steering ACURA RL 2011 Workshop Manual

The anti-lock brake system (ABS)
helpspreventthewheelsfrom
locking up, and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly, much f aster than a
person can do it.If this indicator comes on, the anti-
lock f unction of the braking system
has shut down. The brakes still work
like a conventional system, but
without anti-lock. You should have
your dealer inspect your vehicle as
soon as possible.
You will f eel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is
normal: it is the ABS rapidly
pumpingthebrakes.Ondry
pavement, you will need to press on
thebrakepedalveryhardbeforethe
ABS activates. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
Let the ABS work f or you by always
keeping f irm, steady pressure on the
brake pedal. This is sometimes
ref erred to as ‘‘stomp and steer.’’ The electronic brake distribution
(EBD) system, which is part of the
ABS, also balances the f ront-to-rear
braking distribution according to
vehicle loading. When the ABS indicator comes on,
you will also see a ‘‘CHECK ABS
SYSTEM’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display.
If the ABS indicator comes on while
driving, test the brakes as shown on
page .
510
You should never pump the brake pedal.
ABS Indicator
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
416
10/08/04 19:54:59 31SJA660_421
ProCarManuals.com

on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock.
It only helps with steering
control during braking.
such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe
speed f or the road and weather
conditions.
Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your vehicle to veer
into oncoming traffic or off the road.
If the ABS indicator and the brake
system indicator come on together,
and the parking brake is f ully
released, the EBD system may also
be shut down.
Test your brakes as instructed on
page . If the brakes f eel normal,
drive slowly and have your vehicle
repaired by your dealer as soon as
possible. Avoid sudden hard braking
which could cause the rear wheels to
lock up and possibly lead to a loss of
control.
510 A vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stop
Important Saf ety Reminders
A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the
vehicle.
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS cannot prevent the loss of
stability.
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Driving
417
10/08/04 19:55:08 31SJA660_422
ProCarManuals.com

As required by the FCC:This device complies with Part 15 of theFCC rules. Operation is subject to thef ollowing two conditions: (1) This devicemay not cause harmf ul interf erence, and(2) this device must accept anyinterf erence received, includinginterf erence that may cause undesiredoperation.
Changes or modif ications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible f orcompliance could void the user’sauthority to operate the equipment.
This device complies with IndustryCanada Standard RSS-210.Operation is subject to the f ollowing twoconditions: (1) this device may not causeinterf erence, and (2) this device mustaccept any interf erence that may causeundesired operation of the device.
Themainpurposeof theCMBSisto
reduce the severity of injuries
caused by an unavoidable collision.
While the CMBS may help to alert
you and minimize the severity of a
collision, it may not activate in every
dangerous situation.
Even with the CMBS, it is still your
responsibility to operate the brake
pedal and steering wheel
appropriately, according to the
driving conditions.
Because of the road condition
(curved, winding, etc.) or the state of
your vehicle (turning angle, lane
position, etc.), CMBS can sometimes
mistake a stationary object (light
pole, traf f ic sign, guard rail, etc.) as a
vehicle ahead of you and temporarily
operate. This is normal. Important Saf ety Reminder
Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS )
428
YOUR VEHICLE
SIGN, POLE, etc.
TM TM
10/08/04 19:56:53 31SJA660_433
ProCarManuals.com

Your vehicle has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can also use it to
tow a trailer if you caref ully observe
the load limits, use the proper
equipment, and f ollow the guidelines
in this section.The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too much tongue
load reduces front-tire traction and
steering control. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway.
The
maximum allowable weight of the
trailer and everything in or on it
must not exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg).
Towing a load that is too heavy
can seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
Avoid towing a trailer during your
vehicle’s f irst 600 miles (1,000 km)
(see page ).
382
CONT INUED
Load Limits
Tongue Load:
T otal T railer Weight:
Towing a Trailer
Break-In Period
Driving
437
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.
10/08/04 19:58:28 31SJA660_442
ProCarManuals.com

Your vehicle is not designed to be
towed behind a motor home. If your
vehicle needs to be towed in an
emergency, see page .
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. 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.
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. 521
bottom
Towing Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer, Towing Your Vehicle
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing Backing Up
Parking
442
10/08/04 19:59:28 31SJA660_447
ProCarManuals.com

