2002 Acura TL ECO mode

During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbraking.Newbrakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use f or the f irst 200 miles (300
km).
Help assure your car’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
Do not change the oil until the
recommended time or mileage
intervalshowninthemaintenance
schedule.
Youshouldfollowthesesamere-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined. In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emissions control system
perf ormance may deteriorate and
the Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.
If this happens, contact your
authorized Acura dealer f or service.
Your Acura is designed to operate on
premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause occasional, metallic knocking
noises in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
f uel system and engine deposits.
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your car’s emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period
Gasoline
Break-in Period, Gasoline
164
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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.
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.
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. The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Turnoff theA/Cor
set the climate control to a higher
temperature to cut down on air
conditioning use. Use the flow-
through ventilation when the outside
air temperature is moderate.
221
Vehicle Condition
Driving Habits
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Bef ore Driving
Fuel Economy
170
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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 in the tachometer
shows which position the shif t lever
is in. The illuminated number next to
the ‘‘D ’’ indicator shows you the
gear you have selected in the
Sequential SportShif t mode.The ‘‘D ’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch ON (II). If it f lashes
while driving (in any shif t 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.
5 5
Driving
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ever Position Indicator
180
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´
´
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µ
CONT INUED
Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for
any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shif t lever
f rom Neutral to another gear.
Use this position f or
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear for your speed and
acceleration. You may notice the
transmission shif ting up at higher
speeds when the engine is cold. This
helps the engine warm up f aster. With
the shif t lever in ‘‘D ’’ position, you
can select the Sequential SportShif t
mode to shif t gears; much like a
manual transmission, but without a
clutch pedal.
To enter the Sequential SportShif t
mode, move the shif t lever to the lef t.
To return to ‘‘D ’’, move the shif t
lever to the right.
When you move the shif t lever f rom
‘‘D ’’ to the Sequential SportShift
mode, the display shows the selected
gear.
In the Sequential SportShif t mode,
each time you push f orward on the
shif t lever, the transmission shif ts to
a higher gear. Pull back on the lever
to downshif t. The number of the
gear selected is displayed next to the
‘‘D ’’ indicator (see page ). Even with the Sequential SportShift
Mode selected, the transmission will
automatically upshif t and downshif t
between f irst and second gear.
180
5
5
5
5
Automatic Transmission
Driving
Neutral (N)
Drive (D )
5
Sequent ial Sport Shif t Mode
183
D D o
ow
wn ns
shh i
iff t
t
U
Up
ps
shh i
iff t
t
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The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below. Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the transmission shif ts f requently
between 4th and 5th gears while
going up a hill, shif t to D . And if the
transmission shif ts f requently
between 3rd and 4th gears, shif t to
D.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Use the D or D position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D is
the proper shif t lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See ‘‘
’’ in the
f ollowing column f or additional gear
inf ormation.) When towing a trailer in the
Sequential SportShif t mode, select
Fourth, Third, Second, or First gear;
depending on the vehicle speeds and
road condition. Do not use Fif th gear.
The recommended speed range f or
each gear position is shown in the
table.
Gear position 1
2
3, 4 Speed range
037mph
(0 60 km/h)
12 68 mph
over 25 mph
(over 40 km/h)
4
3
54
3
(20 110 km/h)
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
T owing Speeds and Gears Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
Towing a Trailer
Driving206
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The air cleaner element should be
cleaned or replaced according to the
time and distance recommendations
in the maintenance schedule.Loosen the two bolts with a Phillips-
head screwdriver. Remove the air
cleaner housing cover by lif ting and
pivoting it out of the loops.
Loosen the f our bolts by using a
Phillips-head screwdriver and
remove the air cleaner housing
cover.
Clean the air cleaner element by
blowing compressed air through it in
the opposite direction to normal air
f low. If you do not have access to
compressed air (such as a service
station), ask your Acura dealer to do
this service.
Follow the replacement procedure
for removal and reinstallation.
The air cleaner element is inside the
air cleaner housing on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment.
To replace it:
1.
On Premium model
On Premium model On Type S
Maint enance
A ir Cleaner Element
Cleaning (Severe Conditions)
Replacement
238
B BOOL LTT S
S
L
LOOO OPP B
BO
OL LTT S
S
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The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions and
speeds. Tire pressures f or high
speed driving are the same as f or
normal driving.Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:
Bumpsorbulgesinthetreador
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Excessive tread wear.
Thecompactsparetirepressureis:
These pressures are also given on
thetireinformationlabelonthe
driver’s doorjamb.
Tubeless tires have some ability to
self -seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is of ten
very slow, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.
Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
Tire Size
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
Type S
Premium model
Recommended T ire Pressures f or
Normal Driving
Inspection
Tires
Maint enance252
P205/60R16 91V 32 psi (220 kPa ,
2.2 kgf/cm
)
P215/50R17 93V 32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
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Wheel:
It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, then replace the two
f ront tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously af f ect your car’s handling. 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. 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.
Tire:
See page f or inf ormation about
DOT Tire Quality Grading.310
Type S
Premium model
Type S
Premium model
Wheels and T ires
Tires
Maint enance255
16x61/2JJ
P205/60R16 91V
P215/50R17 93V 17x61/2JJ
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.
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