dashboard Acura TL 2006 Owner's Manual

2006 TL 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.helminc.com.

Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Wo r

ds About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
...............................................7
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Cont r
ols........................................................................\
...................................................57
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
...............................119
How t o
op era

te the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................... .
............. .

175
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
.................................................................................. 187
The proper way to start

the engine, shift the transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.........................................................................207
T h
e Ma int

enance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................243
This section covers several problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
.......................................................267
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and techni

cal information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)......................................................................279
A summary of th
e warr anties coverin

g your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.......................................283
How t o
order manuals an

d other technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Service Inf ormat

ion Summary
A summary of informat

ion you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
.......................................................4

They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:
The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your saf ety.
Your vehicle also has side curtain
airbags to help protect the heads of
the driver, f ront passenger, and
passengers in the outer rear seating
positions during a moderate to
severe side impact (see page f or
more inf ormation on how your side
curtain airbags work). Remember however, that no saf ety
system can prevent all injures or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.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.
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.
30
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. What you should do:
A irbags can pose hazards.
12

µAfter everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors are closed
and locked.
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.
Locking the doors also helps prevent
an outsider f rom unexpectedly
opening a door when you come to a
stop. 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. If any door or the trunk is not closed
tightly, the multi-information display
reminds you to close the open
door(s) or the trunk bef ore you start
driving (see page ).
See page f or how to lock the
doors.
See pages f or important
guidelines on how to properly
protect inf ants, small children, and
larger children who ride in your
vehicle.
Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible while allowing you to
maintain f ull control of the vehicle.
Have your f ront passenger adjust
their seat as f ar 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.
34 38
69
92
CONT INUED
Protecting A dults and Teens
Adjust the Front Seats
Close and L ock the Doors
Introduction 2.
1.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
13

Your airbag system includes: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 ).
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 ).
Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling,
above the side windows. The f ront
and rear pillars are marked ‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see page ). 25
28
30
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
A irbag System Components
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
23
(1) (2)
(3)
(4)(5)
(8)
(7)
(10) (11)
(9)
(6) (7)
(8)
(10)(5)
(4)
(6) Driver’s Seat Position Sensor
(7) Front Passenger’s Weight Sensors
(8) Front Impact Sensors
(9) Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
(10) Side Impact Sensors (1) Driver’s Airbag
(2) Front Passenger’s Airbag
(3) Control Unit
(4) Front Seat Belt Tensioners
(5) Side Airbags
(11) Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) Sensors

Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact. Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (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 ).
Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the f ront passenger’s
seat. These automatically turn off
the passenger’s front airbag if
they detect an infant or a small
childmaybeintheseat(seepage
).
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag of f (see
page ).
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too f ar f orward, the airbag will
inf late with less f orce (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 switch is in the ON (II)
position.
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.
21
31
31
31
27 31
30
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
24

When the airbag is turned of f , an
indicator in the center of the
dashboard will come on indicating
passenger airbag ‘‘OFF’’ (see page). Moving the f ront seat f orcibly
back against cargo on the seat or
f loor behind it.
Hanging heavy items on the f ront
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.
Also,makesurethefloormatbehind
the f ront passenger’s seat is hooked
to the floor mat anchor (see page ). If it is not, the mat may
interf ere with the proper operation
of the sensors and operation of the
seat. If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid deceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag.
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the f ront seat, the
airbag will be off. However, the
passenger airbag of f indicator will
not come on.
To ensure that the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
This includes:
A rear passenger pushing or
pulling on the back of the f ront
passenger’s seat.
31
232
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Side A irbags Work
do not do anyt hing
t hat would increase or decrease t he weight on the f ront passenger’s seat.
28

µ
To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.Canadian Models
U.S. Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
36

µ
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition
switch, and open the trunk, which
can lead to accidental injury or
death.
If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
This can prevent children
f rom accidentally f alling out (see
page ). Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous.
For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition switch can accidentally set
the vehicle in motion, possibly
injuring themselves or others.
Children
who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles. Know how to
operate the emergency trunk
opener and decide if your children
should be shown how to use this
feature(seepage ).
94 94
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Never let two children use the
same seat belt . K eep vehicle keys and remot e
transmitters out of the reach ofchildren.
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfand a child.
Use childproof door locks t oprevent children f rom opening t hedoors. Do not leave children alone in a
vehicle.
L ock all doors and t he t runk whenyour vehicle is not in use.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
38

These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury. Read these labels caref ully.
If a label comes of f or becomes hard
to read, contact your dealer for a
replacement.
U.S. modelsCanadian models U.S. models only
Saf ety L abels
54
HOOD
DASHBOARD
RADIATOR CAP

To open the trunk, press the trunk
releasebuttonontheleftcornerof
the dashboard. To open the trunk
f rom the outside, press the trunk
release button on the remote
transmitter.
To close the trunk, press down on
the trunk lid.If your vehicle’s battery goes dead or
is disconnected, you can open the
trunk f rom the rear seat by pulling
the trunk release handle. Reach the
handle through the trunk pass-
through.
Keep the trunk lid closed at all times
while driving to avoid damaging it,
and to prevent exhaust gas from
getting into the interior. See
,page . To protect items in the trunk, you
can disable the trunk-release button
on the dashboard by turning off the
trunk main switch in the glove box,
locking the glove box, and locking
the trunk pass-through cover with
the master key.
If you need to give the key to
someone else, give them the valet
key.
53
Trunk
Carbon
Monoxide Hazard
Inst rument s and Cont rols
93