Acura TL 2000 3.2 Owner's Manual

Spark Plugs
4. Use a wrench to remove thehexagon socket head cap bolt
holding the ignition coil. Removethe ignition coil by pulling itstraight out
5. Remove the spark plug with a five-eighths inch (16 mm) spark
plug socket 6. Put the new spark plug into the
socket; then screw it into the hole.
Screw it in by hand so you do not crossthread it. 7. Torque the spark plug. (If you do
not have a torque wrench, tighten
the spark plug two-thirds of a turn after it contacts the cylinder head.)
Tightening torque:
13 Ibf-ft(18N-m,1.8kgf-m)
Maintenance

Spark Plugs
Tighten the spark plugs carefully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine. Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads in the cylinder head. 8. Install the ignition coil. Reinstall
the hexagon socket head cap bolt.
9. Push the wire connector onto the ignition coil. Make sure it locks in
place.
10.Repeat this procedure for the other five spark plugs.
11.Reinstall the cover on the front cylinder bank. Specifications:
NGK:
DENSO: PZFR5F-11
PKJ16CR-L11
Spark Plug Gap:
0.04 in (1.1 mm)
Maintenance
NOTICE
+0—0.1 mm

Battery
Check the condition of your car's
battery monthly. You should check
the color of the test indicator window,
and for corrosion on the terminals.TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
Remove the battery cover.
Check the battery condition by
looking at the test indicator window on the battery.
The label on the battery explains the test indicator's colors. Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish
powder). To remove it, cover the
terminals with a solution of baking
soda and water. It will bubble up and
turn brown. When this stops, wash it
off with plain water. Dry off the
battery with a cloth or paper towel. Coat the terminals with grease to
help prevent future corrosion.
Maintenance

Battery
If the terminals are severely cor-
roded, clean them with baking soda
and water. Then use a wrench to
loosen and remove the cables from the terminals. Always disconnect the
negative (—) cable first and recon-
nect it last. Clean the battery termi-nals with a terminal cleaning tool or
wire brush. Reconnect and tighten the cables, then coat the terminals
with grease. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to prevent damage to the car's
electrical system. The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled mechanic do the battery
maintenance.
CONTINUED
Maintenance

Battery
If your car's battery is disconnectedor goes dead, the audio system will
disable itself. The next time you turn
on the radio you will see "Code" in
the frequency display. Use the Preset buttons to enter the five-digit
code (see page 142 ).
The Navigation System will also disable itself. The next time you turn
on the ignition switch, the system
will require you to enter a PIN
before it can be used. Refer to the Navigation System Owner's Manual.NOTICE
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car's electronic controls. Detach the
battery cables before connecting the
battery to a charger.
Maintenance

Wiper Blades
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months. Look for signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you find these signs, or they leave streaks
and unwiped areas when used.WIPER ARMS
To replace the blade:
1. Turn the ignition ON (II), switch the wipers to INT or — lowposition), then turn the ignition
OFF when the wiper arm is
approximately midway in its travel.
2. Raise the wiper arm off the windshield.
LOCK TAB
3. Disconnect the blade assemblyfrom the wiper arm by pushing in
the lock tab. Hold it in while you
push the blade assembly toward
the base of the arm.
CONTINUED
Maintenance

Wiper Blades
BLADE
4. Remove the blade from its holderby grasping the tabbed end of the
blade. Pull firmly until the tabs
come out of the holder.
BLADE
REINFORCEMENT
5. Examine the new wiper blades. If they have no plastic or metal rein-
forcement along the back edge,
remove the metal reinforcement
strips from the old wiper blade and
install them in the slots along the
edge of the new blade. 6. Slide the new wiper blade into the
holder until the tabs lock.
7. Slide the wiper blade assembly onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
8. Lower the wiper arm down against the windshield.
9. Turn the ignition switch ON (II) and return the windshield wipers
to their park position.
Maintenance

Air Conditioning System
Your car's air conditioning is a sealedsystem. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualified mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works efficiently.
Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling
efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them. AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at asteady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the system with Refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a). (See Specifications on page 282.)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling system. This system captures therefrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenance
NOTICE
NOTICE

Air Conditioning Filter, Drive Belts
Air Conditioning Filter
The air conditioning filter removespollen and dust that is brought in
from the outside through the heating
and cooling system.
This filter should be replaced every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) under nor-
mal 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 from industry and diesel-pow-
ered vehicles. Replace it more often
if air flow from the climate controlsystem becomes less than usual.
Have the air conditioning filter re-
placed by your Acura dealer. Drive Belts
POWER STEERING BELT
Check the condition of the two drive
belts. Examine the edges of each
belt for cracks or fraying.
Check the tension of the power
steering belt by pushing on it with
your thumb midway between the
pulleys.
The belt should have the following "play" or deflection. Power steering belt:
0.51 -0.65 in (13.0-16.5 mm)
If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace the belts.
Maintenance

Timing Belt, Tires
Timing Belt
The timing belt should normally bereplaced at the intervals shown in
the maintenance schedule.
Replace this belt at 60,000 miles (U.S.)or 100,000 Ion (Canada) if you
regularly drive your car in one or
more of these conditions:
• In very high temperatures (over 110° F, 43° C).
• In very low temperatures (under -20°F, -29°C). Tires
To safely operate your car, your tires
must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread, and correctly inflated. The following
pages give more detailed information on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can cause a crash in which you canbe seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire inflation and maintenance.
Maintenance