sport mode Acura TL 2004 Owner's Manual

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According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in the
back seat. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration and
Transport Canada recommend that
all children age 12 and under be
properly restrained in the back seat. If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, in a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children).
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking.
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large and it can inf late with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.
If
the airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant.
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Inf ant s and small children must berest rained in an approved child seatt hat is properly secured t o t hevehicle
Larger children must be restrainedwit h a lap/shoulder belt and ride ona boost er unt il t he seat belt f it s t hemproperly Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
t he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith passenger’s f ront airbag can behazardous.
Children who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in
t he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag.
All Children Should Sit in the
Back Seat Small Children
L arger Children
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
Inf ants
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children General Guidelines
30

Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster meets f ederal
saf ety standards and that you f ollow
the booster seat maker’s instructions.
If a child who uses a booster must
ride in f ront, move the vehicle seat
as far back as possible, and be sure
the child is wearing the seat belt
properly.A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle’s or
booster’s seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster.
If the passenger’s f ront airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
The side airbag also poses risks. If
any part of a larger child’s body is in
the path of a deploying side airbag,
the child could receive possibly
serious injuries.
Some states also require children to
use a booster until they reach a
given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or
60lbs).Besuretocheckcurrent
laws in the state or states where you
intend to drive.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
Protecting L arger Children
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front
Driver and Passenger Saf ety44

These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shif t
lever is in. The illuminated number
next to the ‘‘L’’ indicator shows you
the gear you have selected in the
Sequential SportShif t mode.The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II). If it
f lashes while driving (in any shif t
position), it indicates a possible
problem in the transmission. Avoid
rapid acceleration and have the
transmission checked by an Acura
dealer as soon as possible.
To shif t f rom any position, press
f irmly on the brake pedal. You
cannot shif t out of Park when the
ignition switch is in the LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I) position.
CONT INUED
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Automatic Transmission
Driving181

µµ When you accelerate away f rom a
stop, the transmission will start in
first gear and then automatically
upshif t to second gear. You have to
manually upshif t between second
and f if th gears. Make sure you
upshif t bef ore the engine speed
reaches the tachometer’s red zone.
The transmission remains in the
selected gear (5, 4, 3). There is no
automatic downshif t when you push
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
When you move the
shif t lever to this position, the
transmission shifts to the lowest
gear that can be selected without
exceeding the engine redline. At
normal speeds, it selects third gear.
As the vehicle slows, it selects
second gear at about 53 mph
(85 km/h), and f irst gear at about 28
mph (45 km/h). Accelerating in f irst
gear, the transmission upshif ts to
second gear at about 37 mph
(59 km/h). You must move the shif t
lever to D f or the transmission to
upshif t to third gear.
In Sequential SportShif t mode, each
time you push f orward on the shif t
lever, the transmission shifts to a
higher gear. Pull back on the lever to
downshif t. The number of the gear
selected is displayed on the
instrument panel.
With
the shif t lever in ‘‘D’’ position, you
can select the Sequential SportShif t
Mode to shif t gears much like a
manual transmission, but without a
clutch pedal.
To enter the Sequential SportShif t
Mode, move the shif t lever f urther to
the driver’s side. To return to ‘‘D’’,
move the shift lever to the passenger’s side.
When you move the shif t lever f rom
‘‘D’’ to the Sequential SportShift
mode, the display shows the selected
gear.
CONT INUED
Automatic Transmission
Driving
Low (L)
Sequent ial Sport Shif t Mode
183
Down shift
SELECTED GEAR

à
à
à
To shift from
32
43
54 When you are in Sequential
Sportshif t mode, and the vehicle is
stopped, push f orward on the shif t
lever to shif t to second gear. You will
see ‘‘2’’ in the display. Starting out in
second gear will help to reduce
wheelspin in deep snow or on a
slippery surf ace.
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone. This allows you to move the shif t
lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal does not work. This procedure
is also used to release the Reverse
Lockout.
Set the Parking brake.
Make sure the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) position.
To release the Reverse Lockout,
make sure the ignition switch is in
the ACCESSORY (I) position.
Speed range
under 63 mph
(102 km/h)
under 97 mph
(156 km/h)
under 149 mph
(240 km/h) 1.
2.
CONT INUED
Starting in Second Gear
Engine Speed L imiterShif t L ock Release
Driving
Automatic Transmission
185

Î
CONT INUED
.....................................
Tachometer .57
.
Taking Care of the Unexpected . 229
....................................
Tape Player .136
Technical Descriptions ......
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 258
.....
Emissions Control Systems . 260
Three Way Catalytic ...............................
Converter .262
.......................
Temperature Gauge .57
....................
Temperature, Outside . 63
........
Temperature, Inside Sensor . 116
..............
Tether Anchorage Points . 41
..
Three Way Catalytic Converter . 262
..................
Tilt the Steering Wheel . 78
..........................
Time, Setting the .103
.....................................
Cleaning .218
................
Lap/Shoulder Belt . 14,19
................................
Maintenance .21
Reminder Light and ................................
Beeper .19, 52
...................
System Components . 19
...............
Use During Pregnancy . 17
....................................
Seat Heaters .96
........................
Seats, Adjusting the .90
............................
Security System .141
........
Sequential SportShif t Mode . 183
...............................
Serial Number .254
...........................
Service Intervals .195
...........................
Service Manual .269
.........
Service Station Procedures . 165
..........................
Setting the Clock .103
.....
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 181
........................
Shif t Lock Release .185
...........................................
Shif ting .181
................................
Side Airbags .9 ,25
........
Side Airbag Of f Indicator . 27,53
......................
Side Curtain Airbags .26
...............................
Signaling Turns .74
.....................................
Snow Tires .225
................................
Sound System .117 Spare Tire
......................................
Inf lating .230
............................
Specif ications .257
....................
Specif ications Charts . 256
................................
Speed Control .142
..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation . 33
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 28
....................
Airbag Components . 22
.............................
Airbag Service .28
How the SRS Indicator .......................................
Works .26
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .23
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 25
How Your Side Curtain Airbags .........................................
Work .26
.............................
SRS Indicator .26 ,53
....
START (Ignition Key Position) . 80
.......................
Starting the Engine .177
................
With a Dead Battery . 238
..............
State Emissions Testing . 263
........
Steam Coming f rom Engine . 236
Steering Wheel ..................................
Adjustment .78
.............
Anti-theft Column Lock . 80
...................
Stereo Sound System . 117....................
Storing Your Vehicle .227
........................
Sunglasses Holder .108
....
Supplemental Restraint System . 22
......................................
Servicing .28
...............................
SRS Indicator .26
...................
System Components . 22
Index
T
VII