maintenance schedule Acura RL 2002 3.5 Owner's Guide

µµ
UseaSAE90orSAE80W-90
viscosity hypoid gear oil, API service
classif ied GL4 or GL5 only, in the
dif f erential.
The dif f erential oil should be drained
andrefilledwithnewoilaccordingto
the time and distance recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule. Viscosity
If it is not, slowly add oil until it
starts to run out of the hole. Reinstall
the f iller plug and tighten it securely. Check the oil in the dif f erential with
the car sitting level. Remove the oil
f iller plug and check that the oil level
is up to the edge of the hole.
Insert the dipstick back in the
transmission. Make sure the notch
f its in the dipstick guide and the
dipstick is down all the way.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
6.
Maint enance
Dif f erential Oil
Automatic Transmission Fluid, Dif f erential Oil
239
F FI ILLL LEE R
R P
PL
LUUG G
D
D R
RAA I
INN P
PL
LUUG G
C
Coor
rrreec ctt
l
le ev veell
SAE 90: above 0°F ( 18°C)
SAE 80W-90: below 0°F ( 18°C)
01/09/28 20:04:31 31SZ3660_242

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.
Check the f luid level in the brake
f luid reservoir monthly.
The brake f luid should be replaced
according to the time recommenda-
tion in the maintenance schedule.
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. However, the use of
any non-Honda brake fluid 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.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your car’s braking
system and can cause extensive
damage.
You should check the f luid level in
the power steering reservoir at least
once a year. Check the level when
the engine is cold. Look at the side
of the reservoir. The f luid should be
between the UPPER LEVEL and
LOWER LEVEL. If it is below the
LOWER LEVEL, add power steering
f luid to the UPPER LEVEL.
Brake System Power Steering
Brake Fluid
Maint enance
Brake Fluid, Power Steering
240
M M I
INN
M
M A
AX
X L
LO
OW WE ER
R
L
LE E V
V E
EL
L
U
UP
PP
PE
ER
R
L
LE E V
V E
EL
L
01/09/28 20:04:43 31SZ3660_243

The air cleaner element should be
cleaned or replaced according to the
time and distance recommendations
in the maintenance schedule.
Clean the air cleaner element by
blowing compressed air through it in
the opposite direction to normal air
f low. If you do not have access to
compressed air (such as a service
station), ask your Acura dealer to do
this service.
Follow the replacement procedure
for removal and reinstallation.
Always use Honda Power Steering
Fluid. If it is not available, you may
use another power steering f luid as
an emergency replacement.
However, continued use can cause
increased wear and poor steering in
cold weather. Have the power
steering system f lushed and ref illed
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
A low power steering f luid level can
indicate a leak in the system. Check
the f luid level f requently and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible. Clean the hood latch assembly with a
mild cleaner, then lubricate it with a
multipurpose grease. Lubricate all
the moving parts (as shown),
including the pivot. Follow the time
and distance recommendations in
the Maintenance Schedule. If you
are not sure how to clean and grease
the latch, contact your Acura dealer.
CONT INUED
A ir Cleaner Element
Hood L atch
Maint enance
Power Steering, Hood L atch, A ir Cleaner Element
Cleaning (Severe Condit ions)
241
P P I
IVV O
OT TS
S
L
LA A T
TC
CH H
A
A S
SSSEEM
M B
BLLYY
T urning the steering wheel to f ull lef t
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.
01/09/28 20:04:54 31SZ3660_244

Clean up any dirt and oil that have
collected around the ignition coils. Remove the two bolts and the f our
nuts with a wrench and remove
the tower bar. Then remove the
A/C tube f rom the three clips.
Remove the two bolts and the
three nuts with a 7/16 inch (10
mm) wrench, then remove the
engine cover.
The spark plugs in your car are a
special platinum-tipped design f or
longer lif e. The spark plugs should
be replaced according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule.
1. 2.3.
CONT INUED
Replacement
Spark Plugs
Maint enance243
B BOOL LTT S
S N
NU
UTTS
S
B
BO
OL LTT S
S
N
NU UTTS
S
N
NU
UTTS
S
01/09/28 20:05:17 31SZ3660_246

µµWe recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
The timing belt and balancer belt
should normally be replaced at the
intervals shown in the maintenance
schedule.
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C). To saf ely operate your car, your tires
must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread,
and correctly inf lated. The f ollowing
pages give more detailed inf ormation
on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Replace these belts at 60,000 miles
(U.S.) or 100,000 km (Canada) if you
regularly drive your car in one or
more of these conditions: Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort. Underinf lated tires wear
unevenly, adversely af f ect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to
damage f rom road hazards, and wear
unevenly.
CONT INUED
Inf lation
Tires
Timing Belt
Timing Belt, Tires
Maint enance253
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
01/09/28 20:06:49 31SZ3660_256

