fuel Acura Integra 2001 Owner's Guide

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

Coolin
g System , Windshiel d Washer s

8. Start the engine and let it run for about 30 seconds. Then turn off
the engine.
9. Fill the radiator with coolant up to the base of the filler neck.
10. Fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
11. Install the radiator cap, and tighten it to the first stop.
12. Start the engine and let it run until the radiator cooling fan comes on
at least twice. Then stop the

engine.

13. Remove the radiator cap. Fill the radiator with coolant up to thebase of the filler neck. 14. Start the engine and hold it at
1,500 rpm until the radiator fan
comes on. Turn off the engine.
Check the coolant level in the
radiator and add coolant if needed.
15. Install the radiator cap, and tighten it fully.
16. If necessary, fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the
reserve tank cap. Windshiel
d Washer s
Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers often, check the level every time you stop
for fuel. This reservoir supplies the
windshield and rear window washers.
Maintenanc e

Tire
s
To safely operate your car, your tires must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread, and correctly inflated. The following
pages give more detailed information on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Inflatio
n

Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life and riding comfort. Underinflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handlingand fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards, and wear

unevenly.

We recommend that you visually check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it immediately with a tire gauge.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf/cm2) per month. Remember to check the spare tire at
the same time you check all the other tires.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car

has been parked for at least three

hours. If you have to drive the car
before checking the tire pressure,
the tires can still be considered "cold" if you drive less than 1 mile
(1.6km).

If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the car has been driven
several miles), you will see readings

4 to
6 psi (30
to
40 kPa, 0.3
to
0.4
kgf/cm2) higher than the cold
reading. This is normal. Do not let air out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be
underinflated.
You should get your own tire pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier for you to tell if a pressure loss is due to a tire problemand not due to a variation between

gauges.

Maintenanc e

Using tires that are excessively

worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.

Follow all instructions in this

owner's manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.

Light
s

Headligh t Aimin g
The headlights were properly aimed when your car was new. You should check their aim if you regularly carry
heavy items in the cargo area or pull a trailer. Each headlight assembly
has horizontal and vertical adjust- ment indicators. These are set to
their "0" positions after the head-
lights are aimed at the factory. To check these settings:
1. Make sure the fuel tank is full. Park the car on level ground.
2. The driver or someone who weighs the same should be sittingin the driver's seat for all checksand adjustments.
Load your vehicle with the items
you normally carry.
If you usually pull a trailer, load it as
you would normally and attach it to the car. Push down on the front andrear bumpers several times to makesure the car is sitting normally. 4. Check the horizontal angle gauge.
The line on the adjustment screwindicator should line up with the
"0" mark on the gauge.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

HORIZONTA
L ANGL E GAUG E

Lef t headligh tRigh
t headligh t

3. Open the hood.

Storin
g You r Ca r
If you need to park your car for an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors. Fill the fuel tank.
Change the engine oil and filter
(see page 175). Wash and dry the exterior

completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic).
Block the rear wheels.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground. Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors). Disconnect the battery.
Support the front and rear wiper
blade arms with a folded towel or
rag so they do not touch the

windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and hatch seals. Also, apply a body
wax to the painted surfaces that mate with the door and hatch seals. Cover the car with a "breathable"
cover, one made from a porous
material such as cotton. Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint. If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month).
If you store your car for 12 months or longer, have your Acura dealer
perform the inspections called for in
the 24 months/30,000 miles (48,000
km) maintenance schedule (Normal Conditions) as soon as you take it
out of storage (see page 164). The
replacements called for in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.
Maintenanc e

I
f You r Engin e Won' t Start , Jum p Startin g
Th e Starte r Operate s Normall y
In this case, the starter motor's speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run. Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer to Startin g th e
Engin e on page 137. Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you were
not reminded to fill the tank. There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 243).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 248. Jum
p Startin g
If your car's battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start an Acura with anautomatic transmission by pushingor pulling it.

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p
This indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emissions control systems
may have a problem. Even though
you may feel no difference in your car's performance, it can reduce
your fuel economy and cause your car to put out excessive emissions.
Continued operation may causeserious damage. If you have recently refueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing fuel fill cap. Check the cap and tighten it until it clicks several
times. Replace the fuel fill cap if it is missing. Tightening the cap will not
make the indicator turn off
immediately; it takes three driving
trips.
If the indicator remains on past threedriving trips, or the fuel cap was not
loose or missing, have the car checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until thedealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving at high speed. You should also have the dealer
inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn off as you continue driving.

If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car's warranties.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

MALFUNCTIO
N INDICATO R LAM P

NOTICE

Technica
l Informatio n
The diagrams in this section give you the dimensions and capacities of
your Acura, and the locations of the identification numbers. It alsoincludes information you should
know about your vehicle's tires and emissions control systems. Identification Numbers................. 252
Specifications................................. 254
DOT Tire Quality Grading

(U.S. Cars)..............................256

Treadwear.................................. 256
Traction — AA, A, B, C............ 256
Temperature — A, B, C..........
257

Oxygenated Fuels.........................
. 258
Driving in Foreign Countries....... 259 Emissions Controls........................ 260
The Clean Air Act...................... 260
Crankcase Emissions Control System..................................... 260
Evaporative Emissions Control System..................................... 260
Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery................................. 261
Exhaust Emissions Controls.... 261 PGM-FI System..................... 261
Ignition Timing ControlSystem................................. 261
Three Way Catalytic Converter............................ 261
Replacement Parts..................... 261
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 262 State Emissions Testing............... 263
Technical Informatio n

Oxygenate
d Fuel s
Some conventional gasolines are
being blended with alcohol or an
ether compound. These gasolines
are collectively re 101ferred 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, be
sure 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)

Your vehicle was not designed to use fuel that contains methanol.Methanol can corrode metal parts in
the fuel system, and also damage
plastic and rubber components. This damage would not be covered by
your warranties. 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. or Canada, contact the tourist bureaus in the
areas you will be traveling in to find
out about the availability 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 damageits 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 into compliance 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.