Honda S2000 Owner's Manual

2000 S2000 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
Driver and Passenger Safety ..............................................................................................................5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls.................................................................................................................41
Instrume
Comfort and Convenience Features
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ..............................................................................................................................................129
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance.....................................................................................................................................143
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected......................................................................................................211
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an
Technical Informatio
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................253
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)......................................................................................................259
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.
nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
...............................................................................................
................................................................................................
e..............................................................................................................................203
d how to handle them.
n.....................................................................................................................241
..................................115
Contents
85
Introduction
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Congratulations on your selection of the 2000 Honda S2000. We are certain you will be pleased with your purchase of one of the most sophisticated and technologically-advanced sports cars in the world.
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
NOTICE
a
symbol. This information is intended to help you avoid damage to your S2000, other
property, or the environment.
A Few Words About Safety
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Your safety, and the safety of others, is very important. And operating this car safely is an import ant responsibility.
To help you make informed
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.
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. These signal words mean:
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.
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.
Your Car at a Glance
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HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNAL SWITCH (P.51)
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE (P.118)
DOOR LOCK SWITCH (P.62)
POWER WINDOW SWITCHES (P.69)
MIRROR CONTROLS (P.79)
WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLS (P.53)
ROOF SWITCH (P.71)
HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING (P.86)
AUDIO SYSTEM (P.94)
HAZARD WARNING SWITCH (P.79)
Your Car at a Glance
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REMOTE AUDIO CONTROLS (P.112)
ENGINE START BUTTON (P.131)
HEADLIGHTS/TURN
SIGNALS
(P.51)
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE (P.118)
INSTRUMENT PANEL BRIGHTNESS
(P.52)
CRUISE CONTROL MASTER SWITCH (P.55)
WINDSHIELD WIPERS/ WASHERS
(P.53)
HORN
Driver and Passenger Safety
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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
Additional Information About Your
Seat Belts.................................. 33
Seat Belt System Components... 33
Lap/Shoulder Belt....................... 33
Seat Belt Maintenance................ 34
Additional Information About Your
SRS............................................
35
SRS Components......................... 35
How Your Airbags Work............ 35
How the Automatic Seat Belt
Tensioners Work..................... 37
How the SRS Indicator Light
Works........................................ 37
SRS Service................................... 38
Additional Safety Precautions.... 38
Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 39
Safety Labels.................................... 40
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important Safety Precautions
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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 146.)
Driver and Passenger Safety
(1) Safety Cage
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(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 steel 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
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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 vehicle'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
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Airbags
Your car has a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) with frontal airbags to help protect the driver and a passenger.
SRS
This system also includes
an indicator light on the instrument panel to alert you to a possible problem with the system.
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 silling 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
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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
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Pre-Drive Safety Checklist
To make sure you and your passenger gel 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
(seepage 12).
All cargo is properly stored or
secured (see page 124).
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
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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 58 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
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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 68 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.
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.
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Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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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 68 for how to adjust seat­backs.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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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.
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Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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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 33 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.
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.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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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
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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.
Keep your hands and arms away
from the airbag covers. If your
hands or arms are close to the SRS covers in the center of the steering wheel and on top of the dashboard, they could be injured if the airbags inflate.
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.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Children depend on adults to protect
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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.
26.
)
A larger child should always be
restrained with a seat belt. (See page
29.
)
(See page
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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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
U.S.
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Models
To remind you of the passenger's airbag hazards, your car has warning labels on the dashboard and on the driver's and passenger's visors. Please read and follow the instructions on these labels.
Protecting Children
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.
PRECAUTIONS: POUR EVITER DES BLESSURES GRAVES:
POUR PROF1TER D'UNE PROTECTIOON MAXIMALE LORS D'UNE COLLISION BQUCLEZ TOUJOURS VOTRE C EINTURE DE SECURITE. NINSTALLEZ JAMAIS UN SIEGE POUR ENFANTS FAISANT FACE A L'ARRIERE SUR LE SIEGE DU PASSAGER AVANT. NE VOUS APPUYEZ PAS ET NE VOUS ASSOYEZ 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.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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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 all recommended seating positions in your 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.
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Driver and Passenger Safety
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 ).
This car is not equipped with a tether attachment point.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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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.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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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 forward-
facing 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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Child Seat Installation
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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 68 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.
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Protecting Children
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5. After confirming that the belt is locked, grab the shoulder part of the belt near the buckle and pull up to remove any slack from the lap part of the belt. Remember, if the lap part of the belt is not tight, the child seat will not be secure. It may help to put weight on the child seat, or push on the back of the seat, while pulling up on the belt.
6. Push and pull the child seat forward and from side to side to verify that it is secure enough to stay upright during normal driving maneuvers. If the child seat is not secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to retract fully, then repeat these steps.
To deactivate the locking mechanism in order to remove a
child seat, unlatch the buckle, unroute the seat belt, and let the belt fully retract.
Additional Precautions for Small
Children
Never hold a small child on your lap. If you are not wearing a seat
belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward into the
dashboard and crush the child.
If you are wearing a seat belt, the
child can be torn from your arms
during a crash. For example, if your car crashes into a parked vehicle at 30 mph (48 km/h), a
30-lb (14 kg) child will become a
900-lb (410 kg) force, and you will
not be able to hold on.
Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a child. During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause very serious injuries.
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Protecting Children
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Protecting Larger Children
The passenger's airbag poses
serious risks to children, including those who have outgrown child seats. 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 out of position, an inflating airbag can kill or seriously
injure the child.
For these reasons, we recommend that you do not carry a child passenger.
With this in mind, following are some guidelines to help you decide when a given child may ride in your car.
The Child Should Wear a Seat Belt
When a child reaches the recommended weight or height limit for a forward-facing child seat, the child should wear a lap/shoulder belt.
If a child is too short for the shoulder part of the belt to properly fit, we recommend that the child use a booster seat until tall enough to use the seat belt without a booster.
The following pages give
instructions on how to check proper seat belt fit, what kind of booster seat to use if one is needed, and important precautions for a child who must ride in this car.
Allowing a larger child to sit
improperly in the front seat can result in injury or death if the
airbags inflate.
If a larger child must sit in front,
make sure the child moves the seat as far back as possible and wears the seat belt properly.
Checking Seat Belt Fit
To determine if a lap/shoulder belt properly fits a child, have the child put on the seat belt. Follow the instructions on page 15. Then check how the belt fits.
If the shoulder part of the belt rests over the child's collarbone and against the center of the chest, as
shown, the child is large enough to wear the seat belt.
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