2001 Acura RL ECU

Cooling System

4. On the right side of the engine
block, remove the clip with a plier, and then remove the drain cap.

5. Remove the reserve tank from its

holder by pulling it straight up.Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back in its holder.

6. When the coolant stops draining,

tighten the drain plug at the
bottom of the radiator.

Put the drain cap back in place
tightly, then reinstall the clip on
the drain cap securely.

Maintenance

CLIP

DRAIN CAP RESERVE TANK CAP
RESERVE TANK
HOLDER

Automatic Transmission Fluid, Differential Oil
6. Insert the dipstick back in thetransmission. Make sure the notch
fits in the dipstick guide and the dipstick is down all the way.
The transmission should be drained
and refilled with new fluid according
to the time and distance recommen- dations in the maintenance schedule.
Differential Oil

Check the oil in the differential with
the car sitting level. Remove the oil
filler plug and check that the oil level is up to the edge of the hole.
If it is not, slowly add oil until it
starts to run out of the hole. Reinstall
the filler plug and tighten it securely. Use a SAE 90 or SAE 80W-90
viscosity hypoid gear oil, API service classified GL4 or GL5 only, in the

differential.

Viscosity

SAE 90: above0°F(— 18°C)
SAE 80W-90: below 0°F ( — 8°C)
The differential oil should be drained
and refilled with new oil according to
the time and distance recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

DRAIN PLUG

FILLER PLUG

Correct
level

Interior Care
Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.

Wood Trim
Clean the wood trim with a soft cloth
dipped in clear water and wipe it dry
with another soft cloth. Soap may leave a film that dulls the finish. Windows
Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass cleaner. You can also use a mixtureof one part white vinegar to ten parts
water. This will remove the haze that builds up on the inside of the
windows. Use a soft cloth or paper
towels to clean all glass and clearplastic surfaces.

The rear window defogger and antenna wires are bonded to the inside

of the glass. Wiping vigorously up-and-

down can dislodge and break these

wires. When cleaning the rear window,

use gentle pressure and wipe side-to-
side.
Air Fresheners
If you want to use an air freshener/
deodorizer in the interior of your car,
it is best to use a solid type. Some
liquid air fresheners contain chemi- cals that may cause parts of the
interior trim and fabric to crack or discolor.
If you use a liquid air freshener,
make sure you fasten it securely so it does not spill as you drive.

Appearance Care
NOTICE

Changing a Flat Tire

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)

Taking Care of the Unexpected

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.

Index

Engine Coolant........................... 223
Engine Oil and Filter................. 219
Fuses........................................... 292 Light Bulbs................................. 252

Schedule..................................... 206

Spark Plugs................................. 233

Tires............................................ 247
Wiper Blades.............................. 239
Replacing Seat Belts After a
Crash............................................. 42

Reserve Tank, Engine Coolant.... 172
Reverse Gear Position................... 183
Rotation, Tire................................. 246
Safety Belts......................................... 8
Safety Defects, Reporting*.......... 317
Safety Features.................................. 7

Airbags............................................9
Door Locks................................... 10

Head Restraints........................... 10
Seat Belts........................................ 8
Seats & Seat-Backs...................... 10
Safety Labels, Location of.............. 50
Safety Messages................................ ii Seat Belts...................................... 8, 40

Additional Information................ 40

Advice for Pregnant Women...... 18
Automatic Seat BeltTensioner.. 41
Child Seat Anchor Plate.............. 39
Cleaning...................................... 267

Lap/Shoulder Belt....................... 40

Maintenance................................. 42 Reminder Light and Beeper................................. 40, 54
Replacement................................. 42
System Components.................... 40 Use During Pregnancy................ 18

Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt.... 15

Seat Heaters................................... 103
Seat Position Memory................... 101
Seats, Adjusting the......................... 94
Security Alarm System ................. 165
Serial Number................................ 300
Service Intervals............................ 208
Service Manual*............................ 319
Service Station Procedures.......... 169
Setting the Clock........................... 109

Shifting the Automatic
Transmission.............................. 182
Shift Lever Position Indicator...... 182 Shift Lock Release......................... 185
Side Airbags..................................... 45

How The Side Airbag Indicator
Light Works............................. 47

How Your Side Airbags Work.... 45

Side Marker Lights, Bulb

Replacement in.......................... 255

Signaling Turns................................ 66
Ski Sleeve........................................ 104

Snow Tires...................................... 249
Solvent-type Cleaners.................... 264
Sound System................................. 136
Spare Tire Inflating....................................... 272
Specifications............................. 303
Spark Plugs, Replacing................. 233
Specifications Charts..................... 302
Speed Control................................... 73
Speedometer.................................... 58
Spotlights........................................ 118
COAT/M/FA)