clutch Acura TL 2004 Owner's Manual

You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:Press and hold the RES/ACCEL
button. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.
Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-
celerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the DECEL/SET
button.
To increase your speed in very
small amounts, tap the RES/
ACCEL button. Each time you do
this, your vehicle will speed up
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h). You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
Press and hold the DECEL/SET
button. Release the button when
you reach the desired speed.
Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your f oot. The
CRUISE CONTROL indicator on
the instrument panel will go out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the DECEL/
SET button. Even with the cruise control turned
on, you can still use the accelerator
pedal to speed up f or passing. Af ter
completing the pass, take your foot
of f the accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will return to the set cruising speed.
Resting your f oot on the brake or
clutch pedal will cause the cruise
control to cancel.
To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the DECEL/SET
button. Each time you do this,
your vehicle will slow down about
1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Cruise Control
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Changing the Set Speed
143

Youcancancelthecruisecontrolin
any of these ways:Tap the brake or clutch pedal.
PresstheCANCELbuttononthe
steering wheel.
Press the Cruise Control Master
button on the steering wheel. Pressing the Cruise Control Master
button turns the system completely
of f and erases the previous cruising
speed.
When you push the CANCEL button,
or tap the brake or clutch pedal, the
system remembers the previously
set cruising speed. To return to that
speed, accelerate to above 25 mph
(40 km/h), then press and release
the RES/ACCEL button. The
CRUISE CONTROL indicator comes
on, the vehicle will accelerate to the
same cruising speed as bef ore.
Cruise Control
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Cancelling the Cruise Control
144
CRUISE CONTROL MASTER BUTTON
CANCEL BUTTON

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in START for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start right away, pause
f or at least 10 seconds bef ore
trying again.If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
If the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
downandholdittherewhile
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission:
Driving
Starting the Engine
177
NOTICE: The engine is harder to start
in cold weather. Also, the thinner air
f ound at altitudes above 8,000 f eet
(2,400 meters) adds to this problem.

When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from 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.
The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot accidentally shif t f rom
f if th to Reverse instead of sixth (see
page ) while the vehicle is
moving. When shif ting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch 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 f aster. Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t 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.’’
180The engine can be damaged if
you inadvertently downshif t into the wrong gear (f or example, going f romthird gear at high rpms to second gearinstead of upshif ting to f ourth gear; therev limiter will not work in this situation).
6-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving178
Note:
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.

The 6-speed manual transmission
has an electric lockout so you cannot
accidentally shif t f rom Fif th to
Reverse instead of Sixth. If you
cannot shif t to Reverse when the
vehicle is stopped:With the clutch pedal pressed,
move the shift lever to the first/
second gear side of the Neutral
gate, then shif t to Reverse.If you are still unable to shif t to
Reverse, apply the parking brake
and turn the ignition key to
ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0).
Press the clutch pedal, and shif t to
Reverse.
With the clutch pedal still pressed,
start the engine.
If you need to use this procedure to
shif t to Reverse, your vehicle may be
developing a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your Acura
dealer.
1. 2.
3.
4.
Driving
6-speed Manual T ransmission
Reverse Lockout
180

µµ When you accelerate away f rom a
stop, the transmission will start in
first gear and then automatically
upshif t to second gear. You have to
manually upshif t between second
and f if th gears. Make sure you
upshif t bef ore the engine speed
reaches the tachometer’s red zone.
The transmission remains in the
selected gear (5, 4, 3). There is no
automatic downshif t when you push
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
When you move the
shif t lever to this position, the
transmission shifts to the lowest
gear that can be selected without
exceeding the engine redline. At
normal speeds, it selects third gear.
As the vehicle slows, it selects
second gear at about 53 mph
(85 km/h), and f irst gear at about 28
mph (45 km/h). Accelerating in f irst
gear, the transmission upshif ts to
second gear at about 37 mph
(59 km/h). You must move the shif t
lever to D f or the transmission to
upshif t to third gear.
In Sequential SportShif t mode, each
time you push f orward on the shif t
lever, the transmission shifts to a
higher gear. Pull back on the lever to
downshif t. The number of the gear
selected is displayed on the
instrument panel.
With
the shif t lever in ‘‘D’’ position, you
can select the Sequential SportShif t
Mode to shif t gears much like a
manual transmission, but without a
clutch pedal.
To enter the Sequential SportShif t
Mode, move the shif t lever f urther to
the driver’s side. To return to ‘‘D’’,
move the shift lever to the passenger’s side.
When you move the shif t lever f rom
‘‘D’’ to the Sequential SportShift
mode, the display shows the selected
gear.
CONT INUED
Automatic Transmission
Driving
Low (L)
Sequent ial Sport Shif t Mode
183
Down shift
SELECTED GEAR

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance messages in the Multi-
Inf ormation Display, a Maintenance
Record, and instructions f or simple
maintenance tasks you may want to
take care of yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Acura, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Acura
dealer.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .194
....................
Maintenance Minder . 195
....................
Maintenance Record .200
..............................
Fluid Locations .202
......
Engine Compartment Covers . 203
........................
Adding Engine Oil .204
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 205
..............................
Engine Coolant .207
....................
Windshield Washers .208
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 209
........
Manual Transmission Fluid . 210
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 211
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 212
....................................
Hood Latch .212
.............................................
Lights .213
.......................................
Seat Belts .218
.....................................
Floor Mats .218
.................................
Wiper Blades .219
...............................................
Tires .220
...................
Checking the Battery . 226
.............................
Vehicle Storage .227
269
Maintenance
Maint enance193

Fluid Locations
Maint enance202
ENGINE OIL
FILL CAP
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
(Orange loop)
WASHER FLUID
(Blue cap)
POWER STEERING
FLUID (Red cap)BRAKE FLUID
(Gray cap)
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK
(Yellow loop)
ENGINE
COOLANT
RESERVOIR
RADIATOR CAP
CLUTCH FLUID
(Manual Transmission
only)

Check the brake f luid level in the
reservoirs monthly af ter removing
the engine compartment rear cover
(see page ).
Replace it every 3 years, independent
of mileage.
Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement.The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If it is not, add
brake f luid to bring it up to that level.
Use the same fluid specified for the
brake system.
A low f luid level can indicate a leak
in the clutch system. Have this
system inspected as soon as possible.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your vehicle’s
braking system and can cause
extensive damage. Using any non-Honda brake f luid can
cause corrosion and decrease the lif e
of the system. Have the brake
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 as soon as possible. 203
Manual Transmission only
Brake and Clutch Fluid
Maint enance
Brake System
Clutch System
211
MAX
MIN MAX
MIN

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls 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, 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. When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), 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.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights, and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page . Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
the f uses are OK, there is
probably something wrong with
the electrical circuit f or the
ignition switch or starter motor.
You will need a qualif ied
technician to determine the
problem (see
on page ).
Check these things:
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page).
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 shif t
lever must be in Park or Neutral.
238 226
238 249
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
236