2001 Acura RL trunk

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

Changing a Flat Tire
If you have a flat tire while driving,
stop in a safe place to change it.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder of a busy road is dangerous. Drive
slowly along the shoulder until you
get to an exit or an area to stop that is far away from the traffic lanes.
1. Park the car on firm, level, andnon-slippery ground away from
traffic. Put the transmission in Park. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn on the hazard warning lights and turn the ignition switch toLOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the car while
you change the tire.
3. Open the trunk. Raise the trunk

floor by lifting up on the back edge.

To keep the trunk floor out of the
way, attach the hook into the slot
in the trunk lid.

4. Take the tool kit out of the trunk.

5. Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of its well.

CONTINUED

Taking Care of the Unexpected

The car can easily roll off the

jack, seriously injuring anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and never get under the car when it
is supported only by the jack. TRUNK FLOOR
HOOK
JACK SPARE TIRE TOOL KIT

Changing a Flat Tire

15.Remove the spacer basket from the trunk well.
16.Remove the center cap before
storing the flat tire in the trunk
well. 17.Place the flat tire face down in the
spare tire well.
18.Wrap the spacer cone and spare tire wing bolt with cloth or paperand store them in the trunk well.
CONTINUED

Taking Care of the Unexpected

SPACER BASKET
CENTER CAP
WING BOLT
FLAT TIRE
RINGSPACER
CONE

Changing a Flat Tire, If Your Engine Won't Start

19.Slip the hole at the top of the jack over the bracket in the trunk well.
Turn the jack's end bracket to lock it in place. Store the tool kit back
in its place.
20.Unclip the hook from the trunk lid and lower the trunk floor.
21.Store the center cap and spacer basket in the trunk. Make sure the
center cap will not get scratched
or damaged.
22.Close the trunk lid. If Your Engine Won't Start
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, or operates 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. Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying tostart. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Your car has the ImmobilizerSystem. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 78).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer system indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park or Neutral or the starter will not
operate.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

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.

Closing the Moonroof

If the electric motor will not close
the moonroof, do the following:
1. Check the fuse for the moonroof motor (see page 292). If the fuse
is blown, replace it with one of the
same or lower rating.
2. Try closing the moonroof. If the new fuse blows immediately or the
moonroof motor still does not
operate, you can close the
moonroof manually.
3. Get the moonroof wrench out of the tool kit in the trunk.
4. Remove the lens from the rear ceiling light (see page 259). 5. Remove the plug in the center of
the rear ceiling light. 6. Insert the moonroof wrench into
the socket behind this plug. Turn
the wrench until the moonroof is
fully closed.
7. Remove the wrench. Replace the
plug and lens.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
PLUG
SOCKET

Index
Bulb Replacement
Back-up Lights........................... 256
Brake Lights............................... 256
Ceiling Lights............................. 259
Courtesy Lights......................... 259

Fog Lights.................................. 253

Front Side Marker Lights......... 255

Headlights.................................. 252

High-mount Brake Light.......... 257
License Plate Lights.................. 258

Specifications............................. 303

Trunk Light................................ 260
Tum Signal Lights..................... 255

Bulbs, Halogen............................... 252

Cancel Button................................... 75
Capacities Chart............................. 302

Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 49
Carrying, Cargo............................. 176

Cassette Player
Care............................................. 156

Operation............................ 141, 153

CAUTION, Explanation of............... ii
CD Changer................... 144, 157, 159

Ceiling Lights................................. 118
Certification Label......................... 300

Chains............................................. 249
Changing Oil
How to......................................... 219

When to....................................... 208

Changing a Flat Tire..................... 273
Changing Engine Coolant............. 223
Charging System Indicator.... 54, 287
Checklist, Before Driving............. 180

Child Safety...................................... 20
Child Seats........................................ 24
Tether Anchorage Point............. 39

Childproof Door Locks................... 85
Cigarette Lighter........................... 116

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

Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels..................... 265

Carpeting.................................... 266

Exterior....................................... 264

Fabric.......................................... 266

Interior........................................ 266
Leather........................................ 266

Seat Belts.................................... 266

Vinyl............................................ 266
Windows..................................... 267

Wood Trim................................. 267

Climate Control System................ 122
Clock, Setting the.......................... 109
Code, Audio System...................... 164

CO in the Exhaust......................... 308

Coin Box......................................... 113

Cold Weather, Starting in............. 181

Compact Spare............................... 272

Console Compartment.................. 113
Consumer Information*................ 314
Controls, Instruments and.............. 51Coolant Adding......................................... 221
Checking..................................... 172

