2000 Acura TL towing

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

Carrying Cargo
Load Limit
The maximum load for your car is 850 lbs (395 kg).
This figure includes the total weight of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer.
To figure out how much cargo you can carry:
• Add up the weight of all occupants.
• If you are towing a trailer, add the tongue weight to the numberabove.
• Subtract the total from 850 lbs (395 kg).
The final number is the total weight of cargo you can carry. Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual. Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
• Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurtsomeone during a crash.
• Do not put any items on top of the rear shelf. They can block your
view and be thrown around the carduring a crash.
• Be sure items placed on the floor behind the front seats cannot roll
under the seats and interfere with
the driver's ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper operation of the seats.
• Keep the glove box closed while driving. If the lid is open, a
passenger could injure their knees during a crash or sudden stop.
Before Driving

Driving
This section gives you tips onstarting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important information on
parking your car, the braking system,
the Traction Control System, and
facts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer.Preparing to Drive.................... 160
Starting the Engine.................... 161
Starting in Cold Weather
at High Altitude................. 161
Automatic Transmission........... 162 Shift Lever Position Indicator .. 162
Shift Lever Positions............. 163
Engine Speed Limiter............ 169
Shift Lock Release.............. 169
Parking................................... 171
The Braking System................. 172
Brake Wear Indicators.......... 172
Brake System Design .............. 173
Anti-lock Brakes.................... 173
Important Safety
Reminders................... 174
ABS Indicator.................... 174
Traction Control System ........... 175
TCS ON/OFF Switch ............. 176
TCS Indicator....................... 176
Driving in Bad Weather............. 178
Towing a Trailer........................ 180
Driving

Automatic Transmission
Drive (D4, D3) — These positions
are similar to D
5, except when you
select the D
4 position, only the first
four gears are selected. When you select D
5, only the first three gears
are selected. D
4 can also keep the
transmission from cycling between
fourth and fifth gears in stop-and-go driving, and D
3 can keep the
transmission from cycling between
third and fourth gears.
Use D
3 when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain, or to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D
3
gives you more power and increased engine braking. For faster acceleration when in D
3
D4 or D5, you can get the
transmission to automatically downshift by pushing the accelerator
pedal to the floor. The transmission
will shift down one or two gears, depending on your speed. Second (2) — This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It does not downshift to first gear
when you come to a stop. Second gives you more power when climbing,and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery surface or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
Driving

Towing a Trailer
Your Acura has been designedprimarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment, and follow the guidelines in thissection. Load Limits
• Total Trailer Weight: The total
weight of the trailer andeverything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 lbs (450kg).Towinga load that is too heavy can
seriously affect your vehicle's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
• Tongue Load: The weight that the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces front-tire
traction and steering control. To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer and 40 percent toward the rear, then
readjust the load as needed.
Driving

Towing a Trailer
• Gross Vehicle Weight Rating(GVWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: 4,430 lbs (2,010 kg)
• Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
2,425 lbs (1,100 kg)
on the front axle
2,050 lbs (930 kg)
on the rear axle Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive. Checking Loads
The best way to confirm that vehicle and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a publicscale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the first time you set up a towing combination (a fully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
Driving

Towing a Trailer
Towing Equipment and
Accessories Towing can require a variety of equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it Will be used, and how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and follow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is properly installed and that it meets
federal, state, province, and local
regulations. Hitches
Any hitch used on your vehicle must be properly bolted to the underbody. Safety Chain
Always use a safety chain. Make sure that it is secured to both the
trailer and hitch, and that it crosses
under the tongue so it can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched. Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do not let the chain drag on the ground.
Driving

Towing a Trailer
Trailer Brakes
Honda recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs (450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, be sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic system. No matter how successful it may seem,any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle's hydraulic system
will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential hazard. Trailer Lights
GROUND
(BLACK)
BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW) BRAKE LIGHT
(WHITE/BLACK) LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)
TAILLIGHT (RED/BLACK)
Your car has a trailer lighting
connector located behind the left
side panel in the trunk. Refer to the
drawing above for the wiring color
code and purpose of each pin.
If you use a converter, you can get
the connector and pins that mate
with the connector in your car from
your Acura dealer. Since lighting and wiring vary with
trailer type and brand, you should
also have a qualified technician
install a suitable connector between
the vehicle and the trailer.
CONTINUED
Driving