Page 200 of 285
Driv
e Belts , Timin g Bel t
Driv e Belt s
Check the condition of the two or
three drive belts. Examine the edges of each belt for cracks or fraying.
Check the tension of each belt by
pushing on it with your thumb
midway between the pulleys.
The belts should have the following
"play" or deflection.
Alternator belt:
0.35 — 0.43 in (9.0 — 11.0 mm)
Power steering belt:
0.45 — 0.53 in (11.5 — 13.5 mm)
Compressor belt (On cars with A/C):
0.30 — 0.37 in (7.5 — 9.5 mm)
If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace
the belts. Timin
g Bel t
The timing belt should normally be replaced at the intervals shown in
the maintenance schedule.
Replace this belt at 60,000 miles (U.S.)
or 100,000 km (Canada) if you
regularly drive your car in one or
more of these conditions: In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C). In very low temperatures
(under — 20°F, — 29°C).
Maintenance
COMPRESSO
R BEL T POWE
R
STEERIN G
BEL T
ALTERNATO
R BEL T
Page 201 of 285

Tire
s
To safely operate your car, your tires must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread, and correctly inflated. The following
pages give more detailed information on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Inflatio
n
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life and riding comfort. Underinflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handlingand fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards, and wear
unevenly.
We recommend that you visually check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it immediately with a tire gauge.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf/cm2) per month. Remember to check the spare tire at
the same time you check all the other tires.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car
has been parked for at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
before checking the tire pressure,
the tires can still be considered "cold" if you drive less than 1 mile
(1.6km).
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the car has been driven
several miles), you will see readings
4 to
6 psi (30
to
40 kPa, 0.3
to
0.4
kgf/cm2) higher than the cold
reading. This is normal. Do not let air out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be
underinflated.
You should get your own tire pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier for you to tell if a pressure loss is due to a tire problemand not due to a variation between
gauges.
Maintenanc e
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
Page 204 of 285

Tire
s
Tir e Rotatio n
To help increase tire life and distribute wear more evenly, you
should have the tires rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the chart each time they are rotated. When shopping for replacement
tires, you may find that some tiresare "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in one
direction. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back.
Tir
e Wea r
Type-R model only
The tires on your Type-R were designed and constructed to provide
superior grip during acceleration,
braking, and cornering. They will
wear more rapidly than normal passenger vehicle tires. Tire life may
be less than 15,000 miles (24,000
km), depending on how you drive.
You should carefully inspect your vehicle's tires for wear, damage, andproper inflation every 2,000 miles (3,200 km), see page 199.
These tires are not suitable for winter driving. Refer to Winte r
Driving , page 203.
Maintenance
Fron
t Front
(Fo r Non-directiona l
tire s an d Wheels )(Fo
r Directiona l
Tire s an d Wheels )
Page 206 of 285
Tire
s
Wheel s an d Tire s
Wheels:
(SE)
14x51/2JJ
(LS,GS,GS-R,Type-R)
15x6JJ
Tires:
(SE)
P195/60R1485H
(LS,
GS
,
GS-R)
P195/55R1584V
(Type-R)
195/55R1584V
See pag
e 256 for information about
DOT Tire Quality Grading. Winte
r Drivin g
SE, LS, GS and GS-R models
Tires that are marked "M+S" or "All Season" on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They
should be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate performance in winter driving.For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions.
Type-R model
You should mount winter tires on
your Type-R before winter starts
(before consistent sub-freezing
temperatures). Change back to
"summer" tires after winter weather
has stopped.
Maintenance
CONTINUED
Page 212 of 285

Light
s
Replacin g a Headligh t Bul b
Your car has two bulbs on each side, four in total. Make sure you arereplacing the bulb that is burned out.
Your car uses halogen headlight bulbs. When replacing a bulb, handleit by its plastic case and protect the
glass from contact with your skin or
hard objects. If you touch the glass, clean it with denatured alcohol and a
clean cloth.
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot
when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to
overheat and shatter.
1. Open the hood.
If you need to change the high
beam headlight bulb on the
passenger's side, remove the
radiator reserve tank by pulling it straight up.
2. To disconnect the bulb from the electrical harness, push on the end
of the lock tab to release the
connector then push the connec-
tor straight down. 3. Turn the bulb about one-eighth
turn counterclockwise to unlock it
from the headlight assembly.
4. Remove the bulb by pulling it straight out of its recess.
5. Align the tabs on the new bulb with the slots in the headlightassembly and push it into place.
6. Turn the bulb clockwise to lock it in place. Do not force it. Check theseating of the bulb's tabs in the
slots if the bulb will not return to
its original position.
7. Reinstall the harness connector on the bulb connector. Make sure it
locks in place.
Turn on the headlights to test the new bulb.
8. (Passenger's side) Reinstall the radiator reserve tank.
Maintenance
NOTIC
E
Page 214 of 285
Light
s
Replacin g a High-moun t Brak e
Ligh t Bul b
LS model
1. Undo the cover fasteners by pushing on the center of each
fastener's head until it pops in. Remove the cover.
2. Determine which bulb is burned out. 3. Pull the bulb straight out of its
socket.
Push the new bulb straight into
the socket until it bottoms.
4. Test the lights to make sure the new bulb is working. 5. Reset each fastener by pushing on
the pointed end until it pops backalmost flush with the fingers on
the housing.
6. Reinstall the cover. Secure each fastener by pushing on the centeruntil it locks (the center is flush
with the head).
Maintenance
Page 218 of 285
Light
s
Replacin g Ceiling , Spo t an d Carg o
Are a Ligh t Bulb s
The ceiling, spot and cargo area lights come apart the same way.
They do not use the same type of bulb.
1. Remove the lens by carefully prying on the edge of the lens witha fingernail file or a small flat-tipscrewdriver. Do not pry on the
edge of the housing around the
lens.
2. Remove the bulb by pulling it
straight out of its metal tabs.
3. Push the new bulb into the metal tabs. Snap the lens back in place. LS, GS and GS-R models
Maintenance
SPOTLIGHT
S
CARG
O ARE A LIGH T
CEILIN G LIGH T
Page 219 of 285

Storin
g You r Ca r
If you need to park your car for an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors. Fill the fuel tank.
Change the engine oil and filter
(see page 175). Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic).
Block the rear wheels.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground. Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors). Disconnect the battery.
Support the front and rear wiper
blade arms with a folded towel or
rag so they do not touch the
windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and hatch seals. Also, apply a body
wax to the painted surfaces that mate with the door and hatch seals. Cover the car with a "breathable"
cover, one made from a porous
material such as cotton. Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint. If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month).
If you store your car for 12 months or longer, have your Acura dealer
perform the inspections called for in
the 24 months/30,000 miles (48,000
km) maintenance schedule (Normal Conditions) as soon as you take it
out of storage (see page 164). The
replacements called for in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.
Maintenanc e