engine light Acura TL 2002 3.2 Owner's Guide

Check the f luid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature.Park the car on level ground. Shut
of f the engine.
Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)
f rom the transmission and wipe it
with a clean cloth.
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather.
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.
Check the reservoir’s f luid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
level gauge attached to the cap.
The low washer level indicator will
light when the level is low (see page
). 1.
2.
63
Maint enance
Windshield Washers, A ut omat ic T ransmission Fluid
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Canadian Models
234
D D I
IPP S
ST TI
ICCK K
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.
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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
.)
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.
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. 308
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance248
A A
I
IRR C
COON NDDI
ITT I
IOON NIINNG G C
COON NDDE
EN
NS SEER
R
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.
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Insert the new bulb into the hole
and turn it one-quarter turn clock-
wise to lock it in place.
Push the electrical connector back
onto the bulb. Make sure it is on
all the way.
Turn on the headlights to test the
new bulb. Remove the bulb by turning it
approximately one-quarter turn
counterclockwise.
Open the hood. Reinstall the radiator reserve tank.
If you need to change a bulb on
the driver’s side, remove the
radiator reserve tank.
Remove the electrical connector
f rom the bulb by squeezing the
connector to unlock the tab, then
slide the connector of f the bulb. The f ront side marker/turn signal
light bulb and parking light bulb use
the same bulb.
If you are changing the bulb on
the driver’s side, start the engine,
turn the steering wheel all the way
to the right, and turn off the
engine. If you are changing the
bulb on the passenger’s side, turn
the steering wheel to the left.
1.
3.
4.
7. 6. 5.
1.
2. Replacing Front Turn Signal and
Side Marker L ight Bulbs
Lights
Maint enance260
B BU
UL LBB
T
T A
A B
B
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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.
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.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park. 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.
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.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).
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 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.
214
225
St oring Your Car
Maint enance267
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When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
orNeutralorthestarterwillnot
operate.
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. See
on 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 f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine 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 car from
a booster battery (see page ).
286 302
243 286
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
285
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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.If your car’s battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine
by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start your Acura by
pushing or pulling it.
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See
on page .
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see 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.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
77
179 297
302
T he Starter Operates Normally
Jump Starting
Emergency
Towing
Starting the
Engine
If Your Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed286
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
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µ
´ ´
CONT INUED
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
Remove the battery cover.
To jump start your car, f ollow these
directions closely:
Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake. Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
Acura’s battery. Connect the other
end to the positive ( ) terminal
on the booster battery.
4.
5.3.
1.
2. 243
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed287
P P
r
reem m i
iuu m
m m
mo
od
de
ell
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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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.Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).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. (See
on page .)
Letthecarsitforaminute.Open
the hood and check the oil level
(see page ). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during
cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
1.
2.
3. 4.
168 223 302
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
291
L L O
OW W O
OIILL P
PR
RE ES
SS SUUR REE I
INND DI
ICCA A T
TO
OR R
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 car stopped.
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Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation309
Fuses Battery Lights
Engine
Alignment
Tires3.50 x 3.39 in (89.0 x 86.0 mm)
12 V 60 W (HB3)
12 V 24/2.2 CP
195.8 cu-in (3,210 cm
)
9.8 : 1
Water cooled 4-stroke
SOHC VTEC 6-cylinder (V6), gasoline engine
Interior
Under-hood See page 300 or the fuse box
cover. See page 301 or the fuse label
attached to the inside of the fuse
box door on each side of the
dashboard.
Capacity 12 V 65 AH/20 HR Headlights
Front turn signal/Side marker/
Parking lights
Fog Lights
Rear turn signal lights
Stop/Taillights
High-mount brake light
Back-up lights
License plate light
Ceiling light
Trunk light
Door courtesy lights
Vanity mirror lights
Spotlights 12 V
12 V 12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
4CP
1.1 W
2CP
5W
7W
3CP
18 W
21 W
21/5 W
21 W Type
BorexStroke
Displacement
Compression ratio
Spark plugs See spark plug maintenance
section page 242 .
10.5 : 1
12 V 51 W (HB4)
Toe-in
Camber
Caster
Size
Pressure 3°00’
0°30’0°
0.08 in (2.0 mm) 0.00 in (0.0 mm)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm
)
32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm)
T135/80R16 101M P215/50R17 93V
P205/60R16 91V
Front
Rear
Front
Rear
Front
(High beam)
Low beam headlight bulbs are a type of high voltage discharge tube. Front/Rear
Spare
Front/Rear
Spare
2 : Type S 1 : Premium model
1 : Premium model
2 : Type S
2
1
2
1
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Î
ÎThe 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. The 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.
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 from the 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 .
214
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
T echnical Inf ormation
Emissions Cont rols
314
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