2000 Acura Integra coolant temperature

Gauge
s

Fue l Gaug e
This shows how much fuel you have. It is most accurate when the car is on
level ground. It may show slightly
more or less than the actual amount
when you are driving on curvy or hilly roads. The gauge stays at the same fuel
level reading after you turn off theignition. When you add fuel, the
gauge slowly changes to the new
reading after you turn the ignitionswitch back ON (II).
Temperatur e Gaug e
This shows the temperature of the engine's coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise
from the bottom white mark to about
the middle of the gauge. In severe driving conditions, such as very hot
weather or a long period of uphill driving, the pointer may rise to near
the upper white mark. If it reaches
the red (Hot) mark, pull safely to the side of the road. Turn to page 233 for
instructions and precautions on
checking the engine's cooling
system.

Instrument s an d Control s

TEMPERATUR
E

GAUG E
TACHOMETE
R


SPEEDOMETE R

FUEL GAUG
E

TRI P METE R
ODOMETE R
TRI
P METE R

RESE T BUTTO N

Heatin
g an d Coolin g

Ven t Control s

You can adjust the direction of the air coming from the dashboard vents
by moving the tab in the center of each vent up-and-down and side-to-
side.
The vents in the corners of the
dashboard can be opened and closed
with the dials underneath them. Ho
w to Us e th e Syste m
This section covers how to set up the system controls for ventilation,
heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and defrosting.
The engine must be running for the heater and air conditioning to
generate hot and cold air. The heateruses engine coolant to warm the air.
If the engine is cold, it will be several
minutes before you feel warm air coming from the system.
The air conditioning does not rely on engine temperature.

Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature sSID
E VEN T
CENTE R VEN T

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 remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the car has been sitting out in
cold weather:
1. Start the engine.

2. Select the Fresh Air mode and 3. Switch the fan and temperature
controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield (on very colddays), first select the Recirculation
mode. Once the windshield is clear, select the Fresh Air mode to avoid
fogging the windows. These settings direct all the air flow
to the defroster vents at the base ofthe windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the side vents with the dial
underneath each vent. This will send
more warm air to the windshielddefroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a clear view through all the windows
before driving away.
T
o Turn Everythin g Of f

To shut off the system temporarily, slide the fan speed and temperature
control levers all the way to the left.
You should shut the system completely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,
until the engine coolant warms upenough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale
air does not build up in the interior.
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s

Coolin
g Syste m
Do not add any rust inhibitors or other additives to your car's cooling
system. They may not be compatible
with the coolant or engine compo-
nents.

Replacin g Engin e Coolan t
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use Genuine Honda Antifreeze/Coolant.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance done by a skilled mechanic. 1. Turn the ignition ON (II). Slidethe heater temperature control
lever to maximum heat. Turn the ignition off.
2. Open the hood. Make sure the
engine and radiator are cool to the touch.
3. Remove the radiator cap. 4. Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the splash guard. Remove the drainbolt and washer from the engine block.
Maintenanc e DRAI
N PLU G
DRAI
N
BOL T

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.

CONTINUED

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.

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you continue driving (see Emergenc y
Towin g on page 245).

7. If you don't find an obvious leak,

check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page 124). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.

8. If there was no coolant in the

reserve tank, you may also have to add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check- ing the radiator.

9. Using gloves or a large heavy

cloth, turn the radiator cap

counterclockwise, without pushing

down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on

the cap and turn it until it comes
off.
10.Start the engine and set the

temperature control lever to
maximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water. Remember to have the cooling
system drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.

11.Put the radiator cap back on

lightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine needs repair. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 245.)

12.If the temperature stays normal,

check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out, seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

Inde
x

Clock, Setting the............................ 88

Clutch Fluid.................................... 183

Code, Audio System...................... 119
CO in the Exhaust......................... 256

Cold Weather, Starting in............. 137

Compact Spare............................... 224

Console Compartment.................... 90
Consumer Information*................ 260
Controls, Instruments and............. 51
Coolant
Adding......................................... 176

Checking..................................... 128

Proper Solution.......................... 176

Replacing.................................... 178

Temperature Gauge.................... 59

Corrosion Protection..................... 220

Crankcase Emissions Control
System......................................... 256

Cruise Control Operation............... 67
Customer Relations Office........... 260
DANGER, Explanation of................
ii
Dashboard.................................... 2, 52
Daytime Running Lights................. 62 Dead Battery, What to Do............ 231
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 263
Defog and Defrost......................... 100
Defogger, Rear Window................. 65
DEXRON ®
III Automatic
Transmission Fluid.................... 182
Dimensions..................................... 250
Dimming the Headlights................ 62
Dipstick Automatic Transmission........... 182
Engine Oil................................... 127
Directional Signals........................... 63
Disabled, Towing Your Car
If......
245
Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 145 Disposal of Used Oil...................... 175
Doors Locking and Unlocking............... 75
Power Door Locks....................... 75
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 252
Downshifting, 5-speed Manual Transmission.............................. 138
Drive Belts...................................... 195
Driver and Passenger Safety............ 5
Driving............................................ 135 Economy..................................... 129
In Bad Weather.......................... 149 In Foreign Countries................. 255

Economy, Fuel............................... 129

Emergencies on the Road............. 223 Battery, Jump Starting.............. 231
Brake System Indicator............ 238
Changing a Flat Tire................. 225
Charging System Indicator...... 236
Checking the Fuses................... 241
Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 235
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.... 237
Manually Closing Moonroof.... 239 Overheated Engine................... 233
Emergency Brake............................ 87
Emergency Flashers....................... 65
Emergency Towing....................... 241
Emissions Controls........................ 256

CONTINUED