audio Acura RL 2004 3.5 Owner's Manual

2004 RL Online Reference Owner's Manual Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com. Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance ........................................................................\
....................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
.................................................. .55
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
.............................. .119
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................... ...............203
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................215
The proper way to start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
...................................................... ...................239
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
...................................................... ...........299
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your car ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................307
This section covers several problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
...................................................... .335
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada only).............................................................351
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only )........................................................................\
......................................
.355
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

Your Car at a Glance
2
MIRROR CONTROLSINSTRUMENT PANEL
CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM
AUDIO SYSTEM
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
TRUNK RELEASE
BUTTON FUEL FILL DOOR RELEASE
HANDLE HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE
(P.88)
(P.103) (P.98) (P.96)
(P.57)
(P.120)
(P.134,151)
(P.205) (P.206)

Control L ocations
Inst rument s and Cont rols56
TRUNK RELEASE
BUTTONHOOD RELEASE HANDLE AUDIO SYSTEMCLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM
DOOR LOCK
SWITCHES
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
FUEL FILL
DOOR RELEASE
HANDLE MIRROR CONTROLS
(P. 96)
(P. 83)
(P. 98)
(P. 103)
(P. 88)
(P. 205)
(P.206) (P.
120)
(P. 134, 151)

Thetwoleversonthesteering
column contain controls f or driving
f eatures you use most of ten. The lef t
lever controls the turn signals,
headlights, and high beams. The
right lever controls the windshield
washers and wipers.
The switch for the hazard warning
lights is on the dashboard to the
right of the steering column.
The controls under the lef t air vent
areforthecruisecontrol,instrument
panel brightness and the VSA
System.
The switches for the rear window
def ogger and f og lights are under
the audio system.
The steering wheel adjustment
switch on the side of the steering
column allows you to tilt and
telescope the steering wheel.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols67
VEHICLE
STABILITY
ASSIST SYSTEM
OFF SWITCH
CRUISE
CONTROLSTEERING WHEEL
ADJUSTMENTS
HEADLIGHTS/
TURN SIGNALS
HAZARD WARNING
LIGHTS
INSTRUMENT
PANEL
BRIGHTNESS WINDSHIELD
WIPERS/WASHERS
HORN REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER FOG LIGHTS

µ
µ
µ
µ
The ignition switch is on the right
side of the steering column. It has
f our positions:
LOCK(0)
 ACCESSORY (I)
 ON (II)
 START (III) If the f ront wheels are turned, the
anti-thef t lock may sometimes make
it difficult to turn the key from
LOCK to ACCESSORY. Firmly turn
the steering wheel to the lef t or to
the right as you turn the key.
In this position,
you can operate the audio system
and the cigarette lighter. You can insert or
remove the key only in this position.
To switch f rom ACCESSORY to
LOCK, you must push the key in
slightly as you turn it. The shif t lever
must also be in Park. The anti-thef t
lock will lock the steering column
when you remove the key. Use this position
only to start the engine. The switch
returns to ON (II) when you let go of
the key.
The engine will not start if the
Immobilizer System does not
recognize the key’s coding (see page ).
You will hear a reminder beeper if
you leave the key in the ignition
switch in the LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I) position and open
the driver’s door. Remove the key to
turn of f the beeper.
This is the normal key
position when driving. All f eatures
and accessories on the vehicle are
usable. Several of the lights on the
instrument panel come on as a test
when you turn the ignition switch f rom ACCESSORY to ON.
80
Ignition Switch
A CCESSORY (I) LOCK (0)ST A RT (III)
ON (II)
Keys and Locks
Inst rument s and Cont rols82

...............
Climate Control System . 120
.......
Fully-automatic Operation . 122
.......
Semi-automatic Operation . 123
.......
Fully-automatic Operation . 127
.......
Semi-automatic Operation . 128
........................
Rear Ventilation .132
Sunlight Sensor/ ............
Temperature Sensor . 133
................................
Audio System .134
AM/FM/Cassette/CD Changer ........................
Audio System .134
.................
Operating the Radio . 135
.................
Adjusting the Sound . 138
............
Audio System Lighting . 138
Operating the Cassette .....................................
Player .139
............
Tape Search Functions . 140
.....
Operating the CD Changer . 143
CD Changer Error .............................
Indications .150 AM/FM/Cassette/CD Changer/
Satellite Digital Radio Audio ................................
System .151
.................
Operating the Radio . 152
.................
Adjusting the Sound . 155
............
Audio System Lighting . 155
....................
Radio Frequencies . 156
........................
Radio Reception .156
..............................
Digital Clock .158
Operating the Cassette .....................................
Player .159
............
Tape Search Functions . 160
Caring f or the Cassette .....................................
Player .163
.....
Operating the CD Changer . 164
.......
Protecting Compact Discs . 171
CD Changer Error .............................
Indications .172
...............
Satellite Digital Radio . 173
.........
Operating Satellite Radio . 174
Receiving Satellite Radio ....................................
Service .177
...........
Remote Audio Controls . 178
.......................
Thef t Protection .180
............................
Security System .181 ...............................
Cruise Control .182
HomeLink Universal ...........................
Transceiver .186
...............
Customer Assistance . 186
.
Important Safety Precautions . 186
..................
Training HomeLink . 187
Training with a Rolling Code ....................................
System .189
...........................
Erasing Codes .191
............................................
OnStar .192
3.5 RL without Navigation System
U.S. 3.5 RL with Navigation System
3.5 RL without Navigation System U.S. 3.5 RL with Navigation System
Comf ort and Convenience Features
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures119

