instrument panel Acura RL 2009 Owner's Guide

The security system will not set if
the hood, trunk, or any door is not
f ully closed. If the system will not set,
check the Door and Trunk Open
monitor on the instrument panel (see
page ) to see if the doors and
trunk are f ully closed. Since it is not
part of the monitor display, manually
check the hood.
Do not attempt to alter this system
or add other devices to it.
The security system helps to protect
your vehicle and valuables f rom thef t.
The horn sounds and a combination
of headlights, parking/side marker
lights, and taillights f lash if someone
attempts to break into your vehicle
or remove the radio. This alarm
continues f or 2 minutes, then the
system resets. To reset an alarming
system bef ore the 2 minutes have
elapsed, unlock either f ront door
with the remote or the built-in key.
With the system set, you can still
open the trunk with the remote
without triggering the alarm. The
alarm will sound if the trunk lock is
f orced, or the trunk is opened with
the trunk release button on the
driver’s door or the emergency trunk
opener.
Once the security system is set,
opening any door or the hood
without using the built-in key or the
remote will cause it to sound. It also
sounds if the radio is removed f rom
the dashboard or the audio system
wiring is cut.
The security system automatically
sets 15 seconds after you lock the
doors, close the hood, and close the
trunk. For the system to activate,
you must lock the doors f rom the
outside with the remote, built-in key,
lock tab, or door lock switch. The
security system indicator on the
instrument panel starts blinking
immediately to show you the system
is setting itself . 13
Security System
Features
315
SECURITY SYSTEM INDICATOR
2009 RL

Cruise control allows you to maintain
asetspeedabove25mph(40km/h)
without keeping your f oot on the
accelerator pedal. It should be used
f or cruising on straight, open
highways. It is not recommended f or
city driving, winding roads, slippery
roads, heavy rain, or bad weather.Push in the CRUISE button or the
ACC button (models with adaptive
cruise control) on the steering
wheel. The CRUISE MAIN or
green ACC indicator (models with
ACC) indicator on the instrument
panel comes on.
To switch f rom ACC to cruise
control, press the distance buttonon the steering wheel, and hold it
f or 1 second (see page ).
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speedabove25mph(40km/h).
Press and release the SET/
DECELbuttononthesteering
wheel. The CRUISE CONTROL
icon appears on the multi-
inf ormation display to show the
system is now activated.
1. 2.
3.
333
On models with adaptive cruise
control
Using Cruise Control
Cruise Control
316
RES/
ACCEL
BUTTON
CRUISE (ACC) BUTTON
SET/
DECEL
BUTTON
Non-ACC model is shown
Improper use of the cruise
control can lead to a crash.
Use the cruise control only
when traveling on open
highways in good weather.
2009 RL

Push the ACC button on the
steering wheel. The ACC indicator
on the instrument panel comes on,
and ‘‘ACC’’ is shown on the multi-
inf ormation display.
Accelerate to the desired speed
above25mph(40km/h).Press and release the SET/
DECELbuttononthesteering
wheel, then release the
accelerator pedal.
If you press the SET/DECEL button
when the vehicle speed is below 25
mph (40 km/h), you will hear a beep
about 1 second. This means ACC is
not activated, and you cannot set
your speed. When your speed reaches 25 mph
(40 km/h), ACC goes into wait mode,
and ‘‘ACC’’ is shown on the multi-
inf ormation display.
1.
2. 3.
Using the ACC
A daptive Cruise Control (A CC)
324
ACC BUTTON
SET/DECEL BUTTON
2009 RL

Press the ACC button. The ACC
indicator in the instrument panel
goes off.
Tap the brake pedal.
Push the CANCEL button on the
steering wheel.If you cancel ACC by pressing the
ACC button, the previously set
cruising speed is erased f rom
memory.
The distance you select is also
shown on the multi-inf ormation
display.
ACC is canceled whenever you do
any of these actions:When you push the CANCEL button
or tap the brake pedal to cancel ACC,
the set cruising speed stays in
memory. When you turn on ACC
again, the speed is shown on the
multi-inf ormation display. To return
to that speed, accelerate to over 25
mph (40 km/h), then press the RES/
ACCEL button.
Canceling the A CC
A daptive Cruise Control (A CC)
Features
329
LONG
RANGE
MIDDLE
RANGE
SHORT
RANGE CANCEL BUTTON
U.S.
CANADA
U.S. CANADA
U.S.
CANADA
2009 RL

