weight Acura RL 2004 3.5 User Guide

·µ
This f igure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer.
Following are the steps f or
determining the correct cargo and
luggage load limit.
Locate the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 850 lbs
(395 kg)’’ on your car’s placard (on
the driver’s doorjamb).
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your car. (Five is
the seating capacity of your car.) Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers f rom
850 lbs (395 kg).
The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
For example, if there will be f our 150
lbsoccupantsinyourcar,the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 250 lbs.
4 150 lbs = 600 lbs
850 lbs 600 lbs = 250 lbs If your car will be towing a trailer,
load f rom your trailer will be
transf erred to your car. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your car.
The maximum load limit f or your car
is 850 lbs (395 kg).
Determine the combined weight
of accessories, luggage, and cargo
beingloadedinthevehicle.The
weight may not saf ely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4 (250
lbsinthisexample).
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
6.
Load Limit
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving213
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.

Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the trunk, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as f ar f orward as possible.
If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the trunk
lid, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of, f ollow the instructions
on page .
If you can carry any items on a
roof rack,besurethetotalweight
of the rack and the items does not
exceed the maximum allowable
weight. Please contact your Acura
dealer f or f urther inf ormation.
Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Do not put any items on top of the
rear shelf . They can block your
view and be thrown around the
vehicle during a crash.
Be sure items placed on the f loor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
under the seats and interf ere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper
operation of the seats.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop.
53
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
Carrying Cargo in the Trunk or on
a Roof Rack
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
214

Your Acura has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-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 f ront-tire
traction and steering control.
The total
weight of the trailer and
everything loaded in it must not
exceed 2,000 lbs (900 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously af f ect your car’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Load Limits
Tongue Load:
T otal T railer Weight:
232

To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer
and 40 percent toward the rear, then
re-adjust the load as needed.The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: The best way to conf irm that vehicle
and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the f irst time you set up a
towing combination (a f ully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
on the f ront axle
on the rear axle
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Checking L oads
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GA WR): Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):
233
4,830 lbs (2,190 kg)
2,570 lbs (1,165 kg)
2,260 lbs (1,025 kg) Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your car and
trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously
injured or killed.
Check the loading of your car
and trailer carefully before
starting to drive.

Towing can require a variety of
equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and
how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and that it meets
f ederal, state, province, and local
regulations.Acura recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs
(450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
Always use saf ety chains. Make sure
they are secured to both the trailer
and hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground. Any hitch used on your car must be
properly bolted to the underbody.
If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your car’s
hydraulic system. No matter how
successf ul it may seem, any attempt
to attach trailer brakes to your car’s
hydraulic system will lower braking
ef f ectiveness and create a potential
hazard.
Towing a Trailer
Driving
T owing Equipment and
A ccessoriesHit ches T railer Brakes
Saf et y Chains
234

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don’t,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or
if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation.
The lights and brakes on your car
and the trailer are working
properly.Your car tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
232 233 280
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Pre-T ow ChecklistAdditional Trailer Equipment
236

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

µYou may use a synthetic motor oil if
it meets the same requirements
given f or conventional motor oil: it
displays the API Certif ication Seal,
and it is the proper weight as shown
on the chart. When using synthetic
oil, you must f ollow the oil and f ilter
change intervals given in the
maintenance schedule.
The numbers on the container’s label
tell you the oil’s viscosity or weight.
Select the oil f or your car according
to this chart.
An oil with a viscosity of 5W-30 is
pref erred f or optimum f uel economy
and year-round protection in your
Acura. You may use a 10W-30 oil if
the temperature in your area never
goes below 20°F ( 7°C). Your Acura does not need any oil
additives. Purchasing additives f or
the engine or transmission will not
increase your car’s perf ormance or
longevity. It only increases the cost
of operating your car.
Engine Oil
Maint enance
Synthetic Oil
Additives
252
Ambient Temperature

In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
The tires were properly balanced by
the factory. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time bef ore they
are worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you f eel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire
should always be rebalanced if it is
removed f rom the wheel f or repair.To help increase tire lif e 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.
Make sure the installer balances the
wheels when you have new tires
installed. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. Your car’s
original tires were dynamic or ‘‘spin’’
balanced at the f actory. For best
results, have the installer perf orm a
dynamic balance.
Maintenance
T ire Rotation
Tires
Maint enance282
FrontFront
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) (For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
Improper wheel weights can damage
your car’s aluminum wheels. Use only
genuine Acura wheel weights f or
balancing.

If you decide to tow your car with all
f our wheels on the ground, make
sure you use a properly-designed and
attached tow bar. Prepare the
vehicle f or 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
of f so they do not run down the
battery.
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed333
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
f reely bef ore you begin towing.Trying to lif t or tow your car by the
bumpers will cause serious damage.
The bumpers are not designed to
support the vehicle’s weight.