2000 Acura TL manual transmission

2000 TL Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... 109
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................145
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .159
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................187
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .245
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................253
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................279
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................291
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................297
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump. Owner's Identification Form
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ 2

Automatic Transmission
Shift Lever Positions
SHIFT LEVER
SEQUENTIAL
SPORTSHIFT MODE
POSITION
The shift lever has nine positions. It must be in Park or Neutral to start
the engine. When you are stopped inD
5, D4, D3, 2, 1,N,R,or the
Sequential SportShift mode, press
firmly on the brake pedal and keep
your foot off the accelerator pedal. To select the Sequential SportShift
mode, slide the shift lever toward the
left from the "D
5" position.
In this mode the shift lever allows
you to shift up and down manually.
To shift from:
P toR
R to N
N to Ds
D
5 to D4
D4 to D3D3 to2
2 to l
1to2
2 to D
3D3 to D4D4 to D5
N to R R to P Do this:
Press the brake pedal, then
move the shift lever.
Move the lever.
Whenever you move the shift lever, slide it along the guide on the
console.
You cannot shift out of Park with the brake pedal depressed when theignition switch is in LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I).
CONTINUED
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

Automatic Transmission
When you accelerate away from astop, the transmission will start in
first gear and then automatically upshift to second gear. You have to
manually upshift between secondand fifth gears. Make sure you
upshift before the engine speed
reaches the tachometer's red zone. The transmission remains in the
selected gear (5,4,3). There is no
automatic downshift when you push
the accelerator pedal to the floor. The transmission may automatically
downshift from the higher gear to
the lower gear under the following conditions:
Driving on level roads and downhill
To shift from
4 3
5 4 Speed range
under 18 mph (29 km/h)
under 31 mph (50 km/h)
Driving uphill
To shift from 4 3
5 4 Speed range
under 34 mph (55 km/h)
under 47 mph (75 km/h)
Driving

Automatic Transmission
Downshifting gives you more power
when climbing or provides engine braking when going down a steep hill.
The transmission will also shift automatically as the vehicle comes to
a complete stop. It will downshift to
first gear when the vehicle speed is under 9 mph (15 km/h).
If you try to manually downshift at aspeed that would cause the engine to
exceed the redline in a lower gear,
the transmission will not downshift.
The gear indicator will flash the number of the lower gear several
times, then return to the higher gear. If the car speed slows to below the
redline of the selected lower gear
position while the indicator is
flashing, the transmission will downshift and the display will show
the selected lower gear.
If the transmission temperature is
below 14 °F (-10 °C), you may not
be able to use the Sequential SportShift mode.
The table shows the speed ranges for upshifting and downshifting.
CONTINUED
Driving
To shift from
2 3
3 4
4 5 Speed range
over 9 mph (15 km/h)
over 18 mph (29 km/h)
over 31 mph (50 km/h)
To shift from
3 2
4 3
5 4 Speed range
under 60 mph (96 km/h)
under 93 mph (150 km/h)
under 140 mph (225 km/h)