Proper Solution.......................... 221

Replacing.................................... 223

Temperature Gauge.................... 60
CoiTosion Protection..................... 269 Courtesy Lights............................. 119
Crankcase Emissions Control
System......................................... 308

Cruise Control Operation............... 73
Customer Relations Office........... 314

Index

Identification Number, Vehicle.... 300

Ignition
Keys............................................... 77

Switch............................................ 80

Timing Control System............. 309

Immobilizer System......................... 78

Important Safety Precautions.......... 6

Indicators, Instrument
Panel.............................................. 53

Infant Restraint................................ 28

Infant Seats....................................... 28
Tether Anchorage Points........... 39

Inflation, Proper Tire .................... 243

Inside Mirror.................................... 99

Inspection. Tire.............................. 245

Instrument Panel............................. 53

Instrument Panel Brightness......... 66

Interior Cleaning............................ 267

Introduction......................................... i

Jacking up the Car......................... 274

Jack, Tire........................................ 274
Jump Starting................................. 280

Keys................................................... 77
Label, Certification........................ 300Lane Change. Signaling.................. 66
Lap/Shoulder Belt........................... 40
Learning Key.................................... 78
Leather, Cleaning.......................... 266
Lights On Indicator......................... 55
Lighter, Cigarette.......................... 116
Lights Bulb Replacement..................... 252
Ceiling......................................... 118
Courtesy...................................... 119

Indicator........................................ 53

Parking.......................................... 63
Turn Signal................................... 66
Load Limit...................................... 177
LOCK (Ignition Key Position)....... 80
Locks Anti-theft Steering Column........ 80 Childproof Door........................... 85
Fuel Fill Door............................. 169 Glove Box..................................... 88
Power Door.................................. 81

Trunk............................................ 86

Trunk Pass-through Cover......... 98
Low Coolant Level......................... 172
Low Fuel Indicator.......................... 57
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.... 54, 285 Lubricant Specifications Chart........................................... 302
Luggage.......................................... 176

Maintenance................................... 203
Owner Maintenance Checks.... 215

Record................................. 213 - 214

Required Indicator....................... 61 Safety........................................... 204

Schedule.............................. 208 - 212

Malfunction Indicator Lamp.. 55, 287
Memory, Driving Position............ 101

Meters, Gauges................................ 58

CONTINUED

Index

Melhanol in Gasoline.................... 306

Mirrors, Adjusting........................... 99

Moonroof........................................ 107
Closing Manually....................... 290
Operation.................................... 107
Neutral Gear Position.................... 183
New Vehicle Break-in ................... 168
NOTICE, Explanation of.................... i
Numbers, Identification................ 300 Octane Requirement, Gasoline.... 168
Odometer.......................................... 59
Odometer, Trip................................ 59
Oil
Change, How to......................... 219

Change, When to....................... 208

Checking Engine....................... 171

Pressure Indicator............... 54, 285
Selecting Proper Viscosity
Chart....................................... 218

ON (Ignition Key Position)............ 80 Onboard Refueling Vapor
Recovery..................................... 308

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

Operation in Foreign Countries... 307

Outside Mirrors............................... 99

Outside Temperature Indicator..... 59

Overheating, Engine..................... 283

Owner Maintenance Checks........ 215

Oxygenated Fuels.......................... 306

Paint Touch-up............................... 265
Panel Brightness Control............... 66
Park Gear Position......................... 183
Parking............................................ 186
Parking Brake................................ 109

Parking Brake and Brake System Indicator.................. 54, 289
Parking Lights.................................. 63
Parking Over Things that Bum... 310

PGM-FI System.............................. 309

Polishing and Waxing................... 265 Pre-Drive Safety Checklist............. 11
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts.......... 18 Protecting Adults............................. 12
Additional Safety Precautions.... 19
Advice for Pregnant Women...... 18
Protecting Children......................... 20 Protecting Infants........................ 28
Protecting Larger Children........ 35
Protecting Small Children.......... 32
Using Child Seats with
Tethers...................................... 39

Radiator Overheating.................... 283
Radio/Cassette Sound System.... 136
Readiness Codes............................ 288
Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement... 254
Rear Seat Armrest........................... 98
Rear Ventilation............................. 134

Rear View Mirror............................. 99

Rear Window Defogger.................. 71
Reclining the Seat Backs................ 95
Reminder Lights.............................. 53
Remote Transmitter........................ 82
Replacement Information Air Cleaner Element.................. 231
Air Conditioning Filter.............. 242