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.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.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the Maintenance Minder shown in
the instrument panel 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 staff 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. Congratulations on your selection of the 2011 Acura RL. We are certain you
will be pleased with your purchase of one of the f inest luxury vehicles in the
world.
Introduction
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A convenient ref erence to the
sections in this manual.
A quick ref erence to the main
controls in your vehicle.What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
The proper way to start the engine,
shif t the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you’re
planning to tow a trailer.ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
The Maintenance Minder shows
you when you need to take your
vehicle to the dealer for maintenance
service. There is also a list of things
to check and instructions on how to
check them.
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience,
and details how to handle them.
Important inf ormation about the
proper use and care of your vehicle’s
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable inf ormation on how to
protect children with child restraints.
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual f or detailed
inf ormation.
How to order manuals and other
technical literature.
A summary of the inf ormation you
need when you pull up to the f uel
pump.
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and gauge,
the multi-information display, and
how to use the controls on the
dashboard and steering column.
How to operate the climate control
system, the audio system, and other
convenience f eatures.
Overview of Contents
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Instruments and Controls Bef ore Driving
Driving
Maintenance
T echnical Inf ormation
Contents
T aking Care of the UnexpectedWarranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only)
Index
Service Inf ormation Summary
Features
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Canadian models only RL models
2:
3:
Your Vehicle at a Glance
4
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION INTERFACE DIAL
COMPASS SYSTEM
AUDIO SYSTEM CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM
ACCESSORY
POWER SOCKETS
AUXILIARY INPUT
JACK
HOOD RELEASE LEVER
1:
MOONROOF SWITCH
POWER REAR
SUNSHADE BUTTON
REAR HEAD RESTRAINT
TILT BUTTON (P.198)
(P.158) REAR SEAT HEATER
SWITCHESUSB ADAPTER CABLE
(P.277)
(P.197) (P.281) (P.205, 213, 282)
(P.213) (P.204)
HOMELINK BUTTONS (P.334) (P.189)
(P.385) (P.185)(P.403)
INSTRUMENT PANEL
INDICATORS
(P.62)
DRIVER’S FRONT AIRBAG
(P.11, 28) CEILING CONSOLE MIRROR CONTROL AUTO BUTTON
(P.161)
PASSENGER’S
FRONT AIRBAG
(P.11, 28)
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY SYSTEM
(P.164)
POWER DOOR LOCK
MASTER SWITCH
(P.153)
TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON
(P.154)
FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE BUTTON
(P.383)
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P.186)
(P.249, 259)
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To use the horn, press the center pad of the steering wheel.
If equipped.
1:
2:
3:
4: Canadian models only
Ref er to the navigation system manual.
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Your Vehicle at a Glance
5
VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA)
SYSTEM OFF SWITCH
ADAPTIVE FRONT LIGHTING
SYSTEM (AFS) OFF SWITCH (P.140, 142)
(P.35)
HEATED MIRROR
BUTTON
CRUISE CONTROL
BUTTONS
ADAPTIVE CRUISE
CONTROL (ACC)
BUTTONS (P.71)
INSTRUMENT
PANEL BRIGHTNESS
PADDLE SHIFTERS
(P.137) WINDSHIELD
WIPER/WASHER
STEERING WHEEL
ADJUSTMENTS HORN
(P.145)
(P.148) (P.316)/
(P.162)
(P.147)/
(P.146)
(P.161) (P.319, 324)
(P.407)
(P.423)
(P.436)
HEADLIGHT WASHER
BUTTON (P.138)
REMOTE AUDIO
CONTROLS
VOICE CONTROL BUTTONS
(P.304)
BLUETOOTH HANDSFREELINK
VOICE CONTROL BUTTONS
MIRROR CONTROLS
(P.278)DISTANCE BUTTON
(P.328, 333) (P.182)/
PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR
REAR WINDOW
DEFOGGER BUTTON
FRONT SEAT HEATER
SWITCHES
FRONT SEAT HEATER
AND SEAT
VENTILATION
BUTTONS
(P.183)
MULTI-INFORMATION
BUTTONS
HAZARD WARNING BUTTON (P.146)
HEADLIGHTS/
TURN SIGNAL/
FOG LIGHTS
(P.354)
COLLISION MITIGATION
BRAKING SYSTEM (CMBS)
OFF BUTTON
2
2
1
3
4
2
2
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Your vehicle is equipped with seat
belts in all seating positions.
