2004 Acura RSX cooling

Your Vehicle at a Glance
2
DOOR AND
HATCH LOCK SWITCH
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHESHEATING/COOLING
CONTROLS
AUDIO SYSTEM
SHIFT LEVER
FUEL FILL
DOOR RELEASE
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
(P.
67)
(P. 78) (P.
49)
INDICATORS
GAUGES
MIRROR CONTROLS
(P.56)
(P. 81)
(P. 122)
(P.123) (P.
136, 139)
(P.
92)
(P.
88)
PARKING BRAKE
(P. 82)

Your vehicle’s exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. You should
have no problem with carbon
monoxide entering the vehicle in
normal driving if you maintain your
vehicle properly.
Have the exhaust system inspected
f or leaks whenever:The vehicle is raised f or an oil
change.
You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.
The vehicle was in an accident
that may have damaged the under-
side. High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage. With the hatch open, air flow can
pull exhaust gas into your vehicle’s
interior and create a hazardous
condition. If you must drive with the
hatch open, open all the windows
and set the heating and cooling
system as shown below.
If you must sit in your parked vehicle,
even in an unconf ined area, with the
engine running, adjust the heating
and cooling system as f ollows:
Push the button.
Select the mode.
Turn the f an on high speed.
Set the temperature control to a
comfortable setting.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
Driver and Passenger Saf ety45
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.

AT model is shown.
Control L ocations
Inst rument s and Cont rols48
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
FUEL FILL
DOOR RELEASEMIRROR CONTROLS
GAUGES HEATING/COOLING
CONTROLS
AUDIO SYSTEM
SHIFT LEVER
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
DOOR AND
HATCH LOCK SWITCH
INDICATORS
(P. 67)
(P. 78) (P.
81) (P.
49)
(P. 56)
(P.88)
(P. 92)
(P. 136, 139)
(P. 123)
(P.
122)
PARKING BRAKE(P. 82)

This shows how much f uel you have.
It may show slightly more or less
than the actual amount. The needle
returns to the bottom after you turn
of f the ignition.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.
202
Fuel Gauge
T emperature Gauge
Gauges
Inst rument s and Cont rols57
Avoid driving with an extremely low
f uel level. Running out of f uel could
cause the engine to misf ire, damaging
the catalytic converter.

To use the heating and cooling
system in automatic mode, set the
system as f ollows.Set the f an control dial to AUTO.
Set the mode control dial to AUTO.
Turn the temperature control dial
to the desired temperature.
Select Fresh Air mode by pressing
the Recirculation button. The
indicator in the switch should be
off.
Turn on the A/C by pressing the
button.
To heat or cool the interior f aster,
select Recirculation mode and set
the temperature control dial to the
upper or lower limit. The system runs on f ull cooling or
heating only. It does not regulate the
interior temperature. When the
temperature is set between the lower
and upper limits, the system
regulates the interior temperature to
the set value.
TurningthefancontroldialtoOFF
shuts the heating and cooling system
completely off. Keep the system
completely of f only f or short periods.
To keep stale air and mustiness from
collecting, you should have the f an
running at all times.
You can manually set the system
controls f or ventilation, air
conditioning, heating, air f low
direction, and fan speed in various
combinations.
Pressing the A/C button turns the
air conditioning ON and OFF. The
indicator in the button comes on
when the A/C is ON.
When you turn the A/C of f , the
system cannot regulate the inside
temperature if you set the dial below
the outside air temperature.
With A/C on, use the temperature
control dial to adjust the temperature
of the air f low to a comf ortable
setting.
Air conditioning also removes mois-
ture from the air as it operates. You
canuseittodefogthewindows
quickly in cool or damp weather.
Used in combination with the heater,
it also makes the interior warm and
dry.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
CONT INUED
Vents, Heating, and A/C
Automatic Operation
Manual OperationA ir Condit ioning But t on
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures89

When you select or ,
the A/C turns on automatically to
help dehumidif y the air and def og
the windshield. When you select
another mode, the A/C stays on. If
you do not want to use the A/C in
that mode, press the button to turn it
off.The main air f low is directed
to the windshield for faster defrost-
ing or def ogging. To def rost or def og
more quickly, turn the temperature
control dial to maximum. Select , and set the f an speed to
high. Theheatingandcoolingsystemhas
temperature sensors next to the
steering column and in the top of the
dashboard. Do not cover the sensors
or spill any liquid on them.
If there is actual frost on the win-
dows, f irst select the Recirculation
mode. If the windows are f ogged,
select the Fresh Air mode. Warmed
air will then flow from the wind-
shield and side def roster vents.
Vents, Heating, and A/C
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
T emperature Sensors
91

CONT INUED
Replace the engine oil f ill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator should go out within 5
seconds. If it does not, turn of f the
engine and check your work.
Let the engine run f or several
minutes, then check the drain bolt
and oil f ilter f or leaks.
Turn of f the engine, let it sit f or
several minutes, then check the oil
level on the dipstick. If necessary,
add more oil.Check the f luid level in the
windshield washer reservoir at least
monthly during normal use.
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather.
When you ref ill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer f luid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition them.
Always use Honda All Season
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2. This
coolant is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antif reeze and 50 percent water.
Never add straight antifreeze or
plain water. If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system f or leaks.
7.
8.
9.
Changing the Oil and Filter, Windshield Washers, Engine Coolant
Maint enance
A dding Engine Coolant
Windshield Washers
167
NOTICE:
NOTICE:
MAX
MIN
Do not use engine antif reeze
or vinegar/water solution in the
windshield reservoir. Antif reeze can
damage your vehicle’s paint, while a
vinegar/water solution can damage the
windshield washer pump. Use only
commercially available windshield
washer f luid.
Improper disposal of engine
oil can be harmf ul to the environment.
If you change your own oil, please
dispose of the used oil properly. Put it
in a sealed container and take it to a
recycling center. Do not discard it in a
trash bin or dump it on the ground.

If Honda antif reeze/coolant is not
available, you may use another
major-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporaryreplacement.Makesureit
is a high-quality coolant
recommended f or aluminum engines.
Continued use of any non-Honda
coolant can result in corrosion,
causing the cooling system to
malf unction or f ail. Have the cooling
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda antif reeze/coolant as soon as
possible.When the radiator and engine are
cool, relieve any pressure in the
cooling system by turning the
radiator cap counterclockwise,
without pressing down.
Remove the radiator cap by
pushing down and turning
counterclockwise.
If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.
2. 1.
Engine Coolant
Maint enance168
RADIATOR CAP
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.