2002 Acura RSX fuel

2002 RSX 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

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
......................................... ii
Your Car at a Glance ........................................................................\
................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
...................................... 5
Proper use and care of your car's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint\
System.
Instruments and Controls ........................................................................\
......................................... 57
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use da shboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
...................... 101
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
.......................................................... 153
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new car, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................................... 167
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance ........................................................................\
............................................................. 193
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your car to the\
dealer.
Appearance Care ........................................................................\
...................................................... 253
Tips on cl eaning and protecting your car. Things to look for if your car ever need\
s body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected ........................................................................\
.............................. 261
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, and\
how to handle them.
Technical Information ........................................................................\
............................................. 287
ID numbers, dim ensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada) ................................................................301
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.............................. 306
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.

This section gives inf ormation about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your Acura. All the essential controls
are within easy reach............................
Control Locations .58
...............................
Indicator Lights .59
Maintenance Required ...................................
Indicator .64 .........
Security System Indicator . 65
.............................................
Gauges .66
...............................
Speedometer .66
.................................
Tachometer .66
.....................................
Odometer .66
...................................
Trip Meter .67
..................................
Fuel Gauge .67
...................
Temperature Gauge . 67
Controls Near the Steering .......................................
Wheel .68
...................................
Headlights .69
............
Daytime Running Lights . 69
....
Instrument Panel Brightness . 70
................................
Turn Signals .70
.....................
Windshield Wipers .71
..................
Windshield Washers . 72
Rear Window Wiper and .....................................
Washer .72
..........................
Hazard Warning .73
.............
Rear Window Def ogger . 73
......
Steering Wheel Adjustment . 74
...............................
Keys and Locks .75
..............................................
Keys .75
....................
Immobilizer System . 76
............................
Ignition Switch .77
..................................
Door Locks .79 .........
Power Door/Hatch Locks . 80
............................................
Hatch .80
...................
Remote Transmitter . 81
....................................
Glove Box .84
............................
Seat Adjustments .85
.............
Front Seat Adjustments . 85
Driver’s Seat Height ..............................
Adjustment .86
...........
Driver’s Lumbar Support . 86
........................
Rear Seat Access .86
...........................
Folding Rear Seat .87
....................................
Seat Heaters .88
...........................
Cargo Area Cover .89
..............................
Power Windows .90
.........................................
Moonroof .93
.............................................
Mirrors .94
....
Adjusting the Power Mirrors . 94
.................................
Parking Brake .95
..................................
Vanity Mirror .96
........................................
Coat Hook .96
.............................
Beverage Holder .97
...................
Console Compartment . 98
...............
Accessory Power Socket . 99
.................................
Interior Lights .99
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols57

The lef t or right turn signal light
blinks when you signal a lane change
or turn. If the light does not blink or
blinks rapidly, it usually means one
of the turn signal bulbs is burned out
(see page ). Replace the bulb as
soon as possible, since other drivers
cannot see that you are signalling.
WhenyouturnontheHazard
Warning switch, both turn signal
lights blink. All turn signals on the
outside of the car should f lash.This lights when you set the cruise
control. See page f or inf ormation
on operating the cruise control.
This light comes on if either door is
not closed tightly.
This light comes on as a reminder
that you must ref uel soon.This light comes on with the high
beam headlights. See page f or
inf ormation on the headlight
controls.
246 69
149
Only on models equipped with Cruise Control System
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Turn Signal and
Hazard Warning
Indicators Cruise Control Indicator
Door-open Indicator
Low Fuel Indicator High Beam Indicator
62

This shows the temperature of the
engine’s coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise
from the bottom white mark to about
the middle of the gauge. In severe
driving conditions, such as very hot
weather or a long period of uphill
driving, the pointer may rise to near
the upper white mark. If it reaches
the red (Hot) mark, pull safely to the
side of the road. Turn to page f or
instructions and precautions on
checking the engine’s cooling
system.
This shows how much f uel you have.
It is most accurate when the car is on
level ground. It may show slightly
more or less than the actual amount
whenyouaredrivingoncurvyor
hilly roads.
The needle returns to the bottom
after you turn off the ignition. The
gauge shows the f uel level reading
immediately af ter you turn the
ignition switch back ON (II).
This meter shows the number of
miles (U.S.) or kilometers (Canada)
driven since you last reset it.
To reset a trip meter, display it, and
then press and hold the Select/Reset
button until the number resets to
‘‘0.0’’. There are two trip meters: Trip A
and Trip B. Switch between these
displays and the odometer by
pressing the Select/Reset button
repeatedly. Each trip meter works
independently, so you can keep track
of two dif f erent distances.
212
Gauges
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Temperature Gauge
Fuel Gauge
Trip Meter
67

Bef ore you begin driving your Acura,
youshouldknowwhatgasolineto
use, and how to check the levels of
important f luids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage
or packages. The inf ormation in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your car,
please read the inf ormation in this
section f irst......................
General Precautions .154
.............................
Break-in Period .155
.........................................
Gasoline .155
.........
Service Station Procedures . 156
................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 156
....................
Opening the Hood .157
...............................
Oil Check .159
.........
Engine Coolant Check . 160
...............................
Fuel Economy .161
.....................
Vehicle Condition .161
...........................
Driving Habits .161
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 162
.............................
Carrying Cargo .164
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving153

Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat. Because the f uel f ill cap is on the
driver’s side of the car, park with
that side closest to the service
station pumps.Removethefuelfillcapslowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank, leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
Your car has an on-board ref ueling
vapor recovery system to help keep
f uel vapors f rom going into the
atmosphere. If the f uel nozzle keeps
clicking of f even though the tank is
not f ull, there may be a problem with
this system. Consult your dealer.
1.
2. 3.
4.
Filling the Fuel Tank
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving156
F FU
UE EL
L F
FIILLL L C
CAA P
P
P
P
u
ul
lll
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.

A cold engine uses more f uel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
‘‘warm-up’’ a cold engine by letting it
idle f or a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up f aster, and you get
better f uel economy. To cut down on
the number of ‘‘cold starts,’’ try to
combine several short trips into one.
You can improve f uel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Turnoff theA/Cto
cutdownonairconditioninguse.
Use the f low-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Always maintain your car according
to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte-
nance is the
(see page ). For
example, an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel. It also wears out
f aster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car’s underside adds weight and
rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your f uel mileage and reduces
thechanceof corrosion. Depending on traf f ic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra f uel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase f uel economy.
The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
205
Vehicle Condition
Driving Habits
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Bef ore Driving
Fuel Economy
161

The shift lever has five positions. It
must be in Park or Neutral to start
the engine. When you are stopped in
D, D , N, R or the manual mode,
press firmly on the brake pedal and
keep your f oot of f the accelerator
pedal.
Your Acura’s transmission has f ive
f orward speeds, and is electronically
controlled f or smoother shif ting. It
also has a ‘‘lock-up’’ torque converter
forbetterfueleconomy.Youmay
f eel what seems like another shif t
when the converter locks.
This indicator on the instrument
panel shows which position the shif t
lever is in.
The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch ON (II). If it f lashes
at any time (in any shift position), it
indicates a possible problem in the
transmission. Avoid rapid
acceleration and have the
transmission checked by an
authorized Acura dealer as soon as
possible.
3
CONT INUED
Shif t L ever Position Indicator Shif t L ever Positions
Automatic Transmission
Driving173
S SHH I
IFFT T L
LEE V
V E
ER
R