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
Maintenance Minder messages on
the multi-information display, and
instructions f or simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.U.S. Vehicles: ......................
Maintenance Saf ety . 444
.................
Maintenance Minder . 445
..............................
Fluid Locations . 455
......
Engine Compartment Covers . 456
........................
Adding Engine Oil . 458
Changing the Engine Oil and
...........................................
Filter . 459
..............................
Engine Coolant . 461
....................
Windshield Washers . 463
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 464
....................................
Brake Fluid . 466
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 467
....................................
Timing Belt . 467
.............................................
Lights . 468
..................
DustandPollenFilter .476
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts . 476
.....................................
Floor Mats . 477
.................................
Wiper Blades . 478
.................................
Exterior Care . 480
...........................................
Wheels . 480
...............................................
Tires . 481
...................
Checking the Battery . 490
.............................
Vehicle Storage . 493
..................................
Interior Care . 494
543
Maintenance
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.
Maint enance
443
TM
10/08/04 19:59:36 31SJA660_448
ProCarManuals.com

µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µµ
µ
CONT INUED
Displayed
Engine Oil Lif e (%) 100%90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
15%
10%5%
0%
Calculated Engine
Oil Lif e (%)
100% 91% 90% 81%
80% 71%
70% 61%
60% 51%
50% 41%
40% 31%
30% 21%
20% 16%
15% 11%10% 6% 5% 1% 0%
To see the remaining engine oil lif e
displayed on the lower right corner
on the multi-information display as a
percentage, turn the ignition switch
to the ON (II) position, and press the
SEL/RESET button on the steering
wheel repeatedly until the engine oil
lifeappears(seepage ).
Your vehicle displays engine oil lif e
and maintenance service items on
the multi-information display to show
youwhenyoushouldhaveyour
dealer perf orm engine oil
replacement and indicated
maintenance service.
Based on engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil lif e.
The remaining engine oil lif e is
shown on the multi-inf ormation
display according to this table:
73
Maintenance Minder
Engine Oil L if e Display
Maint enance
445
REMAINING ENGINE OIL LIFE
TM
10/08/04 20:00:01 31SJA660_450
ProCarManuals.com

ÛÝ
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
15 to 6 percent, the multi-inf ormation
display shows a ‘‘SERVICE DUE
SOON’’ message along with the
maintenance schedule code(s)
indicating the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil change.
Refer to pages and for a
complete list of the maintenance
main items and sub items. Press the SEL/RESET button on the
steering wheel repeatedly to select
the engine oil lif e. The message
‘‘OIL LIFE’’ along with the
percentage of oil lif e remaining and
the maintenance item code(s),
appear on the lower part of the multi-
inf ormation display.
Pressing either INFO button ( / )
switches the display f rom the
message to another display. Once
you switch the display, this message
will go of f .
Along with the message, the system
message indicator comes on (see
page ).
The message appears on the multi-
inf ormation display each time you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
This message reminds you that your
vehicle will soon be due f or
scheduled maintenance.
68
453 454
Maintenance Minder
446
MESSAGE
MAINTENANCE
MAIN ITEM REMAINING
ENGINE OIL LIFE
MAINTENANCE
SUB ITEM(S) MAINTENANCE
ITEM CODE(S)
TM
10/08/04 20:00:11 31SJA660_451
ProCarManuals.com

ÛÝ
CONT INUED
When the remaining engine oil lif e is
1 to 5 percent, the multi-information
display shows a ‘‘SERVICE DUE
NOW’’ message with the
maintenance items. When you see
this message have the indicated
maintenance perf ormed as soon as
possible.Press the SEL/RESET button on the
steering wheel repeatedly to select
the engine oil lif e. The message
‘‘SERVICE OIL LIFE’’, along with
‘‘5%’’, and the maintenance item
code(s) are displayed on the lower
part of the multi-inf ormation display
when the calculated engine oil lif e is
1 to 5 percent (see page ).
Pressing either INFO button ( / )
switches the display f rom the
message to another display. Once
you switch the display, this message
will go of f .
445
Maintenance Minder
Maint enance
447
TM
10/08/04 20:00:19 31SJA660_452
ProCarManuals.com

ÝÛÛÝ
Press and hold the SEL/RESET
button on the steering wheel f or
more than 10 seconds. The
remaining engine oil lif e reset
mode will be shown on the multi-
inf ormation display.
To reset the engine oil lif e, press
the or button on the steering
wheel to select RESET on the
display, and press the SEL/
RESET button. To cancel resetting the oil life,
press the or button on the
steering wheel to select CANCEL
on the display, and press the SEL/
RESET button.
If you do not complete the reset
procedure within 30 seconds af ter
selecting the reset mode, the mode
will be canceled automatically.
Your dealer will reset the display
af ter completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘OIL LIFE 100%’’ on the display the
next time you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
If the engine oil lif e display is not
displayed, press the SEL/RESET
buttononthesteeringwheel
repeatedly until it is. Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
The maintenance item code or codes
indicate the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil change
(see page ).
If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the Maintenance Minder as
f ollows:
1.
2.
3.
453
Maintenance Minder
448
U.S.
Canada
TM
10/08/04 20:00:31 31SJA660_453
ProCarManuals.com