climate control Acura CL 2003 User Guide

CONT INUED
Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn
the heater temperature control
dial to maximum heat (climate
control to 90°F/32°C). Turn of f
the ignition. Open the hood. Make
sure the engine and radiator are
cool to the touch.
Remove the radiator cap.Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the
splash guard.
Thecoolingsystemshouldbe
completely drained and ref illed with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
Honda All Season Antif reeze/
Coolant Type 2.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance
done by a skilled mechanic.
Drain the coolant into an
appropriate container.
1.
2. 3.
Replacing Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance245
D D
R
RAA I
INN P
PL
LUUG G

µµ
This f ilter should be replaced every
30,000 miles (48,000 km) under nor-
mal conditions. It should be replaced
every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) if you
drive primarily in urban areas that
have high concentrations of soot in
the air f rom industry and diesel-pow-
ered vehicles. Replace it more of ten
if air f low f rom the climate control
system becomes less than usual.
Have dust and pollen f ilter replaced
by your Acura dealer. The dust and pollen f ilter removes
pollen and dust that is brought in
f rom the outside through the climate
control system.
Check the condition of the two drive
belts (power steering belt and
alternator belt). Examine the edges
of each belt f or cracks or f raying.
Check the tension of the power
steering belt by pushing on it with
your thumb midway between the
pulleys.Thebeltshouldhavethefollowing
‘‘play’’ or def lection.
Power steering belt:
If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace
the belts.
Drive Belts
Dust and Pollen Filter
Dust and Pollen Filter, Drive Belts
Maint enance265
A A L
LT
T E
ER
RN NA AT
TO
OR R B
BEEL
LT
T
P
P
O
OW WE ER
R S
STTE
EE
ER
RI INNG G B
BEEL
LT
T
0.51 0.65 in (13.0 16.5 mm)

If your car’s battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine
by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Remove the battery cover (see
page ).
You cannot start an Acura with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it.
Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
To jump start your car, f ollow these
directions closely:
1. 2.
3.
259
259
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed303
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine.
If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading
(climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for
example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately.
If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving. Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn of f the climate control and all
otheraccessories.Turnonthe
hazard warning indicators.
The pointer of your car’s tempera-
ture gauge should stay in the mid-
range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a long
steep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason. Your car can overheat f or several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.1.
2.
3.
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed306
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.

If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Wait until you see no more signs
of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks. Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see on page ).
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off.
Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the f iller neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and
ref illed with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly. Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See
on page .)
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.10.
12.
11.
320
183 320
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed307
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to
a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories: radio, climate control,
rear def ogger, cruise control, etc.
Try not to use other electrically-
operated controls such as the power
windows. Keep the engine running
and take extra care not to stall it.
Starting the engine will discharge
the battery rapidly.
This indicator should come on when
the ignition switch is ON (II), and go
out af ter the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped
charging the battery.
Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed309
C CH H A
AR
RGGI INNG G S
SYYSSTTE
EM
M I
INND DI
ICCA A T
TO
OR R

µ
The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specif ied government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-
half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded
100. The relative perf ormance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart signif icantly f rom the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and dif f erences in
road characteristics and climate.
The tires on your car meet all U.S.
Federal Saf ety Requirements. All
tires are also graded for treadwear,
traction, and temperature perform-
ance according to Department of
Transportation (DOT) standards.
The f ollowing explains these
gradings.
Quality grades can be f ound where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and the
maximum section width. For
example:
The traction grades, f rom highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specif ied government test surf aces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
perf ormance.
Warning: The traction grade
assignedtothistireisbasedon
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
All passenger car tires must conf orm
to Federal Saf ety Requirements in
addition to these grades. T readwear
Unif orm T ire Quality Grading T readwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A Traction AA, A, B, C
DOT T ire Quality Grading (U.S. Cars)
T echnical Inf ormation328

Î
ÎThe United States Clean Air Act
sets standards f or automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
workandwhattodotomaintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page .
In Canada, Acura vehicles comply
with the Canadian emission
requirements, as specif ied in an
agreement with Environment
Canada, at the time they are
manuf actured.
The burning of gasoline in your car’s
engine produces several byproducts.
Some of these are carbon monoxide
(CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and
hydrocarbons (HC). Gasoline
evaporating from the tank also
produces hydrocarbons. Controlling
the production of NOx, CO, and HC
is important to the environment.
Under certain conditions of sunlight
and climate, NOx and HC react to
f orm photochemical ‘‘smog.’’ Carbon
monoxide does not contribute to
smog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas.
Your car has a Positive Crankcase
Ventilation System. This keeps
gasses that build up in the engine’s
crankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive CrankcaseVentilation valve routes them from
the crankcase back to the intake
manif old. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned.
As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
The Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f .
230
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
Emissions Cont rols
T echnical Inf ormation332