Î
Î
Your Acura’s audio system provides
clear reception on both AM and FM
bands, while the preset buttons allow
you to easily select your f avorite
stations.
The cassette system f eatures Dolby
noise reduction, automatic sensing of
chromium-dioxide (CrO ) tape, and
auto-reverse f or continuous play.
The in-dash CD changer holds up to
six discs. You operate the CD
changer with the same controls used
f or the radio. See page f or CD
changer operation.The anti-thef t f eature will disable the
system if it is disconnected f rom the
vehicle’s battery. To get the system
working again, you must enter a
code number (see page ).
143
180
2
Dolby noise reduction manuf actured under
license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corpo-
ration. ‘‘DOLBY’’ and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories
Licensing Corporation.
A M/FM/Cassette/CD Changer
Audio System3.5 RL wit hout Navigat ion Syst em
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures134

µ
µ ÓÓ µ
µ´
Use the TUNE knob to
tune the radio to a desired f requency.
Turn the TUNE knob to the right to
tune to a higher f requency, or to the
lef t to tune to a lower f requency.
Turn the knob right or lef t until the
display reaches the desired
f requency.
The ignition switch must be in
ACCESSORY (I) or ON (II) to
operate the audio system. Turn the
system on by pressing the PWR/
VOL knob, or the AM or FM button.
Adjust the volume by turning the
knob.
The band and f requency that the
radio was last tuned to is displayed.
To change bands, press the AM or
FM button. On the FM band, ST will
be displayed if the station is broad-
castinginstereo.Stereo
reproduction on AM is not available.
The SEEK f unction
searches the band for a station with
a strong signal. To activate it, press
either SEEK button ( or ), then
release it. Depending on which
SEEK button you press, the system
scans upward or downward from the
current f requency. It stops when it
finds a station with a strong signal. The SCAN function
samples all the stations with strong
signals on the selected band. To
activate it, press the SCAN button,
then release it. You will see SCAN in
the display. The system will scan up
the band for a station with a strong
signal. When it f inds one, it will stop
and play that station for
approximately f ive seconds. If you do
nothing, the system will then scan
f or the next strong station and play
that f or f ive seconds. When it plays a
station that you want to continue
listening to, press the SCAN button
again.
You can use any of f ive methods to
f ind radio stations on the selected
band: TUNE, SEEK, SCAN, AUTO
SELECT, and the preset buttons.
CONT INUED
TUNE
Operating the Radio
SEEKSCAN
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures135

µThe preset f requencies will be lost if
your car’s battery goes dead, is
disconnected, or the radio f use is
removed.
Repeat steps 1 to 3 to store a total
of six stations on AM and twelve
on FM. Pick the preset button you want
for that station. Press the button
and hold it until you hear a beep. Select the desired band, AM or
FM. FM1 and FM2 let you store
two f requencies with each preset
button.
To store a f requency: You can store the
f requencies of your f avorite radio
stations in the six preset buttons.
Each button will store one f requency
on the AM band, and two
f requencies on the FM band.
UsetheTUNE,SEEK,orSCAN
function to tune the radio to a
desired station. Once a station’s f requency is stored,
simply press and release the proper
preset button to tune to it.
1.
2.
3.
4. Preset
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures136
PWR/VOL
KNOB
AM
BUTTONFM
BUTTON TUNE KNOB
SCAN BUTTON PRESET BUTTONSST INDICATOR
SEEK BUTTONS

µIf you are
traveling far from home and can no
longer receive the stations you
preset, you can use the Auto Select
feature to find stations in the local
area.
If you are in a remote area, Auto
Select may not f ind six strong AM
stations or twelve strong FM stations.
If this happens, you will see a ‘‘0’’
displayed when you press any preset
button that does not have a station
stored. If you do not like the stations Auto
Select has stored, you can store
other f requencies in the preset
buttons. Use the TUNE, SEEK, or
SCAN f unction to f ind the desired
f requencies, then store them in the
selected preset buttons as described
previously.
Auto Select does not erase the
f requencies that you preset pre-
viously. When you return home, turn
of f Auto Select by pressing the
A. SEL button. The preset buttons
will then select the f requencies you
originally set.
To activate Auto Select, press the
A. SEL button. A. SEL will f lash in
the display, and the system will go
into scan mode f or several seconds.
It automatically scans both bands,
looking f or stations with strong
signals. It stores the f requencies of
six AM stations and twelve FM
stations in the preset buttons. You
can then use the preset buttons to
select those stations. AUTO SELECT
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures137
TUNE KNOB
SCAN BUTTON PRESET
BUTTONS
A.SEL
BUTTON SEEK BUTTONS
A.SEL INDICATOR