2000 Acura TL ECO mode

Fuel Economy
The condition of your car and yourdriving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicle Condition Always maintain your car according to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owner MaintenanceChecks (see page 199). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure at least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your fuel mileage and reduces
the chance of corrosion. Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
"warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try to combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel. Turn off the A/C tocut down on air conditioning use.Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is moderate.
Before Driving

Automatic Transmission
Your Acura's transmission has fiveforward speeds, and is electronically
controlled for smoother shifting. It
also has a "lock-up" torque converter
for better fuel economy. You may feel what seems like another shift
when the converter locks. Shift Lever Position Indicator
This indicator in the tachometer shows which position the shift lever
is in. The illuminated number next to
the "D
5" indicator shows you the
gear you have selected in the Sequential SportShift mode. The "D
5" indicator comes on for a
few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch ON (II). If it flashes
while driving (in any shift position), it indicates a possible problem in thetransmission. Avoid rapid
acceleration and have the
transmission checked by an
authorized Acura dealer as soon as
possible.
Driving

Automatic Transmission
Neutral (N) - Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or ifit is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for
any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shift lever from Neutral to another gear.
Drive (D
5) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear for your speed and
acceleration. You may notice the
transmission shifting up at higher speeds when the engine is cold. This
helps the engine warm up faster. Sequential SportShift Mode - With
the shift lever in "D
5" position, you
can select the Sequential SportShift mode to shift gears; much like a
manual transmission, but without a
clutch pedal.
When the Sequential SportShift Mode is selected, the transmission
will automatically upshift and downshift between first and second
gear.
To enter the Sequential SportShift mode, slide the shift lever further to
the left. To return to "D
5", slide the
shift lever to the right.
When you move the shift lever from "D
5" to the Sequential SportShift
mode, the display shows the selected
gear.
Downshift
In the Sequential SportShift mode,
each time you push forward on the
shift lever, the transmission shifts to
a higher gear. Pull back on the lever
to downshift. The number of the
gear selected is displayed next to the "D
5" indicator (see page 162).
CONTINUED
Driving

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
This indicator comes on for a fewseconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emissions control systems
may have a problem. Even though
you may feel no difference in your car's performance, it can reduce
your fuel economy and cause your car to put out excessive emissions.Continued operation may causeserious damage. If you have recently refueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing fuel fill cap. Check the cap
and tighten it until it clicks several
times. Replace the fuel fill cap if it is missing. Tightening the cap will not
make the indicator turn off
immediately; it takes three driving
trips.
If the indicator remains on past threedriving trips, or the fuel cap was not
loose or missing, have the car checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until the dealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving at high speed.
You should also have the dealer inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn off as you continue driving.
If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car's warranties.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
NOTICE