
FOR MAXIMUM SAFETY PROTECTION IN
ALL TYPES OF CRASHES, YOU MUST
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELT.
DO NOT INSTALL REARWARD-FACING
CHILD SEATS IN ANY FRONT
PASSENGER SEAT POSITION.
DO NOT SIT OR LEAN UNNECESSARILY
CLOSE TO THE AIR BAG.
DO NOT PLACE ANY OBJECTS OVER THE
AIR BAG OR BETWEEN THE AIR BAG
AND YOURSELF.
SEE THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION AND EXPLANATIONS.
PRECAUTION:
POUR EVITER DES BLESSURES GRAVES:
POUR PROFITER D'UNE PROTECTION
MAXIMALE LORS D'UNE COLLISION BOUCLEZ
TOUJOURS VOTRE CEINTURE DE SECURITE.
N'lNSTALLEZ JAMAIS UN SIEGE POUR
ENFANTS FAISANT FACE A L'ARRIERE SUR
LE SIEGE DU PASSAGER AVANT.
NE VOUS APPUYEZ PAS ET NE VOUS ASSEYEZ
PAS PRES DU COUSSIN GONFLABLE.
NE DEPOSEZ AUCUN OBJET SUR LE COUSSIN
GONFLABLE OU ENTRE LE COUSSIN
GONFLABLE ET VOUS.
LISEZ LE GUIDE UTILISATEUR POUR DE
PLUS AMPLES RENSEIGNEMENTS.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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Additional Safety Precaution
Do not leave a child alone in your
car. Leaving a child without adult
supervision is illegal in most states
and Canadian provinces and can
be very hazardous. For example, a
small child left in a car on a hot
day can die from heatstroke. A
child left alone with the key in the
ignition can accidentally set the
car in motion, possibly injuring
themselves or others.
General Guidelines for Using
Child Seats
As discussed on page 20, because
your car does not have a back seat,
and because of the passenger's
airbag hazard, we strongly
recommend that you do not carry a
small child as a passenger in this car.
However, if you must carry a small
child in this car, the child must be
properly restrained in a child seat.
The following pages give general
guidelines for selecting and installing
a child seat. See page 26 for
additional information.
Selecting a Child Seat
To provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
1. The child seat should meet safety
standards. The child seat should
meet Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213)
or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 (CMVSS 213). Look
for the manufacturer's statement
of compliance on the box and seat.
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2. The child seat should be of the
proper type and size to fit the child.
Small Children: A child who can sit
up without support should be
restrained in a forward-facing child
seat. See page 26 for additional
information on protecting small
children.
3. The child seat should fit the
passenger's seat.
Due to variations in the design of
child seats, vehicle seats, and seat
belts, all child seats will not fit all
seating positions in all cars.
However, Honda is confident that
one or more child seat models can fit
and be properly installed in this car.
Before purchasing a child seat, we
recommend that parents test the
child seat to make sure it fits
properly in the passenger's seat. If a
previously purchased child seat does
not fit, you will need to buy a
different one that will fit.
CONTINUED
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Protecting Children
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Placing a Child Seat
This page briefly summarizes
Honda's recommendations on where
to place a child seat in your car.
Airbags Pose Serious
Risks to Children
The passenger's airbag inflates
with enough force to kill or
seriously injure an infant in a
rear-facing child seat.
A small child in a forward-facing
child seat is also at risk. If the
vehicle seat is too far forward,
or the child's head is thrown
forward during a collision, an
inflating airbag can kill or
seriously injure the child.
If a small child must ride in this
car, follow the instructions
provided in this section.
Passenger's Seat
Infants: Never in the passenger's
seat, due to the passenger's airbag
hazard.
Small children: Not recommended,
due to the passenger's airbag
hazard. If a small child must ride
in this car, move the vehicle seat
to the rear-most position and
secure a front-facing child seat
with the seat belt, (see page 27).
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Installing a Child Seat
After selecting a proper child seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:
1. Secure the child seat to the car
with a seat belt. All child seats
must be secured to the car with
the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt.
A child whose seat is not properly
secured to the car can be
endangered in a crash. See page
27 for instructions on how to
secure a forward-facing child seat
in this car.
2. Make sure the child seat is firmly
secured. After installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
forward and from side to side to
verify that it is secure.
To provide security during normal
driving maneuvers as well as during
a collision, we recommend that
parents secure a child seat as firmly
as possible.
However, a child seat does not need
to be "rock solid." It may be difficult
to install a child seat so that it does
not move at all. Some side-to-side or
back-and-forth movement can be
expected and should not reduce the
child seat's effectiveness.
3. Secure the child in the child seat.
Make sure the child is properly
strapped in the child seat
according to the child seat maker's
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be thrown out of the seat in a
crash and seriously injured.
Storing a Child Seat
When you are not using a child seat,
either remove it and store it in a safe
place, or make sure it is properly
secured. An unsecured child seat can
be thrown around the car during a
crash or sudden stop and injure
someone.
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Protecting Small Children
The passenger's airbag poses
serious risks to small children. If the
vehicle seat is too far forward, or the
child's head is thrown forward
during a collision, or the child is
unrestrained or improperly
restrained, an inflating airbag can kill
or seriously injure the child.
For these reasons, we recommend
that you do not carry a small child as
a passenger.
If you decide to carry a small child in
this car, follow the instructions and
guidelines below.
Child Seat Type
A child who can sit up without
support, and who fits within the child
seat maker's weight and height
limits, should be restrained in a
forward-facing, upright child seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a fivepoint harness system as shown.
We also recommend that a small
child stay in the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit for the seat.
Improperly placing a forwardfacing child seat in the front
seat can result in serious injury
or death if the airbags inflate.
If you must place a forwardfacing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible and properly restrain
the child.
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The passenger's seat belt has a
locking mechanism that must be
activated to secure a child seat.
The following pages provide
instructions and tips on how to
secure a forward-facing child seat
with this type of seat belt.
1. Move the vehicle seat to the rearmost position. Moving the seat as
far back as possible reduces the
chance of a child being injured or
killed if the passenger's airbag
inflates. (See page 74 for
instructions on how to adjust the
seat.)
2. With the child seat in position,
route the belt through the child
seat according to the seat maker's
instructions, then insert the latch
plate into the buckle.
Protecting Children
3. To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt feed back into the
retractor (you might hear a
clicking noise as the belt retracts).
4. After the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
the belt out, it is not locked and
you will need to repeat these steps.
CONTINUED
Driver and Passenger Safety
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