2000 Acura RL battery

Batter
y

If your car's battery is disconnected
or goes dead, the engine's computer
needs to "relearn" the idle control.
After replacing or recharging the battery:
1. Make sure the climate control sys- tem is off.
2. Start the engine and let it run until it warms up (the radiator cooling
fan comes on at least twice), and
let it idle for five more minutes.
Your audio system will also disable it-

self when the battery is disconnected

or goes dead. The next time you turn

on the radio you will see "Code" in

the frequency display. Use the Pre-
set buttons to enter the five-digit

code (see page 162 ).
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car's electronic controls. Detach the
battery cables before connecting the

battey' to a charger.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

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 217). 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 Park. 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 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 trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehicle body wax to the painted surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk 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 206). The
replacements called for in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.

Maintenance

I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t

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 278.
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 292.)
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 234). You can
then try jump starting the car froma booster battery (see page 278 ).
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 179 . 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 werenot 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 287).

If you find nothing wrong, you will need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 292.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

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 your Acura bypushing 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 234). 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: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.

Takin g Car e
o
f th e Unexpecte d
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.
NOTICE

Jum
p Startin g

3. Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( + )
terminal on the
booster battery. Connect the other
end to the positive ( + ) terminal
on your Acura's battery. 4. Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( — ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect theother end to the ground wire on
the right side of the engine as shown. Do not connect this jumper
cable to any other part of the

engine.

5. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, have an assistant startthat vehicle and run it at a fast idle. 6. Start your car. If the starter motor
still operates slowly, check the
jumper cable connections to make sure they have good metal-to-
metal contact.
7. Once your car is
running, discon-
nect th
e negative cable from your
car, then from the booster battery.
Disconnect the positive cable from
your car, then the booster battery.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

BOOSTE
R BATTER Y

Chargin
g Syste m Indicato r

This indicator should come on when the ignition switch is ON (II), and goout after the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the charging system has stopped
charging the battery. Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories: radio, climate control,
rear defogger, cruise control, etc.
Try not to use other electrically- operated controls such as the power
windows. Keep the engine running and take extra care not to stall it.
Starting the engine will discharge
the battery rapidly. By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

CHARGIN
G SYSTE M INDICATO R

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 fuse boxes.
The interior fuse box is underneaththe dashboard on the driver's side.
To open it, turn the knob as shown. The under-hood fuse box is located
in the engine compartment next to
the battery. To open it, push the tab
as shown.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

INTERIO
R

KNOB
UNDER-HOO
D

TAB

Emergenc
y Towin g

If you decide to tow your car with all
four wheels on the ground, make sure you use a properly-designed and
attached tow bar. Prepare the car for
towing as described above, and leave the ignition switch in Accessory (I)so the steering wheel does not lock.
Make sure the radio and any items
plugged into the accessory power socket are turned off so they do not
run down the battery.

The steering system can be damaged if
the steering wheel is locked. Leave the
ignition switch in Accessory (I), and
make sure the steering wheel turns
freely before you begin towing. Trying to lift or tow your car by the

bumpers will cause serious damage.

The bumpers are not designed to

support the car's weight.

Taking Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E
NOTIC E