holger21

hey guys i been on the forum for a few months looked around and havent seen a thread where we talk about cool hidden facts or things lot of people barely realize. maybe some older members can post and see if us newbies are missing out.


1 I do know that our shifting bazel is chrome under the paint. really easy to do with some goo off/ goo gone and cotton swabs and it takes the paint off and gives you a nice chrome look.

holger21

Really no one wants to pitch in info.

OLD_HATCH

lol

theres a how to for that floating around somewhere. feel free to chat it up in the chat thread.

MyNameIsEarl

Well, I wouldn't say there are any really cool hidden features. Probably because Acura wanted to make all of its features known to act as selling points. But anyway, I would say some cool, not-so-known, things about the RL would be:
Being Able to Put LEDs in the Instrument Cluster (There is a "sticky" for that.)
The Chrome Thingy for the Shifter

But really anything else on top of that is just personal mods, for instance, I hard wired in a radar detector and a PA/CB Radio. I also put in these really neat LED floor lamps and I did the instrument cluster thing. But that is all stuff that I have done, none of it came from the factory like that.

Check out the technical info sticky. There's all sorts of cool stuff that you can read about that you probably already know about. Some of which include, speed sensitive wipers, automatic climate control, an advanced microscopic air filtration system. Read away!

OLD_HATCH

Oh I have one.... After the gas light turns on and your needle is on E you still have about 4 gallons of gas left. lol

silver3.5

Yep that's a cool hidden feature alrite! I tested it one time by driving until the car studders and the needle was way pass E and still had 0.5 gallons left!

I can't think of any other cool hidden feature because there's no hidden menu or buttons anywhere! Everything is just there! Plain and simple to use!

MyNameIsEarl

How close to the "E" do you have to get to make the light turn on? I have never pushed a gas tank that far, partly because I'm worried to light bulb is burnt out or something (which wouldn't make much sense because bulbs burn out because of a lot of use, and the gas light isn't something that should be on all the time).

I guess I'm afraid to push the limit, I guess I'll take it down to be level with the "E" one of these days...

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Are you sure about this?! No wonder when the E light come on I only manage to put 14 gallons. So the RL gas tank is 18 gallons, but I rarely wait for the light to come on. Good to know.

OLD_HATCH

Yeah I mean I wouldnt push it on the regular but its funny how much is left.

MyNameIsEarl

How close to the "E" do you have to get?

99blackhatch

How about don't drive it until it's on "E" unless you absolutely have to... Great way to mess up your fuel filter too apparently

99blackhatch

Interesting fact though.

The people that you can call on On*Star are very nice if you need them.

The later years of the 3.5RL have slightly different exhaust from the first few years which actually help make more power.

The arm rest on the '04, and maybe the '03 as well, are completely different from all the other years too.

OLD_HATCH

side opening center armrest is 04 only.

With 4 gallons left of gas I really dont think you would have a problem. I personally have only done it a couple of times on emergency, but its an interesting fact none the less.

99blackhatch

^^^ Agreed.
but at the same time... why push it unless you absolutely have to. That was my point.

and i figured it was '04 only on the arm rest. I'm looking for a replacement one since mine wasn't in very good shape when i bought the car, so looking for a replacement armrest is proving more than difficult. Lol

OLD_HATCH

is it just the material or is it physically broken?

And yeah its not a good idea to run your car that low, but its nice to know its there. Ive been used to Accords/Civics etc that usually only have a gallon or so left.

99blackhatch

It's the material... looks like the previous owner tried to "super glue" some tears. and the "clip" that you pull on you get to the actual storage compartment is broken as well... the "super glue" there let go as well.

Currently using (2) zip ties to hold the arm rest down and I'm looking for a replacement whole top piece.

silver3.5

Just had a fill up today and here is a pic of where the needle was before the fill up. Notice the low fuel light isn't lit! Got 16.0 gallons, meaning there was 2 gallons left. Another mile and I'm sure the light will light up.

