2006 Acura RL Owner's Manual

If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than 1
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 vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter. Block the rear wheels.
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.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
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.Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f ans cycle on and of f
twice). Pref erably, do this once a
month.
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.
Vehicle Storage
392

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed................
Driving with a Flat Tire .394
......................
Compact Spare Tire .397
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .398
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .402
................................
Jump Starting .403
..............
If the Engine Overheats .406
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .409
..........
Charging System Indicator .409
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .410
...............
Brake System Indicator .411
Opening the Fuel Fill Door
....................................
Manually .412
..............................................
Fuses .413
..............................
Fuse Locations .418
......................
Emergency Towing .421
..........
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck .421
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
393

Your vehicle is equipped with the
Michelin PAX system. Since each
Michelin PAX system tire has an
inner support ring that allows it to
continue running without air, it may
be dif f icult to immediately judge
f rom its appearance if a tire is
punctured. Your vehicle is also
equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS), and this
system may be your f irst detection of
a f lat tire.If the indicator and the message
come on again, you probably have a
flat tire. In this case, you will see a
‘‘PAX SYSTEM WARNING’’
message on the multi-information
display.
The TPMS monitors the air pressure
of all f our tires whenever the ignition
switch is in the ON (II) position. It
will immediately sense if a tire starts
to lose its pressure, and give you
warning with the low tire pressure
indicator in the instrument panel and
a ‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display. If the indicator and the
warning message do not come on
again after you inflate the tire to its
correct air pressure (see page ), it was probably a natural loss of the
air pressure and you can continue
driving as bef ore.
384
If equipped
Driving With a Flat Tire
Michelin PA X System
394

If you get a f lat tire, never try to
repair it yourself , and never replace a
flat tire with a compact spare tire. With the PAX system tires, you can
drive up to about 125 miles (200 km)
even if one or more of your tires are
punctured. This allows you to drive
to the nearest Acura dealer or
authorized Michelin PAX system
dealer to have the tire(s) repaired.The above message shows that you
are driving your vehicle on a flat tire,
andshouldobservethe‘‘RUNFLAT
DRIVING’’ speed limit of 50 mph
(80 km/h). Drive to your nearest
Acura dealer or authorized Michelin
PAX system dealer, or call the PAX
help hotline at 1-877-PAXTIRE
(1-877-729-8473).If the display changes to the above
message, it means that ‘‘RUN FLAT
DRIVING’’ is nearing the limit, and
you have to stop driving soon. Take
your vehicle to the nearest Acura
dealer or authorized Michelin PAX
system dealer as soon as possible.
Follow the instructions shown on the
multi-inf ormation display, and drive
very caref ully.
CONT INUED
Driving With a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
395

If you see the above message on the
multi-inf ormation display, you have
reached the limit of run f lat driving,
and you should stop driving
immediately. Be aware that if you
continue to drive, the noise and
vibration level f rom the tire will
increase signif icantly, and the tire
may no longer be repairable.Stop driving immediately when
you see a ‘‘RUN FLAT LIMIT
STOP DRIVING’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display.
Continuous driving af ter this
message will make it impossible to
repair the tire.
Call a prof essional towing service
who can transport your vehicle on
f lat-bed equipment. Never tow your vehicle behind another vehicle with a
rope or chain. Flat-bed equipment is
the only way to transport your
vehicle.
Do not drive f aster than 50 mph
(80 km/h).
Drive caref ully. Your vehicle may
handle dif f erently f rom when the
tires are properly inf lated,
especially when cornering.
In its run f lat mode, a PAX system
tire is somewhat noisier than when
it is f ully inf lated, this is normal.
Although your vehicle is capable of
runflatdriving,youshouldalways
observe the f ollowing:
If you cannot f ind an Acura dealer or
an authorized Michelin PAX system
dealer where you are driving, call the
PAX help hotline at 1-877-PAXTIRE
(1-877-729-8473).
Driving With a Flat Tire
Important Saf ety Precautions
396

Use the compact spare tire as a
temporary replacement only. Get
your regular tire repaired or replaced,
and put it back on your vehicle as
soon as you can.
Check the inf lation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:
Follow these precautions:Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
f aces. Use greater caution while
driving. Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare tire.
Do not use your compact spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel.
Turn of f the VSA system (see
page ). Driving with the
compact spare tire may activate
the VSA system.
Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indicator bars. The
replacement should be the same size
and design tire, mounted on the
same wheel. The spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the spare wheel is not
designed f or mounting a regular tire.
340
Compact Spare T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
397
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)

Park the vehicle on f irm, level, and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park. Apply the
parking brake.Take the tool case out of the spare
tire.
Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Have all
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire. Open the trunk, and f old the trunk
floor forward.
Unscrew the wing bolt, and
remove the spacer cone. Then
take the spare tire out of its well.
If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.
1.
2.3.
4.
5.
Models without Michelin PAX System
Changing a Flat Tire
398
SPARE TIRE
TRUNK FLOOR
TOOL CASE JACK
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.

ÚUse the extension and the wheel
nut wrench as shown to raise the
vehicle until the f lat tire is of f the
ground.
Remove the wheel nuts, then
remove the f lat tire. Temporarily
place the flat tire on the ground
with the outside surface of the
wheel f acing up. You could scratch
the wheel if you put it f ace down.
Loosen each wheel nut 1/2 turn
with the wheel nut wrench.
Place the jack under the jacking
point nearest the tire you need to
change. It is pointed to by a
mark molded into the underside of
the body. Turn the end bracket
clockwise until the top of the jack
contacts the jacking point. Make
sure the jacking point tab is
restinginthejacknotch.
6.
7.8.
9.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
399
WHEEL NUT WRENCH WHEEL NUT WRENCH
EXTENSION