2000 Acura TL 3.2 Owner's Manual

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

Jump Starting
To jump start your car, follow thesedirections closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 220). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
NOTICE
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen battery can cause it to rupture.
2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake. 3. Remove the battery cover.
4. Connect one jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal on the
booster battery. Connect the otherend to the positive (+) terminal
on your Acura's battery. 5. Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative (—) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect theother end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of the engine.
CONTINUED
Taking Care of the Unexpected

Jump Starting
6. If the booster battery is in anothervehicle, have an assistant startthat vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
7. Start your car. If the starter motorstill operates slowly, check the
jumper cable connections to make sure they have good metal-to-
metal contact. 8. Once your car is running, discon-
nect the negative cable from your
car, then from the booster battery.
Disconnect the positive cable from
your car, then the booster battery.
Taking Care of the Unexpected BOOSTER
BATTERY

If Your Engine Overheats
The pointer of your car's tempera-ture gauge should stay in the mid-range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a long steep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine.
Your car can overheat for severalreasons, such as lack of coolant or amechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red mark. Or you may see steam orspray coming from under the car or
engine cover. In either case, you should take immediate action.
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out. 1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the climate control and all other accessories. Turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading(climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid- point then continue driving.
CONTINUED
Taking Care of the Unexpected
NOTICE

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

Low Oil Pressure Indicator
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
This indicator should light when theignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, itindicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressureand serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Tu
rn off
the engine as soon as you can safely get
the car stopped.
1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level(see page 150). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 201). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving. (See Emergency
Towing on page 277.)
Taking Care of the Unexpected
NOTICE

Charging System Indicator
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR
This indicator should come on whenthe ignition switch is ON (II), and goout after the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that thecharging system has stopped
charging the battery. Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C, rear
defogger, cruise control, etc. Try not
to use other electrically-operated
controls such as the power windows.
Keep the engine running and take
extra care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly. By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

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