Acura RSX 2004 Owner's Manual

Pull the bulb straight out of its
socket.
Push the new bulb straight into
the socket until it bottoms.
Insert the socket back into the
light assembly. Turn it clockwise
to lock it in place.
Testthelightstomakesurethe
new bulb is working.
Reinstall the high-mount brake
light cover.
Open the hatch.
Remove the high-mount brake
light cover by pivoting it toward
the back of the vehicle.
Remove the socket by turning it
one-quarter turn counterclockwise. Open the hatch. Remove the light
assembly cover by pulling on the
tabontheoutsideedge.
2.
3. 1. 4.
5.
6.
7.
1.
Lights
Maint enance
Replacing Rear Bulbs
Replacing a High-mount Brake
Light Bulb
178
COVER
COVER BULB

Reinstall the socket into the light
assembly by turning it clockwise
until it locks.
Testthelightstomakesurethe
new bulb is working.
Install the light assembly cover.
Make sure it locks in place.
Pull the bulb straight out of its
socket.
Push the new bulb straight into
the socket until it bottoms. Remove the socket by turning it
one-quarter turn counterclockwise. Determinewhichof thefivebulbs
is burned out: brake/taillight, turn
signal light, side marker light,
back-up light, or taillight.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
Lights
Maint enance179

If your seat belts get dirty, use a sof t
brush with a mixture of mild soap
and warm water to clean them. Do
not use bleach, dye, or cleaning
solvents. Let the belts air dry bef ore
you use the vehicle.
Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth
dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.The driver’s f loor mat that came
with your vehicle hooks over the
f loor mat anchor. This keeps the
f loor mat f rom sliding f orward and
possibly interf ering with the pedals.
If you remove the driver’s f loor mat,
make sure to re-anchor it when you
putitbackinyourvehicle.If you use a non-Acura f loor mat,
make sure it f its properly and that it
canbeusedwiththefloormat
anchor. Do not put additional f loor
mats on top of the anchored mat.
This f ilter removes the dust and
pollenthatisbroughtinfromthe
outside through the heating and
cooling system.
Have your Acura dealer replace this
f ilter every 30,000 miles (48,000 km)
under normal conditions. It should
be replaced every 15,000 miles
(24,000 km) if you drive primarily in
urban areas that have high
concentrations of soot in the air, or if
the airflow from the heating and
cooling system becomes less than
usual.
Seat Belts, Floor Mats, Dust and Pollen Filter
Maint enance
Seat Belts
Floor Mats
Dust and Pollen Filter
180
LOOP

CONT INUED
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months.
Look f or signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you f ind
these signs, or if they leave streaks
and unwiped areas when used.To replace a blade (f ront or rear):Raise the wiper arm of f the
windshield or rear window. Disconnect the blade assembly
fromthewiperarmbypushingin
the lock tab. Hold the lock tab in
while you push the blade assembly
toward the base of the arm.
2.
1.
Wiper Blades
Maint enance181
WIPER ARMS
LOCK TAB

Remove the blade f rom its holder
by grasping the tabbed end of the
blade. Pull f irmly until the tabs
come out of the holder.Examine the new wiper blades. If
they have no plastic or metal rein-
f orcement along the back edge,
remove the metal reinf orcement
strips f rom the old wiper blade,
and install them in the slots along
the edge of the new blade.Slide the new wiper blade into the
holder until the tabs lock.
Slide the wiper blade assembly
onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
Lower the wiper arm down against
the windshield or rear window.
3. 4. 5.
6.
7.
Wiper Blades
Maint enance182
BLADE
BLADE
REINFORCEMENT

CONT INUED
To saf ely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inf lated.
The f ollowing pages give more
detailed inf ormation on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they need to be replaced.Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort.
Underinf lated tires wear unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to
fail from being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,are
more prone to damage f rom road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
Tires
Maint enance
Inf lation
183
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.

We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.Thecompactsparetirepressureis:
For convenience, the recommended
tire sizes and cold air pressures are
on a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
For additional technical inf ormation,
see page .Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per month.
Remember to check the spare tire at
thesametime.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the vehicle
has been parked f or at least three
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km).
Add or release air, if needed, to
match the recommended cold tire
pressuresonthispage.
(Canada: RSX)
(U.S.: All models, Canada: Premium
and Type-S models)
222
Tire Size Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure for
Normal Driving
Cold Tire Pressure for
Normal Driving
Front:
Rear: Front:
Rear:
Tires
Maint enance184
P205/55R16 89V
33 psi (230 kPa ,2.3 kgf/cm
)
31 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
) P195/65R15 89H
33 psi (230 kPa ,2.3 kgf/cm
)
31 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.20 kgf/cm)

Tire pressure f or high speed driving
is the same as f or normal driving.
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (driven f or several
miles), you will see readings 4 to 6
psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4 kgf /cm )
higher than the cold reading. This is
normal; do not release air to match
the cold pressure.
Tubeless tires have some ability to
self -seal if they are punctured. You
should look closely f or punctures if a
tire starts losing pressure.
Youshouldgetyourowntire
pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier f or you to tell if a
pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:
Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherortheseconditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Excessive tread wear. When you
see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide
band running across the tread,
there is less than 1/16 inch (1.6
mm) of tread lef t on the tire.
Replace the tire if you can see
threeormoretreadwear
indicators around it. 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.
CONT INUED
Tire Inspection
Tire Maintenance
Tires
Maint enance185
TREAD WEAR
INDICATORSINDICATOR
LOCATION
MARKS

Replace your tires with radial tires of
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your vehicle can
reduce braking ability, traction, and
steering accuracy. Using tires of a
dif f erent size or construction can
cause the ABS to work inconsistently.
It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, replace the two f ront
tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
af f ect your vehicle’s handling.
To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires every 10,000 miles (16,000
km). Move the tires to the positions
showninthecharteachtimethey
are rotated. If you purchase
directional tires, rotate only f ront-to-
back.
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.
(Only on vehicles equipped with
aluminum wheels)
Replacing T ires
Tire Rotation
Tires
Maint enance186
NOTICE:
Front Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) (For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
Improper wheel weights can
damage your vehicle’s aluminum
wheels. Use only genuine Acura wheel
weights f or balancing.

´
Tires marked ‘‘M S’’ or ‘‘All
Season’’ on the sidewall have an all-
weather tread design suitable for
most winter driving conditions.
For the best perf ormance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions.
If you mount snow tires on your
Acura, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as original tires. Mount snow tires on
all f our wheels. The traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
maybelowerthanyouroriginaltires.
Check with the tire dealer f or
maximum speed recommendations.
Wheels:
Tires:
See page f or inf ormation about
DOT Tire Quality Grading.
Replacement wheels are available at
your Acura dealer. (U.S. : All models
Canada : Premium and Type-S
models)
(Canada : RSX)
(U.S. : All models
Canada : Premium and Type-S
models)
(Canada : RSX)
222
CONT INUED
Winter Driving
Snow T ires
Wheel and T ire Specif ications
Tires
Maint enance187
16x61/2JJ
15x6JJ
P205/55R16 89V
P195/65R15 89H
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.