transmission Acura RL 2009 Owner's Manual

A convenient ref erence to the
sections in this manual.
A quick ref erence to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and gauge,
and how to use the controls on the
dashboard and steering column.What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
The proper way to start the engine,
shif t the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you’re
planning to tow a trailer.
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
How to operate the climate control
system, the audio system, and other
convenience f eatures. The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance service.
There is also a list of things to check
and instructions on how to check
them.
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience,
and details how to handle them.
Important inf ormation about the
proper use and care of your vehicle’s
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable inf ormation on how to
protect children with child restraints.
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual f or detailed
inf ormation.
How to order manuals and other
technical literature.
A summary of the inf ormation you
need when you pull up to the f uel
pump.
Overview of Contents
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Instruments and Controls
FeaturesBef ore Driving
Driving
Maintenance
T echnical Inf ormation
Contents
T aking Care of the UnexpectedWarranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only)
Index
Service Inf ormation Summary
3
2009 RL

Î
Î
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2:
3:
Your Vehicle at a Glance
4
POWER DOOR
LOCK MASTER
SWITCH
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY SYSTEM
(P.11,26)PASSENGER’S FRONT AIRBAG
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION INTERFACE DIAL
COMPASS SYSTEM
AUDIO SYSTEM
CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM
MIRROR CONTROL
AUTO BUTTON
DRIVER’S FRONT
AIRBAG INSTRUMENT PANEL
INDICATORS
(P.62)
(P.11,26) CEILING
CONSOLE
ACCESSORY
POWER SOCKETS
AUXILIARY INPUT
JACK
HOOD RELEASE LEVER
1:
HOMELINK
BUTTONS
MOONROOF SWITCH
POWER REAR
SUNSHADE BUTTON
REAR HEAD RESTRAINT
TILT BUTTON TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON
FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE BUTTON
(P.163)
(P.153)
(P.185)
(P.154)
(P.334)
(P.188)
(P.198)
(P.158) REAR SEAT HEATER
SWITCHES (P.184)USB ADAPTER CABLE
(P.259)
(P.277)
(P.197) (P.281) (P.205,213,282)
(P.213) (P.204)
(P.161)
(P.405)
(P.385)
(P.387)
2
1
3
2009 RL

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Î Canadian models only
2:
3: RL models
Control L ocations
60
INSTRUMENT PANEL
INDICATORS
GAUGES
HOOD RELEASE LEVER MIRROR CONTROL
AUTO BUTTON
(P.62)
(P.70) CEILING CONSOLE
AUDIO SYSTEM CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
ACCESSORY POWER
SOCKETS
INTERFACE DIAL
COMPASS SYSTEM
AUXILIARY INPUT
JACK
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY SYSTEM
1:
HOMELINK
BUTTONS
MOONROOF SWITCH
POWER REAR
SUNSHADE BUTTON POWER DOOR LOCK
MASTER SWITCH
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE BUTTON TRUNK RELEASE
BUTTON
REAR SEAT HEATER
SWITCHES
(P.163)
(P.153)
(P.185)
(P.154)
(P.334)
(P.188)
(P.198)
REAR HEAD RESTRAINT
TILT BUTTON (P.158) (P.184)USB ADAPTER CABLE
(P.259) (P.277)
(P.197)
(P.281) (P.205,213,282)
(P.213) (P.204)
(P.161)
(P.385) (P.387) (P.405)
1
2
3
2009 RL

ÛÝÛÝ
With the multi-information display
and the INFO ( / ) and SEL/
RESET buttons on the right side of
the steering wheel, you can
customize some vehicle control
settings f or ‘‘DRIVER 1’’ or
‘‘DRIVER 2’’. If ‘‘DRIVER 1’’ or
‘‘DRIVER 2’’ is not displayed,
customizing is not possible.
To have the driver’s ID detected,
make sure your remote is linked to
the system (see
on page ). Then use your
remote to unlock the doors (see on page
). To enter the customizing mode,
press and hold the INFO ( / )
button for more than 3 seconds while
the multi-information display is in its
normal mode.
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ACCESSORY (I) or the LOCK (0)
position, or move the shif t lever out
of Park, the display will change to
the normal screen.
When the multi-information
display does not show the driver’s
ID. The f irst customizing menu is:
CHG SETTING (see page )
If you disconnect the battery, and
then do not unlock the door.
When the keyless memory
settings are of f (see page ). DEFAULT ALL (see page )
You cannot customize the settings
under these conditions:
To change the settings, the ignition
switch must be in the ON (II)
position, and the vehicle must be
stopped with the transmission in
Park. Ref er to the f ollowing table f or a
brief summary of each customizable
setting and its default. For more
inf ormation, ref er to the page
number ref erences in the table.
104
108 87
85
173
CONT INUED
Customized Settings
Memory Position
Link
K eyless A ccess Setup
Multi-Inf ormation Display
Inst rument s and Cont rols
81
2009 RL

When you push the ignition switch,
theremoteandthevehiclerecognize
each other. Af ter the recognition,
the remote indicator f lashes, and a
beeper sounds once. Af ter the beep,
turn the ignition switch.
When the remote is out of the
operating range, the ignition switch
is locked.
If the ignition switch cannot be
turned f rom the LOCK (0) position
to the ACCESSORY (I) position afterthe beep, the steering wheel is
locked. To unlock the steering wheel,
turn it right and lef t while turning
the ignition switch at the same time.
If theremoteandthevehicledonot
recognize each other, turn the
ignition switch to the LOCK (0)
position, remove the ignition switch
cover, insert the built-in key, and
turn the switch (see pages and
). Before leaving the vehicle, make
sure the ignition switch is in the
LOCK (0) position.
You will also see a ‘‘RETURN
IGNITION SWITCH TO LOCK (0)
POSITION’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display.
To turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position, put the
transmission in Park, press the
switch in, and turn it to the LOCK
(0) position. When the transmission
is not in Park, you cannot turn the
ignition switch to the LOCK (0)
position.
If you open the driver’s door with the
ignition switch in the ACCESSORY
(I) position, a beeper will sound.
152
177
Ignition Switch
K eyless A ccess System
176
2009 RL

