Acura Integra 2000 Sedan Owner's Manual

DO
T Tir e Qualit y Gradin g (U.S . Cars )
The tires on your car meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements. All
tires are also graded for treadwear, traction, and temperature perform-ance according to Department of
Transportation (DOT) standards.
The following explains these
gradings.
Unifor m Tir e Qualit y Gradin g
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between the tread shoulder and the
maximum section width. For
example:

Treadwea r 20 0
Tractio n A A
Temperatur e A
Treadwea
r

The treadwear grade is a compara- tive rating based on the wear rate ofthe tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified 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 performance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Tractio
n

The traction grades, from 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 specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.

Technica l Informatio n

DO
T Tir e Qualit y Gradin g (U.S . Cars )
Temperatur e
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law. Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire thatis properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-tion, or excessive loading either separately or in combination, can
cause heat build-up and possible tire
failure.

Technical Informatio n

Oxygenate
d Fuel s
Some conventional gasolines are
being blended with alcohol or an ether compound. These gasolinesare collectively referred to as
oxygenated fuels. To meet clean air standards, some areas of the United
States and Canada use oxygenated
fuels to help reduce emissions.
If you use an oxygenated fuel, besure it is unleaded and meets the
minimum octane rating requirement.
Before using an oxygenated fuel, try
to confirm the fuel's contents. Some states/provinces require this
information to be posted on the

pump.
The following are the U.S. EPA and
Canadian CGSB approved
percentages of oxygenates:
ETHANO L (ethyl or grain alcohol)
You may use gasoline containing up to 10 percent ethanol by volume.Gasoline containing ethanol may be
marketed under the name "Gasohol."
MTB E (Methyl Tertiary Butyl

Ether)

You may use gasoline containing up to 15 percent MTBE by volume.
METHANO L (methyl or wood

alcohol)

You may use gasoline containing up to 5 percent methanol by volume as
long as it also contains cosolventsand corrosion inhibitors to protect
the fuel system. Gasoline containing
more than 5 percent methanol by
volume may cause starting and/or
performance problems. It may also damage metal, rubber and plastic
parts of your fuel system. If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
Fuel system damage or performance
problems resulting from the use of an oxygenated fuel containing more
than the percentages of oxygenates
given above are not covered under
warranty.

Technica l Informatio n

Drivin
g in Foreig n Countrie s

Technica l Informatio n

If you are planning to take your
Acura outside the U.S., contact the tourist bureaus in the areas you will
be traveling in to find out about theavailability of unleaded gasoline with
the proper octane rating.
If unleaded gasoline is not available,
be aware that using leaded gasoline
in your Acura will affect perfor-
mance and fuel mileage, and damage
its emissions controls. It will no
longer comply with U.S. and
Canadian emissions regulations, and
will be illegal to operate in North America. To bring your car back intocompliance will require the replace-
ment of several components, such as
the oxygen sensors and the three
way catalytic converter. These re- placements are not covered under
warranty.

Emission
s Control s

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
form photochemical "smog." Carbon monoxide does not contribute to
smog creation, but it is a poisonous

gas.
Th
e Clea n Ai r Ac t
The United States Clean Air Act sets standards for automobile emissions.
It also requires that automobile
manufacturers explain to owners
how their emissions controls work
and what to do to maintain them.
This section summarizes how the emissions controls work. Scheduled
maintenance is on page 156.
Crankcas e Emission s Contro l
Syste m
Your car has a Positive Crankcase Ventilation System. This keepsgasses that build up in the engine'scrankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive Crankcase
Ventilation valve routes them from the crankcase back to the intake
manifold. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned. Evaporativ
e Emission s Contro l
Syste m
As gasoline evaporates in the fuel tank, an evaporative emissionscontrol canister filled with charcoaladsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is off. After
the engine is started and warmed up, the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
Onboar d Refuelin g Vapo r
Recover y
The Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the fuel vapors during refueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister filled with activated carbon. While driving, the fuel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned off.

