Page 117 of 273

Audi
o Syste m
Carin g fo r th e Cassett e Playe r
The cassette player picks up dirt and oxides from the tape. This contami-nation builds up over time and
causes the sound quality to degrade.
To prevent this, you should clean the player after every 30 hours of use.
Your dealer has a cleaning kit
available.
If you do not clean the cassette
player regularly, it may eventually
become impossible to remove the contamination with a normal cleaning kit.
The player automatically ejects cassettes that do not play properly. If
it ejects a cassette before it begins to
play, it is probably defective andshould not be inserted again. You
may have a cassette suddenly stop
playing, reverse directions once or twice and then eject. This is normallyan indication the tape is wound
unevenly. It should play after the tape is manually rewound.
Use 100-minute or shorter cassettes.
Cassettes longer than that usethinner tape that may break or jam
the drive.
Look at the cassette before you
insert it. If the tape is loose, tighten
it by turning a hub with a pencil or
your finger.
If the label is peeling off, remove it
from the cassette or it could cause the cassette to jam in the player.
Never try to insert a warped ordamaged cassette in the player.
When they are not in use, store
cassettes in their cases to protect
them from dust and moisture. Never
place cassettes where they will be exposed to direct sunlight, high heat,
or high humidity. If a cassette is
exposed to extreme heat or cold, let
it reach a moderate temperature
before inserting it in the player. Never try to insert foreign objects
into the cassette player.
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s
Page 121 of 273

Break-i
n Period , Gasolin e
Break-i n Perio d
Help assure your car's future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:
Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoid hard braking. New brakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use for the first 200 miles (300
km).
You should follow these same re-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined.
Gasolin
e
Your Acura is designed to operate on
unleaded gasoline.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
fuel system and engine deposits.
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your car's emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
(LS and GS models)
Use an unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 86 or higher. Use of a lower octane gasoline can
cause a persistent, heavy metallic
rapping noise in the engine that can
lead to mechanical damage.
(GS-R model)
Use a premium unleaded gasoline
with a pump octane number of 91 or
higher.
If you are unable to find premium
unleaded gasoline, you may substi-
tute an unleaded regular gasoline. The engine will compensate for the
lower octane, but you may notice a slight decrease in power as a result.
Befor e Drivin g
Page 127 of 273

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 165 ). 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 to combine 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.
Befor e Drivin g
Page 182 of 273

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 isnot, 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 notavailable. 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
Page 236 of 273

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 thedealer 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
MALFUNCTIO N INDICATO R LAM P