2001 Acura RL engine

Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System
The Vehicle Stability Assist system helps to stabilize the vehicle during
cornering if the car turns more or
less than desired. It also assists you in maintaining traction while
accelerating on loose or slippery
road surfaces. It does this by
regulating the engine's output, and
by selectively applying braking.
When VSA activates, you may notice that the engine does not respond to
the accelerator in the same way it does at other times. You will also see
the VSA Activation Indicator blink. The VSA system cannot enhance the
car's driving stability in all situations
and does not control your vehicle's
entire braking system. It is still your
responsibility to drive and corner at
reasonable speeds and to leave asufficient margin of safety. VSA Activation Indicator
When VSA activates, you will see the
VSA Activation indicator blink.
Driving
CONTINUED

VSA ACTIVATION INDICATOR

Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System
VSA System Indicator
The VSA system indicator (see page 56 ) comes on and stays on when
there is a problem with the VSA
system.
If the VSA indicator comes on while
driving, pull to the side of the road
when it is safe and turn off the engine. Reset the system by
restarting the engine, and watch the
VSA system indicator. If the indicator remains on, or comes backon while driving, have the VSA
system inspected by your Acura

dealer.

If the indicator does not come on
when the ignition switch is turned ON (II), there may be a problem
with the VSA system. Have your dealer inspect your car as soon as

possible.

Without VSA, your car will have normal braking and cornering ability,
but it will not have VSA traction andstability enhancement. VSA Off Switch
This switch is under the left vent. Press it to turn the Vehicle Stability
Assist system on and off.
When VSA is off, the VSA Activation Indicator light comes on as a
reminder. Pressing the switch again
turns the system back on.

Driving

VSA SYSTEM INDICATOR

Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System

VSA is turned on every time you start the engine, even if you turned it
off the last time you drove the car. VSA and Tire Sizes
Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the VSA to
malfunction. When replacing tires,
make sure they are of the same size
and type as your original tires (see

page 247).

Deactivate the VSA system if you
need to drive with the compact spare
tire installed (see page 272 ).
If you install winter tires, make sure
they are the same size as those that
were originally supplied with your car. Exercise the same caution
during winter driving as you would if
your car was not equipped with VSA.

Driving

Towing a Trailer

Your Acura has been designedprimarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment, and follow the guidelines in this
section.
Load Limits
Total Trailer Weight: The totalweight of the trailer andeverything loaded in it must not
exceed 2,000 Ibs (900 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy canseriously affect your car's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and
drivetrain. Tongue Load: The weight that
the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should beapproximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces front-tire
traction and steering control.

Driving

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

Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Acura, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 319 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Acura

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 204
Important Safety Precautions.. 205
Maintenance Schedule.................. 206
Required Maintenance Record.... 213 Owner Maintenance Checks........ 215
Fluid Locations............................... 216

Engine Oil...................................... 217
Adding Oil................................... 217
Recommended Oil.................... 217
Synthetic Oil.............................. 218

Additives.................................... 218

Changing the Oil and Filter...... 219
Cooling System.............................. 221 Adding Engine Coolant............. 221Replacing Engine Coolant........ 223
Windshield Washers..................... 227
Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 228 Differential Oil.............................. 229

Brake Fluid.................................... 230
Brake System............................. 230
Power Steering............................... 230

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

Air Cleaner Element...................... 231 Spark Plugs..................................... 233

Replacement.............................. 233
Specifications............................ 236
Battery............................................ 236
Wiper Blades.................................. 239
Air Conditioning System............... 241
Air Conditioning Filter.................. 242
Drive Belts...................................... 242
Timing Belt..................................... 243
Tires................................................ 243
Inflation..................................... 243

Inspection................................... 245
Maintenance............................... 246
Tire Rotation.............................. 246
Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 247
Wheels and Tires....................... 248
Winter Driving........................... 248
Snow Tires............................ 249

Tire Chains.............................
249
Lights.............................................. 250 Replacing Bulbs......................... 252
Storing Your Car............................

261

Maintenance

Maintenance Safety

Important Safety Precautions Before you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also, be sure the engine is off. This will help to eliminateseveral potential hazards:

Carbon monoxide poisoning

from engine exhaust. Be sure there is adequate ventilation

whenever you operate the engine.
Burns from hot parts. Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
before touching any parts. Injury from moving parts. Do
not run the engine unless in-
structed to do so. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the
tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of fire or explosion, be careful when working
around gasoline or batteries. Use a
commercially available degreaser or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and all
fuel-related parts.
You should wear eye protection and protective clothing when workingnear the battery or when using
compressed air.

Maintenance

Maintenance Schedule

The Maintenance Schedule specifies how often you should have your carserviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to retain its high level of safety,dependability, and emissions control
performance.
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenanceschedule assume you will use your
car as normal transportation for
passengers and their possessions.
You should also follow these
recommendations:
Avoid exceeding your car's load
limit. This puts excess stress on
the engine, brakes, and manyother parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on the label on the driver's doorjamb.
Operate your car on reasonable
roads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).

Always use unleaded gasoline with the proper octane rating (see page
168). Which Schedule to Follow:
Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule
for "Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done under one or more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for "Normal Conditions."

Maintenance