sport mode Acura RL 2008 Owner's Manual

µ
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.If the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat.
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
aged 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Some
states have laws restricting where
children may ride.
Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
front airbag off (see page ),
please f ollow these guidelines:
If
the airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant. Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children).
35
52
CONT INUED
Protecting Children General Guidelines
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
All Children Should Sit in a Back
SeatSmall Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Larger Children
Inf ant s Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Children who have outgrown child
seat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
39
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:Caref ully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly.
Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in f ront,
there are other important f actors you
should consider.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.52
17
Protecting L arger Children
Physical Size
Maturity
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
54
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shif t
lever is in. In the Sequential
SportShif t Mode, the ‘‘M’’ indicator
next to the ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on,
and the illuminated number under
the low oil pressure indicator shows
you the gear you have selected.To shif t f rom Park to any position,
press firmly on the brake pedal and
slide the lever along the guide on the
console. You cannot shif t out of Park
when the ignition switch is in the
LOCK (0) or the ACCESSORY (I)
position.
The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it f lashes while driving (in
any shif t position), it indicates a
possible problem in the transmission.
If the malf unction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicator, there is a problem with the
automatic transmission control
system. Avoid rapid acceleration, and
have the transmission checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
When the ‘‘D’’ indicator warns of a
possible problem with the
transmission, you will see a ‘‘CHECK
TRANSMISSION’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display (see page
).
78
CONT INUED
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Automatic Transmission
Driving
349
——
yy
(yy
2008 RL

´µ´
µ
µ
´
With the shif t lever in ‘‘D’’ position,
you can select the Sequential
SportShift mode to shift gears much
like a manual transmission, but
without a clutch pedal. To enter the Sequential SportShif t
mode, move the shif t lever f urther to
the driver’s side. To return to ‘‘D,’’
move the shift lever to the
passenger’s side.
In Sequential SportShif t mode, each
time you push f orward on the shif t
lever, the transmission shifts to a
higher gear. Pull back on the lever to
downshif t. The number of the gear
selected is displayed on the
instrument panel.
When you move the shif t lever f rom
‘‘D’’ to ‘‘M’’ position, the display
shows the selected gear. While in the Sequential SportShif t
mode, you can also shif t up or down
using the (right side) or (lef t
side) paddle shif ters on the right and
lef t side of the steering wheel.
For up shif t, press the right side ( )
paddle shif ter.
For down shif t, press the lef t side
( ) paddle shif ter.
CONT INUED
Sequential SportShif t Mode
Automatic Transmission
Driving
351
SELECTED GEAR( ) DOWN SHIFT
( ) UP SHIFT PADDLE SHIFTER
\f—\f—
y\f\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

à
à
à
àà
à
à
The table shows the speed ranges
f or upshif ting and downshif ting. When you are in Sequential
SportShif t mode, and the vehicle is
stopped, push f orward on the shif t
lever to shif t to second gear. You
will see ‘‘2’’ in the display. Starting
out in second gear will help to
reduce wheelspin in deep snow or
on a slippery surf ace.
If you start out in second gear, the
transmission will be f ixed in that
gear.
To shift from
12
23
34
45 To shift from
32
43
54
The transmission will not
automatically downshif t to f irst gear
even when the vehicle speed is
under 8 mph (13 km/h). You need to
shif t down to f irst gear manually.
Speed range
over 0 mph
(0 km/h)
over 8 mph
(13 km/h)
over 17 mph
(27 km/h)
over 37 mph
(60 km/h) Speed range
under 56 mph
(90 km/h)
under 93 mph
(150 km/h)
under 130 mph
(209 km/h)
CONT INUED
St art ing in Second Gear
Automatic Transmission
Driving
353
\f—\f—
y\f
y
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
When driving uphill and downhill,
use the Sequential SportShif t mode
to provide the proper engine power
and engine braking on each gear.
Select f ourth, third, second, or f irst
gear; depending on the vehicle
speeds and road condition. Do not
use f if th gear. The recommended
speed range f or each gear position is
showninthetable.
Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Use D position when towing a trailer
on level roads. D is the proper shif t
lever position to use when towing a
trailer in hilly terrain. (See ‘‘ ’’onthenextpagefor
additional gear information.) Speed range
019mph
(0 30 km/h)
19 31 mph
(30 50 km/h)
31 41 mph
(50 65 km/h)
over 41 mph
(over 65 km/h)
Gear position
1
2
3
4
3
CONT INUED
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
T owing Speeds and Gears Making T urns and Braking
Driving
on Hills
Towing a Trailer
Driving
383
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

