Page 240 of 279

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p
MALFUNCTIO N INDICATO R LAM P
This indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emissions control systems
may have a problem. Even though
you may feel no difference in your car's performance, it can reduce
your fuel economy and cause your car to put out excessive emissions.Continued operation may cause
serious damage. If you have recently refueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing fuel fill cap. Check the cap
and tighten it until it clicks several
times. Replace the fuel fill cap if it is
missing. Tightening the cap will not
make the indicator turn off
immediately; it takes three driving
trips.
If the indicator remains on past three
driving trips, or the fuel cap was not
loose or missing, have the car checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until the dealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving at high speed. You should also have the dealer
inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn off as you continue driving.
If you keep driving with the malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car's warranties.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E
Page 243 of 279
Fuse
s
All the electrical circuits in your car have fuses to protect them from ashort circuit or overload. These
fuses are located in two or three fuse
boxes.
The interior fuse box is underneath the dashboard on the driver's side.
Remove the fuse box lid by swinging
the lid down and pulling it straight
out of its hinges. The under-hood fuse box is located
in the engine compartment next to
the battery. To open it, push the tab
as shown.
Cars equipped with ABS have a third
fuse box for the ABS. It is in the
front of the engine compartment on
the passenger's side.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
INTERIO
R
UNDER-HOO
D
TAB
ABS FUS E BO X
Page 248 of 279

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
Page 251 of 279
Identificatio
n Number s
Your car has several identifying numbers located in various places.
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is the 17-digit number your
Acura dealer uses to register your car for warranty purposes. It is also
necessary for licensing and insuring
your car. The easiest place to find the VIN is on a plate fastened to the
top of the dashboard. You can see it
by looking through the windshieldon the driver's side. It is also on theCertification label attached to the
driver's doorjamb, and is stamped on
the engine compartment bulkhead.
The VIN is also provided in bar code on the Certification label. VEHICL
E IDENTIFICATIO N NUMBE R
CERTIFICATIO N LABE L
Technica l Informatio n
Page 252 of 279
Identificatio
n Number s
The Engine Number is stamped into the engine block.
The Transmission Number is on a label on top of the transmission.
Technical Informatio n
MANUA
L TRANSMISSIO N NUMBE R
AUTOMATI C TRANSMISSIO N NUMBE R
ENGIN E NUMBE R
Page 253 of 279
Specification
s
Technica l Informatio n
*
1 : Including the coolant in the reserve tank and that remaining in the
engine.
Reserve tank capacity:0.16 US gal (0.6 ,0.13 Imp gal)
*
2
:
SE, LS,
GS
* 3 : GS-R,Type-R
* 4 : Excluding the oil remaining in the engine.
*
1 : SE, LS, GS, GS-R
* 2 : Type-R
* 1 : SE, LS, GS
* 2 : GS-R, Type-R
* 3 : GS-R
* 4 : Type-R
page 189.
Page 259 of 279

Emission
s Control s
The 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
form photochemical "smog." Carbon monoxide does not contribute tosmog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas.
Th
e Clea n Ai r Ac t
The United States Clean Air Act* sets standards for automobile
emissions. It also requires that automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
work and what to do to maintain them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.Scheduled maintenance is on page
162.
* In Canada, Acura vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for
Emissions valid at the time they are
manufactured. Crankcas
e Emission s Contro l
Syste m
Your car has a Positive Crankcase
Ventilation System. This keeps gasses that build up in the engine'scrankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive Crankcase
Ventilation valve routes them from the crankcase back to the intake
manifold. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned.
Evaporativ e Emission s Contro l
Syste m
As gasoline evaporates in the fuel tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister filled with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is off. After
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine and burned during driving.
Technica l Informatio n
Page 260 of 279

Emission
s Control s
Onboar d Refuelin g Vapo r
Recover y
The Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the fuel vapors during refueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
filled with activated carbon. While driving, the fuel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned off.
Exhaus t Emission s Control s
The exhaust emissions controls include three systems: PGM-FI,
Ignition Timing Control and Three
Way Catalytic Converter. These three systems work together tocontrol the engine's combustion and
minimize the amount of HC, CO, and
NOx that comes out the tailpipe. The
exhaust emissions control systems
are separate from the crankcase and
evaporative emissions control
systems.
PGM-FI System
The PGM-FI System uses sequential multiport fuel injection.
It has three subsystems: Air Intake,Engine Control, and Fuel Control.
The Engine Control Module (ECM) uses various sensors to determine
how much air is going into theengine. It then controls how much
fuel to inject under all operating conditions.
Ignition Timing Control System
This system constantly adjusts the ignition timing, reducing the amountof HC, CO and NOx produced.
Three Way Catalytic Converter
The three way catalytic converter is in the exhaust system. Throughchemical reactions, it converts HC,
CO, and NOx in the engine's exhaust
to carbon dioxide (CO 2), dinitrogen
(N 2), and water vapor. Replacemen
t Part s
The emissions control systems are designed and certified to work to-
gether in reducing emissions to
levels that comply with the Clean Air
Act. To make sure the emissions remain low, you should use only newGenuine Acura replacement parts or
their equivalent for repairs. Using
lower quality parts may increase the emissions from your car.
The emissions control systems are covered by warranties separate from
the rest of your car. Read your
warranty manual for more informa-
tion.
Technical Informatio n