OLD_HATCH

lol, mine lights up before it touches the red. I think you've worn yours out. lol

holger21

yes mine lights up before the red line lol, yours is worn out broke haha. and so no fun lol no hidden fact. so hey is it posibble for an 01 to have individual controls for memory seats. as in the keys? i know the tl does this 02+ i believe?

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Damn, I need to get the newer muffler then lol

99blackhatch

Muffler bearings... who knew!?


also to clarify... the added power in the later year 3.5RL's... it really is from a tweak in the exhaust setup.

silver3.5

It's probably on its way out but at least for now it has been pretty consistent ever since I owned the car!

It always lights up whenever I have about 1.5-2 gallons left so at least I know when to start looking for a gas station.

Pro-Pilot

My gas light died years ago, so now I have to guesstimate in order not to run out (which I have a few times lol)

OLD_HATCH

ahhh dont worry, you got 4 gallons. lol

CityRL00

mine lights up before red..

lilpsboi

I ran my car all the way down to the point it wouldnt start the next day, but when I filled her up it only took 15 1/2 gallons. I always thought that was weird, cause when I read the manual it said our tanks are 18.

Pro-Pilot

I agree, it seems like 15 1/2 to 16 is the max I have ever put in, even when I came to the gas station running on fumes....

lilpsboi

So I'm guessing are cars arent 18 gallons lol

Ken1997TL

It is 18 gallons. Remember there is expansion in the tank. And you don't want to go too low and have the fuel pump overheat. I could be wrong but I believe it's cooled by the gasoline around it.

Pro-Pilot

Indeed, I don't want to have to go thru that again. I just wish the 02's had the miles till empty estimator, like the 04's had and the MDX's as well. Would be nice now, especially since my light doesn't work.

Oh well.......

MyNameIsEarl

Okay, so I really wanted to try to get that warning indicator light to turn on.

I took this picture just before I filled up (I was afraid to go any more cause I would hate to run out of gas).

Anyway, at the time I filled up I only got 14.5 gallons. Which Means there was still 3.5 gallons in the tank (18 gallon tank)!!!

So I guess I can go way further before the light will even think about coming on. Does this sound right to you guys?

Oh, and I also wanted to ask. Does the gas low indicators light up when you start your vehicle? Every other light I have on the cluster lights up, but when I start the car, the gas light does not come on. What about yours?

silver3.5

^ looks like another several miles of driving and you'll be where mine is at!

MyNameIsEarl

You would think with yours and how you filled up with 16 gallons that the light would go on! I mean, I was pushing it too. But I suppose that it does make sense that it wouldn't turn on for me just yet. 3.5 gallons * approx. 20 miles/gallon = 70 miles left in the tank, if it emptied out all the way.

But 2 gallons is only 40 miles, I for one, would really hope the light would come on at the 40 mark.

georgy_d28

hold em up... I have an 04 and where is said miles til empty estimator?! i have the v3.co 2013 update disc

Pro-Pilot

I thought it was within the info pain on the Screen....at least I thought I saw it when I borrowed my friends 04....maybe I didnt? lol.... I know the 02 MDX's had it in at least 1 option, I don't know why they didn't put it in the "top of the line model" RL. Even the auto wiper option wasn't put into the RL until later. WTF?!

mzconfigure

[QUOTE=holger21;14374712]hey guys i been on the forum for a few months looked around and havent seen a thread where we talk about cool hidden facts or things lot of people barely realize. maybe some older members can post and see if us newbies are missing out.


1 I do know that our shifting bazel is chrome under the paint. really easy to do with some goo off/ goo gone and cotton swabs and it takes the paint off and gives you a nice chrome look.[/QUOTE


riddle me this one, Batman. Is there a book out there for Acura's? My engine light came on and its telling me its an o2 sensor.....

mzconfigure

Excuse me.....I mean an Acura RL. My engine light came on, scanned it, and it came up p0141 and its an oxygen sensor heater circuit bank 1, sensor 2. Does anyone have a clue where that sensor is located on the RL 3.5? Thanks!

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

I replaced the O2 sensor near the CAT and I believe it was bank 2. I'm not sure, you should enter the code on google and check ebay O2 sensor, sometime they list the bank and sensor #.