Page 69 of 285
Control
s Nea r th e Steerin g Whee l
Make sure the rear window is clear and you have good visibility before
starting to drive.
The defogger wires on the inside of the rear window can be accidentallydamaged. When cleaning the glass,
always wipe side to side.
Steerin
g Whee l Adjustmen t
See page 17 for important safety
information about how to properly
position the steering wheel.
Make any steering wheel adjustment
before you start driving.
To adjust the steering wheel upwardor downward:
1. Push the lever under the steering column all the way down.
Instrument s an d Control s
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
car and be seriously injured in a
crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the car is stopped.
Page 70 of 285

Control
s Nea r th e Steerin g Wheel , Steerin g Whee l Control s
2. Move the steering wheel to the desired position, making sure the
wheel points toward your chest, not toward your face. Make sure
you can see the instrument panel gauges and the indicator lights.
3. Push the lever up to lock the steering wheel in that position.
4. Make sure you have securely locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down. Cruis
e Contro l
LS, GS and GS-R models
Cruise control allows you to maintain
a set speed above 25 mph (40 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator pedal. It should be used
for cruising on straight, open
highways. It is not recommended for conditions such as city driving,
winding roads, slippery roads, heavy rain, or bad weather. You should
have full control of the car under
those conditions.
The cruise control, as it operates,
moves the accelerator pedal. You can
damage your car's accelerator
mechanism by resting your foot under the pedal and blocking the movement.
CONTINUED
Instrument s an d Control s
NOTIC
E
Improper use of the cruise
control can lead to a crash.
Use the cruise control only
when traveling on open
highways in good weather.
Page 71 of 285
Steerin
g Whee l Control s
Using the Cruise Control
1. Push in the Cruise Control Master Switch to the left of the steering
column. The indicator in theswitch will light.
2. Accelerate to the desired cruising speed above 25 mph (40 km/h). 3. Press and release the SET/decel
button on the steering wheel. TheCRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel comes on to show the system is now activated. The cruise control may not hold the
set speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to slow down to the desired speed. This
will cancel the cruise control. To
resume the set speed, press the RESUME/accel button. TheCRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel comes on.
When climbing a steep hill, the automatic transmission may
downshift to hold the set speed.
Instrument s an d Control s
RESUME
/
acce l
SET/dece l
Page 76 of 285

Key
s an d Lock s
Do not attempt to alter this system
or add other devices to it. Electrical
problems could result that may make
your car undriveable.
If you have lost your key and youcannot start the engine, contact your
Acura dealer.
As required by the FCC:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following' two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's
authority to operate the equipment.
This device complies with Industry
Canada Standard RSS-210.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference that may causeundesired operation of the device.
Ignitio
n Switc h
The ignition switch is on the right
side of the steering column. It has
four positions:
LOCK (0)
ACCESSORY (I)
ON (II)
START (III)
CONTINUED
Instrument s an d Control s
Page 77 of 285

Key
s an d Lock s
LOC K (0 ) — You can insert or
remove the key only in this position.
To switch from ACCESSORY to LOCK, you must push the key inslightly as you turn it. If your car has
an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must also be in Park. The anti-
theft lock will lock the steering column when you remove the key.
If the front wheels are turned, theanti-theft lock may sometimes make
it difficult to turn the key from LOCK to ACCESSORY. Firmly turn
the steering wheel to the left or to the right as you turn the key. ACCESSOR
Y (I ) — In this position,
you can operate the audio system and the cigarette lighter.
O N (II ) — This is the normal key
position whe n driving. All features
and accessories on the car are usable.
Several of the lights on the instru-
ment panel come on as a test when
you turn the ignition switch from
ACCESSORY to ON. STAR
T (III ) — Use this position
only to start the engine. The switch
returns to ON (II) when you let go of
the key.
The engine will not start if the Immobilizer System does not
recognize the key's coding (see page 72).
You will hear a reminder beeper if
you leave the key in the ignition
switch in the LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I) position and open the driver's door. Remove the key to
turn off the beeper.
Instrument s an d Control s Removing the key from the
ignition switch while driving
locks the steering. This can
cause you to lose control.
Remove the key from the
ignition switch only when
parked.
Page 134 of 285

Accessorie
s an d Modification s
Modification s
Do not remove any original
equipment or modify your car in any
way that would alter its design or operation. This could make your car
unsafe and illegal to drive.
For example, do not make any
modifications that would change theride height of your car, or install
wheels and tires with a different overall diameter.
Such modifications can adversely
affect handling, and interfere with
the operation of the car's anti-lock
brakes and other systems. In addition, any modifications that
decrease ground clearance increase
the chance of undercarriage parts striking a curb, speed bump, or other
raised object, which could cause
your airbags to deploy.
Do not modify your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modifications could make thesystem ineffective. Additiona
l Safet y Precautio n
Do not attach or place objects on the
airbag covers. Any object attached to
or placed on the covers marked "SRS
AIRBAG," in the center of the steering wheel and on top of the
dashboard, could interfere with the
proper operation of the airbags. Or,
if the airbags inflate, the objects
could be propelled inside the car and
hurt someone.
Before Drivin g
Page 139 of 285

Preparin
g to Driv e
You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,or ice.
2. Check that the hood and hatch are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down
securely.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page 79 ).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 86 ).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 66 ).
8. Make sure the doors and hatch
are securely closed and locked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page 16 ). 10. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 137).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (see
page 53).
Drivin g
Page 148 of 285

Th
e Brakin g Syste m
Your Acura is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. A power assist helps reduce the effort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS helps
you retain steering control when braking very hard.
Put your foot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your foot on the pedal keeps the brakes applied lightly, causing themto build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It
also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, confusing drivers behind
you.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds up heat and reduces their effective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshifting to a lower gear and taking your foot off theaccelerator pedal.
Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they feel normal. If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious and alert in your driving. Brak
e Wea r Indicator s
All four brakes have audible brake wear indicators.
When the brake pads need replacing, you will hear a distinctive metallic "screeching" sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not confuse this with the
brake wear indicators. They make a
very audible "screeching."
Driving