service Acura RL 2002 3.5 Owner's Manual

2002 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.helminc.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 Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
.................................................. .53
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
...............................115
How to operat e the climate control system,
the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
.....................................................................179
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................... .............................191
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
...................................................... ...................215
Th e Maintenance Schedule
shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
...................................................... ...........275
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Th ings
to look for if your car ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................283
This section covers several prob lems motorists sometimes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
...................................................... .311
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)......................................................................325
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contac t us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.......................................329
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.

This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain inf ants
andchildreninyourcar..........
Important Safety Precautions .6
.............
Your Car’s Saf ety Features .7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
...........................................
Airbags .9
.....................
Seats & Seat-Backs .10
..........................
Head Restraints .10
..................................
Door Locks .10
........
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist .11
............................
Protecting Adults .12
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors .12 ...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats .12
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs .13
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints .14
5. Fasten and Position the Seat
.....................................
Belts .15
....
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel .17
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting
................................
Position .17
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women .18
...
Additional Safety Precautions .19
........................
Protecting Children .20
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .20
Children Should Sit in the Back ...........................................
Seat .21
The Passenger’s Front Airbag Poses Serious Risks ...........................
to Children .21
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .23
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .23
...
Additional Safety Precautions .23
General Guidelines f or Using
...............................
Child Seats .24
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .28 .........
Protecting Small Children .32
.......
Protecting Larger Children .35
Using Child Seats with
.....................................
Tethers .39
Additional Inf ormation About Your .................................
Seat Belts .40
..
Seat Belt System Components .40
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .40
Automatic Seat Belt
...............................
Tensioners .41
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance .42
Additional Inf ormation About Your .....................................
Airbags .43
........................
SRS Components .43
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work .43
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .45
How the SRS Indicator Light
.......................................
Works .46
How The Side Airbag Indicator ............................
Light Works .47
.............................
Airbag Service .48
...
Additional Safety Precautions .48
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard .49
...................................
Saf ety Labels .50
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
5
01/09/28 19:25:11 31SZ3660_008

Your f ront and side airbag systems
are virtually maintenance-f ree, and
there are no parts you can saf ely
service. However, you must have
your car serviced if :Any
airbag that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Do
not try to remove or replace any
airbag by yourself . This must be
done by an Acura dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop. Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury. See page f or f urther inf ormation
and precautions relating to your
airbags.Improperly
replacing or covering f ront seat-
back covers can prevent your side
airbags f rom inf lating during a
collision.
If rain or spilled water
soaks into a seat-back, it can
prevent the side airbag system
f rom working properly.
Take your car to an
authorized Acura dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inf late when you need them. 185
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Airbag Service
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Your airbags ever inf late.Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason. Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ing anAcura dealer.
Do not expose t he f ront seat -backs to water.
T he SRS indicat or light alert s you t o a problem.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety48
01/09/28 19:32:49 31SZ3660_051

The OnStarsystem in your vehicle
gives you immediate access to a wide
range of services and inf ormation
with the touch of a button. An
OnStar advisor is available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.
The basic Saf ety & Security Plan
provides: Press this button to contact an
OnStar advisor. You will hear a
chime, f ollowed by the
announcement, ‘‘Connecting to
OnStar.’’ The connection should take
20 to 30 seconds. The advisor will
assist you with any of the services
included in your plan.
Depending on what service you
request, you may need to give your
Personal Identification Number
(PIN) to the advisor. Your PIN is a
number you make up and provide
when you establish your OnStar
service.
If cellular telephone service is not
available in the area you are driving
in, you will hear a f ast busy signal.
The system will retry the connection
several times bef ore returning to the
ready mode.
Roadside Assistance.
Emergency Services.
Automatic Notif ication of Airbag
Deployment.
Accident Assist.
Remote Door Locking/Unlocking.
Stolen Vehicle Tracking.
Misplaced Vehicle Assistance.
The Premium Service Plan provides
these additional f eatures: Route Support.
Ride Assist.
Inf ormation and Convenience
Services.
Concierge Services. The OnStar control buttons and
indicator are located in the base of
the rear view mirror.
CONT INUED
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
OnStar System
OnStar Services Button
OnStar Control Panel
167
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01/09/28 19:52:02 31SZ3660_170

