2001 Acura RL wheel size

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

Tires

When shopping for replacement tires, you may find that some tiresare "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in one
direction. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back. Replacing Tires and Wheels
The tires that came with your car were selected to match the perform- ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comfort, and long life.
You should replace them with radial tires of the same size, load range,speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce
its braking ability, traction, and steering accuracy. It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible or necessary, then replace the two
front tires or the two rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire canseriously affect your car's handling.
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Maintenance

Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this owner's manual.

Tires

The ABS and VSA system work by comparing the speed of the wheels.
When replacing tires, use the same size originally supplied with the car.
Tire size and construction can affect wheel speed and may cause the system to work inconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure you use an identical style
aluminum alloy wheel that originally
came on your Acura. Replacement
wheels are available at your Acura
dealer.
Wheels and Tires

Wheels:
16x7JJ

Tires:

P215/60R16 94V
See page 304 for information about
DOT Tire Quality Grading.
Winter Driving

Tires that are marked "M + S" or
"All Season" on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They
should be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate performance in winter driving.For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should installsnow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions.

Maintenance

Tires

Snow Tires

If you mount snow tires on your
Acura, make sure they are radial tires of the same size and load rangeas the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels to balance
your car's handling in all weather conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your car's
original equipment tires. You shoulddrive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommen-

dations.
Tire Chains

Because your Acura has limited tire
clearance, mount only SAE Class "S"
cable-type traction devices on the
front tires. Use traction devices only
when required by driving conditions or local laws. Make sure they are the
correct size for your tires.
Metal link-type "chains" should not
be used. No matter how tight they seem to be installed, they can come
into contact with the body and suspension, causing serious damage. When installing cables, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with them installed. If
you hear them coming in contact with the body or chassis, stop andinvestigate. Make sure the cables areinstalled tightly, and that they are
not contacting the brake lines or
suspension.

Remove them as soon as you begin driving on cleared roads.

Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can damage your car's brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part ofthe car.

Maintenance

NOTICE

Compact Spare Tire

Your car has a compact spare tire that takes up less space. Use this spare tire as a temporary replace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put it back on your car as soon as you can.
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to:
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm 2
)

Follow these precautions whenever
you are using the compact spare tire:
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances. This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
faces than the regular tire. Use
greater caution while driving on
this tire.
Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare.
The wheel of the compact spare tire is designed especially to fit
your car. Do not use your spare tire on another vehicle unless it is
the same make and model.
Turn off the VSA system (see
page 192 ).
Driving with the compact spare
tire may activate the VSA system. The compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular tire. Replaceit when you can see the tread wearindicator bars. The replacement
should be the same size and design
tire, mounted on the same wheel.
The compact spare tire is not designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the compact wheel is not designed for mounting a regular tire.
Taking Care of the Unexpected INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR