check engine light Acura RL 2004 3.5 User Guide

Install a new oil f ilter according to
instructions that come with it.
Put a new washer on the drain bolt,
then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:Let the engine run f or several
minutes, then check the drain bolt
and oil f ilter f or leaks.
Turn of f the engine, let it sit f or
several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.
Replace the engine oil f ill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
f ive seconds. If it does not, turn of f
the engine and reinspect your
work. Refill the engine with the recom-
mended oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including f ilter):
6.
7. 8.
9.
4.
5.
Engine Oil
Maint enance254
33 lbf·ft (44 N·m , 4.5 kgf·m)
4.9 US qt (4.6
)

Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather.
Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly
during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers of ten,
check the level every time you stop
for fuel.
The windshield washer reservoir is
located behind the driver’s side
headlight.
Check the reservoir’s f luid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
f loat. It should be up to the top of the
neck.Ifthefloatisatthebottomof
the neck, the reservoir is nearly
empty. When you ref ill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer f luid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
Windshield Washers
Maint enance263
FLOAT
Do not use engine antif reeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antif reeze can damage your car’s paint,
while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer f luid.

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them. Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently. 338
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance277
AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.

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. Seeon page .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See on page .) Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
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
).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
316
332 272
316
217 328
332
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting
Emergency T owing Emergency
Towing
Starting the
Engine
T he Starter Operates Normally
315

Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the light
does not go out within ten seconds,
turn of f the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired bef ore you can
continue driving. (Seeon page .)
Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low f or a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows
that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action. If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ). Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood and check the oil
level (see page ). Although oil
levelandoilpressurearenot
directly connected, an engine that
is very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
1.
2.
3. 4.
207 253 332
Emergency
Towing
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed321
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.

Youshouldalsohavethedealer
inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn of f as you continue driving. If you have recently ref ueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing f uel f ill cap. Check the cap
and tighten it until it clicks several
times. Replace the f uel f ill cap if it is
missing. Tightening the cap will not
make the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving.
This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. If it comes on
at any other time, it indicates one of
the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your car’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
your car to put out excessive
emissions. Continued operation may
cause serious damage. If the indicator remains on past that,
or the f uel cap was not loose or
missing, have the vehicle checked by
the dealer as soon as possible. Drive
moderately until the dealer has
inspected the problem. Avoid f ull-
throttle acceleration and driving at
high speed.
Malf unction Indicator L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed323
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car’s emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car’s warranties.

CONT INUED
BatteryCharging System ...........................
Indicator .58, 322
............................
Jump Starting .316
..............................
Maintenance .272
............................
Specif ications .339
..............................
Bef ore Driving .203
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,44
...........................
Beverage Holder .110
...................................
Body Repair .306
Brakes ...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 224
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 204
....................
Bulb Replacement .292
...........................................
Fluid .266
.......................................
Parking .107
.................
System Indicator . 58,325
........................
Wear Indicators .223
.............................
Braking System .223
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle . 204
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 71
........................
Brights, Headlights .68
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 210
................................
Accessories .210
.
Additional Safety Precautions . 211
............................
Modif ications .211
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) .82
.............
Accessory Power Socket . 113
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 254
.........................
Airbag (SRS) .9, 47, 49
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .267
..............
Air Conditioning System . 120
..............................
Maintenance .277
.................................
Usage .122, 127
.......................
Air Outlets (Vents) .120
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .279
...........................
Alarm, Anti-theft .181
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline .343
.......
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning . 301
......................................
Antif reeze .256
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ...............................
Indicator .60, 225
...................................
Operation .224
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 180Anti-thef t Steering Column
..............................................
Lock .82
..........................
Anti-thef t System .181
..........................
Appearance Care .299
.........................................
Ashtrays .115
...............
Audio Controls, Remote . 178
........................
Audio System .134, 151
Automatic Climate Control ........................................
System .120
.........................
Automatic Lighting .69
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 45
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 182
..............
Automatic Transmission . 218
..........................
Capacity, Fluid .338
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 264
.......................................
Shif ting .218
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 218
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 218
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 221
Index
A B
I

Î
Bulb Replacement..........................
Back-up Lights .292
..............................
Brake Lights .292
............................
Ceiling Lights .295
........................
Courtesy Lights .295
.................................
Fog Lights .289
........
Front Side Marker Lights . 291
.................................
Headlights .288
.........
High-mount Brake Light . 293
.................
License Plate Lights . 294
............................
Specif ications .339
...............................
Trunk Light .296
....................
Turn Signal Lights . 291
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen .288
................................
Cancel Button .184
............................
Capacities Chart .338
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 53
............................
Carrying, Cargo .212
Cassette Player ............................................
Care .163
...........................
Operation .139, 159
..............
CAUTION, Explanation of . ii
..........................
CD Changer .143, 164 ................................
Ceiling Lights .116
........................
Certif ication Label .336
............................................
Chains .285
Changing Oil ........................................
How to .253
......................................
When to .244
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .309
............
Changing Engine Coolant . 258
...
Charging System Indicator . 58,322
............
Checklist, Bef ore Driving . 216
.....................................
Child Saf ety .20
.......................................
Child Seats .24
..........
Tether Anchorage Points . 39
.............................
Using LATCH .40
..................
Childproof Door Locks . 87
..........................
Cigarette Lighter .114
...................................
Cleaner, Air .267
Cleaning ....................
Aluminum Wheels .301
...................................
Carpeting .302
......................................
Exterior .300
.........................................
Fabric .303
.................................
Floor Mats .302
.......................................
Interior .302
.......................................
Leather .303
...................................
Seat Belts .303 ...........................................
Vinyl .303
....................................
Windows .304
................................
Wood Trim .304
...............
Climate Control System . 120
.................
Clock, Setting the . 108,158
.....................
Code, Audio System .180
........................
CO in the Exhaust .345
........................................
Coin Box .111
............
Cold Weather, Starting in . 217
..............................
Compact Spare .308
.................
Console Compartment . 111
...............
Consumer Inf ormation . 352
.............
Controls, Instruments and . 55
Coolant ........................................
Adding .256
....................................
Checking .208
.........................
Proper Solution .256
...................................
Replacing .258
...................
Temperature Gauge . 65
....................
Corrosion Protection .305
............................
Courtesy Lights .117
Crankcase Emissions Control ........................................
System .345
............
Cruise Control Operation . 182
..........
Customer Relations Of f ice . 352
Index
C
II

