maintenance Acura RL 2000 3.5 User Guide

Maintenanc
e Safet y

Importan t Safet y Precaution s
Before you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also, be sure the engine
is off. This will help to eliminate several potential hazards:
Carbo
n monoxid e poisonin g

fro m engin e exhaust . Be sure

there is adequate ventilation

whenever you operate the engine. Burn
s fro m ho t parts . Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
before touching any parts. Injur
y fro m movin g parts . Do
not run the engine unless in-
structed to do so. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the
tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of fire or explosion, be careful when working
around gasoline or batteries. Use a
commercially available degreaser or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and all
fuel-related parts.
You should wear eye protection and protective clothing when workingnear the battery or when usingcompressed air.
Maintenance

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

The Maintenance Schedule specifies how often you should have your carserviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to retain its high level of safety,dependability, and emissions control
performance.
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenanceschedule assume you will use your
car as normal transportation for
passengers and their possessions.
You should also follow these
recommendations:

Avoid exceeding your car's loadlimit. This puts excess stress on
the engine, brakes, and manyother parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on the label on the driver's doorjamb.
Operate your car on reasonable
roads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).
Always use unleaded gasoline with
the proper octane rating (see page
166). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule
for "Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done under one or more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for "Normal Conditions."

Maintenanc e

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

Your authorized Acura dealer knows your car best and can providecompetent, efficient service.
However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties
in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualified service facility or
person who is skilled in this type of
automotive service. Keep all the
receipts as proof of completion, and
have the person who does the work
fill out the Maintenance Record. Check your warranty booklet for
more information. We recommend the use of Genuine
Honda parts and fluids whenever you
have maintenance done. These are
manufactured to the same high-
quality standards as the original
components, so you can be confident
of their performance and durability.
U.S. Vehicles:

Maintenance , replacemen t o r

repai r o f emission s contro l
device s an d system s ma y b e don e
b y an y automotiv e repai r

establishmen t o r individua l usin g

part s tha t ar e "certified " t o EP A
standards . According to state and federal
regulations, failure to perform
maintenance on the items marked
with # will not void your emissions
warranties. However, Acura recommends that all maintenanceservices be performed at the
recommended time or mileage
period to ensure long-term reliability.

Maintenance

U.S
. Owner s
Follow the Normal Conditions Maintenance Schedule if the
severe driving conditions
specified in the Severe
Conditions Maintenance
Schedule do not apply.
NOTE: If you only OCCASIONALLY drive under a
"severe" condition, you should
follow the Normal Conditions Maintenance Schedule.
Canadia n Owner s
Follow the Maintenance
Schedule for Severe Conditions.
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page 205. Maintenanc e

Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A
, B , C as required for each distance/time interval. Follow this
schedule if the severe driving conditions described in the Severe Conditions Schedule on the next page do not apply.
Canadia n owners : Follow the schedule for Severe Conditions.

Maintenance
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last
column, page 205.

NOTE:
Check engine oil and coolant at each fuel stop.
page 244

U.S. Owner s

Follow the Severe Conditions Maintenance Schedule if you

drive your car MAINLY under

one or more of the following

conditions:
Driving less than 5 miles (8
km) per trip or, in freezing
temperatures, driving less
than 10 miles (16 km) per trip. Driving in extremely hot
[over 90° F (32° C) ] conditions. Extensive idling or long
periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack, or driving in
mountainous conditions. Driving on muddy, dusty, or
de-iced roads.

Canadia n Owner s
Follow the Maintenance
Schedule for Severe Conditions.
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page 205.
* 1 : Refer to page 241 for replacement information under special driving conditions.
* 2 : Refer to page 240 for replacement information under special driving conditions.

Maintenanc e

Use this schedule if your vehicle is MAINLY driven in any of the following Severe Conditions, or normally driven in Canada; otherwise use the Normal
Schedule. Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A , B , C , D as required for each distance/time.

Sever e Conditions:
Driving less than 5 miles (8 km) per trip or, in freezing temperatures, driving less than 10 miles (16 km) per trip.
Driving in extremely hot (over 90°F/32°C) conditions.
Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack, or driving in mountainous conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads.

Maintenance

CONTINUED

page 244

# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last
column, page 205.
* 1 : See Timing Belt on page 241 to determine need for replacement.
* 2 : See Air Conditioning Filter on page 240 for replacement
information under special conditions.

NOTE:
Check engine oil and coolant at each fuel stop.
Maintenanc e

Require
d Maintenanc e Recor d (fo r Norma l an d Sever e Schedules )

You or the servicing dealer can record all completed maintenance here, whether you follow the schedule for normal conditions (page 206) or severe conditions (page 208). Keep the receipts for all work done on your car.

Maintenance

CONTINUED

Require
d Maintenanc e Recor d (fo r Norma l an d Sever e Schedules )

Maintenance