maintenance 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.

As you read this manual, you will
f ind inf ormation that is preceded by
asymbol. This
inf ormation is intended to help you
avoid damage to your Acura, other
property, or the environment.
Several warranties protect your new Acura. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities. One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Acura is to read
this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Af terwards, keep this owner’s manual in your car so you
can ref er to it at any time.
Maintaining your car according to the schedules given in this manual helps
to keep your driving trouble-f ree while it preserves your investment. When
your car needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Acura dealer’s staf f is
specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to your Acura. Your
Acura dealer is dedicated to your satisf action and will be pleased to answer
any questions and concerns.
Calif ornia Proposition 65 Warning This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of
Calif ornia to cause cancer and birth def ects or other reproductive harm. Congratulations on your selection of the 2004 Acura 3.5 RL. We are certain
you will be pleased with your purchase of one of the f inest luxury vehicles in
the world.
Introduction
WARNING:
i

This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain inf ants
andchildreninyourcar..........
Important Safety Precautions . 6
.............
Your Car’s Saf ety Features . 7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
...........................................
Airbags .9
.....................
Seats & Seat-Backs .10
..........................
Head Restraints .10
..................................
Door Locks .10
........
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist . 11
............................
Protecting Adults .12
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors . 12 ...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats . 12
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 13
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 14
5. Fasten and Position the Seat .....................................
Belts .15
....
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel . 17
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .17
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 18
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 19
........................
Protecting Children .20
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .20
Children Should Sit in the Back ...........................................
Seat .21
The Passenger’s Front Airbag Poses Serious Risks ...........................
to Children .21
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .23
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .23
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 23
General Guidelines f or Using ...............................
Child Seats .24
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .28 .........
Protecting Small Children . 32
.......
Protecting Larger Children . 35
Using Child Seats with .....................................
Tethers .39
.............................
Using LATCH .40
Additional Inf ormation About Your .................................
Seat Belts .44
..
Seat Belt System Components . 44
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .44
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .45
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 46
Additional Inf ormation About Your .....................................
Airbags .47
........................
SRS Components .47
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .47
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 49
How the SRS Indicator Light .......................................
Works .50
How the Side Airbag Cutof f ...........
Indicator Light Works . 51
.............................
Airbag Service .52
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 52
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 53
...................................
Saf ety Labels .54
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
5

You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inf late only in a
moderate to severe f rontal collision.
So even though your car is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and
your passengers always wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
(See page .)
Children are saf est when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
notthefrontseat.Achildwhoistoo
smallforaseatbeltmustbeproperly
restrained in a child saf ety seat. (See
page .) Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page .)
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either. While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page
.)
9
15
20 242
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Be Aware of Airbag Hazards Control Your Speed
K eep Your Car in Saf e Condition
Restrain All Children Don’t Drink and Drive
6

For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out f ully and look f or
f rays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
that the lap/shoulder belts retract
easily. Any belt not in good condition
or not working properly will not
provide good protection and should
be replaced as soon as possible.
Acura provides a lif etime warranty
on seat belts. Acura will repair or
replace any seat belt component
that f ails to f unction properly
during normal use. Please see
your
booklet f or details.If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
it must be replaced by the dealer. A
belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the
anchors f or damage and replace
them if needed.
Automatic seat belt tensioners that
deployed during a crash must be
replaced.
For inf ormation on how to clean your
seat belts, see page .
303
Acura Warranty Inf ormation
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Seat Belt Maintenance
U.S. Models
46
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.

Your f ront and side airbag systems
are virtually maintenance-f ree, and
there are no parts you can saf ely
service. However, you must have
your car serviced if :Any
airbag that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Do
not try to remove or replace any
airbag by yourself . This must be
done by an Acura dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop. Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury. See page f or f urther inf ormation
and precautions relating to your
airbags.Improperly
replacing or covering f ront seat-
back covers can prevent your side
airbags f rom inf lating during a
collision.
If rain or spilled water
soaks into a seat-back, it can
prevent the side airbag system
f rom working properly.
Take your car to an
authorized Acura dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inf late when you need them. 211
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Airbag Service
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Your airbags ever inf late.Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason. Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ing anAcura dealer.
Do not expose t he f ront seat -backs to water.
T he SRS indicat or light alert s you t o a problem.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety52

