Page 232 of 285
Changin
g a Fla t Tir e
9. Use the extension and wheel wrench as shown to raise the
vehicle until the flat tire is off the
ground.
10. Remove the wheel nuts and flat
tire. Temporarily place the flat tire
on the ground with the outside
surface of the wheel facing up.
You could scratch the wheel if you
put it face down.
11. Before mounting the spare tire,wipe any dirt off the mounting
surface of the wheel and hub with
a clean cloth. Wipe the hub
carefully, it may be hot from
driving.
CONTINUED
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
EXTENSIO
N
WHEE L WRENC H
BRAKE HU B
Page 233 of 285
Changin
g a Fla t Tir e
12. Put on the spare tire. Put the wheel nuts back on finger-tight,then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel wrench
until the wheel is firmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten
them fully. 13. Lower the car to the ground and
remove the jack.
14. Tighten the wheel nuts securely in
the same crisscross pattern. Havethe wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
facility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:
80 lbf.ft (108 N.m , 11 kgf.m)
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d (Excep
t Type-R )
(Type-R )
Page 234 of 285

Changin
g a Fla t Tire , I f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
15. Remove the wheel cover or center
cap.
Place the flat tire face down in the
spare tire well.
16. Remove the spacer cone from the wing bolt, turn it over, and put it
back on the bolt. 17. Secure the flat tire by screwing
the wing bolt back into its hole.
18. Store the jack in its holder with the end bracket facing to the right.
Turn the jack's end bracket to lock
it in place. Store the tool kit.
19. Store the wheel cover or center cap in the cargo area. Make sure it
will not get scratched or damaged.
20. Reinstall the floor mat and spare tire cover, then close the hatch. I
f You r Engin e Won' t Star t
Diagnosing why your engine won't start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III): You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, oroperates very slowly. You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
WIN
G BOL T
SPACER
CON E
Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack and tools
securely before driving.
Page 244 of 285

Brak
e Syste m Indicato r
*U.S . indicato r show n
The Brake System Indicator normally comes on when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). It is a
reminder t
o check the parking brake.
It comes on and stays lit if you do not
fully release the parking brake.
If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the car's
brake system. In most cases, the problem is a low fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir. Press lightly on the brake pedal to see if it feels normal. If it does, check the brake
fluid level the next time you stop at a service station (see page 186). If the
fluid level is low, take the car to your dealer and have the brake system
inspected for leaks or worn brake
pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
feel normal, you should take immediate action. Because of the
brake system's dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will feel the brake pedal go down much farther before the car
begins to slow down, and you will
have to press harder on the pedal.
The distance needed to stop will be much longer. Slow down by shifting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is safe. Because of the
longer distance needed to stop, it is hazardous to drive the car. You should have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 248 .)
If you must drive the car a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and cautiously.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
BRAK
E SYSTE M INDICATOR *
Page 251 of 285

Emergenc
y Towin g
If your car needs to be towed, call a
professional towing service or, if you
belong to one, an organization that
provides roadside assistance. Never
tow your car behind another vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.
There are three popular types of professional towing equipment.
Flat-bed Equipment — The operator
loads your car on the back of a truck.
Thi s is th e bes t wa y to transpor t
you r Acura .
Wheel-lift Equipment — The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go under the tires (front or rear) and lift
them off the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground. Thi s is
a n acceptabl e wa y to to w you r
Acura .
Sling-type Equipment — The tow
truck uses metal cables with hooks on the ends. These hooks go around
parts of the frame or suspension and
the cables lift that end of the car off
the ground. Your car's suspension and body can be seriously damaged.
Thi s metho d o f towin g is
unacceptable .
If your Acura cannot be transported
by flat-bed, it should be towed by
wheel-lift equipment with the front
wheels off the ground. If, due to damage, your car must be towed
with the front wheels on the ground, do the following.
5-speed Manual Transmission
Release the parking brake.
Shift the transmission to Neutral.
Automatic Transmission
Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
Shift to D4, then to N.
Turn off the engine.
Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shift the transmission or start the engine (automatic transmission), your
car must be transported with the front
wheels off the ground.
With the front wheels on the ground, it is best to tow the vehicle no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep thespeed below 35 mph (55 km/h).
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E
Page 252 of 285
Emergenc
y Towin g
If you decide to tow your car with all
four wheels on the ground, make sure you use a properly-designed and
attached tow bar. Prepare the car for
towing as described above, and leave the ignition switch in Accessory (I)so the steering wheel does not lock.
Make sure the radio and anyelectrical accessories are turned off
so they do not run down the battery.
The steering system can be damaged if
the steering wheel is locked. Leave the
ignition switch in Accessory (I), and
make sure the steering wheel turns
freely before you begin towing. Trying to lift or tow your car by the
bumpers will cause serious damage. The bumpers are not designed to
support the car's weight.
Taking Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E
NOTIC E
Page 260 of 285

DO
T Tir e Qualit y Gradin g (U.S . Cars )
Temperatur e — A, B , C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must meet under the FederalMotor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law. Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading, eitherseparately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire
failure.
Technical Informatio n
Page 277 of 285

Inde
x
Capacities Chart.................... 254, 255
Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 49
Cargo Area Cover............................ 83
Carrying Cargo.............................. 132
Cassette Player
Care............................................. 118
Operation.................................... 115
CAUTION, Explanation of............... ii
CD Changer.................................... 111
CD Player........................................ 109
Certification Label......................... 252
Chains............................................. 204
Changing Oil
How to......................................... 175
When to....................................... 162
Changing a Flat Tire..................... 227
Changing Engine Coolant............. 180
Charging System Indicator.... 55, 239
Checklist, Before Driving............. 136
Child Safety...................................... 21
Child Seats........................................ 26
Tether Anchorage Points........... 41
Cleaner Element, Air..................... 188
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels..................... 219
Antenna....................................... 218Carpeting.................................... 220
Exterior....................................... 218
Fabric.......................................... 221
Interior........................................ 220
Leather........................................ 221
Seat Belts.................................... 221
Vinyl............................................221
Windows..................................... 222
Clock, Setting the............................ 88
Clutch Fluid.................................... 185
Code, Audio System...................... 119
CO in the Exhaust......................... 260 Cold Weather, Starting in............. 137
Compact Spare............................... 226
Console Compartment.................... 90
Consumer Information*................ 266
Controls, Instruments and.............. 51
Coolant
Adding......................................... 178
Checking..................................... 128
Proper Solution.......................... 178
Replacing.................................... 180
Temperature Gauge.................... 59
Corrosion Protection..................... 223
Crankcase Emissions Control
System......................................... 260
Cruise Control Operation............... 67
Customer Relations Office........... 266
DANGER, Explanation of................. ii
Dashboard.................................... 2, 52
Daytime Running Lights................. 62
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 269
Defog and Defrost......................... 100
Defogger, Rear Window................. 65
Dimensions..................................... 254 Dimming the Headlights................ 62
Dipstick Automatic Transmission........... 183
Engine Oil................................... 127
Directional Signals........................... 63
Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 145
Disposal of Used Oil...................... 177
Doors Locking and Unlocking............... 75
Power Door Locks....................... 75
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 256