2000 Acura TL check engine light

Owner Maintenance Checks
You should check the followingitems at the specified intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perform any check, turn to the page given. • Engine oil level — Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page 150.
• Engine coolant level — Check the radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 151.
• Windshield washer fluid — Check the level in the reservoir monthly.If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers frequently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
for fuel. See page 212 .
• Automatic transmission — Check the fluid level monthly. See page213.
• Brakes — Check the fluid level monthly. See page 214 . • Tires — Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
229.
• Lights — Check the operation of the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page 234.
Maintenance

Engine Oil
6. Refill the engine with the recom-mended oil.Engine oil change capacity (including filter):
4.6 US qt (4.4 , 3.9 Imp qt) 7. Replace the engine oil fill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
five seconds. If it does not, turn off the engine and reinspect your
work.
8. Let the engine run for several minutes and check the drain boltand oil filter for leaks.
9. Turn off the engine, let it sit for several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the dipstick.
Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmful to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose of
the used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling
center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.
Maintenance
NOTICE

Windshield Washers
Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers often, check the level every time you stop
for fuel.
The windshield washer reservoir is located behind the headlight.
Check the reservoir's fluid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
level gauge attached to the cap.
Canadian Models
The low washer level indicator will light when the level is low (see page 57). Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer fluid. This increases the cleaning capability and
prevents freezing in cold weather.NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or a vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antifreeze can damage your car's paint, while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer fluid.
When you refill the reservoir, clean the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer fluid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
Maintenance

Air Conditioning System
Your car's air conditioning is a sealedsystem. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualified mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works efficiently.
Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling
efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them. AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at asteady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the system with Refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a). (See Specifications on page 282.)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling system. This system captures therefrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenance
NOTICE
NOTICE

If Your Engine Won't Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
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:• Check the transmission interlock. The transmission must be in Parkor Neutral or the starter will not
operate.
• 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
Jump Starting on page 262.
• 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 ignitionswitch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 277.)
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 220). You can
then try jump starting the car froma booster battery (see page 262).
Taking Care of the Unexpected

If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting
The Starter Operates NormallyIn 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.
• Your car has the Immobilizer System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 74).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer systemindicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
• Are you using the proper starting procedure? Refer to Starting theEngine on page 161.
• 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 273).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency
Towing on page 277. Jump Starting
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.
A battery can explode if you donot follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
You cannot start your Acura by pushing or pulling it.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

Jump Starting
To jump start your car, follow thesedirections closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 220). 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.
NOTICE
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. 3. Remove the battery cover.
4. Connect one jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal on the
booster battery. Connect the otherend to the positive (+) terminal
on your Acura's battery. 5. Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative (—) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect theother end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of the engine.
CONTINUED
Taking Care of the Unexpected

Low Oil Pressure Indicator
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
This indicator should light when theignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, itindicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressureand serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Tu
rn off
the engine as soon as you can safely get
the car stopped.
1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level(see page 150). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 201). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving. (See Emergency
Towing on page 277.)
Taking Care of the Unexpected
NOTICE