steering Acura RSX 2005 Owner's Manual

2005 RSX 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.h\
elminc.com.
Contents

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
.............................................4
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .7
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .49
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Features ........................................................................\
......................................................................87
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................119
What gasoline to use, how to brea k-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .133
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................153
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................191
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................215
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................227
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................231
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

Î
Î
To use the horn, press the center pad of the steering wheel.
:
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Your Vehicle at a Glance
5
TILT ADJUSTMENT INSTRUMENT PANEL
BRIGHTNESS WINDSHIELD WIPERS/
WASHERS
REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER
CRUISE CONTROL
MOONROOF
HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS HAZARD WARNING BUTTON
(P. 115) (P.
62) (P.62)
(P. 60)
(P. 62)
(P. 63)
(P. 61)
(P.
79)
HORN

Your vehicle is equipped with many
features that work together to
protect you and your passengers
during a crash.
Some f eatures do not require any
action on your part. These include a
strong steel f ramework that f orms a
saf ety cage around the passenger
compartment; front and rear crush
zones; a collapsible steering column;
and tensioners that tighten the f ront
seat belts in a crash.
CONT INUED
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
9
(8) Side Airbags
(9) Seat Belt Tensioners
(10) Door Locks (1) Safety Cage
(2) Crush Zone
(3) Seats and Seat-Backs
(4) Head Restraints
(5) Collapsible Steering Column
(6) Seat Belts
(7) Front Airbags
(7)(10)
(1) (3) (4) (6)
(8)
(2)
(9)
(7)
(5)
(2)

The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
To do
their job, airbags must inf late with
tremendous f orce. So while
airbags help save lives, they can
cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly. Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as f ar back f rom the
steering wheel as possible while
allowing f ull control of the vehicle. A
f ront passenger should move their
seat as far back from the dashboard
as possible. The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your saf ety.
Remember, however, that no saf ety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in severe crash,
even when seat belts are properly
worn and the airbags deploy.
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rearimpact s, or minor f ront al or sidecollisions.
A irbags can pose hazards. What you should do:
12

µAf ter everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors are closed
and locked.
Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible while allowing you to
maintain f ull control of the vehicle.
Have a f ront passenger adjust their
seat as far to the rear as possible.
If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.
See pages f or important
guidelines on how to properly
protect inf ants, small children, and
larger children who ride in your
vehicle.
Locking the doors also helps prevent
an outsider f rom unexpectedly
opening a door when you come to a
stop.Your vehicle has a door
monitor indicator on the
instrument panel to indicate when a
specif ic door is not tightly closed.
Locking the doors reduces the
chance of someone being thrown out
of the vehicle during a crash, and it
helps prevent passengers f rom
accidentally opening a door and
f alling out.
See page f or how to lock the
doors, and page f or how the door
monitor indicator works.
The f ollowing pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect the driver, adult passengers
and teenage children who are large
enough and mature enough to drive
or ride in the f ront seat.
44
67
32
54
CONT INUED
IntroductionClose and L ock the DoorsA djust the Front Seats
1. 2.
Protecting A dults and Teens
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
13

The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that drivers
allow at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the center of the steering
wheel and the chest.
If you cannot get f ar enough away
f rom the steering wheel and still
reach the controls, we recommend
that you investigate whether some
type of adaptive equipment may help. Once your seat is adjusted correctly,rock it back and f orth to make sure it
is locked in position.
See page f or how to adjust the
f ront seats.Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a
comf ortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel.
Passengers with adjustable seat-
backs should also adjust their seat-
back to a comf ortable, upright
position.
71
Protecting A dults and Teens
Adjust the Seat-Backs
3.
14
Sitting too close to a front
airbag can result in serious
injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
front airbags as possible.

Your airbag system includes:Two side airbags, one f or the
driver and one f or a f ront
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal or side
impact. Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ). Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ). Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and automatically turn
the airbag of f (see page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ). A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and f ront
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition is in the ON (II) position.
23
20 26
27
25 25
A irbag System Components
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
22

This section gives inf ormation about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your vehicle. All the essential
controls are within easy reach............................
Control Locations .50
............................
Instrument Panel .51
..........
Instrument Panel Indicators . 52
.............................................
Gauges .57
.....................................
Odometer .57
...................................
Trip Meter .57
..................................
Fuel Gauge .58
...................
Temperature Gauge . 58
..........
Check Fuel Cap Indicator . 58
Controls Near the Steering ...........................................
Wheel .59
.
Windshield Wipers and Washers . 60
...........
Turn Signal and Headlights . 61
........
Instrument Panel Brightness . 62
.................
Hazard Warning Button . 62
.................
Rear Window Def ogger . 62
..........
Steering Wheel Adjustment . 63
...............................
Keys and Locks .64
........................
Immobilizer System .65
................................
Ignition Switch .66
......................................
Door Locks .67
.........
Power Door/Hatch Locks . 67
............................................
Hatch .68
.......................
Remote Transmitter .69
.................................................
Seats .71
....................................
Seat Heaters .74 ...........................
Cargo Area Cover .75
..............................
Power Windows .77
.........................................
Moonroof .79
.............................................
Mirrors .79
.................................
Parking Brake .81
...........
Interior Convenience Items . 82
.......................
Beverage Holders .83
..........
Accessory Power Sockets . 83
...............
Console Compartment . 84
....................................
Glove Box .84
..............................
Vanity Mirror .85
....................................
Coat Hook .85
.................................
Interior Lights .86
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols
49

Î
ÎTo use the horn, press the center pad on the steering wheel.
:
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
59
WINDSHIELD
WIPERS/WASHERS
TILT ADJUSTMENT
MOONROOF REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER
CRUISE CONTROL
INSTRUMENT PANEL BRIGHTNESS
HAZARD WARNING BUTTON
HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS HORN

Make sure the rear window is clear
and you have good visibility bef ore
starting to drive.
Thedefoggerwiresontheinsideof
the rear window can be accidentally
damaged. When cleaning the glass,
always wipe side-to-side.Make any steering wheel adjustment
bef ore you start driving.
Push the lever under the steering
column all the way down. Move the steering wheel so it
points to your chest, not toward
yourface.Makesureyoucansee
the instrument panel gauges and
indicators.
Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in position.
Make sure you have securely
locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Steering Wheel A djustment
Rear Window Def ogger, Steering Wheel A djustment
Inst rument s and Cont rols
63
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured
inacrash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.