towing Acura RL 2000 3.5 Owner's Manual

2000 RL 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

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ .ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ .2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... .119
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................165
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .177
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................201
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
..................................................... .261
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................269
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ .295
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................309
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................315
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.

Carryin
g Carg o

Loa d Limi t
The maximum load for your car is 850 Ibs(395 kg).
This figure includes the total weight of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer.
To figure out how much cargo you can carry: Add up the weight of all occupants.
If you are towing a trailer, add the
tongue weight to the number
above.

Subtract the total from 850 Ibs
(395 kg).

The final number is the total weight
of cargo you can carry.
Carryin
g Item s i n th e Passenge r
Compartmen t
Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt someone during a crash.
Do not put any items on top of the
rear shelf. They can block your
view and be thrown around the car during a crash. Be sure items placed on the floor
behind the front seats cannot roll under the seats and interfere with
the driver's ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper operation of the seats.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If the lid is open, a
passenger could injure their knees during a crash or sudden stop.

Before Drivin g

Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this

manual.

Drivin
g

This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important information on
parking your car, the braking system,
the Vehicle Stability Assist System, and facts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer. Preparing to Drive......................... 178
Starting the Engine........................ 179
Starting in Cold Weather at High Altitude ..................... 179
Automatic Transmission............... 180 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 180
Shift Lever Positions................. 180
Engine Speed Limiter............... 182
Shift Lock Release..................... 183

Parking............................................ 184

The Braking System...................... 185 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 185
Brake System Design................ 186
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 186 Important Safety
Reminders.......................... 187

ABS Indicator......................... 187
Vehicle Stability Assist System.... 189 Driving in Bad Weather................ 192
Towing a Trailer............................ 194

Driving

Automati
c Transmissio n

Driv e (D 4) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmis- sion automatically selects a suitable
gear for your speed and acceleration.
You may notice the transmission shifting up at higher speeds when
the engine is cold. This helps the engine warm up faster.
Driv e (D 3) —This position is similar
to D4, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D3 when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going down a steep hill. D3 can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in stop-and-go driving.
For faster acceleration when in D3 or
D4, you can get the transmission to
automatically downshift by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shift down one or two gears, depending on your

speed.
Secon
d (2 ) — This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It does not downshift to first gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing, and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery surface or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
Firs t (1 ) — To shift from Second to
First, push down on the shift lever.
With the lever in this position, the transmission locks in First gear. By upshifting and downshifting through1, 2, D3 and D4, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal. Engin
e Spee d Limite r
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine speed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may feel
the engine cut in and out. This is caused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.

Drivin g

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.
Loa
d Limit s Tota
l Traile r Weight : The total
weight of the trailer and everything loaded in it must not
exceed 2,000 Ibs (900 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy canseriously 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.
Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r
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:
4,830 Ibs (2,190 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:
2,570 Ibs (1,165 kg)
on the front axle
2,260 Ibs (1,025 kg)
on the rear axle
Checkin
g Load s

The best way to confirm that vehicle and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.

Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the first time you set up a
towing combination (a fully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the tongue load whenever the conditions
change.

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

Towin g Equipmen t an d
Accessorie s
Towing can require a variety of equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and
how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailersales or rental agency, and follow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is properly installed and that it meets
federal, state, province, and localregulations.
Hitches

Any hitch used on your vehicle must be properly bolted to the underbody.
Safety Chain
Always use a safety chain. Make sure that it is secured to both the
trailer and hitch, and that it crosses
under the tongue so it can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched. Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chain drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes

Acura recommends that any trailer having a total weight of 1,000 Ibs (450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, be sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic system. No matter how successful it may seem,any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle's hydraulic system
will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential hazard.

Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Additional Trailer Equipment Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don't,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your

towing situation.
Pre-To
w Checklis t
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following: The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within limits (see pages 194 and 195 ).
The hitch, safety chain, and any other attachments are secure. All items on and in the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 242 ),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
Drivin g

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 of
others, 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 the 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 nears the red (Hot) mark, turn the airconditioning 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 automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, andremember it will take longer to slowdown and stop when towing a trailer.

CONTINUED

Drivin g

U.S. Owner s

Follow the Severe Conditions Maintenance Schedule if you

drive your car MAINLY under

one or more of the following

conditions:
Driving less than 5 miles (8
km) per trip or, in freezing
temperatures, driving less
than 10 miles (16 km) per trip. Driving in extremely hot
[over 90° F (32° C) ] conditions. Extensive idling or long
periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack, or driving in
mountainous conditions. Driving on muddy, dusty, or
de-iced roads.

Canadia n Owner s
Follow the Maintenance
Schedule for Severe Conditions.
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page 205.
* 1 : Refer to page 241 for replacement information under special driving conditions.
* 2 : Refer to page 240 for replacement information under special driving conditions.

Maintenanc e