service ACURA RL 2012 Service Manual

In addition to your regular
inspections and inf lation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
perf ormed once the tires reach f ive
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed f rom service af ter 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
The last f our digits of the TIN (tire
identif ication number) are f ound on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (See
on page ).In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you f eel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed f rom the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance. 530
Tires
Tire
LabelingT ire Maintenance
Maint enance
485
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only Acura wheel weights f or balancing.
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Store the jack and tools in the tool
case. Place the tool case in the f lat
tire.
Tighten the wheel nuts securely in
the same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
f acility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:Place the flat tire face down in the
spare tire well.
Wrap the spacer cone and spare
tire wing bolt with cloth or paper,
and store them in the spare tire
well.Lower the trunk f loor, then close
the trunk lid.
Your vehicle’s original tire has a
tire pressure monitoring system
sensor. To replace a tire, ref er to
(see
page ). 14. 13.
15.16.
17.
18.
430
Changing a Flat T ire
Changing a T ire with T PMS
500
WING BOLTSPACER CONE
94 lbf·ft (127 N·m , 13 kgf·m)Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
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Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn of f the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(see on page
).Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a dealer or a service station
where you can get technical
assistance. Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights. This indicator should never come on
when the engine is running. If it
starts flashing or stays on, or if you
see a ‘‘CHECK ENGINE OIL
LEVEL’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display, the oil pressure
has dropped very low or lost
pressure. Serious engine damage is
possible, and you should take
immediate action.If the charging system indicator
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, or if you see a ‘‘CHECK
CHARGING SYSTEM’’ message on
the multi-information display, the
battery is not being charged. 1.
2.
3.
4.387
458
521Emergency T owing L ow Oil Pressure
IndicatorCharging System
Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
508
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.
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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.
466521Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
510
U.S. Canada
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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
521
COVER
Towing with only two tires on the
ground will damage parts of the
all-wheel-drive system. Y our vehicle
should be transported on a f lat-bed
truck or trailer.
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The tires on your vehicle meet all
U.S. Federal Saf ety Requirements.
All tires are also graded f or
treadwear, traction, and temperature
perf ormance according to
Department of Transportation
(DOT) standards. The f ollowing
explains these gradings.
All passenger car tires must conf orm
to Federal Saf ety Requirements in
addition to these grades. Quality grades can be f ound where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specif ied government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-
half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded
100. The relative perf ormance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart signif icantly f rom the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and dif f erences in
road characteristics and climate.The traction grades, f rom highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specif ied government test surf aces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
perf ormance.
Warning: The traction grade
assignedtothistireisbasedon
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
DOT T ire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
T readwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A Unif orm T ire Quality GradingT readwear T raction
528
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.......... Client Service Inf ormation . 540
.................... Warranty Coverages . 541
............. Reporting Saf ety Def ects . 542
..................... Authorized Manuals . 543
Warranty and Client Relations
Warrant y and Client Relat ions
539
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If you are dissatisf ied with the
decision made by the dealership’s
management, contact Acura Client
RelationsU.S. Owners:
Canadian Owners:In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands:
When you call or write, please give
us this inf ormation: Acura dealership personnel are
trained prof essionals. They should
be able to answer all your questions.
If you encounter a problem that your
dealership does not solve to your
satisf action, please discuss it with
the dealership’s management. The
service manager or general manager
can help. Almost all problems are
solved in this way.
Vehicle identif ication number
(see page )
Name and address of the dealer
who services your vehicle
Date of purchase
Odometer reading of your vehicle
Your name, address, and tele-
phone number
A detailed description of the
problem
Name of the dealer who sold the
vehicle to you524
Client Service Inf ormation
540
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Acura Client Relations
Mail Stop 500-2N-7E
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
Tel: (800) 382-2238Vortex Motor Corp.
Bella International
P.O. Box 190816
San Juan, PR 00919-0816
Tel: (787) 620-7546
Honda Canada Inc.
