2002 Acura TL engine light

When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
orNeutralorthestarterwillnot
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page . Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See
on page .)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the car from
a booster battery (see page ).
286 302
243 286
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
285
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In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.If your car’s battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine
by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start your Acura by
pushing or pulling it.
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See
on page .
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ). Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
77
179 297
302
T he Starter Operates Normally
Jump Starting
Emergency
Towing
Starting the
Engine
If Your Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed286
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
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´ ´
CONT INUED
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
Remove the battery cover.
To jump start your car, f ollow these
directions closely:
Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake. Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
Acura’s battery. Connect the other
end to the positive ( ) terminal
on the booster battery.
4.
5.3.
1.
2. 243
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed287
P P
r
reem m i
iuu m
m m
mo
od
de
ell
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
00/12/25 14:41:06 31S0K630_290

This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low f or a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows
that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the light
does not go out within ten seconds,
turn of f the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired bef ore you can
continue driving. (See
on page .)
Letthecarsitforaminute.Open
the hood and check the oil level
(see page ). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during
cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
1.
2.
3. 4.
168 223 302
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
291
L L O
OW W O
OIILL P
PR
RE ES
SS SUUR REE I
INND DI
ICCA A T
TO
OR R
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the car stopped.
00/12/25 14:41:46 31S0K630_294

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Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation309
Fuses Battery Lights
Engine
Alignment
Tires3.50 x 3.39 in (89.0 x 86.0 mm)
12 V 60 W (HB3)
12 V 24/2.2 CP
195.8 cu-in (3,210 cm
)
9.8 : 1
Water cooled 4-stroke
SOHC VTEC 6-cylinder (V6), gasoline engine
Interior
Under-hood See page 300 or the fuse box
cover. See page 301 or the fuse label
attached to the inside of the fuse
box door on each side of the
dashboard.
Capacity 12 V 65 AH/20 HR Headlights
Front turn signal/Side marker/
Parking lights
Fog Lights
Rear turn signal lights
Stop/Taillights
High-mount brake light
Back-up lights
License plate light
Ceiling light
Trunk light
Door courtesy lights
Vanity mirror lights
Spotlights 12 V
12 V 12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
4CP
1.1 W
2CP
5W
7W
3CP
18 W
21 W
21/5 W
21 W Type
BorexStroke
Displacement
Compression ratio
Spark plugs See spark plug maintenance
section page 242 .
10.5 : 1
12 V 51 W (HB4)
Toe-in
Camber
Caster
Size
Pressure 3°00’
0°30’0°
0.08 in (2.0 mm) 0.00 in (0.0 mm)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm
)
32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm)
T135/80R16 101M P215/50R17 93V
P205/60R16 91V
Front
Rear
Front
Rear
Front
(High beam)
Low beam headlight bulbs are a type of high voltage discharge tube. Front/Rear
Spare
Front/Rear
Spare
2 : Type S 1 : Premium model
1 : Premium model
2 : Type S
2
1
2
1
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Î
ÎThe burning of gasoline in your car’s
engine produces several byproducts.
Some of these are carbon monoxide
(CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and
hydrocarbons (HC). Gasoline
evaporating from the tank also
produces hydrocarbons. Controlling
the production of NOx, CO, and HC
is important to the environment.
Under certain conditions of sunlight
and climate, NOx and HC react to
f orm photochemical ‘‘smog.’’ Carbon
monoxide does not contribute to
smog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas. The United States Clean Air Act
sets standards f or automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
workandwhattodotomaintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page
.
In Canada, Acura vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Saf ety Standards (CMVSS) f or
Emissions valid at the time they are
manuf actured.
Your car has a Positive Crankcase
Ventilation System. This keeps
gasses that build up in the engine’s
crankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive Crankcase
Ventilation valve routes them from the crankcase back to the intake
manif old. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned.
As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
The Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f .
214
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
T echnical Inf ormation
Emissions Cont rols
314
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CONT INUED
...
Accessories and Modifications . 171
................................
Accessories . 171
.
Additional Safety Precautions . 172
............................
Modif ications . 172
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) . 79
............
Accessory Power Sockets . 110
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 225
...............................
Airbag (SRS) . 9, 47
.....................
Air Cleaner Element . 238
.................
Air Conditioning Filter . 249
......
Air Conditioning System . 116, 123
..............................
Maintenance . 248
.................................
Usage . 118, 123
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires . 251
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline . 312
......................................
Antif reeze . 228
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ...............................
Indicator .60, 192
...................................
Operation .191
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 151
.
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock . 78
..........................
Appearance Care .269
................................
Audio System .129 ...
Automatic Lighting Off Feature . 70
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 45
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 153
..............
Automatic Transmission . 180
..........................
Capacity,Fluid .308
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 234
.......................................
Shif ting .180
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 180
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 181
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 187
Battery Charging System ...........................
Indicator .59, 292
............................
Jump Starting .286
..............................
Maintenance .243
............................
Specif ications .309
..............................
Bef ore Driving .163
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,44
...........................
Beverage Holder .108
...................................
Body Repair .276
Brakes ...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 191
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 164....................
Bulb Replacement .263
...........................................
Fluid .236
.......................................
Parking .104
.................
System Indicator . 59, 295
........................
Wear Indicators .190
.............................
Braking System .190
........................
Break-in, New Car .164
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 71
........................
Brights, Headlights .69
Bulb Replacement ..........................
Back-up Lights .263
..............................
Brake Lights .263
..............................
Ceiling Light .265
........................
Courtesy Lights .265
.................................
Fog Lights .262
........
Front Side Marker Lights . 260
.................................
Headlights .259
.........
High-mount Brake Light . 264
...................
License Plate Light . 264
............................
Specif ications .309
...................................
Spotlights .265
....................
Turn Signal Lights . 260
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen .259
Index
A
B
I
00/12/26 11:14:29 31S0K630_330

