weight Acura Integra 2001 User Guide

Towin
g a Traile r

Your Acura has been designed primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow atrailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,and follow the guidelines in this
section.

On Type-R model

Your vehicle is not designed to tow a trailer. Attempting to do so can void
your warranties. Loa
d Limit s Tota
l Traile r Weight : The total
weight of the trailer and everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 Ibs (450 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy canseriously affect your vehicle's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and
drivetrain. Tongu
e Load : The weight that
the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces front-tire
traction and steering control.
CONTINUED
Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

To achieve a proper tongue load, start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer and 40 percent toward the rear, then
re-adjust the load as needed.
Gros
s Vehicl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GVWR) :

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: 3,680 Ibs ( 1,670 kg)
Gros
s Axl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GAWR) :

The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the

tongue load must not exceed:
1,985 lbs (900 kg)

on th
e front axle

1,740 Ibs (790 kg)

on th

e rear axle

Drivin g
Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive.

Towin
g a Traile r

Checkin g Load s
The best way to confirm that vehicle and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public

scale.

Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the first time you set up a
towing combination (a fully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
Towin
g Equipmen t an d

Accessorie s

Towing can require a variety of equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailersales or rental agency, and follow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is properly installed and that it meets
federal, state, province, and localregulations. Hitches
Any hitch used on your vehicle must be properly bolted to the underbody.
Safety Chains
Always use safety chains. Make sure they are secured to both the trailer and hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched. Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground.
CONTINUED
Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Trailer Brakes

Acura recommends that any trailer having a total weight of 1,000 Ibs (450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, besure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic system. No matter how successful it may seem,any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle's hydraulic system
will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential hazard.
Trailer Lights

If you use a converter, you can get
the connector and pins that mate
with the connector in your vehicle from your Acura dealer.
Your vehicle has a trailer lighting connector located behind the leftside panel in the cargo area. Refer to
the drawing above for the wiring color code and purpose of each pin. Since lighting and wiring vary in
trailer type and brand, you should also have a qualified mechanic install
a suitable connector between the
vehicle and the trailer.

Drivin g
GROUN
D
(BLACK )
BACK-U
P LIGH T
(GREEN/BLACK )LEF
T TUR N SIGNA L
(GREEN/BLUE )
TAILLIGH T
(RED/BLACK )
BRAK
E LIGH T
(GREEN/WHITE )
RIGH
T TUR N SIGNA L
(GREEN/YELLOW )

Towin
g a Traile r

Additional Trailer Equipment
Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don't,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your

towing situation.
Pre-To
w Checklis t
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following: The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition. All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages 151 and 152). The hitch, safety chains, and any
other attachments are secure. All items on and in the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are workingproperly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 255),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.

Driving

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 ofothers, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.
Towing Speeds and Gears
Drive slower than normal in all driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
If you have an 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 (Hot) 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.

Drivin g

Engin
e Oi l
The oil container may also display the API Certification seal. Make sureit says "For Gasoline Engines."

API CERTIFICATIO N SEA L
The SAE numbers tell you the oil's
viscosity or weight. Select the oil for
your car according to this chart. An oil with a viscosity of 5W-30 is
preferred for improved fuel economyand year-round protection in your
Acura. You may use a 10W-30 oil if the temperature in your area never

goes below 20°F (— 7°C).

Maintenanc e Ambien
t Temperatur e

Engin
e Oi l
Syntheti c Oi l
You may use a synthetic motor oil if it meets the same requirements
given for conventional motor oil:energy conserving, a service
classification of SJ, and the proper
weight as shown on the chart. When using synthetic oil, you must follow
the oil and filter change intervalsgiven in the maintenance schedule. Additive
s
Your Acura does not need any oil additives. Purchasing additives for
the engine or transmission will not
increase your car's performance or
longevity. It only increases the cost of operating your car. Changin
g th e Oi l an d Filte r
Always change the oil and filter according to the time and distance (miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and filter collect contami- nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly.
Changing the oil and filter requires
special tools and access from
underneath the car. The car should
be raised on a service station-type
hydraulic lift for this service. Unless
you have the knowledge and proper equipment, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled

mechanic.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Tire
s

INDICATOR
LOCATIO N

MARK 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 be
rebalanced at some time before they
are worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you feel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tireshould 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 ridingcomfort and tire life. Your car's
original tires were dynamic or "spin"
balanced at the factory. For best
results, have the installer perform a dynamic 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

TREA
D WEA R
INDICATOR S
NOTIC
E

Emergenc
y Towin g

If you decide to tow your car with all
four wheels on the ground, make sure you use a properly-designed and
attached tow bar. Prepare the car for
towing as described above, and leave the ignition switch in Accessory (I)so the steering wheel does not lock.
Make sure the radio and anyelectrical accessories are turned off
so they do not run down the battery.

The steering system can be damaged if
the steering wheel is locked. Leave the
ignition switch in Accessory (I), and
make sure the steering wheel turns
freely before you begin towing. Trying to lift or tow your car by the
bumpers will cause serious damage. The bumpers are not designed to
support the car's weight.

Taking Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E

NOTIC E