automatic transmission Acura Integra 2000 Sedan Owner's Manual

Steerin
g Whee l Control s

3. Press and release the SET/decel
button on the steering wheel. The
CRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel comes on to
show the system is now activated.

The cruise control may not hold

the set speed when you are going
up and down hills. If your speed

increases going down a hill, use

the brakes to slow down to the

desired speed. This will cancel the
cruise control. To resume the set

speed, press and hold the

RESUME/accel button until the
CRUISE CONTROL light on the

instrument panel comes on. When

climbing a steep hill, the automatic
transmission may downshift to
hold the set speed.

Changing the Set Speed

You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways: Press and hold the RESUME/
accel button. The car will acceler-
ate. When you reach the desired
cruising speed, release the button. Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-
celerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the SET/decel

button.
You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways: Press and hold the SET/decel
button. The car will decelerate. Release the button when you
reach the desired speed.
Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your foot. The CRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel will go out.
When the car slows to the desired
speed, press the SET/decel button.
The car will then maintain the
desired speed.

CONTINUED

Instrument s an d Control s

RESUME
/

acce l

SET/dece l

Key
s an d Lock s

LOC K (0 ) — You can insert or
remove the key only in this position.
To switch from ACCESSORY to LOCK, you must push the key in
slightly as you turn it. If your car has
an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must also be in Park. The anti-
theft lock will lock the steering
column when you remove the key. If the front wheels are turned, the
anti-theft lock may sometimes make
it difficult to turn the key from
LOCK to ACCESSORY. Firmly turn
the steering wheel to the left or to
the right as you turn the key. ACCESSOR
Y (I ) — In this position,
you can operate the audio system and the cigarette lighter.
O N (II ) — This is the normal key
position when driving. All features
and accessories on the car are usable. Several of the lights on the instru-
ment panel come on as a test when
you turn the ignition switch from ACCESSORY to ON. STAR
T (III ) — Use this position
only to start the engine. The switch
returns to ON (II) when you let go of
the key.
The engine will not start if the Immobilizer System does not
recognize the key's coding (see page 69).
You will hear a reminder beeper if
you leave the key in the ignition switch in the LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I) position and open
the driver's door. Remove the key to
turn off the beeper.

Instrument s an d Control s

Removing the key from the

ignition switch while driving

locks the steering. This can cause you to lose control.
Remove the key from the

ignition switch only when

parked.

Drivin
g

This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the

5-speed manual and automatic

transmissions. It also includes
important information on parking
your car, the braking system, and facts you need if you are planning to

tow a trailer.
Preparing to Drive......................... 132
Starting the Engine........................ 133
Starting in Cold Weather at High Altitude ..................... 133
5-speed Manual Transmission..... 134 Recommended Shift Points...... 135
Engine Speed Limiter............... 135
Automatic Transmission............... 136
Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 136
Shift Lever Positions................. 136
Engine Speed Limiter............... 138
Shift Lock Release..................... 139
Parking............................................ 140
The Braking System...................... 141 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 141
Brake System Design................ 142
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 142 Important SafetyReminders.......................... 143
ABS Indicator......................... 144
Driving in Bad Weather................ 145
Towing a Trailer............................ 147
Driving

Startin
g th e Engin e

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off all electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.

3. Manual Transmission:
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. START (III) does not
function unless the clutch pedal is

depressed.

Automatic Transmission:

Make sure the shift lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
4. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. If the enginedoes not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) for
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause for at least 10 seconds
before trying again. 5. If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
6. If the engine still does not start, press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while
starting in order to clear flooding.
As before, keep the ignition key in
the START (III) position for no
more than 15 seconds. Return to
step 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal so the engine
does not race.

Startin g in Col d Weathe r a t Hig h

Altitud e (Abov e 8,00 0 feet /

2,40 0 meters )

An engine is harder to start in cold weather. The thinner air found at
high altitude above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) adds to the problem.
Use the following procedure:
1. Turn off all electrical accessories to reduce the drain on the battery.
2. Push the accelerator pedal half- way to the floor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do not
hold the ignition key in START
(III) for more than 15 seconds.
When the engine starts, release
the accelerator pedal gradually as
the engine speeds up and smooths
out.
3. If the engine fails to start in step 2, push the accelerator pedal to the
floor and hold it there while you
try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the engine
does not start, return to step 2.