CONT INUED
................
DANGER, Explanation of . ii
...................................
Dashboard .2, 56
................
Daytime Running Lights . 70
............
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety . 354
................
Def ogger, Rear Window . 76
......
Def rosting the Windows . 126,131
..............................
Dif f erential Oil .265
....................................
Dimensions .338
...............
Dimming the Headlights . 68
Dipstick ..........
Automatic Transmission . 264
..................................
Engine Oil .207
..........................
Directional Signals .71
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators . 223
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil .255
Doors ..............
Locking and Unlocking . 83
....................
Lockout Prevention . 84
..............................
Monitor Light .61
......................
Power Door Locks .83
..........
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 340
.....................................
Drive Belts .278
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety . 5...........................................
Driving .215
....................................
Economy .209
.........................
In Bad Weather .230
................
In Foreign Countries . 344
Driving Position Memory ..........................................
System .98
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 278
..............................
Economy, Fuel .209
............
Emergencies on the Road . 307
.............
Battery, Jump Starting . 316
...........
Brake System Indicator . 325
................
Changing a Flat Tire . 309
.....
Charging System Indicator . 322
..................
Checking the Fuses . 328
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 321
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 323
...
Manually Closing Moonroof . 326
..................
Overheated Engine . 319
.........................
Emergency Brake .107
......................
Emergency Flashers .75
......................
Emergency Towing .332
............
Emergency Trunk Opener . 89
.......................
Emissions Controls .345 .............
Emissions Testing, State . 348
Engine ............................................
Belts .278
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge . 65
Malf unction Indicator ................................
Lamp .59, 323
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 58,321
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use . 251
...............................
Overheating .319
............................
Specif ications .339
............................
Speed Limiter .220
.......................................
Starting .217
...................
Engine Speed Limiter . 220
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline .343
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls . 345
...............................
Exhaust Fumes .53
Exhaust Gas Recirculation ........................................
System .346
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat ........................................
Belts by .18
..................
Exterior, Cleaning the . 300
Index
D
E
III

.............
Halogen Headlight Bulbs . 288
..............
Hazard Warning Flashers . 75
Headlights ........................................
Aiming .288
....................
Automatic Lighting .69
............
Daytime Running Lights . 70
..................
High Beam Indicator . 62
....................
Lights On Indicator .59
.........................
Reminder Chime .68
........
Replacing Halogen Bulbs . 288
...................................
Turning on .68
..............................
Head Restraints .94
.............
High Altitude, Starting at . 217
.................
High-Low Beam Switch . 68
..............
High-mount Brake Light . 293
............................
Fabric, Cleaning .303
..........................
Fan, Interior .124, 129
Features, Comfort and ..............................
Convenience .119
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 205
Filters ................................
Air Cleaner .267
.........................
Dust and Pollen .278
...............................................
Oil .255
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning . 75
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a . 309
.....................................
Floor Mats .302
Fluids ..........
Automatic Transmission . 264
..........................................
Brake .266
................................
Differential .265
..........................
Power Steering .266
..................
Windshield Washer . 263
FM Stereo Radio ...........................
Reception .135, 152
........................................
Fog Lights .72
.....
Foreign Countries, Driving in . 344
..........................
Four-way Flashers .75
..............................
Front Airbags .9 ,47 .................................................
Fuel .204
......................
Fill Door and Cap .205
...........................................
Gauge .65
................
Octane Requirement . 204
...............................
Oxygenated .343
........................
Reserve Indicator .62
........................
Tank, Filling the .205
..............
Fuel Mileage, Improving . 209
.....................
Fuses, Checking the .328
................
Gas Mileage Improving . 209
..........................................
Gasohol .343
.........................................
Gasoline .204
...............
Fuel Reserve Indicator . 62
...........................................
Gauge .65
................
Octane Requirement . 204
........................
Tank, Filling the .205
................
Gas Station Procedures . 205
.............................................
Gauges .63
...
Engine Coolant Temperature . 65
...............................................
Fuel .65
...............................
Speedometer .63
.................................
Tachometer .63 GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
.......................................
Rating) .233
............
Gearshif t Lever Positions . 218
..............................
Glass Cleaning .304
........................................
Glove Box .90
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight .......................................
Rating) .233
Index
G H
F
IV