You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
Press and hold the RES/ACCEL
button. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.
Push on the accelerator pedal.
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed, then press the SET/
DECEL button. Press and hold the SET/DECEL
button. Release the button when
you reach the desired speed.
To increase your speed in very
small amounts, tap the RES/
ACCEL button. Each time you do
this, the vehicle speeds up about 1
mph (1.6 km/h).
Cruise control may not hold the set
speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to
slow down. This will cancel cruise
control. On models with adaptive
cruise control (ACC), this also
causes the cruise control icon on the
multi-inf ormation display to go of f
and the cruise mode icon to come on.
To resume the set speed, press the
RES/ACCEL button. The CRUISE
CONTROLicononthemulti-
inf ormation display will come back
on.
When climbing a steep hill, the
automatic transmission may
downshif t to hold the set speed.
To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the SET/DECEL
button. Each time you do this,
your vehicle will slow down about
1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Tap the brake pedal lightly with
your f oot. The CRUISE
CONTROLicononthemulti-
inf ormation display will go out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the SET/
DECEL button.
CONT INUED
Changing the Set Speed
Cruise Control
Features
317
2009 RL

µµµ µ
µ µ
µ
Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traf f ic
Cold engine operation (engines
aremoreefficientwhenwarmed
up)
Driving with a heavy load or the
air conditioner running
Improperly inf lated tires
An underinf lated tire increases
‘‘rolling resistance,’’ which reduces
f uel economy.
It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing f uel
consumption. In
particular, a build-up of snow or
mud on your vehicle’s underside
adds weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
economy.
The f ollowing f actors can lower your
vehicle’s f uel economy:
A properly maintained vehicle
maximizes f uel economy. Poor
maintenance can signif icantly reduce
f uel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the multi-
inf ormation display (see
on page ).
For example: Idling
results in 0 miles per gallon. If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your f uel economy by up
shif ting as early as possible.
Aerodynamic drag has a big ef f ect
on f uel mileage at speeds above 45
mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking increase fuel
consumption.
452
CONT INUED
Fuel Economy
Fuel Economy Factors Use the recommended viscosity motor oil, displaying the A PI
Certif ication Seal (see page
).
Maintain proper tire inf lation
A void carrying excess weight in
your vehicle
K eep your vehicle clean
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks Avoid excessive idling
Always drive in the highest gear
possible
Observe the speed limit
Drive moderately 458
Drive Ef f icient ly
Vehicle Maint enance
Bef ore Driving
391
2009 RL

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the Super Handling-All
Wheel Drive (SH-AWD
)system,
the vehicle stability assist (VSA)
system, the tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS), the collision
mitigation brake system (CMBS),
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer. ........................
Preparing to Drive .402
.......................
Starting the Engine .403
Check Starting System .................................
Message .404
..............
Automatic Transmission .405
Driving with the Paddle
...................................
Shif ters .409
................
D-Paddle Shif t Mode .409
..............
Sequential Shif t Mode .411
Super Handling-All Wheel Drive .................
(SH-AWD
) System .413
...........................................
Parking .415
.............................
Braking System .416
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .417
Collision Mitigation Brake
........................
System (CMBS) .419
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .429
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
),
aka Electronic Stability ........
Control (ESC), System .435
...........................
Towing a Trailer .437
...................
Towing Your Vehicle .442
Driving
Driving
401
TM
TM
2009 RL

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).
These indicators between the
tachometer and speedometer show
which position the shif t lever is in.
To shif t f rom Park to any position,
pressfirmlyonthebrakepedal,and
press the release button on the top
of the shift lever, then move the
lever. You cannot shift out of Park
when the ignition switch is in the
LOCK (0) or ACCESSORY (I)
position.
79
CONT INUED
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Automatic Transmission
Driving
405
2009 RL

µ
µ
µ µUse neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from neutral to
another gear.
Press the brake
pedal and press the release button to
shif t f rom Park to reverse. To shif t
f rom reverse to neutral, come to a
completestopandthenshift.Press
the release button bef ore shif ting
into reverse f rom neutral.
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop bef ore shif ting
into Park. You must also press the
release button to shift into Park. The
shif t lever must be in Park bef ore
you can turn the ignition switch to
the LOCK (0) position, or remove
the built-in key from the ignition
switch.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
This position
mechanically locks the transmission.
Use Park whenever you are turning
of f or starting the engine. To shif t
outofPark,youmustpressonthe
brake pedal and have your foot off
the accelerator pedal. Press the
release button on the top of the shift
lever to move it. Use this position f or
your normal driving. The transmis-
sion automatically adjusts to keep
the engine at the best speed f or the
driving conditions.
407Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
press the shift lever release
button.
Press the shift lever release
button.
Move the shift lever.
To shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR DtoS
StoD
DtoN
NtoD RtoN
Automatic Transmission
Neutral (N)
Reverse (R) Shif t L ock Release
Park (P) Drive (D)
406
2009 RL