2000 Acura TL towing

Towing a Trailer
Additional Trailer EquipmentMany states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don't,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your towing situation. Pre-Tow Checklist
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following:
• The vehicle has been properly serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
• All weights and loads are within limits (see pages 180 and 181).
• The hitch, safety chain, and any other attachments are secure.
• All items on and in the trailer areproperly secured and cannot shift
while you drive.
• The lights and brakes on your vehicle and the trailer are workingproperly.
• Your vehicle tires and spare are properly inflated (see page 254),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
Driving

Towing a Trailer
Driving Safety With a Trailer
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
For your safety and the safety ofothers, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.
Towing Speeds and Gears
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
Use the D
5 or D4 positions when
towing a trailer on level roads. D
3 is
the proper shift lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain. (See "Driving on Hills" in the next
column for additional gear
information.) Making Turns and Braking
Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.
Driving on Hills
When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the airconditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the transmission shifts frequently
between 4th and 5th gears while
going up a hill, shift to D
4. And if the
transmission shifts frequently
between 3rd and 4th gears, shift to D
3.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake. Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator, as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, and
remember it will take longer to slow
down and stop when towing a trailer.
CONTINUED
Driving

Towing a Trailer
Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking corrections.
Backing Up
Always drive slowly and have someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the bottom of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the left to get the trailer to move to the left,
and turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right. Parking
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in Park and firmly setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer's
tires.
Driving

Service at the indicated
distance or time — whichever
comes first. miles x 1,000
km x 1,000
months
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Check engine oil and coolant
Clean (o) or replace ( • ) air cleaner element Use normal schedule except in dusty conditons
Inspect valve clearance
Replace spark plugs
Replace timing belt*
1-*, and inspect water pump
Inspect and adjust drive belts
Inspect idle speed
Replace engine coolant
Replace transmission fluid Inspect front and rear brakes
Replace brake fluid
Check parking brake adjustment
Replace air conditioning filter*
2Lubricate all hinges, locks and latches Rotate tires (Check tire inflation and condition
at least once per month) 15
24 12 30
48
24 45
72
3660
96
48 75
120 60 90
144
72 105
168
84 120
192
96
Replace every 3,750 miles (6,000 km) or 6 months Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop
O •
O • O •
Adjust only if noisy
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
O •
•
•
Inspect every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or 6 months
•
• •
•
•
•
•
••
•
••
•
•
• •
•
•
••
•
•
Rotate tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
Visually inspect the following items:
Tie rod ends, steering gear box, Suspension components
Driveshaft boots and boots
Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and conditions of fluids Cooling system hoses and connections
'Exhaust system
'Fuel lines and connections
Lights and controls
Vehicle underbody Every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or 6 months
U.S. Owners
Follow the Severe Conditions
Maintenance Schedule if you
drive your vehicle MAINLY
under one or more of the
following conditions:
• Driving less than 5 miles (8 km) per trip or, in freezing
temperatures, driving less
than 10 miles (16 km) per trip.
• Driving in extremely hot[over 90°F (32° C)] conditions.
• Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving.
• Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack, or driving in
mountainous conditions.
• Driving on muddy, dusty, orde-iced roads.
Canadian Owners
Follow the Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions.
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, \
page 191.
* 1: See Timing Belt on page 227 to determine need for replacement.
* 2: See Air Conditioning Filter on page 226 for replacement information under special conditions.
Maintenance
Maintenance Schedule for Normal Conditions• • • • • • • \
•

Use this schedule if your vehicle is MAINLY driven in any of the followi\
ng Severe Conditions, or normally driven in Canada; otherwise use the No\
rmalSchedule. Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes fir\
st. Do the items in A, B, C, D as required for each distance/time.
3,750 mi/6,000 km/-7,500 mi/12,000 km/6 mos 11,250 mi/18,000 km/-
15,000 mi/24,000 km/1 yr
18,750 mi/30,000 km/-
22,500 mi/36,000 km/1½ yrs
26,250 mi/42,000 km/-
30,000 mi/48,000 km/2 yrs
33,750 mi/54,000 km/-
37,500 mi/60,000 km/2½ yrs
41,250 mi/66,000 km/-
45,000 mi/72,000 km/3 yrs
48,750 mi/78,000 km/-
52,500 mi/84,000 km/3½ yrs
56,250 mi/90,000 km/-
60,000 mi/96,000 km/4 yrs
63,750 mi/102,000 km/-
67,500 mi/108,000 km/4½ yrs
71,250 mi/114,000 km/-
75,000 mi/120,000 km/5 yrs
78,750 mi/126,000 km/- Do items in A.
Do items in A, B. Do items in A.

CIean air cleaner element. Do items in A, B, C.Do items in A. Do items in A, B.Do items in A.
Do items in A, B, C, D.
Do items in A.
Do items in A, B.
Do items in A. Replace coolant. Replace brake fluid.

CIean air cleaner element. Do items in A, B, C.Do items in A.
Do items in A, B.
Do items in A.
'
Replace timing belt*1, inspect water pump.Do items in A, B, C, D.
Do items in A.
Do items in A, B.
Do items in A.

Replace coolant, Clean air cleaner element.Do items in A, B.
Do items in A.
NOTE:• Check engine oil and coolant at each fuel stop.• Check and adjust valve clearance, cold engine, if noisy.
CONTINUED
Maintenance
Severe Conditions:• Driving less than 5 miles (8 km) per trip or, in freezingtemperatures, driving less than 10 miles (16 km) per trip.• Driving in extremely hot (over 90°F/32°C) conditions.
• Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving.• Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack, or driving in mountainous conditions.
• Driving, on muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads.
A
B• Replace engine oil and filter. Inspect front and rear brakes.
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page 231 ). Inspect tie rod ends, steering gear box and boots.
Inspect suspension components. Inspect driveshaft boots.
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, lastcolumn, page 191.
* 1 : See Timing Belt on page 227 to determine need for replacement.
* 2 : See Air Conditioning Filter on page 226 for replacement
information under special conditions.
Maintenance Schedule for Normal Conditions (listed by distance/time)

Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers the more-common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructions
on getting your car towed. Compact Spare Tire.................... 254
Changing a Flat Tire.................. 255
If Your Engine Won't Start............ 260
Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor OperatesVery Slowly...................... 261
The Starter Operates
Normally.......................... 262
Jump Starting............................ 262
If Your Engine Overheats.............. 265
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 267 Charging System Indicator........ 268
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........ 269
Brake System Indicator .............. 270
Closing the Moonroof.............. 271
Fuses.............................................. 272
Checking and Replacing.......... 273
Emergency Towing ...................... 277
Taking Care of the Unexpected

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