2001 Acura Integra weight

Carryin
g Carg o

Loa d Limi t
The maximum load for your car is
700 lbs (325 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 number
above.
Subtract the total from 700 Ibs
(325 kg).

The final number is the total weight
of cargo you can carry.
Carryin
g Item s i n th e Passenge r
Compartmen t Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt someone during 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 Drivin g

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.

Carryin
g Carg o

Carryin g Carg o in th e Carg o Are a
o r o n a Roo f Rac k Distribute cargo evenly on the
floor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and as far forward as possible. If you fold down the back seat, tie
down items that could be thrown
about the car during a crash or
sudden stop. Do not place items on the cargo
area cover, or stack objects higher
than the top of the back seat. They could block your view and be
thrown about the car during a crash or sudden stop. If you carry large items that
prevent you from closing the
hatch, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of carbon monoxide
poisoning, follow the instructions on page 49 . If you can carry any items on a
roof rack, be sure the total weight
of the rack and the items does not
exceed the maximum allowable
weight. Please contact your Acura dealer for further information.

Befor e Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Your Acura has been designed primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow atrailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,and follow the guidelines in this
section.

On Type-R model

Your vehicle is not designed to tow a trailer. Attempting to do so can void
your warranties. Loa
d Limit s Tota
l Traile r Weight : The total
weight of the trailer and everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 Ibs (450 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy canseriously affect your vehicle's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and
drivetrain. Tongu
e 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.
CONTINUED
Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

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
re-adjust the load as needed.
Gros
s Vehicl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GVWR) :

The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: 3,680 Ibs ( 1,670 kg)
Gros
s Axl e Weigh t Ratin g

(GAWR) :

The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the

tongue load must not exceed:
1,985 lbs (900 kg)

on th
e front axle

1,740 Ibs (790 kg)

on th

e rear axle

Drivin g
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.

Towin
g a Traile r

Checkin g Load s
The best way to confirm that vehicle and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public

scale.

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.
Towin
g Equipmen t an d

Accessorie s

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 trailersales 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 localregulations. Hitches
Any hitch used on your vehicle must be properly bolted to the underbody.
Safety Chains
Always use safety chains. Make sure they are secured to both the trailer and hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched. Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground.
CONTINUED
Drivin g

Towin
g a Traile r

Trailer Brakes

Acura recommends that any trailer having a total weight of 1,000 Ibs (450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, besure 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

If you use a converter, you can get
the connector and pins that mate
with the connector in your vehicle from your Acura dealer.
Your vehicle has a trailer lighting connector located behind the leftside panel in the cargo area. Refer to
the drawing above for the wiring color code and purpose of each pin. Since lighting and wiring vary in
trailer type and brand, you should also have a qualified mechanic install
a suitable connector between the
vehicle and the trailer.

Drivin g
GROUN
D
(BLACK )
BACK-U
P LIGH T
(GREEN/BLACK )LEF
T TUR N SIGNA L
(GREEN/BLUE )
TAILLIGH T
(RED/BLACK )
BRAK
E LIGH T
(GREEN/WHITE )
RIGH
T TUR N SIGNA L
(GREEN/YELLOW )

Towin
g a Traile r

Additional Trailer Equipment
Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don't,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your

towing situation.
Pre-To
w Checklis t
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following: The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition. All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages 151 and 152). The hitch, safety chains, and any
other attachments are secure. All items on and in the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are workingproperly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 255),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.

Driving

Towin
g a Traile r
Drivin g Safel y Wit h a Traile r
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and

techniques.

For your safety and the safety ofothers, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.
Towing Speeds and Gears
Drive slower than normal in all driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use D4 position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D3 is the proper shift lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See "Driving on Hills" in the next

column for additional gear
information.)
Making Turns and Braking

Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.

Driving on Hills

When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air conditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th gears while going up a hill, shift to

D3.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator, as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, andremember it will take longer to slowdown and stop when towing a trailer.

Drivin g