air condition Acura RL 2004 3.5 User Guide

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

If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Acura, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Acura
dealer. This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions f or simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself . This section explains why it is
important to keep your car well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .240
.
Important Safety Precautions . 241
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 242
...
Required Maintenance Record . 249
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 251
..............................
Fluid Locations .252
......................................
Engine Oil .253
..................................
Adding Oil .253
....................
Recommended Oil .253
..............................
Synthetic Oil .254
....................................
Additives .254
.....
Changing the Oil and Filter . 255
.............................
Cooling System .257
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 257
.......
Replacing Engine Coolant . 259
....................
Windshield Washers .263
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 264
..............................
Dif f erential Oil .265
....................................
Brake Fluid .266
............................
Brake System .266
..............................
Power Steering .266
....................................
Hood Latch .267
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .267
....................................
Spark Plugs .269
..............................
Replacement .269
............................
Specif ications .272 ...........................................
Battery .272
.................................
Wiper Blades .275
..............
Air Conditioning System . 277
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 278
.....................................
Drive Belts .278
....................................
Timing Belt .279
...............................................
Tires .279
......................................
Inf lation .279
..................................
Inspection .281
..............................
Maintenance .282
.............................
Tire Rotation .282
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 283
......................
Wheels and Tires .284
..........................
Winter Driving .284
.............................
Snow Tires .285
............................
Tire Chains .285
.............................................
Lights .286
........................
Replacing Bulbs .288
...........................
Storing Your Car .297
355
Maintenance
Maint enance239

µÌU.S. Cars:
Trailer towing, driving with a roof
rack, or driving in mountainous
conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, or
deiced roads.
Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions. NOTE: If you only
drive under a ‘‘severe’’ condition, you
should f ollow the Maintenance
Schedule f or Normal Conditions. Your authorized Acura dealer knows
your car best and can provide
competent, ef f icient service.
However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties
in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualif ied service f acility 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
f ill out the Maintenance Record.
Check your warranty booklet f or
more inf ormation.
We recommend the use of Acura
parts and f luids whenever you have
maintenance done. These are
manuf actured to the same high-
quality standards as the original
components, so you can be conf ident
of their perf ormance and durability.According to state and federal
regulations, f ailure to perf orm
maintenance on the items marked
with will not void your emissions
warranties. However, Acura
recommends that all maintenance
services be perf ormed at the
recommended time or mileage
period to ensure long-term reliability.
OCCASIONALLY
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are ‘‘certif ied’’ to EPA
standards.
Canadian Owners
243

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Maint enance244
Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop
15
24
30
4845
72 75
120
60
96 90
144 105
168120
192135
216150
240
Service the items listed at the indicated distance (or time, if given).
Check inflation and condition once a month
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000
Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or every 1 year, whichever comes firstEvery 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
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At 120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 10 years,
then every 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 5 years
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page . Replace at 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 4 years, then every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or 2 years.
Replace at 120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 6 years, then every 90,000 miles (144,000 km) or 5 years. Every 3 years (independent of mileage)
Check engine oil and coolant
Check tires
Replace engine oil
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page 282 )
Replace engine oil filter
Check front and rear brakes
Check parking brake adjustment
Inspect the following items:
Tie-rod ends, steering gearbox, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system
Fuel lines and connections
Inspect and adjust drive belts
Replace dust and pollen filter
Replace air cleaner element
Replace spark plugs
Replace automatic transmission fluid
Replace front differential fluid
Inspect idle speed
Replace timing belt, balancer belt, and inspect water pump
Replace engine coolant
Replace brake fluid
1:
2: : 243
1
2
Maintenance Schedule for Normal Conditions

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Maint enance245
Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop
Service the items listed at the indicated distance (or time, if given).
Check inflation and condition once a month
Every 3,750 miles (6,000 km) or 6 months, whichever comes first Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000
Check engine oil and coolant
Check tires
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page 282)
Check front and rear brakes
Inspect the following items: Tie-rod ends, steering gearbox, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Check parking brake adjustment
Lubricate all hinges, locks and latches
Inspect the following items: Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system
Fuel lines and connections
Lights and controls/vehicle underbody
Inspect and adjust drive belts
Replace dust and pollen filter
Clean air cleaner element
Replace air cleaner element
Replace spark plugs
Replace automatic transmission fluid
Replace front differential fluid
Inspect idle speed
Replace timing belt , balancer belt , and inspect water
pump
Replace engine coolant
Replace brake fluid
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24 30
4845
7260
9675
120 90
144 105
168120
192135
216150
240
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120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 5 years
Every 3 years (independent of mileage)
Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or 6 months, whichever comes first
See dust and pollen filter on page for replacement information under special driving conditions.
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page . See timing belt on page for replacement information under special driving conditions. Replace at 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 3 years, then every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or 2 years.
Replace at 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or 2 years, then every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) or 1 year.
1:
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: 278
279 243
1
2
3
,4 ,4
Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them. Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently. 338
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance277
AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.

