emergency towing Acura RL 2008 Owner's Manual

Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause the trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer’s
tires.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shif t down to second
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
If you must stop when f acing uphill,
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.
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 while going up a hill, shif t
to D .
Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; turn the wheel to the lef t to
get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.Your vehicle is not designed to be
towed behind a motor home. If your
vehicle needs to be towed in an
emergency, see page .
459
3
bottom
Backing Up
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Parking
Driving on Hills
Towing a Trailer, Towing Your Vehicle
Towing Your Vehicle
384
\f—\f—
y\f
y
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed................
Driving with a Flat Tire .432
......................
Compact Spare Tire .435
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .436
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .440
................................
Jump Starting .441
..............
If the Engine Overheats .444
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .447
..........
Charging System Indicator .447
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .448
...............
Brake System Indicator .449
Opening the Fuel Fill Door
....................................
Manually .450
..............................................
Fuses .451
..............................
Fuse Locations .456
......................
Emergency Towing .459
..........
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck .459
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
431
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
Are you using a properly coded
built-in key or remote? An
improperly coded built-in key or
remote will cause the immobilizer
system indicator in the instrument
panel to blink rapidly (see page ).
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working. Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start your vehicle by
pushing or pulling it.
64 347
453
459
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing Jump Starting
If the Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
441
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

The pointer of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indicationmaybethetemperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood,
turn of f the engine. Wait until
you see no more signs of steam
or spray, then open the hood.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Park, and
set the parking brake. Turn of f all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning lights.
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
459Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
444
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.
\f—\f—
y\f\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.
Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and check
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Start the engine, and set the
interior temperature to maximum
(climate control to FULL AUTO at
‘‘ ’’). Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.
6.
7.
8.
9.10.
11. 459
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
445
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
\f—\f—
y\f
y
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed and repaired as
soon as possible (see
on page ).
If the f luid level is low, take your
vehicle to a dealer, and have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK BRAKE
SYSTEM’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display.
If the brake system indicator comes
on while driving, the brake f luid level
is probably low. You will see a
‘‘BRAKE FLUID LOW’’ message on
the multi-information display. Press
lightly on the brake pedal to see if it
f eels normal. If it does, check the
brake f luid level the next time you
stop at a service station (see page
). The brake system
indicator normally
comes on when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position and as a reminder to
check the parking brake. If you do
not release the parking brake, the
indicator will stay on, and you will
see a ‘‘RELEASE PARKING
BRAKE’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display.
406 459
CONT INUED
Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
449
U.S. Canada
\f—\f—
y\f
y
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

To use the towing hook:Remove the cover f rom the f ront
bumper by pushing the right
corner edge of the cover with a
f inger until the cover comes out as
shown in the illustration.
The operator will load
your vehicle on the back of a truck.
Any other method of towing will
damage the drive system. When you
contact the towing agency, inf orm
them a f lat-bed is required.
If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a prof essional towing service or
organization. Never tow your vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous. If your vehicle gets stuck in sand,
mud, or snow, call a towing service
to pull it out (see the previous
column).
For very short distances, such as
f reeing the vehicle, you can use the
detachable towing hook that mounts
on the anchor in the f ront bumper.
1.
CONT INUED
The only way you can saf ely tow
your vehicle is with f lat-bed
equipment.
Emergency T owing If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck
Emergency Towing, If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
459
Push
COVER
Towing with only two tires on the
ground will damage parts of the
all-wheel-drive system. Your vehicle
should be transported on a f lat-bed
truck or trailer.
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

Î
CONT INUED
..............................
Economy, Fuel .334
..................................
Emergencies .431
.............
Battery, Jump Starting .441
...........
Brake System Indicator .449
................
Changing a Flat Tire .436
.....
Charging System Indicator .447
..................
Checking the Fuses .453 .......
Hazard Warning Flashers .145
............................
Jump Starting .441
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .447
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .448
Opening the Fuel Fill Door
................................
Manually .450
..................
Overheated Engine .444
.......................................
Towing .459
.........................
Emergency Brake .187
....................
Emergency Flashers .145
......................
Emergency Towing .459
..........
Emergency Trunk Opener .154
.......................
Emissions Controls .472
........................
Emissions Testing .475
...............
DANGER, Explanation of .iii
...................................
Dashboard .4,60
..............
Daytime Running Lights .142
.......................................
Indicator .65
.................................
Dead Battery .440
............
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety .480
..............
Def ogger, Rear Window .146
..............
Def rosting the Windows .204
..........................
Dif f erential Fluid .464
....................................
Dimensions .464
.............
Dimming the Headlights .140
Dipstick
..........
Automatic Transmission .404
..................................
Engine Oil .333 ........................
Directional Signals .140
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators .358
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil .401
Doors
............
Locking and Unlocking .152
..................
Lockout Prevention .152
.................
Monitor Indicator .13,79
....................
Power Door Locks .152
........
DOT Tire Quality Grading .466
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety .7
.......................................
Driver’s ID .81
...........................................
Driving .345
....................................
Economy .336
Driving Position Memory ........................................
System .160
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .415
.........................
Customize Settings .81
...................................
ACC Setup .89
................
Door/Window Setup .122
.......
KEYLESS ACCESS Setup .108
...........................
Lighting Setup .115
.................................
Meter Setup .94
...........................
Position Setup .103
........................
Setting to Def ault .85
...............................
Wiper Setup .133
Index
E
D
INDEX
III
 — —
y
  y
( y  y
2008 RL

Î
Î
ÎÎ
..............................................
Trunk .153
..................
Emergency Opener .154
...............................
Opening the .153
.......
Open Monitor Indicator .13,79
..................................
Turn Signals .140
.................
Vehicle Capacity Load .340
......................
Vehicle Dimensions .464
....
Vehicle Identif ication Number .462
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
....................................
System .377
...
VSA Activation Indicator .65,377
.........................
VSA Of f Switch .378
........
VSA System Indicator .65,377
.............................
Vehicle Storage .429
.................................................
VIN .462 ..................................
Viscosity, Oil .399
...................
Voice Control System .265
......................
XM Satellite Radio .217
Unexpected, Taking Care
..........................................
of the .431
....
Unif orm Tire Quality Grading .466
........................
Unleaded Gasoline .328
.......
Used Oil, How to Dispose of .401 ............
WARNING, Explanation of . iii
.........
Warning Labels, Location of .57
....................
Warranty Coverages .479
Washer, Windshield
........
Checking the Fluid Level .404
...................................
Operation .137
Wheels .............
Adjusting the Steering .147
............
Alignment and Balance .423
..........................
Compact Spare .435
...............................
Nut Wrench .437
Windows .............................
Auto Reverse .182
................
Operating the Power .181
.........................
Rear, Def ogger .146
Windshield .....................................
Cleaning .137
...................................
Def roster .201
.....................................
Washers .137
Wipers, Windshield .......................
Changing Blades .417 ...................................
Operation .137
........
Summer/Winter Position .139
..............................................
WMA .230
....................................
Worn Tires .421
.....
Wrecker, Emergency Towing .459
:: U.S. only
Canada only
Index
X
U
V W
X
\f—\f—
y
\f\f\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 RL