Î
............................
Capacities Chart . 308
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 53
............................
Carrying, Cargo .173
Cassette Player ............................................
Care .141
...................................
Operation .137
..............
CAUTION, Explanation of . ii
...................................
CD Changer .142
..................................
Ceiling Light .111
........................
Certif ication Label .306
............................................
Chains .256
Changing Oil ........................................
How to .225
......................................
When to .214
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .279
............
Changing Engine Coolant . 230
...
Charging System Indicator . 59, 292
............
Checklist, Bef ore Driving . 178
..................
Childproof Door Locks . 84
.....................................
Child Saf ety .21
.......................................
Child Seats .26
..........
Tether Anchorage Points . 41
....................
Cleaner Element, Air . 238Cleaning
....................
Aluminum Wheels .271
...................................
Carpeting .272
......................................
Exterior .270
.......................................
Interior .272
.......................................
Leather .273
...................................
Seat Belts .273
...........................................
Vinyl .273
....................................
Windows .274
.......
Climate Control System . 116, 123
.........................
Clock, Setting the .105
..........................
CO in the Exhaust .53
........................................
Coin Box .106
............
Cold Weather, Starting in . 179
..............................
Compact Spare .278
.................
Console Compartment . 106
...............
Consumer Inf ormation . 320
.............
Controls, Instruments and . 55
Coolant ........................................
Adding .228
....................................
Checking .169
.........................
Proper Solution .228
...................................
Replacing .230
...................
Temperature Gauge . 66
....................
Corrosion Protection .275 Crankcase Emissions Control
........................................
System .314
............
Cruise Control Operation . 153
..........
Customer Relations Of f ice . 320
................
DANGER, Explanation of . ii
...................................
Dashboard .2, 56
................
Daytime Running Lights . 70
............
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety . 323
................
Def ogger, Rear Window . 74
......
Def rosting the Windows . 122, 127
....................................
Dimensions .308
...............
Dimming the Headlights . 69
Dipstick ..........
Automatic Transmission . 234
..................................
Engine Oil .168
..........................
Directional Signals .71
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators . 190
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil .227
Doors ..............................
Monitor Light .62
......................
Power Door Locks .79
..........
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 310
.....................................
Drive Belts .249
Index
C
D
II
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