towing Acura CL 2001 Owner's Manual

2001 CL 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.h\
elminc.com.
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ .2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... .121
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................159
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................................... 173
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................203
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .263
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................271
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................297
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................309
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................315
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.
Owner's Identification Form

Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Besureitemsplacedonthefloor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
under the seats and interf ere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper
operation of the seats.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If the lid is open, a
passenger could injure their knees
during a crash or sudden stop. Do not put any items on top of the
rear shelf . They can block your
viewandbethrownaroundthecar
during a crash.
The f inal number is the total weight
of cargo you can carry. If you are towing a trailer, add the
tongue weight to the number
above. Add up the weight of all occupants.
To f igure out how much cargo you
can carry: This f igure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer. The maximum load for your car is
700 lbs (325 kg).
Subtract the total f rom 700 lbs
(325 kg). Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
Load Limit
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving170
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.

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your car, the braking system,
the Traction Control System, the
Vehicle Stability Assist System, and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive . 174
.......................
Starting the Engine . 175
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude . 175
..............
Automatic Transmission . 176
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 176
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 177
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 182
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 183
...........................................
Parking . 184
.....................
The Braking System . 185
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 185
...............
Brake System Design . 186
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes . 186
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders . 187
........................
ABS Indicator . 187
..............
Traction Control System . 188
...
Vehicle Stability Assist System . 191
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 194
...........................
Towing a Trailer . 196
Driving
Driving173

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If the car speed slows to below the
redline of the selected lower gear
position while the indicator is
f lashing, the transmission will
downshif t and the display will show
the selected lower gear.
If the transmission temperature is
below 14 °F ( 10 °C), you may not
be able to use the Sequential
SportShif t mode. These positions
are similar to D , except when you
select the D position, only the f irst
f our gears are selected. When you
select D , only the f irst three gears
are selected. D can also keep the
transmission f rom cycling between
f ourth and f if th gears in stop-and-go
driving, and D can keep the
transmission f rom cycling between
third and fourth gears.
Use D when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain, or to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D
gives you more power and increased
engine braking.
The table shows the speed ranges
f or upshif ting and downshif ting.
To shift from 23
34
45 Speed range
over 9 mph
(15 km/h)
over 18 mph
(29 km/h)
over 34 mph
(55 km/h) Speed range
under 60 mph
(96 km/h)
under 65 mph
(104 km/h)
under 93 mph
(150 km/h)
under 104 mph
(166 km/h)
under 125 mph
(200 km/h)
To shift from
32
43
54
5
4
3 4
3
3 3
1:
2: Premium model
Type S
1
2
1
2
Automatic Transmission
Driving
Drive(D,D)43
181

Your Acura has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces f ront-tire
traction and steering control.
To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer
and 40 percent toward the rear, then
re-adjust the load as needed.
The total
weight of the trailer and
everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously af f ect your car’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Load Limits Tongue Load:
T otal T railer Weight:
196

The best way to conf irm that vehicle
and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the f irst time you set up a
towing combination (a f ully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: on the f ront axle
on the rear axle
on the f ront axle
on the rear axle
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Checking L oads
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GA WR):
Premium model
Type S
Premium model Type S
197
2,445 lbs (1,110 kg)
1,950 lbs (885 kg)
4,280 lbs (1,940 kg)
4,365 lbs (1,980 kg)
2,425 lbs (1,100 kg)
1,950 lbs (885 kg) Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously
injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.

Towing can require a variety of
equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and
how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and that it meets
f ederal, state, province, and local
regulations.Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody.
Always use a saf ety chain. Make
sure that it is secured to both the
trailer and hitch, and that it cross
under the tongue so it can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chain drag on the ground.
Acura recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs
(450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle’s hydraulic system. No
matter how successf ul it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle’s hydraulic system
will lower braking ef f ectiveness and
create a potential hazard.
Towing a Trailer
Driving
T owing Equipment and
A ccessoriesHitches
Saf ety Chain Trailer Brakes
198

CONT INUED
Your car has a trailer lighting
connector located in the trunk by the
lef t taillight. To use the connector,
undo the f astener and unscrew the
cargo net mounting button on the
lef t side of the trunk lining. Ref er to
the drawing in this page for the
wiring color code and purpose of
each pin.
If you use a converter, you can get
the connector and pins that mate
with the connector in your car f rom
your Acura dealer.
Since lighting and wiring vary in
trailer type and brand, you should
also have a qualif ied mechanic install
a suitable connector between the
vehicleandthetrailer.
Driving
Towing a Trailer
T railer L ights
199
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Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inf lated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:
The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don’t,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or
if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation.
196 197244
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Pre-T ow ChecklistAdditional Trailer Equipment
200

µµ
µ
µ
CONT INUED
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below. Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the transmission shif ts f requently
between 4th and 5th gears while
going up a hill, shif t to D . And if the
transmission shif ts f requently
between 3rd and 4th gears, shif t to
D.
When towing a trailer in the
Sequential SportShif t mode, select
Fourth, Third, Second, or First gear;
depending on the vehicle speeds and
road condition. Do not use Fif th gear.
The recommended speed range f or
each gear position is shown in the
table.
Gear position 1
2
3, 4 Speed range
037mph
(0 60 km/h)
12 68 mph
over 25 mph
(over 40 km/h)
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Use the D or D position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D is
the proper shif t lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See ‘‘
’’ in the
f ollowing column f or additional gear
inf ormation.)
4
3
54
3
(20 110 km/h)
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
T owing Speeds and Gears Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
201