Acura Client Services
180 Honda Boulevard
Markham, ON
L6C 0H9
Tel: 1-888-9-ACURA-9
Fax: 1-877-939-0909
E-Mail: [email protected]
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T he publications shown below can be purchased f rom Helm
Incorporated. You can order by phone or online:
Call Helm Inc. at 1-800-782-4356 (credit card orders only)
Go online at
If you are interested in other years or models, contact Helm Inc.
at 1-800-782-4356.Covers maintenance and recommended procedures f or
repair to engine and chassis components. It is written
f or the journeyman mechanic, but it is simple enough
f or most mechanically inclined owners to understand.
Complements the Service Manual by providing in-depth
troubleshooting inf ormation f or each electrical circuit
in your vehicle.
Describes the procedures involved in the replacement
of damaged body parts.
Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only) Purchasing Factory Authorized Manuals Service Manual:
Electrical T roubleshooting Manual:
Body Repair Manual:
Authorized Manuals
543
Form Description
2009-2012 Acura RL Service Manual
2012 Acura RL
Electrical Troubleshooting Manual
2005 Model Series Acura RL Body Repair Manual
2009 Acura RL Body Repair Manual Supplement
2012 Acura RL Owner’s Manual
2012 Acura RL Navigation System Manual
2012 Acura RL Maintenance Journal
2012 Acura RL Advanced Technology Guide
Order Form for Previous Years
Indicate Year and Model Desired Publication
Form Number
61SJA07
61SJA07EL
61SJA30
61SJA31
31SJA670
31SJA850
31SJAM70
31SJAQ70
ACU-R
www.helminc.com
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Bulb Replacement
.......................... Back-up Lights . 474
................................. Fog Lights . 472
................ Front Parking Lights . 471
........ Front Side Marker Lights . 471
................................. Headlights . 468
............................ Specif ications . 527
............ Turn Signal Lights . 470, 473
..................................... Built-in-key . 167
.............................. Bulbs, Halogen . 468
............................ Capacities Chart . 526
............. Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 56
.................... Cargo, How to Carry . 393
............. CAUTION, Explanation of . iii
......................................... CD Care . 274
....................... CD Error Message . 271
................................... CD Changer . 236
................................ Ceiling Lights . 200
........................ Certif ication Label . 524
................................. Chains, Tires . 488
.................... Changing a Flat Tire . 497
Changing Oil
........................................ How to . 459...................................... When to . 445
... Charging System Indicator . 62, 508
............ Checklist, Bef ore Driving . 400
..................................... Child Saf ety . 38
.............................. Booster Seats . 53
................................... Child Seats . 45
..... Important Saf ety Reminders . 38
.......................................... Inf ants . 43
.......................... Larger Children . 52
......................................... LATCH . 47
...................... Risks with Airbags . 39
............................. Small Children . 44
......................................... Tethers . 51
......... Where Should a Child Sit? . 39
....................................... Child Seats . 45
......................................... LATCH . 47
.......... Tether Anchorage Points . 51
................ Childproof Door Locks . 155
Cleaning
................................... Seat Belts . 476
.................... Client Service Of f ice . 540
............... Climate Control System . 204
......................... Clock, Setting the . 313
........................ CO in the Exhaust . 534
............ Cold Weather, Starting in . 401Collision Mitigation Braking
System (CMBS )
............................... Indicator . 69, 424
................................... Operation . 418
...................... Compact Spare Tire . 496
........................... Compass System . 281
................. Console Compartment . 195
................. Consumer Inf ormation . 540
............. Controls, Instruments and . 59
Coolant
........................................ Adding . 461
.................................... Checking . 387
......................... Proper Solution . 461
................... Temperature Gauge . 70
Crankcase Emissions Control
........................................ System . 534
................ Cruise Control Indicator . 65
............ Cruise Control Operation . 316
................................... Cup Holders . 194
Index
C
II
TM TM
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