engine Acura Integra 2000 Hatchback Owner's Guide

Th
e Brakin g Syste m
Your Acura is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. A powerassist helps reduce the effort needed
on the brake pedal.
Put your foot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your foot on the pedal keeps the brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up canreduce how well your brakes work. Italso keeps your brake lights on all
the time, confusing drivers behind

you.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds up heat and reduces their effective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshifting to a lower
gear and taking your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the brakes moderately to see if they feel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious and alert in your driving. Brak
e Wea r Indicator s
All four brakes have audible brake wear indicators.
When the brake pads need replacing,
you will hear a distinctive metallic "screeching" sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not confuse this with the
brake wear indicators. They make a
very audible "screeching."
Driving

Towin
g a Traile r

Your Acura has been designed primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment, and follow the guidelines in this
section.

On Type-R model
Your vehicle is not designed to tow a trailer. Attempting to do so can void
your warranties.
Load Limit s
Tota l Traile r Weight : The total
weight of the trailer and everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 Ibs (450 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously affect your car's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and drivetrain. Tongu
e Load : The weight that
the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces front-tire
traction and steering control.
To achieve a proper tongue load, start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer and 40 percent toward the rear, then
readjust the load as needed.
Gros
s Vehicl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GVWR) :

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: 3,680 Ibs (1,670 kg)
Gros
s Axl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GAWR) :

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:1,98 5 Ib s (90 0 kg )
on the front axle

1,740 Ibs (790 kg)

on the rear axle

Driving

Exceeding load limits or

improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously
injured or killed.

Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive.

Towin
g a Traile r
Drivin g Safel y Wit h a Traile r
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and

techniques.

For your safety and the safety ofothers, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines

discussed below.

Towing Speeds and Gears
Driving slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
Use D4 position when towing a trailer
on level roads. D3 is the proper shift
lever position to use when towing a
trailer in hilly terrain. (See "Driving on Hills" in the next column for
additional gear information.)
Making Turns and Braking

Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.

Driving on Hills

When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nearsthe red mark, turn the air conditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, shift to
D3.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake. Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator, as this can cause the transmission to

overheat.

When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, and
remember it will take longer to slow down and stop when towing a trailer.

CONTINUED

Drivin g

Maintenanc
e

This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Acura, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 265 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Acura
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 158
Important Safety Precautions.. 159
Maintenance Schedule.................. 160
Maintenance Record..................... 167
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 169
Fluid Locations............................... 170

Engine Oil....................................... 171 Adding Oil................................... 171
Recommended Oil..................... 171

Synthetic Oil............................... 173

Additives..................................... 173
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 173
Cooling System.............................. 176
Adding Engine Coolant............. 176Replacing Engine Coolant........ 178
Windshield Washers..................... 181
Transmission Fluid........................ 182 AutomaticTransmission.......................... 182
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 183
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 183 Brake System............................. 184
Clutch System............................ 184
Power Steering............................... 185
Air Cleaner Element...................... 186
Hood Latch..................................... 187

Spark Plugs..................................... 187 Replacement............................... 187
Specifications............................. 189
Battery............................................ 189
Wiper Blades.................................. 192
Air Conditioning System............... 194
Drive Belts...................................... 195
Timing Belt..................................... 195
Tires................................................ 196 Inflation....................................... 196
Inspection................................... 197
Maintenance............................... 198
Tire Rotation.............................. 199
Tire Wear.................................... 199
Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 200
Wheels and Tires....................... 201
Winter Driving........................... 201

Snow Tires.............................. 202

Tire Chains............................. 202
Lights.............................................. 203 Headlight Aiming...................... 205
Replacing Bulbs......................... 207
Storing Your Car............................ 214
Maintenance

Maintenanc
e Safet y
Importan t Safet y Precaution s
Before you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also, be sure the engine is off. This will help to eliminateseveral potential hazards: Carbo
n monoxid e poisonin g
fro m engin e exhaust . Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the engine.
Burns from ho t parts . Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
before touching any parts.
Injur y fro m movin g parts . Do
not run the engine unless in-
structed to do so. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the
tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of fire or explosion, be careful when working
around gasoline or batteries. Use a
commercially available degreaser or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and all fuel-related parts.
You should wear eye protection and protective clothing when working
near the battery or when usingcompressed air.

Maintenance

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

The Maintenance Schedule specifies how often you should have your carserviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to retain its high level of safety,dependability, and emissions control
performance.
The services and time or distanceintervals shown in the maintenance

schedule assume you will use your

car as normal transportation for
passengers and their possessions.
You should also follow these

recommendations:

Avoid exceeding your car's loadlimit. This puts excess stress on
the engine, brakes, and many other parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on the label on the
driver's doorjamb.
Operate your car on reasonable
roads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles

(kilometers).

Always use unleaded gasoline with
the proper octane rating (see page

123). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule
for "Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done under one or more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for "Normal Conditions."

Maintenanc e

*
: See Timing Belt on page 195 to determine need for replacement.

NOTE:
Check engine oil and coolant at each fuel stop.

Maintenanc e

Owne
r Maintenanc e Check s
You should check the following items at the specified intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perform any check, turn to the page given. Engine oil level — Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page 127.
Engine coolant level — Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 128.
Windshield washer fluid — Check the level in the reservoir monthly.If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers frequently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
for fuel. See page 181. Automatic transmission — Check
the fluid level monthly. See page
182.

Brakes — Check the fluid level
monthly. See page 183. Tires — Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
196.

Lights — Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page 203.

Maintenance

Engin
e Oi l

Addin g Oi l

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.
Recommende
d Oi l

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 Motor oil 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. The API Service label also tells you
the service classification of the oil.
Always use an oil that is labeled "API Service SJ." This service rating may
include other classifications, such as CD. These additional classifications
are not a problem, as long as the
label also carries the SJ classification.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e
ENGIN
E OI L FIL L CA P
API SERVIC E LABE L

Engin
e Oi l
The oil container may also display the API Certification seal. Make sure
it says "For Gasoline Engines." The SAE numbers tell you the oil's
viscosity or weight. Select the oil for
your car according to this chart. An oil with a viscosity of 5W-30 is
preferred for improved fuel economyand year-round protection in your
Acura. You may use a 10W-30 oil if the temperature in your area never

goes below 20°F ( — 7°C).

Maintenanc e
AP
I CERTIFICATIO N SEA L Ambien
t Temperatur e