Technica l Informatio n

Emission
s Control s

Exhaus t Emission s Control s

The exhaust emissions controls include three systems: PGM-FI,
Ignition Timing Control and Three
Way Catalytic Converter. These three systems work together to
control the engine's combustion and
minimize the amount of HC, CO, and
NOx that comes out the tailpipe. The
exhaust emissions control systemsare separate from the crankcase and
evaporative emissions control
systems.
PGM-FI System
The PGM-FI System uses sequential multiport fuel injection.
It has three subsystems: Air Intake,
Engine Control, and Fuel Control.
The Engine Control Module (ECM) uses various sensors to determine
how much air is going into the engine. It then controls how much
fuel to inject under all operating conditions.
Ignition Timing Control System
This system constantly adjusts the ignition timing, reducing the amount
of HC, CO and NOx produced.
Three Way Catalytic Converter
The three way catalytic converter is in the exhaust system. Throughchemical reactions, it converts HC,CO, and NOx in the engine's exhaust
to carbon dioxide (CO 2), dinitrogen
(N 2), and water vapor. Replacemen
t Part s
The emissions control systems are designed and certified to work to-
gether in reducing emissions to
levels that comply with the Clean Air
Act. To make sure the emissions remain low, you should use only new
Genuine Acura replacement parts or
their equivalent for repairs. Using
lower quality parts may increase the emissions from your car.
The emissions control systems are covered by warranties separate from
the rest of your car. Read your
warranty manual for more informa- tion.
Technical Informatio n

Thre
e Wa y Catalyti c Converte r
The three way catalytic converter
contains precious metals that serve
as catalysts, promoting chemical
reactions to convert the exhaust gasses without affecting the metals.
The catalytic converter is referred to
as a three-way catalyst, since it acts
on HC, CO, and NOx. A replacement
unit must be an original Acura part or its equivalent.
The three way catalytic converter must operate at a high temperature
for the chemical reactions to take place. It can set on fire any com-
bustible materials that come near it.Park your car away from high grass,dry leaves, or other flammables. A defective three way catalytic
converter contributes to air pollution, and can impair your engine's per-
formance. Follow these guidelines to
protect your car's three way catalytic converter. Always use unleaded gasoline.
Even a small amount of leaded
gasoline can contaminate the catalyst metals, making the three
way catalytic converter ineffective. Keep the engine tuned-up.
Have your car diagnosed and
repaired if it is misfiring, back-
firing, stalling, or otherwise not running properly.

Technica l Informatio n
THRE
E WA Y CATALYTI C CONVERTE R

Warrant
y an d Custome r Relation s

Customer Relations Information................................. 256
Warranty Coverages..................... 257 Reporting Safety Defects.............. 258
Authorized Manuals...................... 259

Warrant y an d Custome r Relation s

Custome
r Relation s Informatio n

Acura dealership personnel are
trained professionals. They should
be able to answer all your questions.
If you encounter a problem that your
dealership does not solve to your
satisfaction, please discuss it with
the dealership's management. The
Service Manager or General
Manager can help. Almost all problems are solved in this way. If you are dissatisfied with the
decision made by the dealership's
management, contact the Acura
Customer Relations Office.
Acura Automobile DivisionClient Services Office
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
or telephone: (800) 382-2238
In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin

Islands:
Vortex Motor Corp.Bella International P.O. Box 190816
San Juan, PR 00919-0816 (787) 2504327 When you call or write, please give
us this information:
Vehicle Identification Number
(see page 244)
Name and address of the dealer
who services your car
Date of purchase
Mileage on your car
Your name, address, and tele-
phone number A detailed description of the
problem
Name of the dealer who sold the
car to you

Warrant y an d Custome r Relation s

Warrant
y Coverage s

U.S . Owner s
Your new Acura is covered by these
warranties:

New Car Limited Warranty — covers
your new vehicle, except for the
battery, emissions control systems and accessories, against defects in

materials and workmanship.

Emissions Control Systems Defects

Warranty and Emissions

Performance Warranty — these two

warranties cover your vehicle's emis-
sions control systems. Time, mileage,
and coverage are conditional. Please
read the warranty manual for exact
information.

Original Equipment Battery Limited

Warranty — this warranty gives up
to 100 percent credit toward a

replacement battery.
Seat Belt Limited Warranty — a seat
belt that fails to function properly is
covered for the useful life of the vehicle.
Rust Perforation Limited Warranty — all exterior body panels are
covered for rust-through from the
inside for the specified time period
with no mileage limit.

Accessory Limited Warranty —

Genuine Acura Accessories are
covered under this warranty. Time and mileage limits depend on the
type of accessory and other factors.
Please read your warranty manual
for details.

Replacement Parts Limited
Warranty — covers all Genuine
Honda replacement parts against
defects in materials and workman-

ship.
Replacement Battery Limited

Warranty — provides prorated
coverage for a replacement battery

purchased from an Acura dealer.

Replacement Muffler Lifetime

Limited Warranty — provides

coverage for as long as the pur-
chaser of the muffler owns the car.
Restrictions and exclusions apply to all these warranties. Please read the
2000 Acura Warranty Information
booklet that came with your car for precise information on warrantycoverages. Your Acura's original
tires are covered by their manufacturer. Tire warranty infor-
mation is in a separate booklet.
Warrant y an d Custome r Relation s