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To cancel these retries, press the
Call Answer/End (DOT) button.
A microphone is located in the base
of therearviewmirrorsoyoucan
speak to the advisor without taking
your hands of f the steering wheel or
diverting your attention f rom the
road. The OnStar advisor’s voice
comes f rom the audio system’s
speakers. Use the volume control on
the audio system or on the steering
wheel to adjust the volume.
Press this button to contact an
OnStar advisor only if you have an
emergency situation. You will hear a
tone, f ollowed by the announcement,
‘‘Connecting to OnStar Emergency.’’
Your call is given highest priority. The advisor will ask about the nature
of the emergency, locate your
vehicle, and notif y the appropriate
emergency service agencies.
Press this ‘‘DOT’’ button to end a call
to the OnStar advisor, or to cancel
the call if you should press one of
the other buttons accidentally. If the
OnStar center should call you, press
this button to answer the call.
This button is also used to initiate
the Personal Calling and Virtual
Advisor services, if you have
subscribed.This light shows you the status of
the system.
The system is ready
for use.
Acallisin
progress.
There is a problem in
the system. Press the OnStar button
to contact an advisor. If the call
connects, the advisor will assist you
with verif ying the system’s operation.
If you are not able to contact an
advisor, take your vehicle to an
Acura dealer to have the system
diagnosed.
There is a problem
in the system with a call in progress.
If you press this button accidentally,
do not cancel the call. Wait until the
OnStar advisor answers, then explain
your mistake.
Emergency Button Call Answer/End ButtonSolid Green
Blinking Green
Solid Red
Blinking Red System Status L ight
OnStar System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures168
01/09/28 19:52:17 31SZ3660_171

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The OnStar system uses the Global
Positioning System (GPS) to locate
your vehicle whenever you place a
call. This allows the advisor to
quickly contact the nearest services
without requiring you to provide
detailed directions.
Contact
the OnStar advisor if you need
assistance with a problem (f lat tire,
out of f uel, etc.) while traveling. The
advisor will contact an appropriate
agency to come and assist you.
Contact an
OnStar advisor if you have an
emergency situation. The advisor
will contact the nearest emergency
services provider (ambulance, f ire
department, etc.) and advise them of
your situation. If you are ever in an
accident that causes the airbags to
deploy, the OnStar system
automatically places a call (provided
the OnStar system and your vehicle’s
electrical system are still intact). The
advisor will attempt to speak to you
to evaluate the situation, and contact
the nearest emergency services
provider.
The OnStar
advisor can help you if you are ever
in a minor accident by giving you a
list of inf ormation you should collect
at the accident scene.Complete,
detailed inf ormation will make it
easier to complete accident reports
and insurance claims.
By sending a signal to your
vehicle, the advisor can lock or
unlock your vehicle’s doors. This is
helpfulif youareawayfromyour vehicle and realize you f orgot to lock
the doors, or if you have locked the
keys in your vehicle. To get OnStar’s
assistance, call (888) 4-ONSTAR
(466-7827).
Using
GPS, OnStar can locate your vehicle
almost anywhere. If your vehicle is
ever stolen, contact OnStar at (888)
4-ONSTAR. The advisor will put you
in contact with the proper authorities,
and assist them with locating your
vehicle.
If you are unable to locate your
vehicleinalargeparkinglotor
parking structure, contact OnStar at
(888) 4-ONSTAR. The advisor will
remotely activate the exterior lights
and the horn, allowing you to locate
your vehicle.
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
OnStar System
Saf ety and Security Plan Features
Roadside Assistance
Emergency Services A utomatic Notif ication of A irbag
Deployment
A ccident A ssist
Remote Door L ocking/Unlocking
Stolen Vehicle T racking
Misplaced Vehicle Assistance
169
01/09/28 19:52:28 31SZ3660_172