µµ
µµ µµ
The belts should have the f ollowing
‘‘play’’ or def lection.
Alternator belt:
Check the condition of the three
drive belts. Examine the edges of
each belt f or cracks or f raying.
Check the tension of each belt by
pushingonitwithyourthumb
midway between the pulleys. If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace
the belts. Power steering belt: Compressor belt:
The dust and pollen f ilter removes
pollen and dust that is brought in
f rom the outside through the climate
control system.
This f ilter 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 you
drive primarily in urban areas that
have high concentrations of soot in
the air f rom industry and diesel-pow-
ered vehicles. Replace it more of ten
if air f low f rom the climate control
system becomes less than usual.
Have dust and pollen f ilter replaced
by your Acura dealer. Drive Belts
Dust and Pollen Filter
Maint enance
Dust and Pollen Filter, Drive Belts
278
ALTERNATOR BELT
COMPRESSOR BELT
POWER STEERING
BELT
0.37 0.45 in (9.5 11.5 mm)
0.41 0.49 in (10.5 12.5 mm) 0.31 0.43 in (8.0 11.0 mm)

µµWe recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
The timing belt and balancer belt
should normally be replaced at the
intervals shown in the maintenance
schedule.
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C). To saf ely operate your car, your tires
must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread,
and correctly inf lated. The f ollowing
pages give more detailed inf ormation
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.
Replace these belts at 60,000 miles
(U.S.) or 100,000 km (Canada) if you
regularly drive your car in one or
more of these conditions: Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort. Underinf lated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to
damage f rom road hazards, and wear
unevenly.
CONT INUED
Inf lation
Tires
Timing Belt
Timing Belt, Tires
Maint enance279
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.

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 /cm ) per month.
Remember to check the spare tire at
thesametimeyoucheckallthe
other tires.The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions and
speeds. Tire pressures f or high
speed driving are the same as f or
normal driving.
Thecompactsparetirepressureis:
Youshouldgetyourowntire
pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier f or you to tell if a
pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the vehicle
has been parked f or at least three
hours. If you have to drive the
vehicle bef ore checking the tire
pressure, the tires can still be
considered ‘‘cold’’ if you drive less
than 1 mile (1.6 km). If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot [the vehicle has been
driven several miles (kilometers)],
you will see readings 4 to 6 psi (30 to
40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4 kgf /cm ) higher
than the cold reading. This is normal.
Do not let air out to match the
specif ied cold pressure. The tire will
be underinf lated.
Add or release air, if needed, to
match the recommended cold tire
pressuresonthispage. For convenience, the recommended
tire sizes and cold air pressures are
on a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
For additional technical information
about your tires, see page .
340
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
Front/Rear:
Recommended T ire Pressures f orNormal Driving
Tires
Maint enance280
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1
kgf/cm
)
P225/55R16 94V

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The Brake System Indicator
normallycomesonwhenyouturn
the ignition switch ON (II). It is a
reminder to check the parking brake.
It comes on and stays lit if you do not
f ully release the parking brake. If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the vehicle’s
brake system. In most cases, the
problem is a low f luid level in the
brake f luid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it f eels
normal. If it does, check the brake
f luid level the next time you stop at a
service station (see page ). If the
f luid level is low, take the vehicle to
your dealer and have the brake
system inspected f or leaks or worn
brake pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. Because of the
brake system’s dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will f eel the brake pedal
go down much f arther bef ore the
vehicle begins to slow down, and you
will have to press harder on the
pedal. The distance needed to stop
will be much longer.Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the
longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (See
on page .)
If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and cautiously.
If the ABS indicator and the VSA
system indicator come on with this
indicator, have the vehicle inspected
by your dealer immediately.
266
332
Brake System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
325
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR
U.S. indicator shown