2001 Acura RL warning

If Your Engine Overheats
The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-
range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a longsteep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should

determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.
Your car can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a

mechanical problem. The only

indication may be the temperature

gauge climbing to or above the red mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming from under the hood.

In either case, you should take

immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the climate control and all other accessories. Turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading
(climbing a long, steep hill on a hot day with the A/C running, forexample), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
CONTINUED

Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can

seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.

Low Oil Pressure Indicator

This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go outafter the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressureand serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safely get
the car stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level
(see page 171). Although oil leveland oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 217 ). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving. (See Emergency
Towing on page 296 .)
Taking Care of the Unexpected

LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

NOTICE

DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Cars)

The tires on your car meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements. All
tires are also graded for treadwear,
traction, and temperature perform- ance according to Department of
Transportation (DOT) standards.
The following explains these gradings.

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and the
maximum section width. For
example:

Treadwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades

All passenger car tires must conform to Federal Safety Requirements inaddition to these grades.
Treadwear

The treadwear grade is a compara- tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlledconditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-
half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual condi- tions of their use, however, and maydepart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction — AA, A, B, C

The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.

Technical Information

DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Cars)
Temperature — A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation ofheat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the materialof 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 Federal Motor 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, either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire
failure.

Technical Information

Index

Fan, Interior.......................... 126, 131

Features, Comfort and
Convenience............................... 121
Filling the Fuel Tank..................... 169

Filters
Air Cleaner................................. 231

Air Conditioning........................ 242

Oil................................................ 219

Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 70
Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 273
Fluids Automatic Transmission........... 228

Brake........................................... 229

Differential................................. 229

Power Steering........................... 230

Windshield Washer................... 227
FM Stereo Radio
Reception........................... 137, 147

Fog Lights......................................... 67
Foreign Countries, Driving in...... 307
Four-way Flashers...........................
70

Front
Airbags.............................. 9,

43

Fuel..................................................

168

Fill Door and Cap....................... 169
Gauge............................................ 60

Octane Requirement................. 168
Oxygenated................................ 306

Reserve Indicator......................... 57
Tank, Filling the......................... 169
Fuel Mileage, Improving............... 173
Fuses, Checking the...................... 292

Gasohol........................................... 306
Gasoline.......................................... 168

Fuel Reserve Indicator................ 57

Gauge............................................ 60
Octane Requirement................. 168
Tank, Filling the......................... 169

Gas Station Procedures................. 169

Gauges.............................................. 58

Engine Coolant Temperature .... 60

Fuel................................................ 60

Speedometer................................ 58

Tachometer.................................. 58

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating)........................................ 197

Gearshift Lever Positions............. 182

Glass Cleaning............................... 268

Glove Box......................................... 88
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight

Rating)........................................ 197

Halogen Headlight Bulbs.............. 252
Hazard Warning Flashers............... 70
Headlights Automatic Lighting..................... 64
Daytime Running Lights............. 65
High Beam Indicator................... 57Lights On Indicator..................... 55

Reminder Chime.......................... 63

Replacing Halogen Bulbs......... 252

Turning on.................................... 63

Head Restraints............................... 96
Heating and Cooling...................... 122
High Altitude, Starting at.............. 181
High-Low Beam Switch .................. 63
High-mount Brake Light............... 257
HomeLink Universal
Transmitter.................................. 89

Hood Latch..................................... 231

Hood, Opening the........................ 170

Horn................................................... 62

Hydroplaning.................................. 195

Index

Fluid Selection............................ 228

Identification Number............... 301
Shifting the Automatic.............. 182

Treadwear...................................... 304

Trip Meter........................................ 59

Trunk................................................. 86
Emergency Trunk Opener......... 87

Opening the.................................. 86

Open Monitor Light.................... 57
Turn Signals..................................... 66

Underside. Cleaning...................... 269

Unexpected, Taking Care
of the........................................... 271

Uniform Tire Quality Grading..... 304

Unleaded Gasoline......................... 168

Upholstery Cleaning...................... 267

Used Oil, How to Dispose of........ 220

Vanity Mirror................................. 114

Vehicle Capacity Load .................. 177

Vehicle Dimensions....................... 302
Vehicle Identification Number..... 300
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
System..................................... 191

VSA System Indicator........ 56, 192
VSA
Activation Indicator.... 56, 191
VSA Off Switch.......................... 192

Vehicle Storage.............................. 261

Ventilation...................................... 122

VIN.................................................. 300

Vinyl Cleaning................................ 267
Viscosity, Oil................................... 218

WARNING, Explanation of.............. ii

Warning Labels, Location of.......... 50

Warranty Coverages*................... 316

Washer, Windshield Checking the Fluid Level......... 227
Operation...................................... 70

Washing.......................................... 264
Waxing and Polishing................... 265

Wheels Adjusting the Steering................ 71
Alignment and Balance............. 246

Cleaning Aluminum Alloys....... 265
Compact Spare........................... 272

Wrench....................................... 274

Windows
Cleaning...................................... 267

Operating the Power................. 106

Rear, Defogger............................ 71
Windshield Cleaning........................................ 68
Defroster............................ 128,
133

Washers........................................
70

Wipers, Windshield

Changing Blades........................ 239

Operation...................................... 68

Wood Trim..................................... 267
Worn Tires..................................... 245

Wrecker, Emergency Towing...... 296
* U.S. and Canada only