If you see the above message on the
multi-inf ormation display, you have
reached the limit of run f lat driving,
and you should stop driving
immediately. Be aware that if you
continue to drive, the noise and
vibration level f rom the tire will
increase signif icantly, and the tire
may no longer be repairable.Stop driving immediately when
you see a ‘‘RUN FLAT LIMIT
STOP DRIVING’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display.
Continuous driving af ter this
message will make it impossible to
repair the tire.
Call a prof essional towing service
who can transport your vehicle on
f lat-bed equipment. Never tow your vehicle behind another vehicle with a
rope or chain. Flat-bed equipment is
the only way to transport your
vehicle.
Do not drive f aster than 50 mph
(80 km/h).
Drive caref ully. Your vehicle may
handle dif f erently f rom when the
tires are properly inf lated,
especially when cornering.
In its run f lat mode, a PAX system
tire is somewhat noisier than when
it is f ully inf lated, this is normal.
Although your vehicle is capable of
runflatdriving,youshouldalways
observe the f ollowing: If you cannot f ind an Acura dealer or
an authorized Michelin PAX system
dealer where you are driving, call the
PAX help hotline at 1-877-PAXTIRE
(1-877-729-8473).
Driving With a Flat Tire
Important Saf ety Precautions
434
\f—\f—
y\f\fy
(\fy\fy
2008 RL

Î
Î
ÎÎ Î................................
Saf ety Belts .10,21
.........
Safety Defects, Reporting .480
.................................
Saf ety Features .9
.........................................
Airbags .11
.....................................
Seat Belts .10
.............
Saf ety Labels, Location of .57
..............................
Saf ety Messages . iii
.................
Satellite Digital Radio .217
...................................
Seat Belts .10,21
...............
Additional Information .21
Automatic Seat Belt
...............................
Tensioners .23
.....................................
Cleaning .415
.............................
e-pretensioner .24
................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .17,22
................................
Maintenance .25
Reminder Indicator and
................................
Beeper .21,62
...................
System Components .21
...............
Use During Pregnancy .19
..................................
Seat Heaters .178
..................
Seat Position Memory .160
.........................
Seat Ventilation .179
......................
Seats, Adjusting the .155 ............................
Security System .276
.....
Sequential Sports Shif t Mode .351
..........................
Paddle Shif ters .351
...............................
Serial Number .462
...........................
Service Intervals .387
......
Service Manual, Purchasing .481
.........
Service Station Procedures .329
Super Handling-All Wheel Drive
.............................
(SH-AWD) .356
..
Torque Distribution Monitor .356
.......................................
Indicator .66
...
Shif t Lever Position Indicators .349
........................
Shif t Lock Release .354
..............................
Side Airbags .11,32
How the Side Airbag of f ......................
Indicator Works .35
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .32
................
Side Curtain Airbags .11,34
How Your Side Curtain ..........................
Airbags Work .34
Side Marker Lights, Bulb .........................
Replacement in .411
.............................
Signaling Turns .140
.....................................
Snow Tires .424
................................
Sound System .207 Spare Tire
......................................
Inf lating .435
............................
Specif ications .465
.....................
Specif ication Charts .464
................................
Speed Limiter .354
.......................................
Spotlights .196
..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation .26
...
Additional Safety Precautions .37
..
How the SRS Indicator Works .34
How Your Airbags
............................
Work .29,32,34
........................
SRS Components .26
..................................
SRS Service .36
.............................
SRS Indicator .34,63
START (Ignition Switch
.....................................
Position) .151
.......................
Starting the Engine .347
...................
Auto Control Mode .347
In Cold Weather at High
..................................
Altitude .347
................
With a Dead Battery .441
........
Steam Coming f rom Engine .444
Steering Wheel
..............................
Adjustments .147
...........
Anti-thef t Column Lock .151
......................
Position Memory .160
Index
S
VIII
——
y

y
(yy
2008 RL