2001 Acura RL lock

The Braking System

If the ABS indicator and the brake
system indicator come on together,
and the parking brake is fully
released, the front-to-rear braking distribution system may also shut

down.

Test your brakes as instructed on page 289 . If the brakes feel normal,drive slowly and have your car
repaired by your dealer as soon as
possible. Avoid sudden hard braking
which could cause the rear wheels to lock up and possibly lead to a loss of

control.

The VSA system indicator may come on along with the ABS indicator if
there is a problem with the anti-lock
brake system.
Driving

Driving in Bad Weather

Visibility — Being able to see clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To be seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defroster and air conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see
pages 128 and 133). Traction — Check your tires
frequently for wear and properpressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four
wheels for the best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully, they can change from moment tomoment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditionscan be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the drive wheels for a moment and cause
a skid. Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other vehicles. The spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.
Driving

Cooling System

2. Turn the radiator rap counter-
clockwise, without pressing down
on it, until it stops. This relieves
any pressure remaining in the
cooling system.
3. Remove the radiator cap by pushing down and turning
counterclockwise. 4. The coolant level should be up to
the base of the filler neck. Add
coolant if it is low.

5. Put the radiator cap back on.

Tighten it fully.

6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank.

Fill it to halfway between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.

Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your car's coolingsystem. They may not be compatible
with the coolant or engine compo- nents.
Maintenance RADIATOR CAP

RESERVE TANK

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

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

Spark Plugs
4. Disconnect the wire connector
from the ignition coil by pushing on the lock tab and pulling on the
connector. Pull on the plastic
connector, not the wires.

5. Use a wrench to remove the two

bolts holding the ignition coil. Remove the ignition coil by pulling
it straight out.

6. Remove the spark plug with
a five-eighths inch (16 mm) spark
plug socket. 7. Put the new spark plug into the
socket; then screw it into the hole.
Screw it in by hand so you do not

crossthread it.

Maintenance

IGNITION COIL
CONNECTOR
LOCK TAB BOLTS
IGNITION COIL

Spark Plugs

8. Torque the spark plug. (If you do
not have a torque wrench, tighten
the spark plug two-thirds of a turn
after it contacts the cylinder head.)
Tightening torque:
13 lbf.ft (18 N.m , 1.8 kgf.m)

Tighten the spark plugs carefully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine. Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads in the cylinder head.

9. Install the ignition coil. Reinstall

the two hold-down bolts.

10.Push the wire connector onto the

ignition coil. Make sure it locks in
place.

11.Repeat this procedure for the other five spark plugs.
12.Put the A/C tube back in place.
13.Install the tower bar and tighten

the two bolts and the four nuts.
Tightening torque: 16 lbf .
ft (22 N .
m , 2.2 kgf .
m)

14.Install the engine cover. First

tighten the two bolts on the front
of the engine cover, then tighten
the three nuts on the engine cover.
Tightening torque: 7 lbf .
ft (10 N .
m , 1.0 kgf .
m)

CONTINUED

Maintenance

NOTICE

Wiper Blades
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months. Look for signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you find
these signs, or they leave streaks and unwiped areas when used.
To replace the blade:1. Turn the ignition ON (II), switchthe wipers to INT or — (low
position), then turn the ignition OFF when the wiper arm is
approximately midway in its travel.
2. Disconnect the blade assembly
from the wiper arm by pushing in the lock tab. Hold it in while you
push the blade assembly toward
the base of the arm.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

WIPER ARMS

LOCK

TAB