Sts Acura RL 2004 3.5 User Guide

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Bass, Treble, Balance, and Fader are
each adjustable. You select which of
these you want to adjust by pressing
the TUNE knob. The mode changes
fromBAStoTREtoFADtoBAL,
and then back to the selected audio
mode, each time you press the
TUNE knob.
You can use the instrument panel
brightness control dial to adjust the il-
lumination of the audio system (see
page ). The audio system
illuminates when the parking lights
are on, even if the radio is turned of f .
Use these modes to
adjust the tone to your liking. Select
TRE or BAS by pressing the TUNE
knob. Adjust the desired mode by
turning the TUNE knob. The
displayed number shows you the
current setting. When the
adjustment level reaches the center,
you will see ‘‘ ’’.
These two
modes adjust the strength of the
sound coming f rom each speaker.
BAL adjusts the side-to-side strength,
while FAD adjusts the f ront-to-back
strength. Select BAL or FAD by pressing the
TUNE knob. Adjust the Balance or
Fader to your liking by turning the
TUNE knob. The displayed number
shows you the current setting. When
the adjustment level reaches the
center, you will see ‘‘ ’’.
The system will automatically return
the display to the selected audio
mode about f ive seconds af ter you
stop adjusting a mode with the
TUNE knob.
71
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
A djusting the Sound
A udio System L ighting
Treble/Bass
Balance/Fader
155

If you do not remove the disc f rom
the slot, the system will reload the
disc af ter ten seconds and begin
playing it. To remove the disc that is currently
playing, press the CD eject button.
You will see ‘‘EJCT’’ in the display.
When you remove the disc f rom the
slot, the system automatically begins
the Load sequence so you can load
another CD in that position. If you do
not load another CD, af ter ten
seconds the system begins playing
the next disc in the changer. If the
changer is empty, the system selects
the previous mode (AM, FM, or
Tape).
To remove a different CD from the
changer,firstselectitwiththe
appropriate preset button. When that
CD begins playing, press the CD
eject button.
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Removing CDs f rom t he Changer
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures169
CD EJECT BUTTON CD SLOTCD/TAPE BUTTON

Depending on where you drive, you
may experience reception problems.
Interf erence can be caused by any of
these conditions:Driving on the south side of an
east/west mountain road If your XM Radio service has expired
or you purchased your car f rom a
previous owner, you can listen to a
sampling of the broadcasts available
on XM Satellite Radio. With the
ignition switch in the ACCESSORY
(I) or ON (II) position, push the
PWR/VOL knob to turn on the audio
system and press the SAT Radio
button. A variety of music types and
styles will play.
Driving on the north side of a
large commercial truck on an
east/west road
Driving in tunnels
Driving on a road beside a vertical
wall, steep clif f or hill to the south
of you
Driving on the lower level of a
multi-tiered road
Driving on a single lane road
alongside dense trees taller than
50 f t. (15 m) to the south of you
There may be other geographic
situations that could af f ect satellite
radio reception.As required by the FCC: Changes or modif ications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible f orcompliance could void the user’sauthority to operate the equipment.
CONT INUED
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Receiving Satellite Radio Service
177

Two controls f or the audio system
are mounted in the steering wheel
hub. These let you control basic
f unctions without removing your
hand f rom the wheel.
If you decide to purchase XM
Satellite Radio service, contact XM
Radio at www.xmradio.com, or at
1-800-852-9696. You will need to give
them your radio I.D. number and
your credit card number. To get your
radio I.D. number, turn the TUNE
knob until ‘‘0’’ appears in the display.
Your I.D. will appear in the display.
After you’ve registered with XM
Radio, keep your audio system in the
SAT Radio mode while you await
activation. This should take about 30
minutes.
While awaiting activation, make sure
your vehicle remains in an open area
with good reception. Once your
audio system is activated, ‘‘category’’
or ‘‘CH’’ will appear in the display
andyou’llbeabletolistentoXM
Radio broadcasts. XM Radio will
continue to send an activation signal
to your vehicle for at least 12 hours
from activation request. If the
service has not been activated after
36 hours, contact XM Radio.
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Remote Audio Controls
178
AUDIO/CH
BUTTON