Block the rear wheels.
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park.
If you need to park your car f or an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).Coverthecarwitha‘‘breathable’’
cover, one made f rom a porous
material such as cotton.
Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals. If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your car f or 12 months
or longer, have your Acura dealer
perf orm the inspections called f or in
the 24 months/30,000 miles (48,000
km) maintenance schedule (Normal
Conditions) as soon as you take it
out of storage (see page ). The
replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.
229
218
Maint enance
St oring Your Car
271
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Î
ÎThe United States Clean Air Act
sets standards f or automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
workandwhattodotomaintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page .
In Canada, Acura vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Saf ety Standards (CMVSS) f or
Emissions valid at the time they are
manuf actured.
The burning of gasoline in your car’s
engine 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
f orm photochemical ‘‘smog.’’ Carbon
monoxide does not contribute to
smog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas.
Your car has a Positive Crankcase
Ventilation System. This keeps
gasses that build up in the engine’s
crankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive Crankcase
Ventilation valve routes them fromthe crankcase back to the intake
manif old. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned.
As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
The Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f .
218
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
Emissions Cont rols
T echnical Inf ormation318
01/09/28 20:17:00 31SZ3660_321

CONT INUED
...
Identif ication Number, Vehicle .310
Ignition
..............................................
Keys .74
...........................................
Switch .77
............
Timing Control System .319
........................
Immobilizer System .75
.........
Important Safety Precautions .6
Indicators, Instrument
.............................................
Panel .53
...............................
Inf ant Restraint .28
......................................
Inf ant Seats .28
..........
Tether Anchorage Points .39
...................
Inf lation, Proper Tire .253
...................................
Inside Mirror .91
.............................
Inspection, Tire .255
............................
Instrument Panel .53
........
Instrument Panel Brightness .66
...........................
Interior Cleaning .277
........................................
Introduction .i
........................
Jacking up the Car .284
.......................................
Jack, Tire .284 ................................
Jump Starting .290
..................................................
Keys .74
.......................
Label, Certif ication .310
.................
Lane Change, Signaling .66
..........................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .40
...................................
Learning Key .75
.........................
Leather, Cleaning .276
........................
Lights On Indicator .55
.........................
Lighter, Cigarette .109
Lights
....................
Bulb Replacement .262
........................................
Ceiling .111
.....................................
Courtesy .112
.......................................
Indicator .53
.........................................
Parking .63
..................................
Turn Signal .66
.....................................
Load Limit .187
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) .77
Locks
.......
Anti-thef t Steering Column .77 ..........................
Childproof Door .82
............................
Fuel Fill Door .179
....................................
Glove Box .85
.................................
Power Door .78
...........................................
Trunk .83
........
Trunk Pass-through Cover .90
........................
Low Coolant Level .182
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator .57
...
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .54,295
Lubricant Specif ications
..........................................
Chart .312
.........................................
Luggage .186
..................................
Maintenance .213
...
Owner Maintenance Checks . 225
.................................
Record .223-224
......................
Required Indicator .61
..........................................
Saf ety .214
.............................
Schedule .218-222
.
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 55,297
.............
Memory, Driving Position . 93
...............................
Meters, Gauges .58
Index
I
J K
L
M
V
01/09/28 20:19:09 31SZ3660_338

ÎÎ
CONT INUED
..........................
Engine Coolant .233
................
Engine Oil and Filter .229
..........................................
Fuses .302
................................
Light Bulbs .262
....................................
Schedule .216
................................
Spark Plugs .243
...........................................
Tires .257
.............................
Wiper Blades .249
Replacing Seat Belts Af ter a ............................................
Crash .42
...
Reserve Tank, Engine Coolant .182
..................
Reverse Gear Position .193
................................
Rotation, Tire .256
........................................
Saf ety Belts .8
.........
Safety Defects, Reporting .327
.................................
Saf ety Features .7
...........................................
Airbags .9
..................................
Door Locks .10
..........................
Head Restraints .10
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
.....................
Seats & Seat-Backs .10
.............
Saf ety Labels, Location of .50
...............................
Saf ety Messages .ii .....................................
Seat Belts .8,40
...............
Additional Information .40
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women .18
.
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioner .41
.............
Child Seat Anchor Plate .39
.....................................
Cleaning .277
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .40
................................
Maintenance .42
Reminder Light and
................................
Beeper .40,54
................................
Replacement .42
...................
System Components .40
...............
Use During Pregnancy .18
...
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt .15
....................................
Seat Heaters .95
....................
Seat Position Memory .93
........................
Seats, Adjusting the .86
................
Security Alarm System .157
...............................
Serial Number .310
...........................
Service Intervals .218
...........................
Service Manual .329
.........
Service Station Procedures .179
..........................
Setting the Clock .102
Shif ting the Automatic
.............................
Transmission .192
.....
Shif t Lever Position Indicator .192 ........................
Shif t Lock Release .195
....................................
Side Airbags .45
How The Side Airbag Indicator ............................
Light Works .47
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .45
Side Marker Lights, Bulb .........................
Replacement in .265
...............................
Signaling Turns .66
.........................................
Ski Sleeve .96
.....................................
Snow Tires .259
...................
Solvent-type Cleaners .274
................................
Sound System .128
Spare Tire
......................................
Inf lating .282
............................
Specif ications .313
................
Spark Plugs, Replacing .243
....................
Specif ications Charts .312
................................
Speed Control .158
...................................
Speedometer .58
.......................................
Spotlights .111
Index
S
VII
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