2001 Acura RL tow

Towing a Trailer

Driving Safely With a Trailer
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.
Use the 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 nearsthe 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.
CONTINUED

Driving

Towing a Trailer

Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting

Crosswinds and air turbulence

caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a

large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.

Backing Up

Always drive slowly and have someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the bottom of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the left
to get the trailer to move to the left, and turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right.
Parking

Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in Park and firmly setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer's
tires.

Driving

U.S. Owners
Follow the Severe Conditions
Maintenance Schedule if youdrive your car MAINLY under
one or more of the following
conditions:
Driving less than 5 miles (8
km) per trip or, in freezing
temperatures, driving less than 10 miles (16 km) per trip.
Driving in extremely hot [over 90°F (32°C) ] conditions.
Extensive idling or long
periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack, or driving in
mountainous conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, orde-iced roads.
Canadian Owners
Follow the Maintenance
Schedule for Severe Conditions.

# :
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page 207 .
* 1 : See Timing Belt on page 243 for replacement information under special driving conditions.
* 2 : See Air Conditioning Filter on page 242 for replacement information under special driving conditions.
Maintenance

Spark Plugs
The spark plugs in your car are a special platinum-tipped design for
longer life. The spark plugs should
be replaced according to the time and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Replacement
1. Remove the two bolts and thethree nuts with a 7/16 inch (10
mm) wrench, then remove theengine cover.
2. Remove the two bolts and the four
nuts with a wrench and remove
the tower bar. Then remove the
A/C tube from the three clips.
3. Clean up any dirt and oil that have
collected around the ignition coils.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

BOLTS

NUTS

NUTS
BOLTS

NUTS

Spark Plugs

8. Torque the spark plug. (If you do
not have a torque wrench, tighten
the spark plug two-thirds of a turn
after it contacts the cylinder head.)
Tightening torque:
13 lbf.ft (18 N.m , 1.8 kgf.m)

Tighten the spark plugs carefully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine. Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads in the cylinder head.

9. Install the ignition coil. Reinstall

the two hold-down bolts.

10.Push the wire connector onto the

ignition coil. Make sure it locks in
place.

11.Repeat this procedure for the other five spark plugs.
12.Put the A/C tube back in place.
13.Install the tower bar and tighten

the two bolts and the four nuts.
Tightening torque: 16 lbf .
ft (22 N .
m , 2.2 kgf .
m)

14.Install the engine cover. First

tighten the two bolts on the front
of the engine cover, then tighten
the three nuts on the engine cover.
Tightening torque: 7 lbf .
ft (10 N .
m , 1.0 kgf .
m)

CONTINUED

Maintenance

NOTICE

Battery

Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish

powder). To remove it, cover the

terminals with a solution of baking
soda and water. It will bubble up and

turn brown. When this stops, wash it
off with plain water. Dry off the

battery with a cloth or paper towel.
Coat the terminals with grease to

help prevent future corrosion.

WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals and related accessories

contain lead and lead compounds.

Wash hands after handling. If the terminals are severely cor-
roded, clean them with baking soda and water. Then use a wrench to
loosen and remove the cables from
the terminals. Always disconnect the negative (—) cable first and recon-
nect it last. Clean the battery termi-
nals with a terminal cleaning tool or
wire brush. Reconnect and tighten the cables, then coat the terminals
with grease. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damage to the car's electrical system.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled mechanic do the battery
maintenance.

Wiper Blades
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months. Look for signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you find
these signs, or they leave streaks and unwiped areas when used.
To replace the blade:1. Turn the ignition ON (II), switchthe wipers to INT or — (low
position), then turn the ignition OFF when the wiper arm is
approximately midway in its travel.
2. Disconnect the blade assembly
from the wiper arm by pushing in the lock tab. Hold it in while you
push the blade assembly toward
the base of the arm.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

WIPER ARMS

LOCK

TAB

Storing Your Car

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 219).
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 Park. 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 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 trunk seals. Also, apply a vehicle body wax to the painted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk 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 208). The
replacements called for in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.

Maintenance