CONT INUED
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 185
................................
Accessories .185
.
Additional Safety Precautions . 186
............................
Modif ications .186
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) .81
............
Accessory Power Sockets . 117
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 240
.........................
Airbag (SRS) .9, 46, 48
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .254
..............
Air Conditioning System . 122
..............................
Maintenance .264
.................................
Usage .124, 129
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .266
...........................
Alarm, Anti-theft .158
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline .330
.......
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning . 287
......................................
Antif reeze .243
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ...............................
Indicator .61, 208
...................................
Operation .207
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 157
Anti-thef t Steering Column ..............................................
Lock .81 ..........................
Anti-thef t System .158
..........................
Appearance Care .285
............................................
Armrest .96
...............
Audio Controls, Remote . 156
................................
Audio System .135
Automatic Climate Control ........................................
System .122
...
Automatic Lighting Off Feature . 71
Automatic Seat Belt ...................................
Tensioners .44
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 159
..............
Automatic Transmission . 197
..........................
Capacity, Fluid .326
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 250
....
Sequential SportShif t Mode . 200
.......................................
Shif ting .198
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 197
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 198
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 204
Battery Charging System ...........................
Indicator .60, 309
............................
Jump Starting .303 ..............................
Maintenance .259
............................
Specif ications .327
..............................
Bef ore Driving .177
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,43
...........................
Beverage Holder .111
...................................
Body Repair .292
Brakes ...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 207
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 178
....................
Bulb Replacement .278
...........................................
Fluid .252
.......................................
Parking .108
.................
System Indicator . 60,312
........................
Wear Indicators .206
.............................
Braking System .206
........................
Break-in, New Car .178
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 72
........................
Brights, Headlights .70
Index
A
B
I

Î
Bulb Replacement..........................
Back-up Lights .278
..............................
Brake Lights .278
........
Front Side Marker Lights . 277
.................................
Headlights .275
.........
High-mount Brake Light . 279
...........................
Interior Lights .280
...................
License Plate Light . 280
............................
Specif ications .327
...............................
Trunk Light .282
....................
Turn Signal Lights . 277
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen .275
............................
Capacities Chart .326
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 52
............................
Carrying, Cargo .187
Cassette Player ............................................
Care .146
...................................
Operation .142
..............
CAUTION, Explanation of . ii
...................................
CD Changer .147
..................................
Ceiling Light .118
........................
Certif ication Label .324
............................................
Chains .272 Changing Oil
........................................
How to .241
......................................
When to .230
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .295
............
Changing Engine Coolant . 245
...
Charging System Indicator . 60,309
............
Checklist, Bef ore Driving . 192
.....................................
Child Saf ety .20
.......................................
Child Seats .25
.........................................
LATCH .41
..........
Tether Anchorage Points . 40
....................
Cleaner Element, Air . 254
Cleaning ....................
Aluminum Wheels .287
...................................
Carpeting .288
......................................
Exterior .286
.........................................
Fabric .289
.......................................
Interior .288
.......................................
Leather .289
...................................
Seat Belts .289
...........................................
Vinyl .289
....................................
Windows .290
................................
Wood Trim .290
...............
Climate Control System . 122
.........................
Clock, Setting the .109
...............................
Clutch System .253 ......................................
Coat Hook .115
.....................
Code, Audio System .157
........................
CO in the Exhaust .332
........................................
Coin Box .113
............
Cold Weather, Starting in . 193
..............................
Compact Spare .294
.................
Console Compartment . 113
.............................
Console Pocket .114
...............
Consumer Inf ormation . 338
.............
Controls, Instruments and . 55
Coolant ........................................
Adding .243
....................................
Checking .183
.........................
Proper Solution .243
...................................
Replacing .245
...................
Temperature Gauge . 67
....................
Corrosion Protection .291
............................
Courtesy Lights .119
Crankcase Emissions Control ........................................
System .332
............
Cruise Control Operation . 159
..........
Customer Relations Of f ice . 338
................
DANGER, Explanation of . ii
Index
C
D
II