2001 Acura RL steering wheel

Preparing to Drive

You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,or ice.
2. Check that the hood and trunk are
fully closed.

3. Visually check the tires. If a tire

looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.

4. Check that any items you may be

carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down
securely.

5. Check the adjustment of the seat (see page 94 ).
6. Check the adjustment of the

inside and outside mirrors (see
page 99 ).

7. Check the adjustment of the

steering wheel (see page 7 1 ).

8. Make sure the doors are securely

closed and locked.

9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that

your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page 15 ).

10.Turn the ignition switch ON (II).

Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.

11.Start the engine (see page 181).
12.Check the gauges and indicator

lights in the instrument panel (see
page 53).

Driving

The Braking System

Your Acura is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. A powerassist helps reduce the effort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
Put your foot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your foot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, confusing drivers behind

you.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds up heat and reduces their effective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshifting to a lower gear and taking your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they feel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they do. Since a longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious and alert in your driving. Brake Wear Indicators
All four brakes have audible brake
wear indicators.
When the brake pads need replacing,
you will hear a distinctive metallic "screeching" sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not confuse this with the
brake wear indicators. They make a
very audible "screeching."

Driving

The Braking System

Brake System Design
The hydraulic system that operates the brakes has two separate circuits.Each circuit works diagonally across
the car (the left-front brake is connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.

Front
Anti-lock Brakes

Your car has an Anti-lock BrakeSystem (ABS) as standard
equipment. ABS helps to prevent the
wheels from locking up and skidding during hard braking, allowing you to
retain steering control.
When the front tires skid, you lose steering control; the car continues
straight ahead even though you turn
the steering wheel. The ABS helps to
prevent lock-up and helps you retain steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly; much faster than a person can do it.
The ABS also balances the front-to rear braking distribution according
to vehicle loading. You should never pump the
brake pedal, this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work for you by always keeping firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes referred to as
"stomp and steer."

You will feel a pulsation in the brake pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is normal, it is the ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount of traction your tires have. On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
the brake pedal very hard before you activate the ABS. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.

Driving

The Braking System

Important Safety Reminders

ABS does not reduce the time or distance it takes to stop the car, it
only helps with steering controlduring braking. You should always
maintain a safe following distance
from other vehicles.
ABS will not prevent a skid that results from changing direction
abruptly, such as trying to take a corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed for the road and
weather conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of stability. Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into
oncoming traffic or off the road. A vehicle with ABS may require a
longer distance to stop on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel or snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater distance between vehicles under
those conditions.

ABS Indicator

U.S. indicator shown

The ABS is self-checking. If anything goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see page 56 ). This means the anti-lock function of the braking system has
shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-
lock, providing normal stopping ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your car as soon as possible
if this light stays on after you start
the engine, or comes on whiledriving.
DrivingCONTINUED

ABS INDICATOR*

Driving in Bad Weather

Rain, fog, and snow conditions require a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well- maintained and exercise greatercaution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control should not be used in these
conditions. Driving Technique — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to
react, even in conditions that may seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious for the first few miles (kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills. Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.
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

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

Power Steering, Hood Latch, Air Cleaner Element
Always use Honda Power Steering Fluid. If it is not available, you may
use another power steering fluid as
an emergency replacement.
However, continued use can cause
increased wear and poor steering in
cold weather. Have the power
steering system flushed and refilled
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
A low power steering fluid level can indicate a leak in the system. Check
the fluid level frequently and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.

Turning the steering wheel to full left
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.
Hood Latch

Clean the hood latch assembly with a
mild cleaner, then lubricate it with a
multipurpose grease. Lubricate all
the moving parts (as shown),
including the pivot. Follow the time
and distance recommendations in
the Maintenance Schedule. If you are not sure how to clean and grease
the latch, contact your Acura dealer.
Air Cleaner Element

The air cleaner element should be cleaned or replaced according to the
time and distance recommendations
in the maintenance schedule.
Cleaning (Severe Conditions)

Clean the air cleaner element by blowing compressed air through it in
the opposite direction to normal air
flow. If you do not have access tocompressed air (such as a servicestation), ask your Acura dealer to do
this service.
Follow the replacement procedure
for removal and reinstallation.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

NOTICE

PIVOTS
LATCH
ASSEMBLY