fuel cap Acura TL 2000 3.2 Owner's Manual

2000 TL Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... 109
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................145
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .159
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................187
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .245
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................253
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................279
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................291
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................297
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump. Owner's Identification Form
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ 2

Service Station Procedures
Filling the Fuel Tank
1. Because the fuel fill cap is on the driver's side of the car, park with
that side closest to the service station pumps.
2. Open the fuel fill door by pulling
on the handle at the outside of the
driver's seat. Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
• Stop the engine and keep heat, sparks, and flame away.
• Handle fuel only outdoors.
• Wipe up spills immediately.
FUEL FILL CAP
3. Remove the fuel fill cap slowly. You may hear a hissing sound aspressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
CONTINUED
Before Driving

Service Station Procedures
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuelnozzle automatically clicks off. Do
not try to "top off' the tank, leavesome room for the fuel to expand
with temperature changes.
Your car has an on-board refueling vapor recovery system to helpkeep fuel vapors from going into
the atmosphere. If the fuel pump
keeps clicking off even though the
tank is not full, there may be aproblem with this system. Consult
your dealer. 5. Screw the fuel fill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks several
times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the MalfunctionIndicator Lamp may come on (see
page 54).
6. Push the fuel fill door closed until it latches. Opening the Hood
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
1. Shift to Park or Neutral and set
the parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower left corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Before Driving

Engine Oil
Adding OilENGINE OIL FILL CAP
To add oil, unscrew and remove the engine oil fill cap on top of the valve
cover. Pour in the oil, and replace the engine oil fill cap. Tighten it securely.
Wait a few minutes and recheck the oil level. Do not fill above the upper
mark; you could damage the engine. Recommended Oil
Oil is a major contributor to your
engine's performance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade deter- gent oil. It is highly recommended
that you use Genuine Honda MotorOil in your vehicle for as long as you
own it. You can determine an oil's SAE
viscosity and Service Classification from the API Service label on the oilcontainer.
A fuel-efficient oil is recommended for your Acura. This is shown on the
API Service label by the words "Energy Conserving." This oil is
formulated to help your engine use
less fuel.
CONTINUED
Maintenance

Windshield Washers
Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers often, check the level every time you stop
for fuel.
The windshield washer reservoir is located behind the headlight.
Check the reservoir's fluid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
level gauge attached to the cap.
Canadian Models
The low washer level indicator will light when the level is low (see page 57). Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer fluid. This increases the cleaning capability and
prevents freezing in cold weather.NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or a vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antifreeze can damage your car's paint, while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer fluid.
When you refill the reservoir, clean the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer fluid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
Maintenance

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
This indicator comes on for a fewseconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emissions control systems
may have a problem. Even though
you may feel no difference in your car's performance, it can reduce
your fuel economy and cause your car to put out excessive emissions.Continued operation may causeserious damage. If you have recently refueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing fuel fill cap. Check the cap
and tighten it until it clicks several
times. Replace the fuel fill cap if it is missing. Tightening the cap will not
make the indicator turn off
immediately; it takes three driving
trips.
If the indicator remains on past threedriving trips, or the fuel cap was not
loose or missing, have the car checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until the dealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving at high speed.
You should also have the dealer inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn off as you continue driving.
If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car's warranties.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
NOTICE

Technical Information
The diagrams in this section giveyou the dimensions and capacities of
your Acura, and the locations of the identification numbers. The explana-
tions of several electronic and mechanical systems on your Acuraare for the more technically-orientedowner. Identification Numbers
.............. 280
Specifications ................................ 282
DOT Tire Quality Grading ............ 284
Treadwear................................ 284
Traction................................... 284
Temperature................................ 285 Oxygenated Fuels
...................... 286
Driving in Foreign Countries ................ 287
Emissions Controls...................... 288 The Clean Air Act ...................... 288
Crankcase Emissions Control System................................ 288
Evaporative Emissions Control System................................ 288
Onboard Refueling Vapor
Recovery.............................. 288
Exhaust Emissions Controls.... 289 PGM-FI System...................... 289
Ignition Timing Control System................................ 289
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System.................... 289
Three Way Catalytic Converter.............................. 289
Replacement Parts .................... 289
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 290
Technical Information

