2000 Acura Integra air condition

Heatin
g an d Coolin g
If the interior is very warm from
being parked in the sun, you can cool it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way:1. Start the engine.
2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. Make sure the tempera-
ture control lever is all the way to
the left.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select and Fresh Air mode.
When the interior has cooled down to a more comfortable temperature,close the windows and set the
controls as described for normal
cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 59) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turnoff the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.

To Heat
To warm the interior:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3.
Set the fan to the desired speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control lever.

To Heat and Dehumidify with Air Conditioning

Air conditioning, as it cools, removes moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, it
makes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning.
3. Select
and Fresh Air mode.
4. Adjust the temperature control
lever so the mixture of heated and cooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving
conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32° F (0°C).

CONTINUED

Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s

Heatin
g an d Coolin g

To Defog and Defrost
To remove fog from the inside of the windows:
1. Switch the fan on.

2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select Fresh Air mode and
4. Adjust the temperature control

lever so the air flow from the

defroster vents feels warm.
5. Turn on the rear window defogger

to help clear the rear window.

Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s FA
N CONTRO L

LEVE R
AI
R CONDITIONIN G
BUTTO N
RECIRCULATIO
N
BUTTO N
MOD
E BUTTON S
TEMPERATUR E
CONTRO L LEVE R

Audi
o Syste m
Radi o Frequencie s
Your Acura's radio can receive the complete AM and FM bands.
Those bands cover these frequen-
cies:

AM band: 530 to 1,710 kilohertz
FM band: 87.7 to 107.9 megahertz
Radio stations on the AM band are assigned frequencies at least ten
kilohertz apart (530, 540, 550).
Stations on the FM band are
assigned frequencies at least 0.2
megahertz apart (87.9, 88.1, 88.3).
Stations must use these exact
frequencies. It is fairly common for stations to round-off the frequency in
their advertising, so your radio could display a frequency of 100.9 even
though the announcer may identify
the station as "FM101." Radi
o Receptio n
How well your Acura's radio receives stations is dependent on many
factors, such as the distance from
the station's transmitter, nearby
large objects, and atmospheric conditions.
A radio station's signal gets weaker as you get farther away from its
transmitter. If you are listening to an
AM station, you will notice the sound volume becoming weaker, and the station drifting in and out. If you are
listening to an FM station, you will see the stereo indicator flickering off
and on as the signal weakens.
Eventually, the stereo indicator will
go off and the sound will fade completely as you get out of range of
the station's signal. Driving very near the transmitter of
a station that is broadcasting on a
frequency close to the frequency of
the station you are listening to can also affect your radio's reception.
You may temporarily hear both stations, or hear only the station you
are close to.
CONTINUED
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s

Fue
l Econom y

The condition of your car and your driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.

Vehicl e Conditio n

Always maintain your car according to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (see page 169). For
example, an underinflated tire causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out faster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your fuel mileage and reduces
the chance of corrosion. Drivin
g Habit s
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to "warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on the number of "cold starts," try tocombine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.

Before Drivin g

Drivin
g in Ba d Weathe r

Rain, fog, and snow conditions re-
quire a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well- maintained and exercise greatercaution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control should not be used in these condi-

tions.
Drivin
g Techniqu e — 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 for the first few miles (kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery. Visibilit
y — Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defrosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see
page 100).
CONTINUED
Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r
Drivin g Safel y Wit h a Traile r
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and

techniques.

For your safety and the safety ofothers, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines

discussed below.

Towing Speeds and Gears
Driving slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
Use D4 position when towing a trailer
on level roads. D3 is the proper shift
lever position to use when towing a
trailer in hilly terrain. (See "Driving on Hills" in the next column for
additional gear information.)
Making Turns and Braking

Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.

Driving on Hills

When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nearsthe red mark, turn the air conditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, shift to
D3.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake. Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator, as this can cause the transmission to

overheat.

When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, and
remember it will take longer to slow down and stop when towing a trailer.

CONTINUED

Drivin g

Maintenanc
e

This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Acura, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 265 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Acura
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 158
Important Safety Precautions.. 159
Maintenance Schedule.................. 160
Maintenance Record..................... 167
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 169
Fluid Locations............................... 170

Engine Oil....................................... 171 Adding Oil................................... 171
Recommended Oil..................... 171

Synthetic Oil............................... 173

Additives..................................... 173
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 173
Cooling System.............................. 176
Adding Engine Coolant............. 176Replacing Engine Coolant........ 178
Windshield Washers..................... 181
Transmission Fluid........................ 182 AutomaticTransmission.......................... 182
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 183
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 183 Brake System............................. 184
Clutch System............................ 184
Power Steering............................... 185
Air Cleaner Element...................... 186
Hood Latch..................................... 187

Spark Plugs..................................... 187 Replacement............................... 187
Specifications............................. 189
Battery............................................ 189
Wiper Blades.................................. 192
Air Conditioning System............... 194
Drive Belts...................................... 195
Timing Belt..................................... 195
Tires................................................ 196 Inflation....................................... 196
Inspection................................... 197
Maintenance............................... 198
Tire Rotation.............................. 199
Tire Wear.................................... 199
Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 200
Wheels and Tires....................... 201
Winter Driving........................... 201

Snow Tires.............................. 202

Tire Chains............................. 202
Lights.............................................. 203 Headlight Aiming...................... 205
Replacing Bulbs......................... 207
Storing Your Car............................ 214
Maintenance

Ai
r Cleane r Elemen t
The air cleaner element should be cleaned or replaced according to the
time and distance recommendations in the maintenance schedule.
Cleanin g (Sever e Conditions )
Clean the air cleaner element by
blowing compressed air through it in
the opposite direction to normal air
flow. If you do not have access to compressed air (such as a servicestation), ask your Acura dealer to do
this service.
Follow the replacement procedure
for removal and reinstallation.
Replacemen t
The air cleaner element is inside the air cleaner housing on the passenger's
side of the engine compartment. To replace it:
1. Loosen the three bolts and remove
the air cleaner housing cover.

2. Lift up the old air cleaner element

and pull it out of the duct.

3. Carefully clean the inside of the

air cleaner housing with a damp
rag.

4. Attach the new air cleaner element to the duct. Make sure
the tab on the duct fits in the
notch on the air cleaner element.
Install the new air cleaner element
in the air cleaner housing correctly
placing the square part of the
flange on the element in the mating recess on the housing.
5. Reinstall the air cleaner housing

cover, tighten the three bolts.

Maintenanc e
BOLT
S

AIR CLEANE R ELEMEN T