check engine Acura CL 2003 Owner's Guide

µµµ µ
µ
µ
µ
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you f ill the f uel tank. See page .
Windshield washer f luid Check
the level in the reservoir monthly.
If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers f requently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
f or f uel. See page .
Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page . Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See page .
Brakes Check the f luid level
monthly. See page .
Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the page given.
When adding or replacing f luids
within the engine compartment, such
as oil and coolant, be caref ul of
spillage.
This may lead to damage parts in the
engine compartment.
181
183
249
250 252 266
273
Owner Maintenance Checks
Maint enance237

CONT INUED
To add oil, unscrew and remove the
engine oil f ill cap on top of the valve
cover. Pour in the oil, and install the
engine oil f ill cap. Tighten it securely.
Wait a f ew minutes and recheck the
oil level. Do not f ill above the upper
mark; you could damage the engine.Make sure the API Certif ication Seal
says ‘‘For Gasoline Engines.’’
Oil is a major contributor to your
engine’s perf ormance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade 5W-20
detergent oil displaying the API
Certif ication Seal. This seal indicates
the oil is energy conserving, and that
it meets the American Petroleum
Institute’s latest requirements.
Honda Motor Oil is the pref erred
5W-20 lubricant f or your vehicle. It is
highly recommended that you use
Honda Motor Oil in your vehicle f or
optimum engine protection.
A dding Oil
Recommended Oil
Engine Oil
Maint enance239
E EN
NG GIINNE E O
OIILL F
FIILL L
L C
CAA P
P
A
AP
PI
IC
CE ER
RT TI
IFFI ICCA A T
TI
IOON N S
SEEA
A L
L

Let the engine run f or several
minutes and check the drain bolt
and oil f ilter f or leaks.
Turn of f the engine, let it sit f or
several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.
Install a new oil f ilter according to
instructions that come with it.
Put a new washer on the drain bolt,
then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:
Refill the engine with the recom-
mended oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including f ilter):
Replace the engine oil f ill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
f ive seconds. If it does not, turn of f
the engine and reinspect your
work.
6. 7.
8.
9.
4.
5.
Engine Oil
Maint enance242
29 lbf·ft (39 N·m , 4.0 kgf·m)
4.6 US qt (4.4
, 3.9 Imp qt)
Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmf ul to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose of
the used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling
center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.

If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system f or leaks.
The coolant you add should always
be a mixture of 50 percent antif reeze
and 50 percent water. Never add
straight antif reeze or plain water.If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.
Make sure the engine and radiator
are cool.
Always use Honda All Season
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2. This
coolant is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antif reeze and 50 percent water. It
does not require any additional
mixing. If it is not available, you may
use another major-brand non-silicate
coolant as a temporary replacement.
Make sure it is a high-quality coolant
recommended f or aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result in
corrosion, causing the cooling
system to malf unction or f ail. Have
the cooling system f lushed and
ref illed with Honda antif reeze/
coolant as soon as possible.
1.
CONT INUED
A dding Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance243
R REES
SE ER
RV V E
E T
TA
A N
NK K
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.

Install the radiator cap, and
tighten it to the first stop.
Start the engine and let it run until
the radiator cooling f an comes on
at least twice. Then stop the
engine.
Remove the radiator cap. Pour
coolant into the radiator up to the
base of the f iller neck and into the
reserve tank up to the MAX mark.
Start the engine and hold it at
1,500 rpm until the cooling f an
comes on. Turn of f the engine.
Check the coolant level in the
radiator and add coolant if needed.
Install the radiator cap, and
tighten it fully.If necessary, f ill the reserve tank
to the MAX mark. Install the
reserve tank cap.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance248
R RE
ES
SE ER
RV V E
E T
TA
A N
NK K

Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather.
Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly
during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers of ten,
check the level every time you stop
for fuel.
When you ref ill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer f luid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
The windshield washer reservoir is
located behind the passenger’s side
headlight.
The low washer level indicator will
light when the level is low (see page
). Check the reservoir’s f luid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
level gauge attached to the cap.
64
Windshield Washers
Maint enance
Canadian Models
249
L LE
E V
V E
EL
L G
GAAU
UG GEE
Do not use engine antif reeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antif reeze can damage your car’s paint,
while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer f luid.

If the level is below the lower
mark, remove the f ill plug and add
f luid to bring it to the upper mark.
Always use Honda ATF-Z1
(Automatic Transmission Fluid). If it
is not available, you may use a
DEXRON
III automatic
transmission f luid as a temporary
replacement. However, continued
use can affect shift quality. Have the
transmission f lushed and ref illed
with Honda ATF-Z1 as soon as it is
convenient.
To thoroughly f lush the transmission,
the technician should drain and ref ill
it with Honda ATF-Z1, then drive the
vehicle a short distance. Do this
three times. Then drain and ref ill the
transmission a final time.
Check the f luid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature.
Park the car on level ground. Shut
of f the engine.
Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)
f rom the transmission and wipe it
with a clean cloth. Insert the dipstick all the way into
the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
Remove the dipstick and check
the f luid level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
1.
2. 3.
4.5.
Maint enance
T ransmission Fluid
Automatic Transmission
250
U UP
PP
PE
ER
R M
M A
AR
RKK
L
LO OW WE ER
R M
M A
AR
RKK
D
D
I
IPP S
ST TI
ICCK K

The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
If you are not sure how to add f luid,
contact your Acura dealer.Insert the dipstick all the way back
into the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
Check the f luid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the vehicle sitting
on level ground.
Remove the check bolt and look for
transmission f luid coming out of the
bolt hole. If a small amount of f luid
drips out of the bolt hole, reinstall
the check bolt. If no f luid comes out, remove the
f iller bolt. Slowly add Honda Manual
Transmission Fluid (MTF) until it
starts to run out of the check bolt
hole. Let the f luid run out until it
stops, then reinstall the check bolt
and the f iller bolt.
If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40
viscosity motor oil with the API
Certif ication seal that says ‘‘FOR
GASOLINE ENGINES’’ as a
temporary replacement. However,
motor oil does not contain the proper
additives and continued use can
cause stif f er shif ting. Replace as
soon as it is convenient.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
6.
6-speed Manual Transmission
Maint enance
T ransmission Fluid
251
F FIILLL LE
E R
R B
BOOL LT
T
C
CH H E
EC
CK K B
BOOL LTT
D
D R
RAA I
INN B
BOOL LTT

Always use Honda Power Steering
Fluid. If it is not available, you may
use another power steering f luid as
an emergency replacement.
However, continued use can cause
increased wear and poor steering in
cold weather. Have the power
steering system f lushed and ref illed
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
A low power steering f luid level can
indicate a leak in the system. Check
the f luid level f requently and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.
Check the level when the engine is
cold. Look at the side of the
reservoir. The f luid should be
between the UPPER LEVEL and
LOWER LEVEL. If it is below the
LOWER LEVEL, add power steering
f luid to the UPPER LEVEL.
The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If it is not, add
brake f luid to bring it up to that level.
Use the same fluid specified for the
brake system.
Low f luid level can indicate a leak in
the clutch system. Have this system
inspected as soon as possible. Power Steering
Clutch System
Maint enance
Brake and Clutch Fluid, Power Steering
253
U UP PP
PE
ER
R L
LEE V
V E
EL
L
L
LO OW WE ER
R L
LE
E V
V E
EL
L
M
M
A
AX
X
M
M I
INN
T urning the steering wheel to f ull lef t
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them. Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently. 326
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance264
A AI
IRR C
COON NDDI
ITT I
IOON NIINNG G C
COON NDDE
EN
NS SEER
R
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.