Seat belts are the single most
effectivesafetydeviceforadultsand
larger children. (Inf ants and smaller
children must be properly restrained
in child seats.)
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags.
In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces and territories
require you to wear seat belts.
When properly worn, seat belts:
Keep you connected to the vehicle
so you can take advantage of the
vehicle’s built-in saf ety f eatures.
Help protect you in almost every
type of crash, including: frontal impacts
side impacts
rear impacts
rollovers Help keep you f rom being thrown
against the inside of the vehicle
and against other occupants.
Keep you f rom being thrown out
of the vehicle.
Help keep you in a good position
should the airbags ever deploy. A
good position reduces the risk of
injury f rom an inf lating airbag and
allows you to get the best
advantage f rom the airbag.
Of course, seat belts cannot
completely protect you in every
crash.Butinmostcases,seatbelts
can reduce your risk of serious
injury.
Always wear your seat belt, and
make sure you wear it properly.
Your seat belt system also includes
an indicator on the instrument panel
and a beeper to remind you and your
passengers to f asten your seat belts.
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
Seat Belts
Why Wear Seat Belt s
What You Should Do:
10
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags.
Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.
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CONT INUED
Your seat belt system includes lap/
shoulder belts in all seating positions.
The f ront seat belts are also
equipped with automatic seat belt
tensioners and, on models with
collision mitigation braking system
(CMBS ), seat belt e-pretensioners.The seat belt system
includes an indicator on the
instrument panel and a beeper to
remind you and your passengers to
f asten your seat belts.
This system monitors the f ront seat
belts. If you turn the ignition switch
to the ON (II) position bef ore your
seat belt is f astened, the beeper will
sound and the indicator will f lash. If
your seat belt is not f astened bef ore
the beeper stops, the indicator will
stop f lashing but remain on.
If a f ront passenger does not f asten
their seat belt, the indicator will
come on about 6 seconds af ter the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position. You will also see a ‘‘FASTEN SEAT
BELT’’ or ‘‘FASTEN PASSENGER
SEAT BELT’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display (see page ).
When no one is sitting in the f ront
passenger’s seat, or a child or small
adult is riding there, the indicator
should not come on and the beeper
should not sound. If either the driver or a f ront
passenger does not f asten their seat
belt while driving, the beeper will
sound and the indicator will f lash
again at regular intervals.
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Seat Belt System Components
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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For added saf ety, the f ront seat belts
are equipped with e-pretensioners
that work in combination with the
collision mitigation braking system
(CMBS ) (see page ) and the
brake pedal assist f unction (see page). If your vehicle gets too close to the
vehicle ahead of it in your lane, the
driver’s e-pretensioner slightly
retracts the seat belt to alert the
driver of the approaching vehicle. If
a collision with the vehicle in f ront of
you is likely, the e-pretensioners on
both front seats retract the seat belts
with enough f orce to properly
restrain you and your f ront
passenger. After they activate, the
e-pretensioners release the retracted
seat belts.
To get the f ull benef it of the
e-pretensioners, you and your f ront
passenger must sit normally in your
seats and wear your seat belts
properly (see page ).
The e-pretensioners do not activate
when the vehicle stability assist
(VSA) of f indicator on the
instrument panel is on.
If the automatic seat belt tensioners
are activated by a collision, both
f ront seat belts and all related
components must be replaced (see
page ). If only the
e-pretensioners were activated, no
components need to be replaced.
In addition, the f ront passenger’s
e-pretensioner does not activate
when the passenger’s airbag is
automatically turned off because the
weight sensor detects a child in the
f ront passenger’s seat.
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415 418 25
On models with Collision Mitigation
Braking System
Seat Belt e-pretensioners
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
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An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbag system
components (see page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ).
An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
f ront airbag has been turned of f
(see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.During a f rontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the f ront airbag helps protect
your head and chest.
Although both airbags normally
inf late within a split second of each
other, it is possible f or only one
airbag to deploy.
This can happen if the severity of a
collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
suf f icient protection, and the
supplemental protection of f ered by
the airbag would be minimal.
Only the driver’s airbag will deploy if
there is no passenger in the f ront
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger’s
airbag off (see page ).
If the rate of deceleration is high
enough, the control unit will inf late
the driver’s and f ront passenger’s
airbags, at the time and with the
f orce needed. If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, sensors will
detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration.
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35
35
30
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Front Airbags Work
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