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
Air Conditioning Filter, Drive Belts
Air Conditioning Filter
The air conditioning filter removespollen and dust that is brought in
from the outside through the heating
and cooling system.
This filter should be replaced every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) under nor-
mal conditions. It should be replaced
every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) if you
drive primarily in urban areas that
have high concentrations of soot in
the air from industry and diesel-pow-
ered vehicles. Replace it more often
if air flow from the climate controlsystem becomes less than usual.
Have the air conditioning filter re-
placed by your Acura dealer. Drive Belts
POWER STEERING BELT
Check the condition of the two drive
belts. Examine the edges of each
belt for cracks or fraying.
Check the tension of the power
steering belt by pushing on it with
your thumb midway between the
pulleys.
The belt should have the following "play" or deflection. Power steering belt:
0.51 -0.65 in (13.0-16.5 mm)
If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace the belts.
Maintenance
If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays atthe red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 277).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page
151). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have toadd coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes off. 10. Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the filler neck. If you do not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and refilled with the proper mixture assoon as you can.
11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Emergency
Towing on page 277
.)
12. If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in theradiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