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

Index
Cold Weather, Starting in.................... 161
Compact Spare.............................. 254
Console Compartment.......... .......... 101
Consumer Information*.......... .......... 292
Controls, Instruments and.................... 52
Coolant
Adding.......................................... 206 Checking........................................ 151
Proper Solution...................... 206
Temperature Gauge.................... 60
Corrosion Protection.......... .......... 250
Crankcase Emissions Control System........................................ 288
Cruise Control Operation.......... .. 69
Customer Relations Office............ 292 Dimming the Headlights.........
........... 63
Dipstick Automatic Transmission.......... .......... 213
Engine Oil.......... .............................. 150
Directional Signals......... ............. 65
Disabled, Towing Your Car If.......... 277
Disc Brake Wear Indicators............ 172
Disposal of Used Oil.......... .......... 205
Doors Power Door Locks......... ............. 77
DOT Tire Quality Grading.......... ..... 284
Drive Belts.......... .............................. 226
Driver and Passenger Safety............ 5
Driving.................................................. 159
Economy........................................ 152
In Bad Weather.......... ............ 178
In Foreign Countries.................... 287 Checking the Fuses.................... 272
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 267
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.... 269
Manually Closing Moonroof.... 271
Overheated Engine..........
.......... 265
Emergency Brake.............................. 99
Emergency Flashers...................... 67
Emissions Controls...................... 288
Engine Belts.......................................... 226
Coolant Temperature Gauge.......... 60
Malfunction IndicatorLamp................................ 54, 269
Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 54, 267
Oil, What Kind to Use.......... .. 201
Overheating.............................. 265
Specifications.......... .................... 283
Ethanol in Gasoline.................... 286
Evaporative Emissions Controls.. 288
Exhaust Fumes......... ..................... 49
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat Belts by........................................ 18
Exterior, Cleaning the.......... .......... 246
CONTINUED
D
DANGER, Explanation of...
......... ii
Dashboard.............
.............. 52
Daytime Running Lights.......... 64
Dead Battery, What to Do.......... 262
Defects, Reporting Safety.......... 295
DEXRON® in Automatic Transmission Fluid.................. 213
Dimensions....................
...... 282 E
Economy, Fuel.......... 152
Emergencies on the Road.......... 253 Battery, Jump Starting.......... 262Brake System Indicator.......... 270Changing a Flat Tire.......... 255Charging System Indicator.......... 268

Index
Safety Defects, Reporting*.................... 295
Safety Features................................ 7Airbags........ ................................ .. 9
Door Locks......................................... . 10
Head Restraints......... ............................. 10
Seat Belts.............................. .. 8
Seats & Seat-Backs......... ............. 10
Safety Labels, Location of......... ............. 50
Safety Messages................................ ii
Seat Belt, Additional Information. ..... 40
Lap/Shoulder Belt...................... 40
Seat Belt Maintenance............ 42 Seat Belt System Components... 40
Seat Belts...................................... .. 8
Cleaning.......... .............................. 249
Maintenance......... ....................... 42
Reminder Light and Beeper......... .............................. . 54
System Components.................... 40
Tether Attachment Points.......... .. 39
Use During Pregnancy.................... 18
Seats, Adjusting the......... ............. 89
Security System.......... ...................... 143
Serial Number.............................. 280
Service Intervals.......... .................... 192
Service Manual*.......... .................... 297Service Station Procedures.........
... 146
Setting the Clock.......... ............ 100
Shifting The Automati c
Transmission.............................. 162
Shift Lever Position Indicator.......... .. 162
Side Airbags.................................... 9, 46
Side Airbag Indicator......... ........... 47
Side Marker Lights, Bulb
Replacement in.............................. 238
Signaling Turns......... ..................... 65
Snow Tires.......... .............................. 233
Solvent-type Cleaners.......... .......... 246
Sound System.............................. 123
Spare Tire Inflating........................................ 254
Specifications.......... .................... 283
Spark Plugs, Replacing.......... .......... 217
Specifications Charts.......... .......... 282
Speed Control.............................. 69
Speedometer......... ........................ 58
SRS, Additional Information.......... 43 Additional Safety Precautions.... 48How Your Airbags Work.......... 43
How Your SRS Indicator Works....................................... . 45SRS Components.........
............. 43
SRS Service......... ..................... 48
SRS Indicator........................................ 45
START (Ignition Key Position).......... 76
Starting the Engine.......... ............ 161
In Cold Weather at High Altitude.......................................... 161
With a Dead Battery.................... 262
Steam Coming from Engine.......... 265 Steering Wheel Adjustment......... ....................... 68
Anti-theft Column Lock......... ........... 75
Stereo Sound System.................... 123
Storing Your Vehicle.................... 243
Sun Visor........................................ 104
Sunglasses Holder...................... 105
Supplemental Restrain t System
Servicing......... .............................. . 48
SRS Indicator.............................. 45
System Components.................... 43
CONTINUED
T
Tachometer......... .............................. . 58