2004 Acura TL engine

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not change the oil until the
multi-inf ormation display indicates
it is needed.
Youshouldfollowthesesame
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are relined.
Your Acura is designed to operate on
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.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise engine speed by shif ting to a
lower gear.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
f uel system and engine deposits. In
addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contactyour authorized Acura dealer f or
service.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
Quick Start Guide.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
On TL with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Gasoline T ype
Break-in Period
Gasoline Type
Bef ore Driving164

Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.
Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat.even though the tank is not f ull,
there may be a problem with your
vehicle’s fuel vapor recovery
system. The system helps keep
f uel vapors f rom going into the
atmosphere. Consult your dealer.
Screw the f uel f ill cap back on
until it clicks at least three times.
If you do not properly tighten the
cap, the Malfunction Indicator
Lampmaycomeon(seepage
).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes. Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the knob on the cap in the
notch on the fuel fill door.
1.
2.
3.
4.6. 5.
243
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
Fueling
165
Pull
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flames
away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.

If it is near or below the lower mark,
seeon page .
Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
Acura.
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.
Remove the dipstick (orange loop).
Wipe of f the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its tube. 4.
1.
2.
3 198
204
207
Service Station Procedures
Oil Check
A dding OilEngine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
Bef ore Driving167
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
DIPSTICK RESERVE TANK
MINMAX

Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
messages given by the multi-
inf ormation display. Seeon page
.
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel.
The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible. Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
fuel.Usethecruisecontrolwhen
appropriate.
Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
198
For example,
Fuel Economy
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Bef ore Driving168

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
6-speed manual and the automatic
transmission. It also includes
important inf ormation on parking
your vehicle, the braking system and
the Vehicle Stability Assist System.........................
Preparing to Drive .176
.......................
Starting the Engine .177
....
6-Speed Manual Transmission . 178
..............
Automatic Transmission . 181
...........................................
Parking .187
.............................
Braking System .188
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 189
...
Vehicle Stability Assist System . 190
...........................
Towing a Trailer .192
Driving
Driving175

Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood and trunk are
f ully closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely. Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicator lights in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
3. 2.
1.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9. 88
91 78
14 51
Preparing to Drive
Driving176

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in START for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start right away, pause
f or at least 10 seconds bef ore
trying again.If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
If the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
downandholdittherewhile
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission:
Driving
Starting the Engine
177
NOTICE: The engine is harder to start
in cold weather. Also, the thinner air
f ound at altitudes above 8,000 f eet
(2,400 meters) adds to this problem.

When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear.
The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot accidentally shif t f rom
f if th to Reverse instead of sixth (see
page ) while the vehicle is
moving. When shif ting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch pedal
down all the way, shift to the next
gear, and let the pedal up gradually.
When you are not shif ting, do not
rest your f oot on the clutch pedal.
This can cause your clutch to wear
out f aster. Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t into
Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into Reverse, or shif t into
one of the f orward gears f or a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
180The engine can be damaged if
you inadvertently downshif t into the wrong gear (f or example, going f romthird gear at high rpms to second gearinstead of upshif ting to f ourth gear; therev limiter will not work in this situation).
6-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving178
Note:
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.