Specifications
DimensionsLength
Width Height
Wheelbase
Track Front Rear 192.9 in (4,900 mm)
70.3 in (1,785 mm)
55.7 in (1,415 mm)
108.1 in (2,745 mm)
61.2 in (1,555 mm)
60.4 in (1,535 mm) Capacities
Weights
Gross vehicle weight rating See the certification label attached to the driver's doorjamb.
Air Conditioning
Refrigerant type
Charge quantity Lubricant type HFC-134a(R-134a)
25-27 oz (700-750 g) ND-OIL8
Engine
coolant
Engine oil
Automatic
transmission
fluid
Windshield washer
reservoir Change*1Total
Change Including
filter
Without
filter
Total
Change
Total
U.S. Cars
Canada Cars 1.48 US gal (5.6 l ,1.23 Imp gal)
1.98 US gal (7.5 l ,1.65 Imp qal)
4.6 US qt (4.4 l ,3.9 Imp qt)
4.2 US qt (4.0 l , 3.5 Imp qt) 5.3 US qt (5.0 l , 4.4 Imp qt)
3.1 US qt (2.9 l , 2.6 Imp qt)
7.6 US qt (7.2 l , 6.3 Imp qt)
2.6 US qt (2.5 l , 2.2 Imp qt)
4.8 US qt (4.5 l ,4.0 Imp qt)
Capacities
Fuel tank Approx. 17.17 US gal (65.0 l ,14.30 Imp gal)
* 1 : Including the coolant in the reserve tank and that remaining in the
engine.
Reserve tank capacity: 0.16 US gal (0.6 l , 0.13 Imp gal)
* 2 : Excluding the oil remaining in the engine.
Technical Information

Emissions Controls
The burning of gasoline in your car'sengine produces several byproducts.
Some of these are carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and
hydrocarbons (HC). Gasoline evaporating from the tank also
produces hydrocarbons. Controlling the production of NOx, CO, and HC
is important to the environment.
Under certain conditions of sunlight
and climate, NOx and HC react to
form photochemical "smog." Carbon monoxide does not contribute tosmog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas. The Clean Air Act
The United States Clean Air Act* sets standards for automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
work and what to do to maintain them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page 192.
* In Canada, Acura vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for
Emissions valid at the time they are
manufactured.
Crankcase Emissions Control
System
Your car has a Positive Crankcase
Ventilation System. This keeps gasses that build up in the engine'scrankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive Crankcase
Ventilation valve routes them from the crankcase back to the intake
manifold. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned.
Evaporative Emissions Control
System
As gasoline evaporates in the fuel tank, an evaporative emissionscontrol canister filled with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is off. After
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine and burned during driving.
Onboard Refueling Vapor
Recovery
The Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the fuel vapors during refueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister filled with activated carbon. Whiledriving, the fuel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned off.
Technical Information

Index
Fan, Interior............................... 114, 120
Features, Comfort andConvenience.............................. 109
Filling the Fuel Tank...................... 147
Filter Air Conditioning.......... ................. 226
Oil.................................................. 203
First Gear, Shifting.......... ............ 169
Flashers, Hazard Warning.......... 67
Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 255
Fluids
Automatic Transmission.. .......... 213
Brake.......... ................................ 214
Power Steering.............................. 215
Windshield Washer.................... 212
FM Stereo Radio Reception........................................ 129
Foreign Countries, Driving in.......... 287
Four-way Flashers......................... 67
Front End, Towing by
Emergency Wrecker.................... 277
Fuel.................................................. 146
Fill Door and Cap...................... 147 Gauge........................................ 60 Octane Requirement..........
.......... 146
Oxygenated.......... ...................... 286
Tank, Filling the.......... ............ 147
Fuses, Checking the.......... .......... 272Headlights.......................................
. 63
Automatic Lighting Off.................... 64 Daytime Running Lights......... ........... 64
High Beam Indicator.................... 56
High Beams, Turning on......... ........... 63
Low Beams, Turning on......... ........... 63
Reminder Chime...................... 63
Replacing Halogen Bulbs.......... 236
Turning on......... ....................... 63
Head Restraints.......................... 91
High Altitude, Starting at.......... .......... 161
High-Low Beam Switch......... ........... 63
HomeLink Universal Transmitter.............................
.......... . 84
Hood, Opening the...................... 148
Hot Coolant, Warning about.......... 207
Hydroplaning.............................
........... 178
F
G
Gas Mileage, Improving.......... .......... 152
Gasohol.................................................. 286
Gasoline.................................................. 146
Gauge......... ........................................ . 60
Octane Requirement.......... .......... 146
Tank, Filling the.......... .................... 147
Gas Station Procedures.................... 146
Gauges
Engine Coolant Temperature... .... 60
Fuel................................................. . 60
Gearshift Lever Positions Automatic Transmission.................... 162
Glass Cleaning.............................. 249
Glove Box....................................... . 83
H
Halogen Headlight Bulbs.................... 236
Hazard Warning Flashers.......... .. 67I
Identification Number, Vehicle............. 280
If Your Car Has to be Towed.......... 277
Ignition
Keys................................................. . 73
Switch......................................... . 75
Timing Control System.......... .......... 289