steering Acura RL 2001 3.5 Service Manual

Towing a Trailer

Your Acura has been designedprimarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment, and follow the guidelines in this
section.
Load Limits
Total Trailer Weight: The totalweight of the trailer andeverything loaded in it must not
exceed 2,000 Ibs (900 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy canseriously affect your car's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and
drivetrain. Tongue Load: The weight that
the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should beapproximately 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.

Driving

Towing a Trailer

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 putting the
transmission in Park and firmly setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer's
tires.

Driving

Maintenance

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 normal
driving 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. See
page 319 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Acura

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 204
Important Safety Precautions.. 205
Maintenance Schedule.................. 206
Required Maintenance Record.... 213 Owner Maintenance Checks........ 215
Fluid Locations............................... 216

Engine Oil...................................... 217
Adding Oil................................... 217
Recommended Oil.................... 217
Synthetic Oil.............................. 218

Additives.................................... 218

Changing the Oil and Filter...... 219
Cooling System.............................. 221 Adding Engine Coolant............. 221Replacing Engine Coolant........ 223
Windshield Washers..................... 227
Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 228 Differential Oil.............................. 229

Brake Fluid.................................... 230
Brake System............................. 230
Power Steering............................... 230

Hood Latch.................................... 231

Air Cleaner Element...................... 231 Spark Plugs..................................... 233

Replacement.............................. 233
Specifications............................ 236
Battery............................................ 236
Wiper Blades.................................. 239
Air Conditioning System............... 241
Air Conditioning Filter.................. 242
Drive Belts...................................... 242
Timing Belt..................................... 243
Tires................................................ 243
Inflation..................................... 243

Inspection................................... 245
Maintenance............................... 246
Tire Rotation.............................. 246
Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 247
Wheels and Tires....................... 248
Winter Driving........................... 248
Snow Tires............................ 249

Tire Chains.............................
249
Lights.............................................. 250 Replacing Bulbs......................... 252
Storing Your Car............................

261

Maintenance

Fluid Locations

AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK

(Yellow loop)

POWER STEERING

FLUID

(Red cap)
RADIATOR CAP BRAKE FLUID
(Gray cap)
ENGINE OIL
FILL CAP
ENGINE
COOLANT
RESERVOIR

WASHER FLUID (Blue cap)
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK

(Orange loop)

Maintenance

Brake Fluid, Power Steering

Brake Fluid

Check the fluid level in the brake
fluid reservoir monthly.
The brake fluid should be replaced according to the time recommenda-
tion in the maintenance schedule.
Always use Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 fluid, from a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement. However, the use of any non-Honda brake fluid can cause
corrosion and decrease the life of the
system. Have the brake system
flushed and refilled with Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid DOT 3 assoon as possible.
Brake fluid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your car's braking system and can cause extensive

damage.
Brake System
The fluid level should be between the MIN and MAX marks on the side
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected for leaks or
worn brake pads. Power Steering
You should check the fluid level in the power steering reservoir at leastonce a year. Check the level when
the engine is cold. Look at the side of the reservoir. The fluid should be
between the UPPER LEVEL and LOWER LEVEL. If it is below the
LOWER LEVEL, add power steering
fluid to the UPPER LEVEL.

Maintenance
MAX
MIN
UPPER

LEVEL
LOWER

LEVEL

Power Steering, Hood Latch, Air Cleaner Element
Always use Honda Power Steering Fluid. If it is not available, you may
use another power steering fluid as
an emergency replacement.
However, continued use can cause
increased wear and poor steering in
cold weather. Have the power
steering system flushed and refilled
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
A low power steering fluid level can indicate a leak in the system. Check
the fluid level frequently and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.

Turning the steering wheel to full left
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.
Hood Latch

Clean the hood latch assembly with a
mild cleaner, then lubricate it with a
multipurpose grease. Lubricate all
the moving parts (as shown),
including the pivot. Follow the time
and distance recommendations in
the Maintenance Schedule. If you are not sure how to clean and grease
the latch, contact your Acura dealer.
Air Cleaner Element

The air cleaner element should be cleaned or replaced according to the
time and distance recommendations
in the maintenance schedule.
Cleaning (Severe Conditions)

Clean the air cleaner element by blowing compressed air through it in
the opposite direction to normal air
flow. If you do not have access tocompressed air (such as a servicestation), ask your Acura dealer to do
this service.
Follow the replacement procedure
for removal and reinstallation.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

NOTICE

PIVOTS
LATCH
ASSEMBLY

Air Conditioning Filter, Drive Belts

Air Conditioning Filter The air conditioning filter removespollen and dust that is brought in
from the outside through the climate control system.
This filter should be replaced every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) under nor-
mal conditions. It should be replaced
every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) if youdrive primarily in urban areas that
have high concentrations of soot in
the air from industry and diesel-pow- ered vehicles. Replace it more often
if air flow from the climate control system becomes less than usual.
Have the air conditioning filter re-
placed by your Acura dealer. Drive Belts

The belts should have the following

"play" or deflection.

Alternator belt:
0.37 — 0.45 in (9.5 — 11.5 mm)
Compressor belt:
0.31 — 0.43 in (8.0 — 11.0 mm)
Power steering belt:
0.41 — 0.49 in (10.5 — 12.5 mm)
If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace
the belts.

Maintenance
Check the condition of the three
drive belts. Examine the edges of
each belt for cracks or fraying.
Check the tension of each belt by
pushing on it with your thumb midway between the pulleys.
ALTERNATOR BELT
POWER STEERING BELT
COMPRESSOR BELT

Tires

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. Replacing Tires and Wheels
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, and steering 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.
CONTINUED

Maintenance

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.

Lights

Replacing Front Turn Signal/ Parking and Side Marker Light
Bulbs
1. If you are changing the bulb on the driver's side, start the engine,
turn the steering wheel all the way
to the right, and turn off theengine. If you are changing the
bulb on the passenger's side, turn
the steering wheel to the left. 2. Use a flat-tipped screwdriver to
remove the holding clip from the
inner fender.
3. Pull the inner fender cover back.
4. Remove the socket from the headlight assembly by turning itone-quarter turn counterclockwise. 5. To remove the front turn signal/
parking light bulb, push it inslightly and turn it
counterclockwise. To remove the side marker bulb, pull it straight
out of its socket.
6. Install the new bulb into the
socket.

7. Insert the socket back into the headlight assembly. Turn itclockwise to lock it in place.
8. Test the lights to make sure the new bulb is working.
9. Put the inner fender cover in place. Install the holding clip. Lock it in
place by pushing on the center.
Maintenance

HOLDING CLIP

Emergency Towing
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 any items
plugged into the accessory power socket 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 Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE
NOTICE