wheel Acura Integra 2000 Hatchback Owner's Guide

Th
e Brakin g Syste m
Your Acura is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. A powerassist helps reduce the effort needed
on the brake pedal.
Put your foot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your foot on the pedal keeps the brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up canreduce how well your brakes work. Italso keeps your brake lights on all
the time, confusing drivers behind

you.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds up heat and reduces their effective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshifting to a lower
gear and taking your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the brakes moderately to see if they feel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious and alert in your driving. Brak
e Wea r Indicator s
All four brakes have audible brake wear indicators.
When the brake pads need replacing,
you will hear a distinctive metallic "screeching" sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not confuse this with the
brake wear indicators. They make a
very audible "screeching."
Driving

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Brak e Syste m Desig n
The hydraulic system that operates the brakes has two separate circuits.Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the left-front brake is connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking at two wheels.
Fron
t
Anti-loc
k Brake s
The Integra LS, GS, GS-R and Type-R models have an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) as standard
equipment.
ABS helps to prevent the wheels from locking up and skidding duringhard braking, allowing you to retainsteering control.
When the front tires skid, you lose steering control; the car continues
straight ahead even though you turn
the steering wheel. The ABS helps to
prevent lock-up and helps you retainsteering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly; much faster than a
person can do it.
Drivin g

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Yo u shoul d neve r pum p th e
brak e pedal , this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work for you by always keeping firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes referred to as
"stomp and steer."

You will feel a pulsation in the brake pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is normal, it is the ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount of traction your tires have. On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
the brake pedal very hard before you activate the ABS. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
Important Safety Reminders

AB S doe s no t reduc e th e tim e o r
distanc e i t take s t o sto p th e car , it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a safe following distance
from other vehicles.
AB S wil l no t preven t a ski d tha t
result s fro m changin g directio n
abruptly , such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed for the road and
weather conditions.
AB S canno t preven t a los s o f
stability . Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into
oncoming traffic or off the road. A
vehicl e wit h AB S ma y requir e a
longe r distanc e t o sto p on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel or snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
CONTINUED

Drivin g

Th
e Brakin g System , Limite d Sli p Differentia l

ABS Indicator

The ABS is self-checking. If anything goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see
page 55). This means the anti-lock
function of the braking system hasshut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-
lock, providing normal stopping ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your car as soon as possible. If anything goes wrong, the ABS
indicator on the instrument panel comes on (see page 55). This means
the anti-lock function of the braking system has shut down. The brakes
still work like a conventional system
without anti-lock, providing normal stopping ability. You should have the
dealer inspect your car as soon as

possible.
Limite
d Sli p Differentia l

Type-R model only

Your Acura is equipped with a Limited Slip Differential (LSD). If
one front wheel slips, the LSD helps
traction by automatically
transmitting driving force to the other front wheel. You may feel the
transfer through the steering wheel.
Drivin gAB
S INDICATOR *
* U.S . indicato r show n

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Rain, fog, and snow conditions re-
quire a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well- maintained and exercise greatercaution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control should not be used in these condi-

tions.
Drivin
g Techniqu e — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to react, even in conditions that may seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious for the first few miles (kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery. Visibilit
y — Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defrosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see
page 100).
CONTINUED
Drivin g

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r
Tractio n — Check your tires
frequently for wear and proper
pressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four
wheels for the best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully, they can change from moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditionscan be very hazardous when theoutside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the drive wheels for a moment and cause

a skid.
Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other vehicles. The spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.

Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting

Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a

large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.

Backing Up
Always drive slowly and have someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the bottom of the steering

wheel; then turn the wheel to the leftto get the trailer to move to the left,and turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right.
Parking

Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including firmly setting the
parking brake and putting the transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1 st or Reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer's tires.
Drivin g

Maintenanc
e

This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Acura, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 265 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Acura
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 158
Important Safety Precautions.. 159
Maintenance Schedule.................. 160
Maintenance Record..................... 167
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 169
Fluid Locations............................... 170

Engine Oil....................................... 171 Adding Oil................................... 171
Recommended Oil..................... 171

Synthetic Oil............................... 173

Additives..................................... 173
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 173
Cooling System.............................. 176
Adding Engine Coolant............. 176Replacing Engine Coolant........ 178
Windshield Washers..................... 181
Transmission Fluid........................ 182 AutomaticTransmission.......................... 182
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 183
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 183 Brake System............................. 184
Clutch System............................ 184
Power Steering............................... 185
Air Cleaner Element...................... 186
Hood Latch..................................... 187

Spark Plugs..................................... 187 Replacement............................... 187
Specifications............................. 189
Battery............................................ 189
Wiper Blades.................................. 192
Air Conditioning System............... 194
Drive Belts...................................... 195
Timing Belt..................................... 195
Tires................................................ 196 Inflation....................................... 196
Inspection................................... 197
Maintenance............................... 198
Tire Rotation.............................. 199
Tire Wear.................................... 199
Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 200
Wheels and Tires....................... 201
Winter Driving........................... 201

Snow Tires.............................. 202

Tire Chains............................. 202
Lights.............................................. 203 Headlight Aiming...................... 205
Replacing Bulbs......................... 207
Storing Your Car............................ 214
Maintenance

Powe
r Steerin g

Check the level when the engine is
cold. Look at the side of the
reservoir. The fluid should be
between the UPPER LEVEL and LOWER LEVEL. If it is below the
LOWER LEVEL, add power steering
fluid to the UPPER LEVEL. Always use Genuine Honda Power
Steering Fluid. If it is not available,
you may use another power steering
fluid as an emergency replacement. However, continued use can cause
increased wear and poor steering incold weather. Have the power
steering system flushed and refilled
with Honda PSF as soon as possible. A low power steering fluid level can
indicate a leak in the system. Check
the fluid level frequently and have
the system inspected as soon as

possible.

Turning the steering wheel to full left

or right lock and holding it there can

damage the power steering pump.

Maintenance

NOTIC
E

UPPE
R LEVE L

LOWE R LEVE L

Tire
s
Your car's tires have wear indicators molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide band running across the tread. This shows there is less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire. Maintenanc
e
In addition to proper inflation, correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you find a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer check the wheel alignment.
The tires were properly balanced by the factory. They may need to berebalanced at some time before theyare worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you feel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire should always be rebalanced if it is
removed from the wheel for repair.
Make sure the installer balances the
wheels when you have new tires installed. This increases riding
comfort and tire life. Your car'soriginal tires were dynamic or "spin"
balanced at the factory. For best results, have the installer perform adynamic balance.
(Only on cars equipped with aluminum

wheels)

Improper wheel weights can damage
your car's aluminum wheels. Use only Genuine Acura wheel weights for
balancing.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

INDICATO R

LOCATIO N
MARK S

TREA D WEA R
INDICATOR S