When any indicator comes on or a
message is displayed on the MID,
AcuraLink immediately notif ies you
with the message, ‘‘An indicator is on.
AcuraLink can help you decide what
to do.’’
If you do not want the inf ormation
right away, select the Check Later
option.
For this reason, it is important that
we retain your current phone
number. Please update your
inf ormation using My Acura at
The AcuraLink system cannot
determine some mechanical
problems (such as squeaks or
rattles) that are not triggered by the
diagnostic indicator monitors.
When an indicator comes on or a
message is displayed on the Multi-
Inf ormation Display (MID),
AcuraLink can provide inf ormation
about the cause of the indicator or
message and the recommended
action to address it. This helps you
handle the problem as it occurs,
preventing or limiting costly repairs.
For more inf ormation on the
instrument panel indicators, see page.
61
www.owners.acura.com.
Diagnostic Inf o
A curaL ink (U.S. models only)
Features
349
2009 RL

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Do not tow a trailer. We recommend quality gasolines
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane of 91 or higher. If this
octane grade is unavailable, regular
unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane of 87 or higher may be used
temporarily. The use of regular
unleaded gasoline can cause metallic
knocking noises in the engine and
will result in decreased engine
perf ormance. The long-term use of
regular-grade gasoline can lead to
engine damage.
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
384
2009 RL

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors and the
trunk are securely closed and
locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel, and the
messages on the multi-inf ormation
display (see pages , and).
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. 17
78 61 70
156
148
161
481
Preparing to Drive
402
2009 RL

´
µ
´
µ Each time you pull (right), the
transmission shifts to a higher gear.
Pull (lef t) to downshif t. You will
see the selected gear number on the
instrument panel.
To shif t up or down, use the
(right) or (lef t) paddle shif ter on
each side of the steering wheel.
When you are driving in D position,
pulling either paddle shif ter switches
fromtheordinaryautomatic
transmission [drive mode (D)] to the
D-paddle shif t mode. You can shif t
the transmission up or down
manually with the paddle shif ters.
Downshif ting gives you more power
when climbing, and provides engine
braking when going down a steep hill.
When you pull either paddle shif ter,
the gear position indicator shows you
the selected gear number.
CONT INUED
Using the Paddle Shif ters in D
position (D-Paddle Shif t Mode)
Driving with the Paddle Shif ters
Driving
409
GEAR POSITION INDICATOR
PADDLE SHIFTERS
2009 RL

Each torque indicator is displayed as
a bar graph divided into 5 segments.
The number of segments represents
the amount of torque distributed to
each wheel.
When there is only a slight change in
torque distribution while driving,
such as cruising on level roads at the
same speed, the torque distribution
monitor may stop displaying the
amount of torque. This is not a
system problem. The monitor will
show the amount if the system
senses any change in torque
distribution.If the SH-AWD indicator blinks while
driving, it indicates the dif f erential
temperature is too high. You will also
see an ‘‘SH-AWD DIFF TEMP.
HIGH’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display. If this happens,
pull to the side of the road when it is
saf e, shif t to Park, and let the engine
idle until the indicator goes out. If
the indicator does not go out, take
your vehicle to a dealer to have it
checked.
If the SH-AWD indicator on the
instrument panel stays on, and the
‘‘CHECK SH-AWD SYSTEM’’
message also appears on the multi-
inf ormation display, there is problem
with the SH-AWD system.
Your vehicle still has normal f ront-
wheel drive with vehicle stability
assist (VSA), but does not have the
advantages of SH-AWD. Have your
vehicle checked by a dealer as soon
as possible.
Super Handling-A ll Wheel Drive (SH-A WD)System
414
TM
2009 RL

Check the indicator on the
instrument panel to verif y that the
security system is set.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb.
If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.
Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes.
Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly or
your vehicle may roll if it is on an
incline.
Set the parking brake bef ore you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the vehicle from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanism
in the transmission.
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lock the doors.
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving
415
2009 RL