Engin
e Oi l
5. Put a new washer on the drain bolt, then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:33 Ibf.ft (44 N.m , 4.5 kgf.m)
6. Refil
l the engine with the recom-
mended oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including filter):
(SE,
LS,
GS)
4.0 US qt (3.8 ,3.3 Imp qt)
(GS-R,Type-R)
4.2 US qt (4.0 , 3.5 Imp qt)
7. Replac
e the engine oil fill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
five seconds. If it does not, turn off
the engine and reinspect your
work.
8. Let the engine run for several minutes and check the drain boltand oil filter for leaks.
9. Turn off the engine, let it sit for several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.
Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmful to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose ofthe used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.
Maintenance
NOTIC
E
Windshiel
d Washers , Transmissio n Flui d
The windshield washer reservoir is located behind the driver's side
headlight. Check the reservoir's fluid
level by removing the cap and
looking at the level gauge attached
to the
cap.
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer fluid. This increases the cleaning capability and
prevents freezing in cold weather. When you refill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer fluidon a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
Do not use engine antifreeze or a vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antifreeze can damage your car's paint, while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer fluid.
Automati
c Transmissio n
Check the fluid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature.
1. Park the car on level ground. Shut off the engine.
2. Remove the dipstick (yellow loop) from the transmission and wipe it
with a clean cloth.
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
DIPSTIC
K
LEVE L GAUG E
WINDSHIEL
D WASHE R RESERVOI R
NOTICE
Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m
Optional for Canadian Type-R model
Your car's air conditioning is a sealed system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualified mechanic. You can do a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works efficiently. Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning condenser for leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Run the air conditioning at least once a week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at asteady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Refrigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specifications on page 254.)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E
NOTIC E
AI
R CONDITIONIN G
CONDENSE R
I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
Nothin g Happen s o r th e Starte r
Moto r Operate s Ver y Slowl y
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: Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 72 ).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer systemindicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed all the way to the floor or thestarter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral. 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
Jum p Startin g on page 233. 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
Emergenc y Towin g on page 248.)
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 189 ). You can
then try jump starting the car from
a booster battery (see page 233 ).
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
I
f You r Engin e Won' t Start , Jum p Startin g
Th e Starte r Operate s Normall y
In 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. Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer to Startin g th e
Engin e on page 137. 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 243).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 248. Jum
p Startin g
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.
You cannot start an Acura with anautomatic transmission by pushingor pulling it.
CONTINUED
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
Jum
p Startin g
To jump start your car, follow these directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 191 ). 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.
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: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral orPark and set the parking brake. 3. Connect one jumper cable to the
positive (+) terminal on your
Acura's battery. Connect the other end to the positive (+) terminalon the booster battery. 4. 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.
5. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, have an assistant startthat vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E
Lo
w Oi l Pressur e Indicato r
This indicator should light when the ignition 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, it
indicates that the oil pressuredropped 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. Turn offthe 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 127). 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 173). 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 Emergenc y
Towin g on page 248.)
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
LO
W OI L PRESSUR E INDICATO R
NOTIC
E
Inde
x
Accessories and Modifications.... 130 Accessories................................. 130Additional Safety Precaution.... 131
Modifications............................. 131
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key Position)........................................ 74
Additives, Engine Oil..................... 175
Airbag (SRS)............................... 9, 45Ai
r Cleane
r Element...................... 188
Air Conditioning System................. 94
Maintenance............................... 196Usage............................................. 94
Air Outlets (Vents).......................... 96
Air Pressure, Tires........................ 198
Alcohol in Gasoline........................ 258
Antifreeze....................................... 178 Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) Indicator................................ 55
, 148
Operation.................................... 14
6
Anti-theft Steering Column
Lock............................................... 74
Appearance Care........................... 217
Ashtrays............................................ 91
Audio System................................. 102
Automatic Speed Control................ 67
Automatic Transmission............... 140
Capacity, Fluid........................... 255
Checking Fluid Level................ 183
Shifting........................................ 140
Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 140
Shift Lever Positions................. 140
Shift Lock Release..................... 143
Battery Charging SystemIndicator............................ 55,
239
Jump Starting............................
. 233
Maintenance............................... 191
Specifications............................. 255
Before Driving............................... 121
Belts, Seat.................................... 8, 42
Beverage Holder.............................. 89
Body Repair.................................... 224
Brakes Anti-lock System (ABS)............ 146
Break-in, New Linings.............. 123
Bulb Replacement..................... 212
Fluid............................................ 185
Parking.......................................... 87
System Indicator................. 54,
241
Wear Indicators........................
. 145
Braking System.............................. 145
Break-in, New Car......................... 123
Brightness Control, Instruments... 63
Brights, Headlights......................... 62
Bulb Replacement Back-up Lights........................... 212
Brake Lights............................... 212 Cargo Area Light....................... 215
Ceiling Light............................... 215
Front Parking Lights................. 210
Front Side Marker Lights......... 210
Headlights.................................. 209
High-mount Brake Light.......... 211
License Plate Light.................... 214
Rear Side Marker Lights.......... 212
Specifications............................. 255
Spotlights.................................... 215
Turn Signal Lights..................... 210
Bulbs, Halogen............................... 209
CONTINUED