2006 Acura RL Owner's Manual

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
scheduled maintenance time.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Do not tow a trailer. We recommend quality 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, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane of 91 or higher. If this
octane grade is unavailable, regular
unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane of 87 or higher may be used
temporarily. The use of regular
unleaded gasoline can cause metallic
knocking noises in the engine and
will result in decreased engine
perf ormance. The long-term use of
regular-grade gasoline can lead to
engine damage.
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
296

CONT INUED
Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.
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% ethanol by
volume and up to 15% 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.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
. Open the f uel f ill door by pressing
the button on the driver’s door.
(To open the f uel f ill door
manually, see page .)
1.
2.
412
Service Station Procedures
Ref ueling
Quick Start Guide
Bef ore Driving
297
FUEL FILL CAP
FUEL FILL DOOR RELEASE BUTTON
Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flames
away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.

Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
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.
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.If your f uel cap is loose or missing, a
‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP’’ message
appears on the multi-information
display af ter you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position, after
you start the engine or while you are
driving. Turn the ignition switch of f
and conf irm the f uel cap is installed.
If it is, loosen the cap, then retighten
until it clicks at least once.
Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
you will see a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL
CAP’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display (see right
column on this page), and the
malf unction indicator lamp may
also come on (see page ).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
3.
4.
5.
6.
410
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Service Station Procedures
Tighten Fuel Cap Message
298

Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release lever located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Turn the engine of f , and check or
retighten the f uel cap until it clicks at
least once. The MIL goes out af ter
several days of normal driving once
the cap is tightened or replaced. If it
does not go out, have your dealer
inspect the vehicle. For more
inf ormation, see page .
The TIGHTEN FUEL CAP message,
displayed after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position or
start the engine, should go of f af ter
tightening the f uel cap, turning the
ignition switch of f and on, then
driving over 12 mph (US) or 20
km/h (Canada) for at least 10
minutes. Due to dif f erent driving
conditions,itmaytakeafewdrive
trips to make the message go of f .
The TIGHTEN FUEL CAP message
displayed while driving should go of f
af ter tightening the f uel cap, turning
the ignition switch of f and on, then
driving over 30 mph (US) or 48
km/h (Canada) for at least 45
seconds. Due to dif f erent driving
conditions,itmaytakeafewdrive
trips to make the message go of f . If the system still detects a loose or
missing f uel cap, the malf unction
indicator lamp (MIL) comes on. If a
loose or missing f uel cap was not the
cause of the TIGHTEN FUEL CAP
message coming on, the MIL will
also come on. When the MIL comes
on, the message goes of f .
1.
410
CONT INUED
Opening and Closing the Hood
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
299
HOOD RELEASE LEVER

Lif t the hood up most of the way.
The hydraulic supports will lif t it
uptherestof thewayandholdit
up.
If the hood latch handle moves
stif f ly, or if you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated. Reach between the hood and the
f ront bumper with your f inger.
Slide the latch handle up. To close the hood, lower the hood to
about a f oot (30 cm) above the
f ender, then f irmly press down on
the f ront edge of the hood. Make
sure it is securely latched.
3.
2.
Service Station Procedures
300
LATCH

Remove the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower
mark, seeon
page .
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.
Remove the dipstick (orange loop).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its hole. 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 .
4.
1.
2.
3. 366
363
CONT INUED
Engine Coolant Check
A dding Engine Oil
Oil Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
301
RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
LOWER MARK UPPER MARK
DIPSTICK

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.
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more 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.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible.
Refer to
on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
vehicle. Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. See
on page
.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel. Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
f uel. Use cruise control when
appropriate.
356
356
For example,
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Service Station Procedures, Fuel Economy
302

When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags and anti-lock brakes.Bef ore installing any accessory:
Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Acura accessories, can
make your vehicle unsaf e. Bef ore
you make any modif ications or add
anyaccessories,besuretoreadthe
f ollowing inf ormation.
Your dealer has Acura accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved f or your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.
Although non-Acura accessories may
f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability (see page ).
Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows as these may interf ere
with proper operation of the side
curtain airbags. Bef ore installing any electronic
accessory, have the installer
contact your dealer. If possible,
have your dealer inspect the f inal
installation. Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
the proper operation of your
vehicle.
306 413
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
303
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.