This section gives inf ormation about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your Acura. All the essential controls
are within easy reach............................
Control Locations .56
...............................
Indicator Lights .57
.............................................
Gauges .63
...............................
Speedometer .63
.................................
Tachometer .63
.....................................
Odometer .64
...................................
Trip Meter .64
Outside Temperature ...................................
Indicator .65
...................
Temperature Gauge . 65
..................................
Fuel Gauge .65
Maintenance Required ...................................
Indicator .66 Controls Near the Steering
.......................................
Wheel .67
...................................
Headlights .68
....................
Automatic Lighting .69
............
Daytime Running Lights . 70
....
Instrument Panel Brightness . 71
................................
Turn Signals .71
...................................
Fog Lights .72
.....................
Windshield Wipers .73
..................
Windshield Washers . 75
..........................
Hazard Warning .75
.............
Rear Window Def ogger . 76
....
Steering Wheel Adjustments . 76
...............................
Keys and Locks .79
..............................................
Keys .79
....................
Immobilizer System . 80
............................
Ignition Switch .82
......................
Power Door Locks .83
...................
Remote Transmitter . 84
..............
Childproof Door Locks . 87
...........................................
Trunk .88
........
Emergency Trunk Opener . 89
....................................
Glove Box .90
............................
Seat Adjustments .91
.........
Driver’s Seat Adjustments . 91
...........
Driver’s Lumbar Support . 93Front Passenger’s Seat
............................
Adjustments .93
..........................
Head Restraints .94
......................
Rear Seat Armrest .95
.............................................
Mirrors .96
....
Adjusting the Power Mirrors . 96
Driving Position Memory ..........................................
System .98
..................................
Seat Heaters .100
.......................................
Ski Sleeve .101
............................
Power Windows .103
.......................................
Moonroof .105
...............................
Parking Brake .107
..................................
Digital Clock .108
........................
Sunglasses Holder .109
...........................
Beverage Holder .110
.................
Console Compartment . 111
........................................
Coin Box .111
........................................
Sun Visor .112
................................
Vanity Mirror .112
.............
Accessory Power Socket . 113
..........................
Cigarette Lighter .114
.........................................
Ashtrays .115
................................
Ceiling Lights .116
............................
Courtesy Lights .117
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols55

Î
Î
Î
The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or the Canadian models are noted in the text.
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Indicator L ights
57
VSA ACTIVATION
INDICATOR
SEAT BELT
REMINDER
LIGHT
(P.59)
IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM INDICATOR
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR
LOW OIL
PRESSURE
INDICATOR MALFUNCTION
INDICATOR
LAMP
BRAKE LAMP INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE
REQUIRED INDICATOR
CRUISE
CONTROL
INDICATOR
VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST
SYSTEM INDICATOR
LOW FUEL
INDICATOR LIGHTS ON
INDICATOR
SIDE AIRBAG CUTOFF
INDICATOR
HIGH BEAM
INDICATOR
PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKE
SYSTEM INDICATOR SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATORANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
DOOR AND TRUNK
OPEN MONITOR
(P.66)
(P.62)
(P. 59) (P.61)(P.59)
(P.59) (P.60)
(P.60)
(P. 60)
(P. 59)
(P. 58)
(P.61)
(P.62)
(P.59,
323)
(P.58, 325)
(P.58, 321)
(P.58,322)

U.S. ModelsCanadian Models
This shows your speed in miles per
hour (mph). The smaller inner
numbers are the speed in kilometers
per hour (km/h).
This shows your speed in kilometers
per hour (km/h). The smaller inner
numbers are the speed in miles per
hour (mph).
The tachometer shows the engine
speed in revolutions per minute
(rpm). To protect the engine f rom
damage, never drive with the
tachometer needle in the red zone.
Gauges
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Speedometer
T achometer
63
TACHOMETER SPEEDOMETER SELECT
BUTTON
RESET
BUTTON
FUEL GAUGE
ODOMETER TEMPERATURE
GAUGE
TRIP METER
OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE
REQUIRED INDICATOR

µYour dealer will reset this indicator
af ter completing the scheduled
maintenance. If this maintenance is
done by someone other than your
Acura dealer, reset the indicator as
f ollows.
Turn of f the engine.
For the f irst 6,000 miles (9,600 km)
af ter the Maintenance Required
Indicator is reset, it will come on f or
two seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II). Between 6,000 miles (9,600 km) and
7,500 miles (12,000 km) this
indicator will light f or two seconds
when you first turn the ignition
switch to ON (II), and then flash for
ten seconds.
Press and hold the select and reset
buttons next to the instrument pan-
el,thenturntheignitionswitch
ON (II).
Hold the buttons for
approximately ten seconds until
the indicator resets.
This indicator reminds you that it is
time to take your car in for
scheduled maintenance.
If you exceed 7,500 miles (12,000
km) without having the scheduled
maintenance perf ormed, this
indicator will remain on as a constant
reminder.
Ref er to the Maintenance Schedules
f or Normal and Severe Driving
Conditions on pages
. 1.
2.
3.
244 248
Maintenance Required Indicator
Gauges
Inst rument s and Cont rols66
MAINTENANCE REQUIRED INDICATOR
SELECT
BUTTON
RESET
BUTTON