Ven Acura RSX 2004 Repair Manual

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.
Do not tow a trailer. Your Acura is designed to operate on
unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher.
Your Acura is designed to operate on
premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
You should also f ollow these re-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are replaced. Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause a persistent, heavy, metallic
rapping noise in the engine that can
lead to mechanical f ailure.
We recommend gasoline 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 ofgasoline with these additives may
adversely affect performance, and
cause the Malf unction Indicator
Lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized Acura dealer f or
service. For f urther important f uel-
related information, please refer to
your Quick Start Guide.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.(All models except Type-S)
(Type-S)
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
121

Park with the driver’s side closest
to the gas pump.
Open the f uel f ill door by pushing
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat.Removethefuelfillcapslowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Put the attachment on the fuel fill
cap into the slit on the f uel f ill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
even
though the tank is not full, there may
be a problem with your vehicle’s f uel
vapor recovery system. The system
helps keep f uel vapors f rom going
into the atmosphere. Consult your
dealer.
1.
2. 3.
4.
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Fueling
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving122
FUEL FILL CAP
Pull
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and flames
away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.

Refer toon page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
Acura. Always drive in the highest gear
possible.
Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
fuel.Usethecruisecontrolwhen
appropriate.
Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel.
The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel. Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. See on page
.
158
158
For example,
Service Station Procedures, Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
126

Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with non-
Acura (aftermarket) components
could seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Some examples are:Lowering your vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Raising your vehicle with an
af termarket suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Af termarket wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Do not modif y your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modif ications could make the
system inef f ective.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your Acura dealer. Improperly
replacing or covering f ront seat-
back covers can prevent your side
airbags f rom inf lating during a
collision.
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Modif ying Your Vehicle
Bef ore Driving
A ccessories and Modif ications
Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ing aHonda dealer.
128

Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:Glove box
Door and seat-back pockets
Cargo area
Roof -rack (if installed)
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can af f ect
your vehicle’s handling, stability,
stopping distance, and tires, making
it unsaf e. Bef ore carrying any type of
cargo, be sure to read the f ollowing
pages.
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving129
DOOR POCKET
CARGO AREA GLOVE BOX
SEAT-BACK POCKET
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.

Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Be sure items placed on the f loor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
under the seats and interf ere with
the pedals or seat operation.Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible.
If youfolddownthebackseat,tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.
Do not place items on the cargo
area cover, or stack objects higher
than the top of the back seat. They
could block your view and be
thrown about the vehicle during a
crash or sudden stop.If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
hatch, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of
, f ollow the instructions
on page .
If you can carry any items on a
roof rack,besurethetotalweight
of the rack and the items does not
exceed the maximum allowable
weight. Please contact your Acura
dealer f or f urther inf ormation.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop. 45
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
or on a Roof Rack
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving131

The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster.Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into Reverse, or shif t into
one of the f orward gears f or a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear.
5-speed and 6-speed Manual T ransmissions
Driving136
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.

Your Acura is equipped with disc
brakes at all f our wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
Resting your f oot on the pedal keeps
the brakes applied lightly, builds up
heat, and reduces their ef f ectiveness.
It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by taking your f oot of f the
accelerator and downshif ting to a
lower gear.Check the brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Be extra
cautious in your driving.
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
If the brake pads need replacing, you
will hear a distinctive, metallic
screeching sound when you apply
the brake pedal. If you do not have
the brake pads replaced, they will
screech all the time. It is normal f or
the brakes to occasionally squeal or
squeak when you apply them.
Braking System
Braking System
Braking System DesignBrake Wear Indicators
Driving146
Front

Î
Î
The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent the brakes f rom
locking up and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly, much f aster than a
person can do it.
this def eats the purpose of the ABS.
Let the ABS work f or you by always
keeping f irm, steady pressure on the
brake pedal as you steer away from
the hazard. This is sometimes
ref erred to as ‘‘stomp and steer.’’ 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.If the ABS 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 the dealer inspect your vehicle
as soon as possible.
You should never pump the brake pedal;
U.S.: All models
Canada: Premium and Type-S models only
CONT INUED
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) Activating the Anti-lock Brakes ABS Indicator
Driving147
ABS INDICATOR
U.S. indicator shown

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. on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
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 a loss of
stability. A vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stop
Driving148