Acura TL 2000 3.2 Owner's Manual

2000 TL 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
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... 109
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................145
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .159
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................187
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .245
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................253
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................279
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................291
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................297
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. Owner's Identification Form
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ 2

Owner's Identification
This Owner's Manual should be considereda permanent part of the car, and shouldremain with the car when it is sold.
The information and specifications included
in this publication were in affect at the time
of approval for printing. Honda Motor Co.,
Ltd. reserves the right, however, to
discontinue or change specifications or
design at any time without notice and
with out incurring any obligation whatsoever.
OWNER
ADDRESSSTREET
CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP CODE /POSTAL CODE
V. I. N.
DELIVERY DATE(Date sold to original retail purchaser)
DEALER NAME DEALER NO.
ADDRESSSTREET
CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP CODE/
POSTAL CODEOWNER'S SIGNATURE
DEALER'S SIGNATURE

Introduction
Congratulations ! Your selection of a 2000 Acura 3.2 TL was a wise
investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Acura is to re\
ad
this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Afterwards, keep this owner's manual in your car so y\
ou can refer to it at any time.
Several warranties protect your new Acura. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights and responsibilities.
Maintaining your car according to the schedules given in this manual hel\
ps
to keep your driving trouble-free while it preserves your investment. Wh\
en
your car needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Acura dealer's staff \
is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to your Acura. Yo\
ur
Acura dealer is dedicated to your satisfaction and will be pleased to an\
swer any questions and concerns. As you read this manual, you will
find information that is preceded by
a symbol. This
information is intended to help you avoid damage to your Acura, other
property, or the environment.

A Few Words About Safety
Your safety, and the safety of others,
is very important. And operating this
car safely is an important
responsibility.
To help you make informed decisions about safety, we have
provided operating procedures and other information on labels and in
this manual. This information alerts
you to potential hazards that could
hurt you or others.
Of course, it is not practical or
possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or
maintaining your car. You must use
your own good judgement. You will find this important safety information in a variety of forms,
including: • Safety Labels — on the car.
• Safety Messages — preceded by a safety alert symbol and one of
three signal words: DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION.
These signal words mean:
You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLYHURT if you don't follow instructions.
You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don't follow instructions.
You CAN be HURT if you don't follow instructions.
• Safety Headings — such as Important Safety Reminders or Important Safety Precautions.
• Safety Section — such as Driver and Passenger Safety.
• Instructions — how to use this vehicle correctly and safely.
This entire book is filled with important safety information — please\
read it carefully.
DANGER

Your Car at a Glance
MIRROR
CONTROLS(P.98) AIRBAGS
(P.9, 43)
DIGITAL CLOCK
(P. 100)
CLIMATE CONTROL (P.110, 118)
AUDIO SYSTEM (P.123)
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION (P. 162)
HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE
(P.148)
FUEL FILL DOOR
HANDLE
(P.147)
TRUNK RELEASE
BUTTON
(P.82)
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P.95) POWER DOOR LOCK
SWITCH
(P.77)

Your Car at a Glance
TRACTION CONTROL(P.175)
MOONROOF SWITCH (P.96)
INSTRUMENT PANEL
BRIGHTNESS
(P.64)
HEADLIGHTS/
TURN SIGNALS (P.63, 65) WINDSHIELD WIPERS/WASHERS
(P.65) HAZARD WARNING
LIGHTS
(P.67)
CRUISE CONTROL
(P.69) HORN
(P.62)
TILT ADJUSTMENT
(P.68) REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER
(P.67)

4

Driver and Passenger Safety
This section gives you importantinformation 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 infants and children in your car.
Important Safety Precautions ........6
Your Car's Safety Features ........... 7
Seat Belts ............................ 8
Airbags .....................................9
Seats & Seat-Backs .....................10
Head Restraints .......................10
Door Locks 10
Pre-Drive Safety Checklist.........11
Protecting Adults .........................12 1. Close and Lock the Doors...... 122. 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 for 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 for Using
Child Seats........................... 24
Protecting Infants......................28 Protecting Small Children...........32
Protecting Larger Children........35
Using Child Seats with
Tethers...................................39
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts..................................40
Seat Belt System Components... 40
Lap/Shoulder Belt..................... 40
Seat Belt Maintenance.............. 42
Additional Information About Your Front Airbags........................ 43
SRS Components...................... 43
How Your Front Airbags
Work...................................43
How the SRS Indicator Light
Works................................... 45
Additional Information About Your Side Airbags.......................... 46
How Your Side Airbags Work.... 46
How The Side Airbag Indicator
Light Works......................... 47
Airbag Service........................... 48
Additional Safety Precautions..... 48
Carbon Monoxide Hazard..............49
Safety Labels.................................50
Driver and Passenger Safety

Important Safety Precautions
You'll find many safetyrecommendations throughout thissection, and throughout this manual.
The recommendations on this page are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt A seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inflate only in a
moderate to severe frontal collision.
So even though your car is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and
your passengers always wear your seat belts, and wear them properly. (See page 15.)
Restrain All Children Children are safest when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
not the front seat. A child who is too small for a seat belt must be properly
restrained in a child safety seat. (See page 20.) Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
While airbags can save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries tooccupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Infants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be sure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page 9.)
Don't Drink and Drive
Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink. So don't drinkand drive, and don't let your friends
drink and drive, either. Control Your Speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Keep Your Car in Safe Condition
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical failure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition frequently, and perform all regularly scheduledmaintenance. (See page 192 .)
Driver and Passenger Safety

Your Car's Safety Features
(4) (1)
(2)
(1) Safety Cage
(2) Crush Zones
(3) Seats & Seat-Backs
(4) Head Restraints
(5) Collapsible Steering Column
(6) Seat Belts
(7) Airbags
(8) Door Locks
(9) Side Airbags
(7) (2)
(3)
(8)
(9)
(9)
(6)
(7)
(5)
Your car is equipped with many
features that work together toprotect you and your passengersduring a crash.
Some safety features do not require any action on your part. These
include a strong steel framework
that forms a safety cage around the
passenger compartment; front and
rear crush zones that are designed to crumple and absorb energy during a
crash; and a collapsible steering
column.
These safety features are designed to reduce the severity of injuries in a
crash. However, you and your
passengers can't take full advantageof these safety features unless you
remain sitting in a proper position
and always wear your seat belts
properly. In fact, some safety
features can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly.
Driver and Passenger Safety