2002 Acura RL radiator

Install the radiator cap, and
tighten it fully.
If necessary, f ill the reserve tank
to the MAX mark. Install the
reserve tank cap.
Remove the radiator cap. Pour
coolant into the radiator up to the
base of the f iller neck and into the
reserve tank up to the MAX mark.
Start the engine and hold it at
1,500 rpm until the cooling f an
comes on. Turn of f the engine.
Check the coolant level in the
radiator and add coolant if needed. 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:
Install the radiator cap, and
tighten it to the first stop.
Start the engine and let it run until
the radiator cooling f an comes on
at least twice. Then stop the
engine.
Fill the reserve tank to the MAX
mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
Check the level in the radiator,
add coolant if needed.
12. 11. 13.
14.
15.
16.
17. 18.
19.
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance236
R RE ES
SE ER
RV V E
E T
TA
A N
NK K
F
Fi
illll u
u p
p t
too h
he
erree F
FIILLL LEE R
R N
NEEC
CK K
7 lbf·ft (9.8 N·m , 1.0 kgf·m)
01/09/28 20:04:03 31SZ3660_239

Make sure the climate control sys-
tem is off.
Start the engine and let it run until
it warms up (the radiator cooling
fan comes on at least twice), and
let it idle f or f ive more minutes.
If your car’s battery is disconnected
or goes dead, the engine’s computer
needs to ‘‘relearn’’ the idle control.
Af ter replacing or recharging the
battery:
Your driver’s power window (see
page ) and your audio system
will also disable itself when the bat-
tery is disconnected or goes dead.
Thenexttimeyouturnontheradio
you will see ‘‘Code’’ in the f requency
display. Use the Preset buttons to en-
ter the f ive-digit code (see page ).
1.
2. 104
156
Battery
Maint enance248
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car’s electronic controls. Detach the
battery cables bef ore connecting the
battery to a charger.
01/09/28 20:06:01 31SZ3660_251

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them. Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently. 312
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance251
A A I
IRR C
COON NDDI
ITT I
IOON NIINNG G C
COON NDDE
EN
NS SEER
R
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.
01/09/28 20:06:26 31SZ3660_254

If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Wait until you see no more signs
of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks. Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see on page ).
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off.
Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the f iller neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and
ref illed with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly. Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See
on page .)
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.10.
12.
11.
306
182 306
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed294
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
01/09/28 20:13:24 31SZ3660_297

...................
Methanol in Gasoline .316
..........................
Mirrors, Adjusting .91
.......................................
Moonroof .100
......................
Closing Manually .300
...................................
Operation .100
...................
Neutral Gear Position .193
..................
New Vehicle Break-in .178
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of .i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication .310
...................
Radiator Overheating .293
...
Radio/Cassette Sound System .128
...........................
Readiness Codes .298
..
Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement .264
..........................
Rear Seat Armrest .90
............................
Rear Ventilation .126
............................
Rear View Mirror .91
.................
Rear Window Def ogger .71
...............
Reclining the Seat Backs .87
.............................
Reminder Lights .53
.......................
Remote Transmitter .79
Replacement Inf ormation
.................
Air Cleaner Element .241
.............
Air Conditioning Filter . 252
..............................
Paint Touch-up .275
..............
Panel Brightness Control . 66
........................
Park Gear Position .193
...........................................
Parking .196
...............................
Parking Brake .106
Parking Brake and Brake .................
System Indicator . 54,299
.................................
Parking Lights .63
..
Parking Over Things that Burn . 320
.............................
PGM-FI System .319
..................
Polishing and Waxing . 275
............
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist . 11
.........
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . 18............................
Protecting Adults .12
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 19
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 18
........................
Protecting Children .20
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .28
.......
Protecting Larger Children . 35
.........
Protecting Small Children . 32
Using Child Seats with .....................................
Tethers .39
...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline . 178
.........................................
Odometer .59
...............................
Odometer, Trip .59
Oil ........................
Change, How to .229
......................
Change, When to .218
......................
Checking Engine .181
..............
Pressure Indicator . 54,295
Selecting Proper Viscosity ......................................
Chart .228
...........
ON (Ignition Key Position) . 80Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
....................................
Recovery .310
............................................
OnStar .167
.........................
Opening the Trunk .83
..
Operation in Foreign Countries . 317
..............................
Outside Mirrors .91
....
Outside Temperature Indicator . 59
....................
Overheating, Engine .293
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 225
.........................
Oxygenated Fuels .316
Index
N
O P
R
VI
01/09/28 20:19:16 31SZ3660_339