2000 Acura TL 3.2 Owner's Manual

Towing a Trailer
Towing Equipment and
Accessories Towing can require a variety of equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it Will be used, and how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and follow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is properly installed and that it meets
federal, state, province, and local
regulations. Hitches
Any hitch used on your vehicle must be properly bolted to the underbody. Safety Chain
Always use a safety chain. Make sure that it is secured to both the
trailer and hitch, and that it crosses
under the tongue so it can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched. Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do not let the chain drag on the ground.
Driving

Towing a Trailer
Trailer Brakes
Honda recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs (450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, be sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic system. No matter how successful it may seem,any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle's hydraulic system
will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential hazard. Trailer Lights
GROUND
(BLACK)
BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW) BRAKE LIGHT
(WHITE/BLACK) LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)
TAILLIGHT (RED/BLACK)
Your car has a trailer lighting
connector located behind the left
side panel in the trunk. Refer to the
drawing above for the wiring color
code and purpose of each pin.
If you use a converter, you can get
the connector and pins that mate
with the connector in your car from
your Acura dealer. Since lighting and wiring vary with
trailer type and brand, you should
also have a qualified technician
install a suitable connector between
the vehicle and the trailer.
CONTINUED
Driving

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

Maintenance
This section explains why it isimportant to keep your car wellmaintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Acura, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See page 297 for information on how toobtain a copy, or see your Acuradealer. Maintenance Safety .................................188
Important Safety Precautions......189
Maintenance Schedule
.......................... 190
Maintenance Record ............................ 197
Owner Maintenance Checks.............. 199
Fluid Locations.................................... 200
Engine Oil...................................... 201
Adding Oil................................ 201
Recommended Oil...................... 201
Synthetic Oil................................ 203
Additives.................................. 203
Changing the Oil and Filter.......... 203
Cooling System ............................ 206
Adding Engine Coolant............ 206 Replacing Engine Coolant........ 208
Windshield Washers .................... 212
Transmission Fluid...................... 213
Automatic Transmission.......... 213
Brake Fluid................................ 214
Brake System .......................... 214
Power Steering ............................ 215
Hood Latch.................................. 215
Air Cleaner Element .................. 216
Spark Plugs................................ 217
Replacement............................ 217
Specifications............................ 219Battery..........................................
220
Wiper Blades.............................. 223 Air Conditioning System.............. 225
Air Conditioning Filter................ 226
Drive Belts.................................... 226
Timing Belt................................ 227
Tires............................................ 227
Inflation................................ 228
Inspection................................ 229
Maintenance............................ 230
Tire Rotation............................ 231
Replacing Tires and Wheels..... 231
Wheels and Tires.................... 232
Winter Driving...................... 233
Snow Tires.......................... 233
Traction Devices.................. 233
Lights........................................ 234
Replacing Bulbs...................... 236
Storing Your Car........................ 243
Maintenance

Maintenance Safety
Regularly maintaining your car is the
best way to protect your investment. Proper maintenance is essential to
your safety and the safety of your passengers. It will also reward you
with more economical, trouble-free driving and help reduce air pollution.
Improperly maintaining this car
or failing to correct a problem
before driving can cause a
crash in which you can be
seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection and maintenancerecommendations and
schedules in this owner's manual. This section includes instructions for
simple maintenance tasks, such as
checking and adding oil. Any service
items not detailed in this sectionshould be performed by an Acura
technician or other qualified mechanic. Some of the most important safety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every conceivable hazard that can arise in
performing maintenance. Only you can decide whether or not you
should perform a given task.
Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner's manual.
Maintenance

Maintenance Safety
Important Safety Precautions
Before you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also, be sure the engine
is off. This will help to eliminateseveral potential hazards:
• Carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust. Be surethere is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the engine.
• Burns from hot parts. Let the engine and exhaust system cool
before touching any parts.
• Injury from moving parts. Do
not run the engine unless in-structed to do so. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of fire or explosion, be careful when working
around gasoline or batteries. Use a
commercially available degreaser or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and all
fuel-related parts.
You should wear eye protection and protective clothing when workingnear the battery or when using
compressed air.
Maintenance