2000 Acura TL transmission

Automatic Transmission
When you accelerate away from astop, the transmission will start in
first gear and then automatically upshift to second gear. You have to
manually upshift between secondand fifth gears. Make sure you
upshift before the engine speed
reaches the tachometer's red zone. The transmission remains in the
selected gear (5,4,3). There is no
automatic downshift when you push
the accelerator pedal to the floor. The transmission may automatically
downshift from the higher gear to
the lower gear under the following conditions:
Driving on level roads and downhill
To shift from
4 3
5 4 Speed range
under 18 mph (29 km/h)
under 31 mph (50 km/h)
Driving uphill
To shift from 4 3
5 4 Speed range
under 34 mph (55 km/h)
under 47 mph (75 km/h)
Driving

Automatic Transmission
Downshifting gives you more power
when climbing or provides engine braking when going down a steep hill.
The transmission will also shift automatically as the vehicle comes to
a complete stop. It will downshift to
first gear when the vehicle speed is under 9 mph (15 km/h).
If you try to manually downshift at aspeed that would cause the engine to
exceed the redline in a lower gear,
the transmission will not downshift.
The gear indicator will flash the number of the lower gear several
times, then return to the higher gear. If the car speed slows to below the
redline of the selected lower gear
position while the indicator is
flashing, the transmission will downshift and the display will show
the selected lower gear.
If the transmission temperature is
below 14 °F (-10 °C), you may not
be able to use the Sequential SportShift mode.
The table shows the speed ranges for upshifting and downshifting.
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Driving
To shift from
2 3
3 4
4 5 Speed range
over 9 mph (15 km/h)
over 18 mph (29 km/h)
over 31 mph (50 km/h)
To shift from
3 2
4 3
5 4 Speed range
under 60 mph (96 km/h)
under 93 mph (150 km/h)
under 140 mph (225 km/h)

Automatic Transmission
Drive (D4, D3) — These positions
are similar to D
5, except when you
select the D
4 position, only the first
four gears are selected. When you select D
5, only the first three gears
are selected. D
4 can also keep the
transmission from cycling between
fourth and fifth gears in stop-and-go driving, and D
3 can keep the
transmission from cycling between
third and fourth gears.
Use D
3 when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain, or to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D
3
gives you more power and increased engine braking. For faster acceleration when in D
3
D4 or D5, you can get the
transmission to automatically downshift by pushing the accelerator
pedal to the floor. The transmission
will shift down one or two gears, depending on your speed. Second (2) — This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It does not downshift to first gear
when you come to a stop. Second gives you more power when climbing,and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery surface or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
Driving

Automatic Transmission
First (1) - With the lever in this
position, the transmission locks in
First gear.
If you shift into First position when
the vehicle speed is above 31 mph(50 km/h), the transmission shifts
into Second gear first to avoid sudden engine braking. Engine Speed Limiter
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine speed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may feel
the engine cut in and out. This is caused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone. Shift Lock Release
This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal does not work. This procedure
also releases the Reverse Lockout.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Make sure the key is in the ignition switch OFF (0) position.
To release the Reverse Lockout, make sure the key is in the
ACCESSORY (I) position.
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Driving

Automatic Transmission
COVER
3. Put a cloth on the edge of the ShiftLock Release slot cover next to
the shift lever.
Use a small flat-tipped screwdriver
or small metal plate (neither are
included in the tool kit) to remove
the cover. Carefully pry off the
edge of the cover.
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
4. Insert a screwdriver in the shift lock release slot
5. Push down on the screwdriver and move the shift lever out of Park to
Neutral.
To release the Reverse Lockout, move the shift lever from Neutral
to Reverse, then Park. 6. Remove the screwdriver from the
shift lock release slot, then install
a new cover.
Depress the brake pedal and
restart the engine.
If you need to use the Shift Lock
Release, it means your car is
developing a problem. Have the car
checked by your Acura dealer.
Driving

Parking
Always use the parking brake whenyou park your car. The indicator onthe instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not fully released; it does not indicate that the parking
brake is firmly set. Make sure the
parking brake is set firmly or your car may roll if it is parked on an
incline.
Set the parking brake before you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the car from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanism in the transmission — making it
easier to move the shift lever out of
Park when you want to drive away. If the car is facing uphill, turn the
front wheels away from the curb.
If the car is facing downhill, turn the
front wheels toward the curb.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Parking Tips
• Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
• Turn off the lights.
• Place any packages, valuables, etc., in the trunk or take them with you.
• Check the indicator on the driver'sdoor to verify that the security
system is set.
• Never park over dry leaves, tallgrass, or other flammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
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.
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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