2011 ACURA RL engine overheat

(f luid capacities and tire pressures)
(main controls)
(seat belts, SRS, and child protection)
(indicators, gauges, multi-inf ormation display, dashboard, and steering column)
( )
(fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading)
(engine and transmission operation) (minders, f luid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)
(vehicle specif ications, tires, and emissions controls) (warranty and contact inf ormation)
(how to order)
(f lat tire, jump starting, overheating, and f uses)
climate control, audio, steering wheel, security, cruise control, HomeLink, and other convenience items
Contents
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Index .I
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Service Inf ormation Summary . last page
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Your Vehicle at a Glance .4
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety .7
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Instruments and Controls .59
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Features . 203
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Bef ore Driving . 381
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Driving . 399
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Maintenance . 443
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T echnical Inf ormation . 523
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Warranty and Client Relations (U.S. and Canada only) . 539
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A uthorized Manuals (U.S. only) . 543
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T aking Care of the Unexpected . 495INDEX
1
10/08/04 18:40:59 31SJA660_006
ProCarManuals.com

Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure/TPMS indicator in the
instrumental panel and the
appropriate tire position indicator on
thetirepressuremonitoronthe
multi-inf ormation display (see page)tocomeon. Refer to page for tire inflation
guidelines.
If there is a problem with the TPMS,
this indicator begins to f lash. It stops
flashing after approximately 1
minute, then stays on. You will also
see a ‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display (see page ).
When the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator is on, one or more of your
tires is signif icantly underinf lated.
The multi-inf ormation display also
shows a ‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE’’
message (see page ). You should
stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure as indicated on the
vehicle’s tire inf ormation placard.
Driving on a signif icantly under
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Becausetirepressurevariesby
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator may come on unexpectedly. For example, if you check and fill
your tires in a warm area, then drive
in extremely cold weather, the tire
pressure will be lower than
measured and could be underinf lated
and cause the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator to come on. Or, if
youcheckandadjustyourtire
pressure in cooler conditions, and
drive into extremely hot conditions,
the tire may become overinf lated.
However, the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator will not come on if
thetiresareoverinflated.
431 431
481
433
CONT INUED
Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Driving
429
10/08/04 19:57:05 31SJA660_434
ProCarManuals.com

The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
Use the D position when towing a
trailer on level roads. See ‘‘
’’ in the next column f or
additional gear inf ormation. Do not
exceed 55 mph (88 km/h). At higher
speeds, the trailer may sway or
af f ect vehicle handling.
Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over. When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shif t down to S
position, or use the paddle shif ters to
the lower gear (3, 2 or 1) in the S
position. When towing a trailer, do
not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and remember,
it will take longer to slow down and
stop when towing a trailer.
CONT INUED
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Towing a Trailer
Driving on
Hills
T owing Speeds and Gears
Making T urns and Braking Driving on Hills
Driving
441
10/08/04 19:59:18 31SJA660_446
ProCarManuals.com

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.......................
Compact Spare Tire . 496
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Changing a Flat Tire . 497
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If the Engine Won’t Start . 501
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Jump Starting . 502
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If the Engine Overheats . 505
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Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 508
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Charging System Indicator . 508
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Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 509
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Brake System Indicator . 510
Opening the Fuel Fill Door
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Manually . 511
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Fuses . 512
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Fuse Locations . 518
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Emergency Towing . 521
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If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck . 521
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
495
10/08/04 20:08:26 31SJA660_500
ProCarManuals.com

The pointer of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indicationmaybethetemperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood,
turn of f the engine. Wait until
you see no more signs of steam
or spray, then open the hood. Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Park, and
set the parking brake. Turn of f all
the accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning lights.
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
521
CONT INUED
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
505
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.
10/08/04 20:10:15 31SJA660_510
ProCarManuals.com

If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
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.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.
Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and check
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on 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.
Start the engine, and set the
temperature to maximum heat
(climate control to AUTO at
‘‘ ’’). 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.
6.
7.
8.
9.10.
11. 521
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
506
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.
10/08/04 20:10:25 31SJA660_511
ProCarManuals.com

You can still drive your vehicle even
if this message appears on the multi-
inf ormation display, however you
should check the temperature gauge
while driving.
If you notice the temperature gauge
climbing to or above the red mark,
saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Follow the instructions on pagesand .
If there is a problem with the
radiator system, you will see a
‘‘CHECK RADIATOR SYSTEM’’ on
the multi-information display.
If you see this message, the engine
has probably overheated. You should
take your vehicle to a dealer, and
have it repaired as soon as possible. 505 506
Check Radiator System
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
507
10/08/04 20:10:33 31SJA660_512
ProCarManuals.com

Î
CONT INUED
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DANGER, Explanation of . iii
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Dashboard . 4, 60
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Daytime Running Lights . 142
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Dead Battery . 502
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Def ects, Reporting Saf ety . 542
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Def ogger, Rear Window . 147
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Def rosting the Windows . 210
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Dif f erential Fluid . 526
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Dimensions . 526
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Dimming the Headlights . 140
Dipstick
..........
Automatic Transmission . 464
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Engine Oil . 387
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Directional Signals . 140 ........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators . 415
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Disposal of Used Oil . 460
Doors
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Locking and Unlocking . 153
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Lockout Prevention . 153
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Monitor Indicator . 13
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Power Door Locks . 153
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DOT Tire Quality Grading . 528
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Driver and Passenger Safety . 7
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Driver’s ID . 81
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Driving . 399
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Economy . 388
Driving Position Memory ........................................
System . 164
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Dust and Pollen Filter . 476
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Economy, Fuel . 388
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Emergencies . 495
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Battery, Jump Starting . 502
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Brake System Indicator . 510
................
Changing a Flat Tire . 497
.....
Charging System Indicator . 508
..................
Checking the Fuses . 512
.......
Hazard Warning Flashers . 146 ............................
Jump Starting . 502
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 508
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 509
Opening the Fuel Fill Door
................................
Manually . 511
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Overheated Engine . 505
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Towing . 521
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Emergency Brake . 191
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Emergency Flashers . 146
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Emergency Towing . 521
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Emergency Trunk Opener . 155
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Emissions Controls . 534
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Emissions Testing . 537
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Customized Settings . 81
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ACC Setup . 89
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Door/Window Setup . 122
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KEYLESS ACCESS Setup . 108
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Lighting Setup . 115
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Meter Setup . 94
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Position Setup . 103
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Setting to Def ault . 85
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Wiper Setup . 133
Index
E
D
INDEX
III
10/08/04 20:16:49 31SJA660_552
ProCarManuals.com