2006 Acura TL check engine

Pour the f luid slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill. Clean up any spill
immediately; it could damage
components in the engine
compartment.
Check the level on the side of the
reservoir when the engine is cold,
and the engine compartment right-
side cover is of f (see page ). The
f luid should be between the UPPER
LEVEL and LOWER LEVEL. If not,
add power steering f luid to the
UPPER LEVEL mark. Always use Honda Power Steering
Fluid. You may use another power
steering f luid as an emergency
replacement, but have the power
steering system f lushed and ref illed
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
A low power steering f luid level can
indicate a leak in the system. Check
the f luid level f requently, and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.
217
Power Steering Fluid
226
UPPER LEVEL
LOWER LEVEL
Turning the steering wheel to f ull lef t
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound or series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
are OK, there is probably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem (see
on page ).
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page ).
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, the shif t
lever must be in Park or neutral.
Check these things:
263
240
251
252
If theEngineWon’tStart
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Emergency T owing
Jump Starting
250

In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See
on page .
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the warning indicator may
not be working.
64
189 259
263
If theEngineWon’tStart
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
251

µOnce the vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
the grounding strap on your
vehicle, then from the booster
battery. Disconnect the positive
cable f rom your vehicle, then f rom
the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short. Start the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle. 7. 6.
5. 4.
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
253

Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (seeon page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark
(see
on
page ).
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator. Start the engine, and set the
interior temperature to maximum.
Add coolant to the radiator up to
the base of the f iller neck. If you
do not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and
ref illed with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.
8. 9.
7.
11. 10.
6.
221
263
If theEngineOverheats
Emergency
Towing
A dding Engine CoolantT aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
255
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.

Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn of f the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(seeon page
).
Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action. If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
1.
2.
3.
4. 179
218
263
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
256
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.

If your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of normal driving to set
the codes again.
If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may go of f as you
continue driving, have the vehicle
checked by your dealer as soon as
possible.
If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, without starting the engine.
The malf unction indicator lamp will
come on f or 20 seconds. If it then
goes of f , the readiness codes are set.
If it blinks f ive times, the readiness
codes are not set. If possible, do not
take your vehicle for a state
emissions test until the readiness
codes are set. Ref er to
for more
inf ormation (see page ).
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
f uel f ill cap. Tighten the cap until it
clicks at least once. Tightening the
cap will not turn the indicator of f
immediately; it takes several days of
normal driving.
277
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness CodeState
Emissions T estingT aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
257
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.

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) This manual covers maintenance and recommended
procedures f or repair to engine and chassis components.
It is written f or the journeyman mechanic, but is simple
enough f or most mechanically-inclined owners to under-
stand.
This manual complements the service manual by
providing in-depth troubleshooting inf ormation f or each
electrical circuit in your vehicle.
This manual describes the procedures involved in the
replacement of damaged body parts.
Authorized Manuals
Service Manual:
Electrical T roubleshooting Manual:
Body Repair Manual:
284
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