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The Premium Service Plan provides
these additional f eatures.
The OnStar
advisor can give you verbal
directions f rom your current location
to a desired destination.
If you need a ride
(taxi, limousine service, etc.) the
OnStar advisor can make the
arrangements f or you. Use the
OnStar button or call (888)
4-ONSTAR.
The OnStar advisor can
give you inf ormation on nearby
hotels, restaurants, ATMs, hospitals,
gas stations, and many other
services in any area you are traveling
in. The advisor can also help you
with hotel or restaurant reservations. The OnStar
advisor can assist you with
purchasing theater tickets, airline
tickets, rental car reservations f or a
vacation, and just about any other
purchase you desire.
The OnStar Personal Calling plan is
an extra-cost option that gives you
the ability to use your vehicle’s
OnStar system as a hands-f ree
cellular telephone.
To sign up f or Personal Calling,
press the OnStar button in your
vehicle, and notify the advisor that
you’d like to sign up. The advisor will
get all the information needed to set
up your account, and provide you
with your new cellular telephone
number.
You will need to provide a credit card
number, and prepurchase ‘‘units’’ or
minutes of air time (one unit equals one minute).
You
must use voice commands to give
the OnStar system your calling
inf ormation. To make a phone call:
Press the Call Answer/End
(DOT) Button.
OnStar will respond with ‘‘Ready.’’
Say ‘‘Dial.’’
OnStar will respond with ‘‘Number
Please.’’
Say the f irst digit of the number.
OnStar will repeat that digit.
Always wait f or OnStar to conf irm
the digit bef ore going to the next
digit.
Say the second digit of the number.
OnStar will repeat that digit.
Premium Service Plan Features
Route Support
Ride Assist
Inf ormation and Convenience
Services
Concierge Services
Personal Calling
Placing a Telephone Call
OnStar System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures170
01/09/28 19:52:45 31SZ3660_173

Bef ore you begin driving your Acura,
youshouldknowwhatgasolineto
use, and how to check the levels of
important f luids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage
or packages. The inf ormation in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your car,
please read the inf ormation in this
section f irst..............................
Break-in Period .178
.........................................
Gasoline .178
.........
Service Station Procedures .179
................
Filling the Fuel Tank .179
....................
Opening the Hood .180
...............................
Oil Check .181
.........
Engine Coolant Check .182
...............................
Fuel Economy .183
............................
Car Condition .183
...........................
Driving Habits .183
...
Accessories and Modif ications .184
.............................
Carrying Cargo .186
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving177
01/09/28 19:54:26 31SZ3660_180

During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration. If you are unable to f ind premium
unleaded gasoline, you may substi-
tute an unleaded regular gasoline.
The engine will compensate f or the
lower octane, but you may notice a
slight decrease in power as a result.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
f uel system and engine deposits.
Avoidhardbraking.Newbrakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use f or the f irst 200 miles (300
km). Your Acura is designed to operate on
premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emissions control system
perf ormance may deteriorate and
the Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.
If this happens, contact your
authorized Acura dealer f or service.
Help assure your car’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your car’s emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
Do not change the oil until the
recommended time or mileage
intervalshowninthemaintenance
schedule.
Youshouldfollowthesesamere-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined.
Break-in Period, Gasoline
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period Gasoline
178
01/09/28 19:54:38 31SZ3660_181

Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat.Removethefuelfillcapslowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank, leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
Because the f uel f ill cap is on the
driver’s side of the car, park with
that side closest to the service
station pumps. Your car has an on-board ref ueling
vapor recovery system to help
keep f uel vapors f rom going into
the atmosphere. If the fuel nozzle
keeps clicking of f even though the
tank is not f ull, there may be a
problem with this system. Consult
your dealer.
1.
2. 3.
4.
CONT INUED
Filling the Fuel Tank
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving179
P P
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F
FUUE EL
L F
FIILLL L C
CAA P
P
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
01/09/28 19:54:50 31SZ3660_182