engine Acura RSX 2006 Workshop Manual

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .204
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .205
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .210
................................
Jump Starting .212
..............
If the Engine Overheats .214
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .216
..........
Charging System Indicator .216
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .217
...............
Brake System Indicator .218
..................
Closing the Moonroof .219
..............................................
Fuses .220
..........................
Fuse Locations .223
......................
Emergency Towing .225
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
203

Store the tool kit.
Store the wheel cover or center
cap in the cargo area. Make sure it
will not get scratched or damaged.When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound or series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Reinstall the f loor mat and spare
tire cover, then close the hatch. Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in Park or neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page .
22.
23.
24.
212
Changing a Flat Tire, If the Engine Won’t Start
If the Engine Won’t StartNothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
210
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.

Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem (seeon page ).In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working. There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal
connections (see page ). You
canthentryjumpstartingthe
vehicle from a booster battery
(see page ). 65
225
200
212 147220
225
If theEngineWon’tStart
Emergency T owing T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
211

µ
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
The numbers in the illustration show
you the order to connect the jumper
cables. Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Once the vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
the grounding strap on your
vehicle, then from the booster
battery. Disconnect the positive
cable f rom your vehicle, then f rom
the booster battery.
5. 6.
7.
4.
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
213
BOOSTER BATTERY

The pointer of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running, and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Park (automatic), and
set the parking brake. Turn of f all
the accessories, and turn on the
hazard indicators.
1. 2.
3.
4.
If theEngineOverheats
214
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.

Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (seeon page ).
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator. Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.
Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page
). Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.
7. 8.9.
6. 5.
10.
11.
225
137
225
If theEngineOverheats
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
215
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low. Serious engine damage is
possible and you should take
immediate action. 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
). If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
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 service station or garage
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.
1.
2.
3.
4. 137
174
225
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
216
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.

If the indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage. If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn of f as you
continue driving, have the vehicle
checked by your dealer as soon as
possible.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.If the battery in your vehicle has
been disconnected or gone dead,
these codes are erased. It takes at
least three days of driving under
various conditions to set the codes
again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition to the ON (II) position,
without starting the engine. The
malf unction indicator lamp will come
on f or 20 seconds. If it then goes of f ,
the readiness codes are set. If it
blinks five times, the readiness
codes are not set. If possible, do not
take your vehicle for a state
emissions test until the readiness
codes are set. Ref er to
for more
inf ormation (see page ).
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator could come on
because of a loose or missing f uel f ill
cap. You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
FUEL CAP’’ message on the
odometer display. Tighten the cap
until it clicks at least once.
Tightening the cap will not turn the
indicator turn of f immediately; it
takes at least three days of normal
driving.
238
Readiness Codes
State
Emissions T esting
Malf unction Indicator L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
217
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.

The vehicle’s f uses are located in
two fuse boxes. The interior fuse
box is underneath the steering
column.The under-hood f use box is in the
engine compartment next to the
battery.If something electrical in your
vehicle stops working, the first thing
youshouldcheckforisablownfuse.
Determine f rom the chart on pages
and , or the diagram on the
f use box lid, which f use or f uses
control that device. Check those
f uses f irst, but check all the f uses
bef ore deciding that a blown f use is
the cause. Replace any blown f uses,
and check if the device works.
Turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Make sure the
headlights and all other
accessories are of f .
Remove the cover f rom the f use
box.
1.
2. 223 224
Fuses
Checking and Replacing Fuses
220
INTERIOR
UNDER-HOOD
TAB

µµ
CONT INUED
If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a prof essional towing service or
an organization. Never tow your
vehicle with just a rope or chain. It is
very dangerous. With the f ront wheels on the ground,
it is best to tow the vehicle no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep the
speedbelow35mph(55km/h).
Release the parking brake. Turn of f the engine.
ShifttoD,thentoN.
Start the engine. Shif t the transmission to neutral. Release the parking brake.
If , due to damage, your vehicle must
be towed with the f ront wheels on
the ground, do this:
Therearetwowaystotowyour
vehicle: The operator
loads your vehicle on the back of a
truck.
The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the tires (f ront or rear) and lif t
them of f the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground.
Automatic Transmission:
Manual Transmission:
Emergency Towing
Flat -bed Equipment
Wheel-lif t Equipment
This is the best way to trans-
port your vehicle.
T his is
an acceptable way to tow your
vehicle.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
225
Trying to lif t or tow your vehicle by the
bumpers will cause serious damage.
The bumpers are not designed to
support the vehicle’s weight.
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shif t the transmission or start the
engine (automatic transmission), your
vehicle must be transported with the
f ront wheels of f the ground.