2006 Acura RL Maintenance

2006 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 Word s About S

afety........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
.......................................................4
Driver and Pass enger Safety

........................................................................\
...............................................7
Prop er use a

nd care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Contro l
s........................................................................\
...................................................59
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
...............................193
How t o
op era
te th

e climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................... .
............. .
295
What gasoli n

e to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................309
The proper way to start the engine, s hift th

e transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.........................................................................347
T h
e Ma int
en

ance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................393
This section covers several prob lems motorists sometime

s experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
.......................................................423
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty

and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)..................................................................... 437
A summary of th
e warr anties coverin
g yo

ur new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.......................................441
How t o
order manuals an
d othe

r technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Service Information S u

mmary
A summary of information you n

eed when you pull up to the fuel pump.

Calif ornia Proposition 65 WarningThis product contains
or emits chemicals known to the
state of California to cause cancer
and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with one or
more recording devices commonly
ref erred to as event data recorders
or sensing and diagnostic modules.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new vehicle is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Af terwards, keep this owner’s manual in your vehicle so
youcanrefertoitatanytime.
Several warranties protect your new vehicle. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the schedules given in this manual
helps to keep your driving trouble-f ree while it preserves your investment.
When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that your dealer’s staf f
is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to your vehicle.
Your dealer is dedicated to your satisf action and will be pleased to answer
any questions and concerns. As you read this manual, you will
f ind inf ormation that is preceded by
a
symbol. This
inf ormation is intended to help you
avoid damage to your vehicle, other
property, or the environment.
Congratulations on your selection of the 2006 Acura RL. We are certain you
will be pleased with your purchase of one of the f inest luxury vehicles in the
world.
Introduction
WARNING:
i

µ
This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts. It
explains how your airbags work. And
it tells you how to properly restrain
inf ants and children in your vehicle.
.........
Important Safety Precautions .8
.......
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features .9
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens .13
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors .13
...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats .14
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs .15
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints .16
5. Fasten and Position the Seat
.....................................
Belts .17
6. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .18
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women .19
...
Additional Safety Precautions .20
Additional Inf ormation About .......................
Your Seat Belts .21
..
Seat Belt System Components .21 ......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .21
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .22
..........
Seat Belt E-pretensioners .23
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance .25
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags .26
......
Airbag System Components .26
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work .29
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .32
How Your Side Curtain
..........................
Airbags Work .34
..
How the SRS Indicator Works .34
How the Side Airbag Of f
......................
Indicator Works .35
How the Passenger Airbag ...............
Of f Indicator Works .35
.............................
Airbag Service .36
...
Additional Safety Precautions .37
Protecting Children General ................................
Guidelines .38
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .38
All Children Should Sit in a .................................
Back Seat .39The Passenger’s Front Airbag
.........
Can Pose Serious Risks .39
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .41
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .41
...
Additional Safety Precautions .41
Protecting Inf ants and Small ...................................
Children .42
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .42
.........
Protecting Small Children .44
.....................
Selecting a Child Seat .45
....................
Installing a Child Seat .46
...............................
With LATCH .47
..........................
With a Seat Belt .49
..............................
With a Tether .51
...........
Protecting Larger Children .52
...............
Checking Seat Belt Fit .52
..................
Using a Booster Seat .53
When Can a Larger Child Sit in
.........................................
Front .54
...
Additional Safety Precautions .55
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard .56
...................................
Saf ety Labels .57
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
7

µ
You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags are
designed to supplement seat belts,
not replace them. So even though
your vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your passengers
always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly (see page ).
Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. Infants and small children
should be restrained in a child seat.
Larger children should use a booster
and a lap/shoulder belt until they
canusethebeltproperlywithouta
booster (see pages ). While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
55 17
383
52
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Restrain All Children Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
Don’t Drink and Drive
8

If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
it must be replaced by the dealer. A
belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the
anchors f or damage and replace
them if needed. If the automatic seat
belt tensioners activate during a
crash, they must be replaced.
For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out f ully, and look f or
f rays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
the belts retract easily. If a belt does
not retract easily, cleaning the belt
may correct the problem (see page
). Any belt that is not in good
condition or working properly will
not provide good protection and
should be replaced as soon as
possible.
Acura provides a lif etime warranty
on seat belts f or U.S. models. See
your
booklet f or details. 379
Acura Warranty Inf ormation
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Seat Belt Maintenance
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
25
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.

Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor and the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors to
make sure they are operating
properly.
If no one is riding in the f ront seat,
the airbag will be automatically shut
of f . However, the indicator will not
come on.
Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. If a
f ront airbag inf lates, the seat belt
tensioners must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by your dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
If the indicator comes on with no
passenger in the f ront, or with an
adult in the seat, there may be a
problem with the advanced airbag
system. Have the vehicle checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
The passenger airbag of f indicator
may also come on and of f repeatedly
if total weight on the seat is near the
airbag cutoff threshold.
If this happens, have the passenger
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. If the passenger must ride in
front, move the seat as far to the
rear as possible, have the passenger
sit upright and wear the seat belt
properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
If your vehicle has a moderat e t o
severe impact .
An airbag ever inf lates. T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o a
problem.
Airbag Service
36

ÛÝ
The multi-inf ormation display in the
instrument panel displays various
inf ormation and messages when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position. Some of the messages help
you operate your vehicle more
comf ortably.
Others help to keep you aware of the
periodic maintenance your vehicle
needs f or continued trouble-f ree
driving.You can change the display and
customize your vehicle control
settings by pressing the SEL/RESET
or INFO buttons on the right side of
the steering wheel.With the ignition switch in the ON
(II) position, the lower part of the
multi-inf ormation display changes as
shown in the illustration, each time
you press the SEL/RESET button.
When you open the driver’s door, a
‘‘Welcome’’ message is shown on the
multi-inf ormation display. When you
turn the ignition switch from the ON
(II) position to the ACCESSORY (I)
position, a ‘‘Goodbye’’ message is
shownonthedisplay.
Multi-Inf ormation Display
Inst rument s and Cont rols
71
SEL
RESET
BUTTON
U.S.
CANADA
INFO ( / )
BUTTONS

You can receive or make phone calls
f rom your cell phone through your
Acura’s HandsFreeLink (HFL)
system without touching your cell
phone.When the engine oil lif e reaches 15 %,
the display shows ‘‘SERVICE DUE
SOON’’ and the code f or the
maintenance items to be perf ormed.Have your dealer do the indicated
maintenance as soon as you see this
message, and have them reset the
display af ter completing the service.
If you do not perf orm the indicated
maintenance or do not reset the
display, the message changes to
‘‘SERVICE PAST DUE’’ when the
engine oil lif e becomes 0 percent.
To use the system, your cell phone
and the HFL system must be linked.
Not all cell phones are compatible
with this system. Ref er to page for instructions on how to link
your cell phone to the HFL and how
to receive or make phone calls. These messages appear on the multi-
inf ormation display each time you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
For details on engine oil lif e and
maintenance messages, ref er to page
.
Also ref er to page f or important
maintenance saf ety precautions.
When the engine oil lif e reaches 5 %,
the display shows ‘‘SERVICE DUE
NOW’’ along with the same
maintenance items. 349
348
278
HandsFreeL ink
Maintenance Messages
Multi-Inf ormation Display
Inst rument s and Cont rols
77
TM