2004 Acura RL 3.5 Owner's Manual

Pull the bulb straight out of its
socket. Push the new bulb in until
it bottoms in the socket.
Put the lens back on the bulb
holder and push it until it latches.
Slide the right side of the light
assembly into the hole. Push on
the lef t side to latch the assembly
into place. Turn on the parking lights and
check that the new bulb is
working.
Remove the license light assembly
by caref ully prying on the lef t
edge of the lens with a f lat-tip
screwdriver and pulling the
assembly out. Remove the lens f rom the bulb
holder by pulling the lens while
squeezing the tabs on both sides
of the holder.
1.
2. 3.
5. 4.
6.
Replacing a Rear License Plate
Bulb
Lights
Maint enance294
LIGHT ASSEMBLY
BULB HOLDER
BULB
LENS

Removethelensbycarefully
prying on the edge of the lens with
a f ingernail f ile or a small f lat-tip
screwdriver. Do not pry on the
edge of the housing around the
lens.Door light:
Pry on the top middle of the lens.
Front ceiling light: Pry on the f ront edge of the lens
in the middle. Rear ceiling light:
Pry on the rear edge of the lens
in the middle. Remove the bulb
cover by pulling it straight down.
The courtesy lights in the doors and
roof come apart the same way. They
do not use the same type of bulb.
Vanity mirror light:Pryonthetopmiddleof thelens.
1.
CONT INUED
Replacing Bulbs in the Interior
Courtesy Lights
Maint enance
Lights
295
DOOR LIGHT
FRONTREAR

Removethelensbycarefully
prying on the edge of the lens in
the middle with a f ingernail f ile or
a small f lat-tip screwdriver. Do not
pry on the edge of the housing
around the lens.Remove the bulb by pulling it
straight out of its metal tabs.
Push the new bulb into the metal
tabs. Snap the lens back in place.
Push the new bulb into the metal
tabs. Snap the lens back in place. Remove the bulb by pulling it
straight out of its metal tabs. 1. 2.
3.
2.
3. Replacing the T runk L ight Bulb
Maint enance
Lights
296
VANITY MIRROR LIGHT
TRUNK

Block the rear wheels.
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park.
If you need to park your car f or an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
If you store your car f or 1 year or
longer, have your Acura dealer
perf orm the inspections called f or in
the 2 years/30,000 miles (48,000 km)
maintenance schedule (Normal
Conditions) as soon as you take it
out of storage (see page ). The
replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the vehicle has
actually reached that time or mileage.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals. Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield. If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground. Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
255 244
Maint enance
St oring Your Car
297

298

Regular cleaning and polishing of
your Acura helps to keep it ‘‘new’’
looking. This section gives you hints
on how to clean your car and
preserve its appearance: the paint,
brightwork, wheels and interior. Also
included are several things you can
do to help prevent corrosion..................................
Exterior Care .300
.....................................
Washing .300
.......................................
Waxing .301
....................
Aluminum Wheels .301
..........................
Paint Touch-up .301
..................................
Interior Care .302
...................................
Carpeting .302
.................................
Floor Mats .302
.........................................
Fabric .303
...........................................
Vinyl .303
.......................................
Leather .303
...................................
Seat Belts .303
................................
Wood Trim .304
....................................
Windows .304
..........................
Air Fresheners .304
....................
Corrosion Protection .305
.................................
Body Repairs .306
Appearance Care
Appearance Care299

When you have washed and rinsed
the whole exterior, dry it with a
chamois or sof t towel. Letting it
air-dry will cause dulling and water
spots.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommendedinthisOwner’s
Manual. Frequent washing helps preserve
your car’s beauty. Dirt and grit can
scratch the paint, while tree sap and
bird droppings can permanently ruin
the f inish.
Wash your car in a shady area, not in
direct sunlight. If the vehicle is
parked in the sun, move it into the
shade and let the exterior cool down
bef ore you start. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with
cool water to remove loose dirt.
As you dry the vehicle, inspect it f or
chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page ).
Check the body f or road tar, tree
sap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it
of f immediately so it does not
harm the f inish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of
the vehicle does not need waxing. Wash the vehicle using the water
and detergent solution and a sof t-
bristle brush, sponge, or sof t cloth.
Start at the top and work your way
down. Rinse f requently. Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix
in a mild detergent, such as
dishwashing liquid or a product
made especially f or vehicle
washing. 301
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Washing
300
Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your car.

µ
µ Inspect your car f requently f or chips
or scratches in the paint. Repair
them right away to prevent corrosion
of the metal underneath. Use the
touch-up paint only on small chips
and scratches. More extensive paint
damage should be repaired by a
prof essional. Your dealer has touch-up paint to
match your car’s color. The color
code is printed on a sticker on the
driver’s doorjamb. Take this code to
your dealer so you are sure to get
the correct color.
Always wash and dry the whole
vehiclebeforewaxingit.Youshould
wax your car, including the metal
trim, whenever water sits on the
surf ace in large patches. It should
formintobeadsordropletsafter
waxing.
The wheels have a protective clear-
coat that keeps the aluminum from
corroding and tarnishing. Using
harsh chemicals, including some
commercial wheel cleaners or stif f
brushes, can damage this clear-coat.
Only use a mild detergent and sof t
brush or sponge to clean the wheels.
Polishes Polishes and cleaner/
waxes can restore the shine to paint
that has oxidized and lost some of its
shine. They normally contain mild
abrasives and solvents that remove the top layer of the f inish. You
should use a polish on your Acura if
the f inish does not have its original
shine af ter using a wax.
Waxes A wax coats the finish and
protects it f rom damage by exposure
to sunlight, air pollution, etc. You
should use a wax on your Acura
when it is new. You should use a quality liquid or
paste wax. Apply it according to the
instructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of
products: Clean your Acura’s aluminum alloy
wheels as you do the rest of the
exterior.Washthemwiththesame
solution, and rinse them thoroughly. Cleaning tar, insects, etc. with
removers also takes off the wax.
Remember to re-wax those areas,
even if the rest of the vehicle does
not need waxing.
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Waxing
Paint T ouch-up
A luminum Wheels
301