run flat Acura TL 2000 3.2 Owner's Manual

Fuel Economy
The condition of your car and yourdriving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicle Condition Always maintain your car according to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owner MaintenanceChecks (see page 199). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure at least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your fuel mileage and reduces
the chance of corrosion. Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
"warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try to combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel. Turn off the A/C tocut down on air conditioning use.Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is moderate.
Before Driving

Tires
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
Your car's tires have wear indicators molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide
band running across the tread. This shows there is less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire. Maintenance
In addition to proper inflation,
correct wheel alignment helps to decrease tire wear. If you find a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
The tires were properly balanced by the factory. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time before they
are worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you feel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire
should always be rebalanced if it is
removed from the wheel for repair. Make sure the installer balances the
wheels when you have new tires
installed. This increases riding
comfort and tire life. Your car's
original tires were dynamic or "spin"
balanced at the factory. For best
results, have the installer perform a dynamic balance.
Improper wheel weights can damage
your car's aluminum wheels. Use only Genuine Acura wheel weights for
balancing.
Maintenance
NOTICE

Changing a Flat Tire
If you have a flat tire while driving,stop in a safe place to change it.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder
of a busy road is dangerous. Driveslowly along the shoulder until you
get to an exit or an area to stop that
is far away from the traffic lanes.
The car can easily roll off the
jack, seriously injuring anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and never get under the car when it
is supported only by the jack.HOOK
SPARE TIRE TOOL BOX
1. Park the car on firm, level, and non-slippery ground away from
traffic. Put the transmission inPark. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn on the hazard warning lights and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the car while
you change the tire. 3. Open the trunk. Raise the trunk
floor by lifting up on the back edge.
To keep the trunk floor out of the way, attach the hook into the slot in the trunk lid.
4. Unscrew the wing bolt and take the spare tire out of its well.
5. The tools are in the tool box on the right side of the trunk. Takethe tools out of the tool box.
CONTINUED
Taking Care of the Unexpected
TRUNK FLOOR
JACK

Changing a Flat Tire
15.Tighten the wheel nuts securely inthe same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive servicefacility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:
80 lbf.ft(108N.m,11 kgf.m)
16. Remove the center cap before storing the flat tire in the trunk
well.
WING BOLT CONE
17. Place the flat tire face down in the
spare tire well.
18. Remove the spacer cone from the wing bolt, turn it over, and put it
back on the bolt.
19. Secure the flat tire by screwing the wing bolt back into its hole.
CONTINUED
Taking Care of the Unexpected
SPACER

Changing a Flat Tire, If Your Engine Won't Start
20. Store the jack in its holder. Turnthe jack's end bracket to lock it in
place. Replace the cover. Store the
tools.
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.
21. Store the center cap in the trunk.
Make sure it does not get scratch-
ed or damaged. 22. Unclip the hook from the trunk lid
and lower the trunk floor.
23. Close the trunk lid. If Your Engine Won't Start
Diagnosing why your engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
• You hear nothing, or almost nothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, oroperates very slowly.
• You can hear the starter motor operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

Index
Cold Weather, Starting in.................... 161
Compact Spare.............................. 254
Console Compartment.......... .......... 101
Consumer Information*.......... .......... 292
Controls, Instruments and.................... 52
Coolant
Adding.......................................... 206 Checking........................................ 151
Proper Solution...................... 206
Temperature Gauge.................... 60
Corrosion Protection.......... .......... 250
Crankcase Emissions Control System........................................ 288
Cruise Control Operation.......... .. 69
Customer Relations Office............ 292 Dimming the Headlights.........
........... 63
Dipstick Automatic Transmission.......... .......... 213
Engine Oil.......... .............................. 150
Directional Signals......... ............. 65
Disabled, Towing Your Car If.......... 277
Disc Brake Wear Indicators............ 172
Disposal of Used Oil.......... .......... 205
Doors Power Door Locks......... ............. 77
DOT Tire Quality Grading.......... ..... 284
Drive Belts.......... .............................. 226
Driver and Passenger Safety............ 5
Driving.................................................. 159
Economy........................................ 152
In Bad Weather.......... ............ 178
In Foreign Countries.................... 287 Checking the Fuses.................... 272
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 267
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.... 269
Manually Closing Moonroof.... 271
Overheated Engine..........
.......... 265
Emergency Brake.............................. 99
Emergency Flashers...................... 67
Emissions Controls...................... 288
Engine Belts.......................................... 226
Coolant Temperature Gauge.......... 60
Malfunction IndicatorLamp................................ 54, 269
Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 54, 267
Oil, What Kind to Use.......... .. 201
Overheating.............................. 265
Specifications.......... .................... 283
Ethanol in Gasoline.................... 286
Evaporative Emissions Controls.. 288
Exhaust Fumes......... ..................... 49
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat Belts by........................................ 18
Exterior, Cleaning the.......... .......... 246
CONTINUED
D
DANGER, Explanation of...
......... ii
Dashboard.............
.............. 52
Daytime Running Lights.......... 64
Dead Battery, What to Do.......... 262
Defects, Reporting Safety.......... 295
DEXRON® in Automatic Transmission Fluid.................. 213
Dimensions....................
...... 282 E
Economy, Fuel.......... 152
Emergencies on the Road.......... 253 Battery, Jump Starting.......... 262Brake System Indicator.......... 270Changing a Flat Tire.......... 255Charging System Indicator.......... 268

