2001 Acura TL ECU

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood and trunk are
f ully closed.Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
steering wheel (see page ).
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
Start the engine (see page ).
Check the gauges and indicator
lights in the instrument panel (see
page ).
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely. Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your car.
3.2.
1.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9. 11.
12. 10.
15
71
55 165
101 93
Preparing to Drive
Driving164

µMake sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you. Turn of f the lights.
Always use the parking brake when
you park your car. The indicator on
the instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not f ully released; it
does not indicate that the parking
brakeisfirmlyset.Makesurethe
parking brake is set f irmly or your
car may roll if it is parked on an
incline. If the car is f acing uphill, turn the
f ront wheels away f rom the curb.
If the car is f acing downhill, turn the
f ront wheels toward the curb.
Make sure the parking brake is f ully
released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes.
Set the parking brake bef ore 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 shif t lever out of
Park when you want to drive away. Lockthedoorswiththekeyorthe
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 f lammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving175

Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody. Towing can require a variety of
equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and
how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and that it meets
f ederal, state, province, and local
regulations.
The best way to conf irm that vehicle
and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the f irst time you set up a
towing combination (a f ully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
Always use saf ety chains. Make sure
they are secured to both the trailer
and hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground.
Towing a Trailer
Driving
HitchesSaf et y Chains
T owing Equipment and
A ccessories
Checking L oads
186

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don’t,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or
if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure. 184 233
185
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Pre-T ow ChecklistAdditional Trailer Equipment
188

To add oil, unscrew and remove the
engine oil f ill cap on top of the valve
cover. Pour in the oil, and install the
engine oil f ill cap. Tighten it securely.
Wait a f ew minutes and recheck the
oil level. Do not f ill above the upper
mark; you could damage the engine.Oil is major contributor to your
engine’s perf ormance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade
detergent oil displaying the API
Certif ication Seal. This seal indicates
the oil is energy conserving, and that
it meets the American Petroleum
Institute’s latest requirements. It is
highly recommended that you use
Honda Motor Oil in your vehicle f or
as long as you own it.
Make sure the API Certif ication Seal
says ‘‘For Gasoline Engines.’’
CONT INUED
A dding Oil
Recommended Oil
Engine Oil
Maint enance205
E EN
NG GIINNE E O
OIILL F
FIILLL L C
CAA P
P
A
AP
PI
IC
CE ER
RT TI
IFFI ICCA A T
TI
IOON N S
SEEA
A L
L

Tighten the drain bolt at the rear
of the engine cylinder block
securely.
Tightening torque:Pour Honda All Season
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2 into
the radiator up to the base of the
f iller neck. This coolant is a
mixture of 50 percent antif reeze
and 50 percent water. Pre-mixing
is not required.
The cooling system capacity is:
Start the engine and let it run f or
about 30 seconds. Then turn of f
the engine. Pour coolant into theradiator up to the base of the f iller
neck.
Fill the reserve tank to the MAX
mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
Install the radiator cap, and
tighten it to the first stop.
6.
8.9.
7.
10.
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance214
F Fiillll u
u p
p t
too h
he
erree
7 lbf·ft (10 N·m , 1.0 kgf·m)
1.48 US gal (5.6
, 1.23 Imp gal)

Insert the dipstick all the way into
the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
Remove the dipstick and check
the f luid level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.If the level is below the lower
mark, remove the f ill plug and add
f luid to bring it to the upper mark.
Insert the dipstick all the way back
into the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
If youarenotsurehowtoaddfluid,
contact your Acura dealer.
Always use Honda ATF-Z1
(Automatic Transmission Fluid). If
it is not available, you may use a
DEXRON
III automatic
transmission f luid as a temporary
replacement. However, continued
use can affect shift quality. Have
the transmission f lushed and
ref illed with Honda ATF-Z1 as
soon as it is convenient.
To thoroughly f lush the
transmission, the technician
should drain and ref ill it with
Honda ATF-Z1, then drive the
vehicle a short distance. Do this
three times. Then drain and ref ill
the transmission a final time.
3. 5.
6.
4.
Maint enance
Automatic Transmission Fluid
217
U UP PP
PE
ER
R M
M A
AR
RKK
L
LO OW WE ER
R M
M A
AR
RKK

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µSpark Plug Gap:
Push the wire connector onto the
ignition coil. Make sure it locks in
place. Install the ignition coil. Reinstall
the hexagon socket head cap bolt. Repeat this procedure f or the
other f ive spark plugs.
Reinstall the cover on the front
cylinder bank while putting its
mounting clip in the hole on the
passenger’s side. Secure the cover
by turning the heads of the two
holding clips one-quarter turn
clockwise with a f lat-tipped
screwdriver.
NGK:
DENSO:
8. 11.
10.
9.
Maint enance
Spark Plugs
Specif ications:
223
PZFR5F-11
PKJ16CR-L11
0.04 in (1.1 mm)
0
0.1 mm
Tighten the spark plugs caref ully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine.
Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads in the cylinder head.