tire type Acura Integra 2001 Owner's Manual

Importan
t Safet y Precaution s
You'll find many safety recommendations throughout thissection, and throughout this manual.
The recommendations on this page are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
Alway s Wea r You r Sea t Bel t
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags

supplement seat belts, but airbags

are designed to inflate only in a

moderate to severe frontal collision.

So even though your car is equipped

with airbags, make sure you and

your passengers always wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
(See page 16.)
Restrai n Al l Childre n
Children are safest when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
not the front seat. A child who is too small for a seat belt must be properly
restrained in a child safety seat. (See
page 21.) B
e Awar e o f Airba g Hazard s
While airbags can save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Infants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Besure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page 9 .)

Don' t Drin k an d Driv e

Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink. So don't drinkand drive, and don't let your friends
drink and drive, either. Contro
l You r Spee d
Excessive speed is a major factor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also occur at lower speeds. Never drive
faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Kee p You r Ca r i n Saf e Conditio n
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical failure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition frequently, and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page 164.)
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

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.
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 during
hard braking, allowing you to retain steering 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 retain steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly; much faster than a
person can do it.
Drivin g Fron
t

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

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.

Tire
s
Tir e Rotatio n
To help increase tire life and distribute wear more evenly, you
should have the tires rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the chart each time they are rotated. When shopping for replacement
tires, you may find that some tiresare "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in one
direction. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back.
Tir
e Wea r

Type-R model only
The tires on your Type-R were designed and constructed to provide
superior grip during acceleration,
braking, and cornering. They will
wear more rapidly than normal passenger vehicle tires. Tire life may
be less than 15,000 miles (24,000
km), depending on how you drive.
You should carefully inspect your vehicle's tires for wear, damage, andproper inflation every 2,000 miles (3,200 km), see page 199.
These tires are not suitable for winter driving. Refer to Winte r
Driving , page 203.
Maintenance

Fron
t Front

(Fo r Non-directiona l
tire s an d Wheels )(Fo
r Directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )

Tire
s

Replacin g Tire s an d Wheel s
The tires that came with your car were selected to match the perform- ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comfort, and long life.
You should replace them with radial tires of the same size, load range,speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce its braking ability, traction, andsteering accuracy. It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible
or necessary, then replace the two
front tires or the two rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire canseriously affect your car's handling. The ABS works by comparing the
speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally supplied with the car. Tire size and
construction can affect wheel speed
and may cause the system to work
inconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure the wheel's specifications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your car. Replacement
wheels are available at your Acura
dealer.

Maintenanc e
Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and stability. This can cause a crash in which you can be seriously

hurt or killed.

Always use the size and type of

tires recommended in this

owner's manual.

Tire
s

Wheel s an d Tire s

Wheels:
(SE)
14x51/2JJ

(LS,GS,GS-R,Type-R)

15x6JJ

Tires:
(SE)

P195/60R1485H

(LS,
GS
,
GS-R)

P195/55R1584V

(Type-R)

195/55R1584V

See pag
e 256 for information about
DOT Tire Quality Grading. Winte
r Drivin g

SE, LS, GS and GS-R models

Tires that are marked "M+S" or "All Season" on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They
should be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate performance in winter driving.For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions.

Type-R model

You should mount winter tires on
your Type-R before winter starts
(before consistent sub-freezing

temperatures). Change back to
"summer" tires after winter weather

has stopped.

Maintenance

CONTINUED

Tire
s

Snow Tires

SE, LS, GS and GS-R models

If you mount snow tires on your
Acura, make sure they are radial tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels to balance
your car's handling in all weather conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your car's original equipment tires. You shoulddrive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommen-
dations.

Type-R model
Mount winter tires on all four wheels.
The performance capabilities of the winter tires may not be the same as
your vehicle's original-equipmenttires. Check with the tire dealer formaximum speed recommendations.
Tire Chains

Mount traction devices (link-type or
cable-type) only when required by
driving conditions or local laws.
Make sure they are the correct size
for your tires. Install them only on the front tires.

SE model

If link-type traction devices are used,
they must be SAE class "S". Cable-
type traction devices can also be
used.

LS, GS, GS-R, and Type-R models

Because your Acura has limited tire
clearance, mount only SAE class "S"
cable-type traction devices.
Link-type "chains" should not be
used. No matter how tight they seem
to be installed, they can come into contact with the body andsuspension, causing serious damage.
All Models

When installing traction devices,
follow the manufacturer's
instructions and mount them as
tightly as you can. Drive slowly with
them installed. If you hear them coming in contact with the body or
chassis, stop and investigate. Make
sure the traction devices are
installed tightly, and that they are
not contacting the brakes or
suspension.

Remove them as soon as you start driving on cleared roads.

Traction devices that are the wrong

size or improperly installed can

damage your car's brake lines,

suspension, body, and wheels. Stop

driving if they are hitting any part of
the car.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

Compac
t Spar e Tir e

Your car has a compact spare tire that takes up less space. Use this spare tire as a temporary replace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put it back on your car as soon as you can.
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be

inflated to:
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.20 kgf/cm2)
Follow these precautions whenever
you are using the compact spare tire: Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances.
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
faces than the regular tire. Usegreater caution while driving on
this tire.
Do not mount snow chains on the

compact spare.

The wheel of the compact spare
tire is designed especially to fit

your car. Do not use your spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is

the same make and model.
Type-R model only

Do not drive with the compact spare tire mounted on the front
wheels for a long period; it will
damage the Limited Slip

Differential.
INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MAR K

The compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular tire. Replace
it when you can see the tread wear

indicator bars. The replacement

should be the same size and design

tire, mounted on the same wheel.

The compact spare tire is not designed to be mounted on a regular

wheel, and the compact wheel is not
designed for mounting a regular tire.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
TREA
D WEA R INDICATO R BA R

Changin
g a Fla t Tir e

12. Put on the spare tire. Put the wheel nuts back on finger-tight,then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel wrench
until the wheel is firmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten
them fully. 13. Lower the car to the ground and
remove the jack.
14. Tighten the wheel nuts securely in

the same crisscross pattern. Havethe wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service

facility.

Tighten the wheel nuts to:

80 lbf.ft (108 N.m , 11 kgf.m)

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d (Excep
t Type-R )

(Type-R )