dashboard Acura RL 2005 Owner's Manual

2005 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.h\
elminc.com.
Contents


Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ .4
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .7
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ .57
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Features ........................................................................\
................................................................... .161
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................247
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
......................................................................261
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................289
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................335
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ .363
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................377
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................381
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.

The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:To do
their job, airbags must inf late with
tremendous f orce. So while
airbags help save lives, they can
cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly. Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as f ar back f rom the
steering wheel as possible while
allowing f ull control of the vehicle. A
f ront passenger should move their
seat as far back from the dashboard
as possible. The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your saf ety.
Remember, however, that no saf ety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
A irbags can pose hazards. What you should do:
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rearimpact s, or minor f ront al or sidecollisions.
12

If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that drivers
allow at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the center of the steering
wheel and the chest. In addition to
adjusting the seat, you can adjust the
steering wheel in and out (see page). Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a
comf ortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel.
Passengers with adjustable seat-
backs should also adjust their seat-
back to a comf ortable, upright
position.
If you cannot get f ar enough away
f rom the steering wheel and still
reach the controls, we recommend
that you investigate whether some
type of adaptive equipment may help. Once your seat is adjusted correctly,
rock it back and f orth to make sure
the seat is locked in position.
See page f or how to adjust the
f ront seats.
119
111
CONT INUED
Adjust the Seat-Backs
3.
Protecting A dults and Teens
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
15
Sitting too close to a front
airbag can result in serious
injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
front airbags as possible.

Your airbag system includes:Two side airbags, one f or the
driver and one f or a f ront
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling
above the side windows. The f ront
and rear pillars are marked ‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG.’’
32 30
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
25
(12)(13)
(3) (14)
(12)
(12) Side Impact Sensor (Second)
(13) Rear Safing Sensor
(14) Side Curtain Airbags

Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact.
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and automatically turn
the airbag of f (see page ).
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too f ar f orward, the airbag will
inf late with less f orce (see page). An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ).
An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
f ront airbag has been turned of f
(see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the f ront passenger’s
seat. These automatically turn off
the passenger’s f ront airbag if
they detect an inf ant or small child
maybeintheseat(seepage ).
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and f ront
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition is in ON (II).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
22
29
29 29
33
33
32
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
26

If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, the sensors will
detect rapid deceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag.
Moving the f ront seat f orcibly
back against cargo on the seat or
f loor behind it.
Hanging heavy items on the f ront
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.
When the airbag is turned of f , an
indicator in the center of the
dashboard will come on indicating
passenger airbag ‘‘OFF’’ (see page
).
To ensure that the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
This includes: A rear passenger pushing or
pulling on the back of the
passenger’s seat.
If there is no passenger in the f ront
seat, the airbag will be off. However,
the Passenger Airbag Of f indicator
will not come on.
Also,makesurethefloormatbehind
the f ront passenger’s seat is hooked
to the floor mat anchor (see page
). If it is not, the mat may
interf ere with the proper operation
of the sensors and operation of the
seat.
33
322
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Side A irbags Work
do not do anyt hing
t hat would increase or decrease t he weight on t he f ront passenger’s seat .
30

µ
To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
U.S. ModelsCanadian Models
38
SUN VISOR SUN VISOR DASHBOARD

µ
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. If you are not wearing a
seat belt in crash, you could be
thrown f orward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed. This can prevent children
f rom accidentally f alling out (see
page ).
Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous.
For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition can accidentally set the
vehicle in motion, possibly injuring
themselves or others. Children
who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles. Know how to
operate the emergency trunk
opener and decide if your children
should be shown how to use this
feature(seepage ).
Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition
switch, and open the trunk, which
can lead to accidental injury or
death.
118
118
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a child.
Never let two children use thesame seat belt .
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap. Use childproof door locks t o
prevent children f rom opening t hedoors.
Do not leave children alone in avehicle. L ock all doors and t he t runk when
your vehicle is not in use.
K eep vehicle keys and remot etransmitters out of the reach ofchildren.
40

These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury. Read these labels caref ully.
If a label comes of f or becomes hard
to read (except for the U.S.
dashboard label which may be
removed by the owner), contact your
dealer f or a replacement.
CONT INUED
U.S. modelsCanadian models U.S. models only
Saf ety L abels
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
55
HOOD
DASHBOARD
RADIATOR CAP

µThe automatic lighting f eature is
controlledbyasensorlocatedontop
of the dashboard. Do not cover this
sensor or spill liquids on it.
Even with the automatic lighting
f eature turned on, we recommend
thatyouturnonthelightsmanually
when driving at night or in a dense
f og, or when you enter dark areas
such as long tunnels or parking
structures.
To turn on automatic lighting, turn
the light switch to AUTO at any time.
The lights will come on automatically
when the outside light level becomes
low (at dusk, f or example). The
lights on indicator comes on as a
reminder. The lights and indicator
will turn of f automatically when the
system senses high ambient light. To change the ‘‘AUTO LIGHT
SENSITIVITY’’ setting, see page .
Do not leave the light switch in
AUTO if you will not be driving the
vehicle f or an extended period (a
weekormore).Youshouldalsoturn
of f the lights if you plan to leave the
engine idling or of f f or a long time.
The automatic lighting
f eature turns on the headlights, all
other exterior lights, and the
instrument panel lights when it
senses low ambient light.
The lights will remain on when you
turn of f the ignition switch. They will
turn of f automatically when you open
and close the driver’s door. To turn
them on again, either turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) or turn the
light switch to . 93
Headlights
AUTO
Inst rument s and Cont rols
105
LIGHT
SENSOR