Driving

Automati
c Transmissio n

Par k (P ) — This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the accelerator pedal. Press the release
button on the side of the shift lever
to move it. If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see Shift Lock Release on page

139.

You must also press the release button to shift into Park. To avoid
transmission damage, come to a
complete stop before shifting into
Park. The shift lever must be in Park
before you can remove the key from
the ignition switch. Revers
e (R ) — To shift to Reverse
from Park, see the explanation under Park. To shift to Reverse from
Neutral, come to a complete stop and
then shift. Press the release button before shifting into Reverse from
Neutral.
Neutra l (N ) — Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shift lever
from Neutral to another gear.
Driv e (D 4) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmis- sion automatically selects a suitable
gear for your speed and acceleration.
You may notice the transmission shifting up at higher speeds when
the engine is cold. This helps the
engine warm up faster.

Driving

CONTINUED

Automati
c Transmissio n

Driv e (D 3) — This position is similar
to D4, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D3 when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going down a steep hill. D3 can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in stop-and-go driving.
For faster acceleration when in D3 or D4, you can get the transmission to
automatically downshift by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shift down one
or two gears, depending on your

speed.

Secon d (2 ) — To shift to Second,
press the release button on the side of the shift lever. This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It does not downshift to first gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing, and increased engine braking when going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slipperysurface or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
Firs t (1 ) — To shift from Second to
First, press the release button on the
side of the shift lever. With the lever
in this position, the transmission
locks in First gear. By upshifting and downshifting through 1,2, D3 and D4,
you can operate this transmission much like a manual transmission
without a clutch pedal. Engin
e Spee d Limite r
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine speed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may feel
the engine cut in and out. This is caused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.

Drivin g

Parkin
g

Always use the parking brake when
you park your car. The indicator on
the instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not fully released; it does not indicate that the parking brake is firmly set. Make sure the
parking brake is set firmly or your
car may roll if it is parked on an

incline.

If your car has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
before you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the car from
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the transmission — making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the car is facing uphill, turn the
front wheels away from the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put it in first gear.
If the car is facing downhill, turn the
front wheels toward the curb. If you
have a manual transmission, put it in
reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is fully released before driving away.Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage the rear brakes. Parkin
g Tip s
Make sure the moonroof and the windows are closed. Turn off the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lock the doors. Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could cause these materials to catch on

fire.

Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r
Drivin g Safel y Wit h a Traile r
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and

techniques.

For your safety and the safety of others, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines

discussed below.

Towing Speeds and Gears
Driving slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
If you have automatic transmission,
use D4 position when towing a trailer
on level roads. D3 is the proper shift
lever position to use when towing a
trailer in hilly terrain. (See "Driving on Hills" in the next column for
additional gear information.)
Making Turns and Braking

Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.

Driving on Hills

When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nears the red mark, turn the air
conditioning off, reduce speed and, if necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th gears while going up a hill, shift to
D3.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator, as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, andremember it will take longer to slowdown and stop when towing a trailer.

Driving

CONTINUED

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 left to 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

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. Seepage 259 for information on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Acura
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 154
Important Safety Precautions.. 155
Maintenance Schedule.................. 156
Maintenance Record..................... 163
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 165
Fluid Locations............................... 166

Engine Oil......................................
. 167
Adding Oil................................... 167
Recommended Oil..................... 167

Synthetic Oil............................... 169

Additives..................................... 169
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 170
Cooling System.............................. 172 Adding Engine Coolant............. 172Replacing Engine Coolant........ 174
Windshield Washers..................... 177
Transmission Fluid........................ 178 AutomaticTransmission.......................... 178

5-speed Manual
Transmission.......................... 179
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 179 Brake System............................. 180Clutch System............................
181
Power Steering..............................
. 181
Air Cleaner Element....................... 182 Hood Latch..................................... 183
Spark Plugs..................................... 183 Replacement............................... 183
Specifications............................. 185
Battery............................................ 186
Wiper Blades.................................. 188
Air Conditioning System............... 190
Drive Belts...................................... 191
Timing Belt..................................... 191
Tires................................................ 192 Inflation....................................... 192
Inspection...................................
194
Maintenance............................... 194
Tire Rotation.............................. 195 Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 195
Wheels and Tires....................... 196 Winter Driving........................... 196

Snow Tires.............................. 197

Tire Chains............................. 197
Lights.............................................. 198
Headlight Aiming.....................
. 200
Replacing Bulbs......................... 202
Storing Your Car............................ 210

Maintenance