You will have to store your favorite
stations in the Preset buttons after
the system begins working. Your
original settings were lost when
power was disconnected.
Your car’s audio system will disable
itself if it is disconnected f rom
electrical power f or any reason. To
make it work again, the user must
enter a specif ic f ive-digit code in the
Preset buttons. Because there are
hundreds of number combinations
possible f rom f ive digits, making the
system work without knowing the
exact code is nearly impossible.
Youshouldhavereceivedacardthat
lists your audio system’s code
number and serial number. It is best
tostorethiscardinasafeplaceat
home. In addition, you should write
the audio system’s serial number in
this Owner’s Manual. If you should
happen to lose the card, you must
obtain the code number f rom your
Acura dealer. To do this, you will
need the system’s serial number. If you make a mistake entering the
code, do not start over or try to
correct your mistake. Complete the
f ive-digit sequence, then enter the
correct code. You have three tries to
enter the correct code. If you are
unsuccessful in three attempts, you
must then leave the system on for
one hour bef ore trying again. If your car’s battery is disconnected
or goes dead, or the radio f use is
removed, the audio system will
disable itself . If this happens, you
will see ‘‘ ’’ in the f requency
display the next time you turn on the
system. Use the Preset buttons to
enter the f ive-digit code. If it is
entered correctly, the radio will start
playing.
Thef t Protection
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures180

CONT INUED
When VSA activates, you may notice
that the engine does not respond to
the accelerator in the same way it
does at other times. You will also see
the VSA Activation Indicator blink.When VSA activates, you will see the
VSA Activation indicator blink.
The Vehicle Stability Assist system
helps to stabilize the vehicle during
cornering if the vehicle turns more
or less than desired. It also assists
you in maintaining traction while
accelerating on loose or slippery
road surf aces. It does this by
regulating the engine’s output, and
by selectively applying braking.
The VSA system cannot enhance the
vehicle’s driving stability in all
situations and does not control your
car’s entire braking system. It is still
your responsibility to drive and
corner at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
Driving
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System
VSA A ct ivat ion Indicat or
227
VSA ACTIVATION INDICATOR

CONT INUED
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to 2nd
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, shif t to
D.
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your car’s
handling and perf ormance, so
driving with a trailer requires some
special driving skills and techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Use the D position when towing a
trailer on level roads. D is the
proper shif t lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See ‘‘
’’ in the next
column f or additional gear
inf ormation.) Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your car, and it can
hit or run over something the vehicle
misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
If youmuststopwhenfacinguphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
3
4
3
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Driving Saf ely With a T railerMaking T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving on Hills
237

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Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish
powder). To remove it, cover the
terminals with a solution of baking
soda and water. It will bubble up and
turn brown. When this stops, wash it
of f with plain water. Dry of f the
battery with a cloth or paper towel.
Coat the terminals with grease to
help prevent f uture corrosion.
If the terminals are severely cor-
roded, clean them with baking soda
and water. Then use a wrench to
loosen and remove the cables f rom
the terminals. Always disconnect the
negative ( ) cable f irst and recon-
nect it last. Clean the battery termi-
nals with a terminal cleaning tool or
wire brush. Reconnect and tighten
the cables, then coat the terminals
with grease.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damage to the vehicle’s
electrical system.
CONT INUED
Battery
Maint enance
WARNING:
Wash hands af ter handling.
273
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the battery
maintenance.

This section covers the more-
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your car towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .308
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .309
..........
If Your Engine Won’t Start . 314
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates ........................
Very Slowly .314
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally .315
................................
Jump Starting .316
............
If Your Engine Overheats . 319
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 321
..........
Charging System Indicator . 322
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 323
.......................
Readiness Codes .324
...............
Brake System Indicator . 325
..................
Closing the Moonroof . 326
..............................................
Fuses .327
..........
Checking and Replacing . 328
......................
Emergency Towing .332
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed307

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The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specif ied government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-
half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded
100. The relative perf ormance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart signif icantly f rom the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and dif f erences in
road characteristics and climate.
The tires on your car meet all U.S.
Federal Saf ety Requirements. All
tires are also graded for treadwear,
traction, and temperature perform-
ance according to Department of
Transportation (DOT) standards.
The f ollowing explains these
gradings.
Quality grades can be f ound where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and the
maximum section width. For
example:
The traction grades, f rom highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specif ied government test surf aces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
perf ormance.
Warning: The traction grade
assignedtothistireisbasedon
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
All passenger vehicle tires must
conf orm to Federal Saf ety
Requirements in addition to these
grades. T readwear
Unif orm T ire Quality Grading T readwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A Traction AA, A, B, C
DOT T ire Quality Grading (U.S. Cars)
T echnical Inf ormation340