windshield wipers Acura RSX 2003 Owner's Manual

Your Car at a Glance
3
TILT ADJUSTMENTHORN INSTRUMENT PANEL
BRIGHTNESS
(P.
70)
WINDSHIELD WIPERS/
WASHERS
HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS
REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER
CRUISE CONTROL
(P. 149)
MOONROOF
(P. 93)
HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS
(P.69/ 70) (P.
70/ 71)
(P.
73) (P.
73)
(P. 74)

This section gives inf ormation about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your Acura. All the essential controls
are within easy reach............................
Control Locations .58
...............................
Indicator Lights .59
Maintenance Required ...................................
Indicator .64 .........
Security System Indicator . 65
.............................................
Gauges .66
...............................
Speedometer .66
.................................
Tachometer .66
.....................................
Odometer .66
...................................
Trip Meter .67
..................................
Fuel Gauge .67
...................
Temperature Gauge . 67
Controls Near the Steering .......................................
Wheel .68
...................................
Headlights .69
............
Daytime Running Lights . 69
....
Instrument Panel Brightness . 70
................................
Turn Signals .70
.....................
Windshield Wipers .71
..................
Windshield Washers . 72
Rear Window Wiper and .....................................
Washer .72
..........................
Hazard Warning .73
.............
Rear Window Def ogger . 73
......
Steering Wheel Adjustment . 74
...............................
Keys and Locks .75
..............................................
Keys .75
....................
Immobilizer System . 76
............................
Ignition Switch .77
..................................
Door Locks .79 .........
Power Door/Hatch Locks . 80
............................................
Hatch .80
...................
Remote Transmitter . 81
....................................
Glove Box .84
............................
Seat Adjustments .85
.............
Front Seat Adjustments . 85
Driver’s Seat Height ..............................
Adjustment .86
...........
Driver’s Lumbar Support . 86
........................
Rear Seat Access .86
...........................
Folding Rear Seat .87
....................................
Seat Heaters .88
...........................
Cargo Area Cover .89
..............................
Power Windows .90
.........................................
Moonroof .93
.............................................
Mirrors .94
....
Adjusting the Power Mirrors . 94
.................................
Parking Brake .95
..................................
Vanity Mirror .96
........................................
Coat Hook .96
.............................
Beverage Holder .97
...................
Console Compartment . 98
...............
Accessory Power Socket . 99
.................................
Interior Lights .99
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols57

Thetwoleversonthesteering
column contain controls f or driving
f eatures you use most of ten. The lef t
lever controls the turn signals,
headlights, and high beams. The
right lever controls the windshield
washers and wipers.
The controls on the dashboard to the
right of the steering column are f or
the instrument panel brightness,
hazard warning lights and rear
window def ogger.
The moonroof switch and cruise
control switch are to the left of the
steering column.
The tilt adjustment lever on the
underside of the steering column
allows you to tilt the steering wheel.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols68
WINDSHIELD
WIPERS/WASHERSHAZARD WARNING LIGHTS REAR WINDOW
DEFOGGER
INSTRUMENT PANEL
BRIGHTNESS
HORN
TILT ADJUSTMENT
HEADLIGHTS/
TURN SIGNALS
MOONROOF CRUISE
CONTROL

This lever controls the windshield
wipers and washers. It has five
positions:MIST: mist
OFF: off
INT: intermittent
LO: low speed
HI: high speed
To select a position, push the lever
up or down. In intermittent, the wipers operate
every f ew seconds. The sweep
interval will change slightly with
speed; getting shorter as you drive
f aster. In low speed and high speed,
the wipers run continuously.
You can vary how of ten the wipers
sweep the windshield by turning the
INT TIME ring next to the rotary
switch.
If you turn the INT TIME ring to the
shortest delay, the wipers will
change from intermittent to low
speed operation when vehicle speed
exceeds 12 mph (20 km/h).
CONT INUED
Windshield Wipers
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols71

To operate the wipers in mist mode,
push the control lever up f rom the
OFF position. The wipers run at high
speed until you release the lever.
This gives you a quick way to clear
the windshield.To clean the windshield, pull back on
the wiper control lever. The washers
spray until you release the lever.
To turn on the rear window wiper,
turn the rotary switch clockwise to
ON. To also use the rear window
washer, turn the rotary switch
clockwise past ON. The washer will
spray as long as you hold the rotary
switch in this position. If you turn the
rotary switch counterclockwise f rom
the OFF position, the washer will
spray without activating the rear
window wiper.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Windshield Washers
Rear Window Wiper and Washer
72

µ
µ Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more dif f icult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers f requently. Keep the wind-
shield washer reservoir f ull of the
proper f luid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the def rosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
f rom f ogging up on the inside (see
page ).
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Rain, f og, and snow conditions
require a dif f erent driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well-
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control
should not be used in these
conditions. Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to
react, even in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills. 107
Visibility
Driving T echnique
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving184

..........................
Compact Spare .262
......................................
Wrench .264
Windows .....................................
Cleaning .258
..................
Operating the Power . 90
...........................
Rear, Def ogger .73
Windshield .......................................
Cleaning .72
...................................
Def roster .102
.......................................
Washers .72
Wipers, Windshield .......................
Changing Blades .229
.....................................
Operation .72
....................................
Worn Tires .236
.....
Wrecker, Emergency Towing . 285
: U.S. and Canada only
Index
IX