tires Acura RL 2008 Owner's Guide

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Ì Engine oil level Check every
time you f ill the f uel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you f ill the f uel tank. See page .
Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See page
.
Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
and license plate lights monthly.
See page .
Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page .
Brakes Check the f luid level
monthly. See page .
U.S. Vehicles:
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 in accordance
with the intervals indicated by the
Multi-Inf ormation Display.
Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the appropriate
page listed.
Your authorized dealer knows your
vehicle 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 receipts
as proof of completion, and have the
person who does the work f ill out
your Maintenance Journal or
Canadian Maintenance Log. 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.
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333
404 406
421
408
Maintenance Minder
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.
Owner’s Maintenance Checks
394
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Maintenance Minder
396
Maintenance Sub Items
Replace rear differential fluid Driving in mountainous areas at very low vehicle
speeds or trailer towing results in higher level of
mechanical (shear) stress to fluid This requires
differential fluid changes more frequently than
recommended by the Maintenance Minder. If you
regularly drive your vehicle under these conditions,
have the differential fluid changed at 7,500 miles
(12,000 km), then every 15,000 miles (24,000 km).
Maintenance Sub Items
Rotate tires
Replace air cleaner element If you drive in dusty conditions, replace every 15,000
miles (24,000 km).
Replace dust and pollen filter If you drive primarily in urban areas that have high
concentrations of soot in the air from industry and
from diesel-powered vehicles, replace every 15,000
miles (24,000 km).
Inspect drive belt
Replace transmission and transfer fluid Driving in mountainous areas at very low vehicle
speeds or trailer towing results in higher
transmission and transfer temperatures.
This requires transmission and transfer fluid changes
more frequently than recommended by the
Maintenance Minder. If you regularly drive your
vehicle under these conditions, have the transmission
and transfer fluid changed at 60,000 miles
(100,000 km), then every 30,000 miles (48,000 km).
Replace spark plugs
Replace timing belt and inspect water pump If you drive regularly in very high temperatures (over
110°F, 43°C), or in very low temperatures (under20°F, 29°C), replace every 60,000 mile (U.S.)/
100,000 km (Canada)
Inspect valve clearance
Replace engine coolant
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Maintenance Minder
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CONT INUED
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 af f ect handling and f uel
economy, and are more likely to
fail from being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,are
more prone to damage f rom road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
Thetirepressuremonitoringsystem
(TPMS)willwarnyouwhenatire
pressure is low. See page f or
inf ormation on the TPMS.
The f ollowing pages give more
detailed inf ormation on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they need to be replaced.
To saf ely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inf lated.
Clean the wheels as you would the
rest of the exterior. Wash them with
thesamesolution,andrinsethem
thoroughly.
Aluminum alloy wheels have a
protective clear-coat that keeps the
aluminum f rom corroding and
tarnishing. Cleaning the wheels with
harsh chemicals (including some
commercial wheel cleaners) or a stif f
brush can damage the clear-coat. To
clean the wheels, use a mild
detergent and a sof t brush or sponge.
371
Inf lation Guidelines
Tires
Wheels
Wheels, Tires
Maint enance
419
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.
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If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot [driven f or several miles
(kilometers)], you will see readings 4
to6psi(30to40kPa,0.3to
0.4 kgf /cm ) higher than the cold
reading. This is normal; do not
release air to match the cold
pressure. The tires will be
underinf lated.
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.While tubeless tires have some
ability to self -seal if they are
punctured, you should look closely
f or punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.
Even though your vehicle is
equipped with TPMS, we
recommend that you visually check
your tires every day. If you think a
tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure in each tire 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
sparetireatthesametime.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the vehicle
has been parked f or at least three
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km).
Add or release air, if needed, to
match the recommended cold tire
pressures on page .
421
Tires
420
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The following charts show the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal and high-speed driving
conditions.For convenience, the recommended
tire sizes and cold tire pressures are
on a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
For additional technical inf ormation
about your tires, see page .Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:
Bumpsorbulgesinthetreador
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Excessive tread wear.
466
Tire Size/Type
Compact Spare Cold Tire Pressure
Front
Rear Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure for
Normal Driving
Front:
Rear:
CONT INUED
On models with the Michelin PAX systemRecommended Tire Pressures Tire Inspection
Tires
Maint enance
421
P245/50R17 98V
T155/70D17 110M 32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm
)
30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm
) 32 psi (220 kPa ,
2.2 kgf/cm
)
30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm
)
245-680R460A
102V
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A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators.
Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a 1/2
inch (12.7 mm) wide band across the
tread. This shows there is less than
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread lef t on
the tire.The service lif e of your tires is
dependent on many f actors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inf lation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).
In addition to your regular
inspections and inf lation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
perf ormed once the tires reach f ive
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.The last four digits of the TIN (tire
identif ication number) are f ound on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (See
on page ).468
Tires
Tire Service Lif e
Tire
Labeling
422
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
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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.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you f eel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed f rom the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance.Replace your tires with radial tires of
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s sidewall).
Mixing radial and bias-ply tires on
your vehicle can reduce braking
ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Using tires of a dif f erent
size or construction can cause the
ABS and vehicle stability assist
system (VSA) to work inconsistently.
To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires according to the
maintenance messages displayed on
the multi-information display. Move
the tires to the positions shown in
the illustration each time they are
rotated. If you purchase directional
tires, rotate only front-to-back.
When the tires are rotated, make
sure the air pressures are checked. Your vehicle is not designed f or
Michelin PAX system wheels or tires.
Use only the wheels and tires
designated in this owner’s manual.
Never mix conventional wheels or
tires with PAX system wheels or
tires.
Vehicles without the Michelin PAX
System
Tires
T ire Maintenance Replacing T ires and Wheels Tire Rotation
Maint enance
423
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels)(For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
Front Front
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only Acura wheel weights f or balancing.
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´
µ Tires marked ‘‘M S’’ or ‘‘All
Season’’ on the sidewall have an all-
weather tread design suitable for
most winter driving conditions.
For the best perf ormance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions.
If you mount snow tires on your
vehicle, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all f our wheels. The traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
maybelowerthanyouroriginaltires.
Check with the tire dealer f or
maximum speed recommendations.
Wheels:
Tires:
See page f or DOT tire quality
grading inf ormation, and page
f or tire size explanation.
It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, replace the two f ront
tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
af f ect your vehicle’s handling.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your vehicle.
Replacement wheels are available at
your Acura dealer.
There are no snow tires compatible
with the PAX system.
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468
On models with the Michelin PAX system
On models with the Michelin PAXsystem
Tires
Winter Driving
Wheels and T ires
Snow T ires
424
17x8.0JAL(TPMS)
235 460A (TPMS)
P245/50R17 98V
245-680R460A 102V
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.
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When installing cables, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions, and
mount them as tight as you can.
Make sure they are not contacting
the brake lines or suspension. Drive
slowly with them installed. If you
hear them coming into contact with
the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Remove them as soon as
you begin driving on cleared roads.
Mount tire chains on your tires when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Install them only on the
f ront tires.
Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, Acura strongly
recommends using the chain listed
below, made by Security Chain
Company (SCC).
Tire chains cannot be used with a
flat front tire. If a front tire goes flat
when a tire chain is installed on it,
remove the chain, and f ollow the
precautions described under
Michelin PAX System (see page
).
Cable-type: SCC Radial Chain
CH2612T
426
Tires
T ire Chains
Maint enance
425
Using the wrong chains, or not
properly installing chains, can
damage the brake lines and
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously injured or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding the
selection and use of tire chains.
Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle’s brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of
the vehicle.
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There are no snow tires compatible
with the PAX system, and not all tire
chains are suitable f or use on the
PAX system tires.If you must continue driving with a
f lat tire, f ollow all the procedures
and precautions described on page.
Never use a tire repair agent in a
PAX system tire, and never repair
a PAX system tire by yourself .
Repair or replacement must be
done by an Acura dealer or an
authorized Michelin PAX system
dealer.
Your vehicle is equipped with the
Michelin PAX system which,
together with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS), enables
you to continue driving even if one or
more of your tires loses its pressure.
The tires and wheels on your vehicle
are specially designed f or the PAX
system, and the PAX system is
specif ically designed and f ine-tuned
foryourvehicle.
Because of these reasons, use only
the wheels and tires designated in
this owner’s manual. Never mix PAX
system wheels or tires with
conventional wheels or tires. If you mount snow chains on your
tires, use the chains recommended
by Acura (see page ).
Do not replace the PAX system tires
and wheels with conventional tires
andwheels.Doingsowoulddisable
the PAX system and the tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS),
and may void your new vehicle
warranty.
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If equipped
MichelinPAX SystemImport ant Precaut ions
Tires
426
TM
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