Exterior Care
WashingFrequent washing helps preserve
your car's beauty. Dirt and grit can scratch the paint, while tree sap and
bird droppings can permanently ruin
the finish.
Wash your car in a shady area, not in direct sunlight. If the car is parked in
the sun, move it into the shade and
let the exterior cool down before you start.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommended in this Owner's Manual.
Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your car.
• Rinse the car thoroughly with cool water to remove loose dirt.
• Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix in a mild detergent, such asdishwashing liquid or a product
made especially for car washing.
• Wash the car using the water and detergent solution and a soft-
bristle brush, sponge, or soft cloth. Start at the top and work your way
down. Rinse frequently.
• Check the body for road tar, tree sap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it off immediately so it does not
harm the finish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of the car does not need waxing. • When you have washed and rinsed
the whole exterior, dry it with achamois or soft towel. Letting it
air-dry will cause dulling and waterspots.
As you dry the car, inspect it for chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page 247).
Appearance Care
NOTICE
Interior Care
Seat Belts
LOOP
If your seat belts get dirty, you can
use a soft brush with a mixture of
mild soap and warm water to clean
them. Do not use bleach, dye, orcleaning solvents. They can weaken
the belt material. Let the belts air- dry before you use the car. Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.
Windows Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass cleaner. You can also use a mixtureof one part white vinegar to ten parts
water. This will remove the haze that builds up on the inside of the
windows. Use a soft cloth or paper
towels to clean all glass and clear
plastic surfaces.
The rear window defogger and
antenna wires are bonded to the inside
of the glass. Wiping vigorously up-and-
down can dislodge and break these
wires. When cleaning the rear window, use gentle pressure and wipe side-to-
side.
Air Fresheners If you want to use an air freshener/
deodorizer in the interior of your car,
it is best to use a solid type. Some
liquid air fresheners contain chemi-
cals that may cause parts of the interior trim and fabric to crack or discolor.
If you use a liquid air freshener,
make sure you fasten it securely so it does not spill as you drive.
Appearance Care
NOTICE
Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers the more-common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructions
on getting your car towed. Compact Spare Tire.................... 254
Changing a Flat Tire.................. 255
If Your Engine Won't Start............ 260
Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor OperatesVery Slowly...................... 261
The Starter Operates
Normally.......................... 262
Jump Starting............................ 262
If Your Engine Overheats.............. 265
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 267 Charging System Indicator........ 268
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........ 269
Brake System Indicator .............. 270
Closing the Moonroof.............. 271
Fuses.............................................. 272
Checking and Replacing.......... 273
Emergency Towing ...................... 277
Taking Care of the Unexpected
If Your Engine Won't Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying tostart. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:• Check the transmission interlock. The transmission must be in Parkor Neutral or the starter will not
operate.
• Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check their brightness. If the headlightsare very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
Jump Starting on page 262.
• Turn the ignition switch to START (III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignitionswitch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 277.)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec- tions (see page 220). You can
then try jump starting the car froma booster battery (see page 262).
Taking Care of the Unexpected
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
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
Brake System Indicator
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR
The Brake System Indicator lightcomes on when you turn the ignitionON (II). If the parking brake is not
set, it goes off after you start the
engine. If the parking brake is set, it
goes off when you fully release the parking brake with the engine
running. If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the car's
brake system. In most cases, the problem is a low fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it feels normal. If it does, check the brake
fluid level the next time you stop at a service station (see page 214). If the
fluid level is low, take the car to your dealer and have the brake system
inspected for leaks or worn brake
pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
feel normal, you should take immediate action. Because of the
brake system's dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will feel the brake pedal
go down much farther before the car
begins to slow down, and you will
have to press harder on the pedal.
The distance needed to stop will be much longer. Slow down by shifting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is safe. Because of the longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the car. Youshould have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (See Emergency
Towing on page 277.)
If you must drive the car a shortdistance in this condition, driveslowly and cautiously.
Taking Care of the Unexpected