2000 Acura Integra transmission

Transmissio
n Flui d
Automati c Transmissio n
Check the fluid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature. 1. Park the car on level ground. Shut
off the engine.

2. Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)

from the transmission and wipe it
with a clean cloth.

3. Insert the dipstick all the way into

the transmission securely asshown in the illustration.

4. Remove the dipstick and check

the fluid level. It should be
between the upper and lowermarks.

5. If the level is below the lower

mark, add fluid into the filler hole
to bring it to the upper mark.
Always use Honda Premium Formula Automatic Transmission
Fluid (ATF). If it is not available,
you may use a DEXRON
® III
automatic transmission fluid as a
temporary replacement. However, continued use can affect shift
quality. Have the transmission
drained and refilled with Honda
ATF as soon as it is convenient.

6. Insert the dipstick all the way back

into the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.

The transmission should be drained
and refilled with new fluid according
to the time and distance recommen- dations in the maintenance schedule.

Maintenanc e
UPPE
R MAR K
LOWE R MAR K

DIPSTIC
K

Transmissio
n Fluid , Brak e an d Clutc h Flui d
5-spee d Manua l Transmissio n
Check the fluid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the car sitting on
level ground. Remove the transmission filler bolt and carefully
feel inside the bolt hole with your
finger. The fluid level should be up to the edge of the bolt hole. If it is
not, add Genuine Honda Manual
Transmission Fluid (MTF) until it starts to run out of the hole. Reinstall
the filler bolt and tighten it securely. If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an API service SG, SH or SJ
grade motor oil with a viscosity of SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40 as a
temporary replacement. An SG
grade is preferred, but an SH or SJ
grade may be used if SG is not available. However, motor oil does
not contain the proper additives and
continued use can cause stiffershifting. Replace as soon as
convenient.
The transmission should be drained and refilled with new fluid according
to the time and distance recommen- dations in the maintenance schedule. Brak
e an d Clutc h Flui d
Check the fluid level in the reser-
voirs monthly. There are up to two reservoirs, depending on the model.
They are: Brake fluid reservoir (all models)
Clutch fluid reservoir
(manual transmission only)
The brake fluid should be replaced according to the time and distance
recommendations in the mainte-
nance schedule.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

FILLE
R BOL T

Correc
t leve l

Storin
g You r Ca r
If you need to park your car for an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors.
Fill the fuel tank.Change the engine oil and filter (see page 173). Wash and dry the exterior

completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse (5- speed manual) or Park (automatic). Block the rear wheels.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground. Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors). Disconnect the battery.
Support the front and rear wiper
blade arms with a folded towel or rag so they do not touch the

windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and hatch seals. Also, apply a body
wax to the painted surfaces that mate with the door and hatch seals. Cover the car with a "breathable"
cover, one made from a porous
material such as cotton.
Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint. If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month).
If you store your car for 12 months or longer, have your Acura dealer
perform the inspections called for 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 162 ). The
replacements called for in the
maintenance schedule are not needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.
Maintenanc e

Changin
g a Fla t Tir e
If you have a flat tire while driving, stop in a safe place to change it.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulderof a busy road is dangerous. Drive
slowly along the shoulder until you
get to an exit or an area to stop that is far away from the traffic lanes.
1. Park the car on firm, level and
non-slippery ground away from
traffic. Put the transmission in Park (automatic) or Reverse (manual). Apply the parking brake.

2. Turn on the hazard warning lights

and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the car while
you change the tire.

3. Open the hatch. Pull up the floor

mat and remove the spare tire
cover.

4. Take the tool kit out of the spare

tire well.

5. Unscrew the wing bolt and take

the spare tire out of its well.

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Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

The car can easily roll off the

jack, seriously injuring anyone
underneath.

Follow the directions for

changing a tire exactly, and never get under the car when it
is supported only by the jack. JAC
K
SPAR E TIR E
TOOL KI T

I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
Nothin g Happen s o r th e Starte r
Moto r Operate s Ver y Slowl y
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying tostart. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.Check these things: Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 72 ).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer systemindicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed all the way to the floor or thestarter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral. Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlightsare very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
Jum p Startin g on page 231. Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Emergenc y Towin g on page 245.)
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 189). You can
then try jump starting the car from a booster battery (see page
231).
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

I
f You r Engin e Won' t Start , Jum p Startin g
Th e Starte r Operate s Normall y
In this case, the starter motor's speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run. Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer to Startin g th e
Engin e on page 137. Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you were
not reminded to fill the tank. There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 240).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 245 . Jum
p Startin g
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 an Acura with an automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your car, follow these
directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery(see page 189). 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.

If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen battery can cause it to rupture.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces-

sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.

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Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E
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.

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-
range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a longsteep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should determine the reason.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine. Your car can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or spray coming from under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators.

2. If you see steam and/or spray
coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray,

leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.

4. If the temperature gauge stays at

the red mark, turn off the engine.

5. Wait until you see no more signs

of steam or spray, then open the
hood.

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Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E

Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can

seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.

Emergenc
y Towin g

If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a professional towing service or,
if you belong to one, an organization
that provides roadside assistance. Never tow your vehicle behind
another vehicle with just a rope or
chain. It is very dangerous.
There are three popular types of professional towing equipment:

Flat-bed Equipment — The operator

loads your vehicle on the back of a

truck. Thi s i s th e best way o f trans -
portin g you r Acura .

Wheel-Lift Equipment — The tow

truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the tires (front or rear) and lift
them off the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground. Thi s is
a n acceptabl e wa y t o to w you r
Acura .
Sling-type Equipment — The tow

truck uses metal cables with hooks on the ends. These hooks go around
parts of the frame or suspension and
the cables lift that end of the vehicle off the ground. Your vehicle's sus-
pension and body can be seriously damaged. Thi s metho d o f towin g
i s unacceptable .
If your Acura cannot be transported
by flat-bed, it should be towed by
wheel-lift equipment with the front
wheels off the ground. If, due to damage, your car must be towed
with the front wheels on the ground, do the following.

5-speed Manual Transmission
Release the parking brake.
Shift the transmission to Neutral.
Automatic Transmission:
Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
Shift to D4, then to N.
Turn off the engine.

Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shift the transmission or start the engine, your vehicle must be trans-
ported with the front wheels off the
ground.

With the front wheels on the ground, it is best to tow the vehicle no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep the speed below 35 mph (55 km/h).

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E