2001 Acura RL transmission

2001 RL Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... 121
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................167
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .179
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................203
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .263
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................271
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................299
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................313
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................319
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

Accord Value Package Audio System Owner's Identification Form

Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ 2

Steering Wheel Controls

3. Press and release the SET/decel button on the steering wheel. TheCRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel comes on to show the system is now activated. The cruise control may not hold the
set speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to slow down to the desired speed. This
will cancel the cruise control. To resume the set speed, press the
RESUME/accel button. TheCRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel comes on.
When climbing a steep hill, the automatic transmission may
downshift to hold the set speed. Changing the Set Speed
You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways: Press and hold the RESUME/
accel button. The car will acceler-
ate. When you reach the desired
cruising speed, release the button. Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-
celerate to the desired cruising speed and press the SET/decel
button. To increase your speed in very
small amounts, tap the RESUME/
accel button repeatedly. Each time
you do this, your car will speed up about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Instruments and Controls
RESUME/

accel

BUTTON

SET/decel BUTTON

Driving
This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important information on parking your car, the braking system,
the Vehicle Stability Assist System,
and facts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer. Preparing to Drive......................... 180
Starting the Engine........................ 181
Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 181
Automatic Transmission............... 182 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 182
Shift Lever Positions................. 182
Engine Speed Limiter ............... 184
Shift Lock Release..................... 185
Parking............................................ 186
The Braking System...................... 187
Brake Wear Indicators.............. 187
Brake System Design................ 188
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 188 Important SafetyReminders.......................... 189
ABS Indicator......................... 189
Vehicle Stability Assist System.... 191 Driving in Bad Weather................ 194
Towing a Trailer............................ 196

Driving

Automatic Transmission

Your Acura's transmission has four
forward speeds, and is electronicallycontrolled for smoother shifting. It
also has a "lock-up" torque converter
for better fuel economy. You may
feel what seems like another shift
when the converter locks.
Shift Lever Position Indicator
This indicator between the fuel gauge and temperature gauge shows
which position the shift lever is in.
The "D4" indicator comes on for afew seconds when you turn theignition switch ON (II). If it flashes
while driving (in any shift position), it indicates a possible problem in the
transmission. Avoid rapid acceler- ation and have the transmission
checked by an authorized Acura
dealer as soon as possible. Shift Lever Positions
The shift lever has seven positions. It must be in Park or Neutral to start
the engine. When you are stopped in
D4, D3, 2,1, N or R, press firmly on
the brake pedal, and keep your footoff the accelerator pedal.

Driving
SHIFT LEVER

Automatic Transmission

Whenever you move the shift lever, slide it along the guide on the

console.

Park (P) — This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or
starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the
accelerator pedal. Move the shift
lever to the right to shift out of the Park position.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see Shift Lock Release on page
185.

To avoid transmission damage, come to a complete stop before shifting
into Park. The shift lever must be inPark before you can remove the key
from the ignition switch. Reverse (R) — To shift to Reverse
from Park, see the explanation under
Park. To shift to Reverse from
Neutral, come to a complete stop and
then shift. Push down on the shift
lever before shifting into Reverse
from Neutral.
Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if you need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shift lever from Neutral to another gear.

CONTINUED

Driving

Automatic Transmission

Drive (D4) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmis- sion automatically selects a suitable
gear for your speed and acceleration.
You may notice the transmission shifting up at higher speeds when
the engine is cold. This helps the engine warm up faster.
Drive (D3) —This position is similar
to D4, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D3 when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going down a steep hill. D3 can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in stop-and-go driving.
For faster acceleration when in D3 or
D4, you can get the transmission to
automatically downshift by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shift down one or two gears, depending on your
speed.
Second (2) — This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshift to first gear
when you come to a stop. Second gives you more power when climbing,and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery surface or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
First (1) — To shift from Second to
First, push down on the shift lever.
With the lever in this position, the transmission locks in First gear. By
upshifting and downshifting through 1, 2, D3 and D4, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal. Engine Speed Limiter
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine speed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may feel
the engine cut in and out. This iscaused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the RPM below the red zone.

Driving

Automatic Transmission

Shift Lock Release
This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normalmethod of pushing on the brake
pedal does not work.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition
switch.
3. Put a cloth on the edge of the Shift

Lock Release slot cover next to

the shift lever.

Use a small flat-tipped screwdriver
or small metal plate (neither are
included in the tool kit) to remove

the cover. Carefully pry off the

edge of the cover. 4. Insert the key in the Shift Lock

Release slot.

5. Push down on the key and move

the shift lever out of Park to
Neutral.

SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
6. Remove the key from the Shift

Lock Release slot, then reinstall
the cover. Make sure the notch on
the cover is on the right side. Depress the brake pedal and
restart the engine.

If you need to use the Shift Lock
Release, it means your car is
developing a problem. Have the car
checked by your Acura dealer.

Driving

Parking

Always use the parking brake when
you park your car. The indicator on the instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not fully released; itdoes not indicate that the parking
brake is firmly set. Make sure the
parking brake is set firmly or your car may roll if it is parked on an

incline.

Set the parking brake before you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the car from moving and putting pressure on the parking mechanism
in the transmission — making it
easier to move the shift lever out of
Park when you want to drive away. If the car is facing uphill, turn the
front wheels away from the curb.
If the car is facing downhill, turn the
front wheels toward the curb.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage the rear brakes. Parking Tips Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Turn off the lights.Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lock the doors with the key or the
remote transmitter. Check the
indicator on the driver's door to
verify that the security system is set.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable
materials. The three way catalytic converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on

fire.

Driving