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

Index
Immobilizer System.............................. 74
Important Safety Precautions.......... 6
Indicator Lights, Instrument Panel................................................. . 53
Infant Restraint......... ............................... 28
Inflation, Proper Tire.............................. 228
Inside Mirror....................................... . 97
Inspection, Tire................................ 229 Instrument Panel.............................. 53
Instrument Panel Brightness......... .. 64
Interior Cleaning.......... .................... 248
Interior Lights................................ 106 Introduction........................................ i Label, Certification.............................. 280
Lane Change, Signaling.................... 65
Lap/Shoulder Belts.........
..................... 40
Leaking of Exhaust into Car............ 49
Lights Bulb Replacement...................... 236
Indicator....................................... . 53
Parking......... .............................. . 54
Turn Signal........................................ 56
LOCK (Ignition Key Position)......... ... 75
Locks
Anti-theft Steering Column......... .... 75
Fuel Fill Door........................................ 147
Glove Box....................................... . 83
Power Door........................................ 77
Trunk......... ........................................ . 82
Low Coolant Level.......... .................... 206
Low Oil Pressure Indicator....... 54, 267
Lubricant Specifications Chart... ... 282
Luggage.................................................. 155Maintenance........................................
187
Owner Maintenance Checks.............. 199
Record........................................ 197
Required Indicator......... ..................... 60
Safety........................................ 188
Schedule........................
...... 19 2 - 196
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.......... 269
Meters, Gauges.............................. 58
Methanol in Gasoline.......... .......... 286
Mirrors, Adjusting.............................. 97 Moonroof.......................................... 96 Closing Manually...................... 271
Operation....................................... . 96
CONTINUED
J
K L
M
N
Neutral Gear Position.................... 165
New Vehicle Break-in.................... 146
NOTICE, Explanation of.................... i
Numbers, Identification........
............ 280
Jacking up the Car..........
............ 255
Jack, Tire.......... .............................. 255
Jump Starting................................ 262
Keys................................................. . 73

Index
Taillights, Changing Bulbs in.............. 238
Taking Care of the Unexpected........ 253
Tape Player........................................137
Technical Descriptions
Driving in Foreign Countries....... 287
Emissions Control Systems.......... 288
Oxygenated Fuels....................... 286
Three Way Catalytic
Converter.................................290
Tire Information.............................. 284
Temperature Gauge......................... 60
Tether Attachment Points................ 39
Three Way Catalytic Converter........ 290
Time, Setting the............................... 100
Timing Belt........................................ 227
Tire Chains...................................... 233
Tire, How to Change a Flat....... 255
Tires................................................ 227
Air Pressure................................ 228
Checking Wear............................ 229
Compact Spare.............................. 254
DOT Tire Quality Grading.......... 284
Inflation........................................228
Inspection................................... 229
Replacing................................... 231
Rotating........................................ 231
Snow........................................ 233
Specifications.............................. 283
Tools, Tire Changing......................... 255
Towing
ATrailer........................................180
Emergency Wrecker.................... 277
Traction Devices.......... .................... 233
Transmission Checking Fluid Level,
Automatic.............................. 213
Fluid Selection.......... .................... 213
Identification Number.................... 280
Shifting the Automatic.................... 162
Treadwear............................. 229, 284
Trip Meter....................................... . 59
Trunk......... ........................................ . 82
Opening the......... .............................. . 82
Open Monitor Light...................... 56
Turn Signals....................................... . 65Unleaded Gasoline..........
.............. 146
Upholstery Cleaning...................... 248
Used Oil, How to Dispose of.......... . 205
U
Underside, Cleaning.......... .......... 250
Unexpected, Taking Care
of the.......................................... 253
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.......... 284
V
Vanity Mirror........................................ 104
Vehicle Capacity Load.......... .......... 156
Vehicle Dimensions...................... 282
Vehicle Identification Number.......... 280
Vehicle Storage.............................. 243
VIN.................................................. 280
Vinyl Cleaning................................ 248
Viscosity, Oil................................ 202
W
Warning Beepers Key in Ignition......... ..................... 76
Seat Belts......... .............................. . 54
WARNING, Explanation of......... ........ ii
Warning Labels, Location of......... ........... 50
Warranty Coverages*.......... ............ 294
Washer, Windshield Checking the Fluid Level.......... 212
Operation................................67