2004 Acura RL towing

2004 RL 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.helminc.com. Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance ........................................................................\
....................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
.................................................. .55
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
.............................. .119
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................... ...............203
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................215
The proper way to start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
...................................................... ...................239
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
...................................................... ...........299
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your car ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................307
This section covers several problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
...................................................... .335
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada only).............................................................351
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only )........................................................................\
......................................
.355
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.

·µ
This f igure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer.
Following are the steps f or
determining the correct cargo and
luggage load limit.
Locate the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 850 lbs
(395 kg)’’ on your car’s placard (on
the driver’s doorjamb).
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your car. (Five is
the seating capacity of your car.) Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers f rom
850 lbs (395 kg).
The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
For example, if there will be f our 150
lbsoccupantsinyourcar,the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 250 lbs.
4 150 lbs = 600 lbs
850 lbs 600 lbs = 250 lbs If your car will be towing a trailer,
load f rom your trailer will be
transf erred to your car. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your car.
The maximum load limit f or your car
is 850 lbs (395 kg).
Determine the combined weight
of accessories, luggage, and cargo
beingloadedinthevehicle.The
weight may not saf ely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4 (250
lbsinthisexample).
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
6.
Load Limit
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving213
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your car, the braking system,
the Vehicle Stability Assist System,
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive .216
.......................
Starting the Engine .217
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .217
..............
Automatic Transmission . 218
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 218
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 218
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 220
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 221
...........................................
Parking .222
.....................
The Braking System .223
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 223
...............
Brake System Design . 224
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .224
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .225
........................
ABS Indicator .225
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) ........................................
System .227
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 230
...........................
Towing a Trailer .232
Driving
Driving215

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Use this position f or
your normal driving. The transmis-
sion automatically selects a suitable
gear f or 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.
This position is similar
to D , except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going
down a steep hill. D can also keep
the transmission f rom cycling
between third and f ourth gears in
stop-and-go driving.
ForfasteraccelerationwheninD or
D , you can get the transmission to
automatically downshif t by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shif t down one
or two gears, depending on your
speed. This position locks
thetransmissioninsecondgear.It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing,
and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
To shif t f rom Second to
First, push down on the shif t lever.
With the lever in this position, the
transmission locks in First gear. By
upshif ting and downshif ting through
1, 2, D and D , you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal. If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
4
3
3
3
4 34
Driving
Automatic Transmission
Drive (D )
Drive (D )Second (2)
First (1)Engine Speed L imiter4
3
220

Your Acura has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces f ront-tire
traction and steering control.
The total
weight of the trailer and
everything loaded in it must not
exceed 2,000 lbs (900 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously af f ect your car’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Load Limits
Tongue Load:
T otal T railer Weight:
232

To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer
and 40 percent toward the rear, then
re-adjust the load as needed.The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: The best way to conf irm that vehicle
and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the f irst time you set up a
towing combination (a f ully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
on the f ront axle
on the rear axle
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Checking L oads
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GA WR): Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):
233
4,830 lbs (2,190 kg)
2,570 lbs (1,165 kg)
2,260 lbs (1,025 kg) Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your car and
trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously
injured or killed.
Check the loading of your car
and trailer carefully before
starting to drive.

Towing can require a variety of
equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and
how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and that it meets
f ederal, state, province, and local
regulations.Acura recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs
(450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
Always use saf ety chains. Make sure
they are secured to both the trailer
and hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground. Any hitch used on your car must be
properly bolted to the underbody.
If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your car’s
hydraulic system. No matter how
successf ul it may seem, any attempt
to attach trailer brakes to your car’s
hydraulic system will lower braking
ef f ectiveness and create a potential
hazard.
Towing a Trailer
Driving
T owing Equipment and
A ccessoriesHit ches T railer Brakes
Saf et y Chains
234

CONT INUED
Your car has a trailer lighting
connector located in the trunk by the
lef t taillight. To use the connector,
undo the f astener on the lef t side of
the trunk lining. Ref er to the
drawing in this page f or the wiring
color code and purpose of each pin.
If you use a converter, you can get
the connector and pins that mate
with the connector in your car f rom
your Acura dealer.
Since lighting and wiring vary in
trailer type and brand, you should
also have a qualif ied mechanic install
a suitable connector between the
vehicleandthetrailer.
Driving
Towing a Trailer
T railer L ights
235
GROUND
(BLACK)BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK) LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(PINK/BLUE)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW) BRAKE LIGHT
(GREEN/WHITE)TAILLIGHT
(RED/BLACK)