service Acura TL 2008 Owner's Manual

Calif ornia Proposition 65 WarningThis product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth
def ects or other reproductive harm.
Event Data Recorders
This data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by anyone else
except as legally required or with the permission of the vehicle owner.
Service Diagnostic Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record inf ormation about powertrain perf ormance. The data
can be used to verif y emissions law requirements and/or help technicians diagnose and solve service problems. It may
also be combined with data f rom other sources f or research purposes, but it remains conf idential.
Introduction
WARNING:
This vehicle is equipped with one or more devices commonly ref erred to as event data recorders. These
devices record f ront seat belt use, f ront passenger seat occupancy, airbag deployment data, and the f ailure
of any airbag system component.
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2008 TL Online Reference Owner's Manual

Contents

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction .............................................................................................................................\
............................. i

A Few Words About Safety ......................................................................\
........................................................ iii
Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) ....................................................\
................................................ 3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) ......................\
.............................. 5
Instruments and Controls
(indicators, gauges, multi-information display, dashboard and steering column)
.......... 55
Features (
climate control,audio,steering wheel,security,cruise control,HomeLink ®
,and other convenience items
) ........... 125
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading) ...........................................\
........................... 235
Driving (engine and transmission operation) .........................................\
....................................................... 251
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 277
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, fuses) .................................... 317
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 341
Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 357
Authorized Manuals (U. S. only) (how to order) ..............................................\
........................................... 361
Index ......................................................................\
......................................................... ........................................ I

Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)
\
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How to operate the heating and air
conditioning system, the audio
system, and other convenience
f eatures.
A convenient ref erence to the
sections in this manual.
A quick ref erence to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and gauge,
and how to use the controls on the
dashboard and steering column.What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
The proper way to start the engine,
shif t the transmission, and park.
The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance service.
There is also a list of things to check
and instructions on how to check
them.
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience,
and details how to handle them.
Important inf ormation about the
proper use and care of your vehicle’s
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable inf ormation on how to
protect children with child restraints.
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual f or detailed
inf ormation.
How to order manuals and other
technical literature.
A summary of the inf ormation you
need when you pull up to the f uel
pump.
Contents
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Instruments and Controls
Features Bef ore Driving
Driving
T echnical Inf ormation
Maintenance
T aking Care of the Unexpected Warranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only)
Index
Service Inf ormation Summary
Overview of Contents
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This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts. It
explains how your airbags work. And
it tells you how to properly restrain
inf ants and children in your vehicle.
.........
Important Safety Precautions .6
.......
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features .7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
...........................................
Airbags .9
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens .11
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors .11
...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats .12
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs .13
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints .13
5. Fasten and Position the
.............................
Seat Belts .14
6. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .16
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women .16
...
Additional Safety Precautions .17 Additional Inf ormation About
.......................
Your Seat Belts .18
..
Seat Belt System Components .18
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .19
Automatic Seat Belt
...............................
Tensioners .20
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance .21
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags .22
......
Airbag System Components .22
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work .24
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .27
How Your Side Curtain Airbags
.........................................
Work .29
..
How the SRS Indicator Works .29
How The Side Airbag Of f
......................
Indicator Works .30
How the Passenger Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .30
.............................
Airbag Service .31
...
Additional Safety Precautions .32
Protecting Children General ................................
Guidelines .33
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .33 All Children Should Sit in a
.................................
Back Seat .34
The Passenger’s Front Airbag .........
Can Pose Serious Risks .34
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .36
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .36
...
Additional Safety Precautions .37
Protecting Inf ants and Small ...................................
Children .38
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .38
.........
Protecting Small Children .39
.....................
Selecting a Child Seat .41
....................
Installing a Child Seat .42
...............................
With LATCH .43
.........
With a Lap/Shoulder Belt .45
..............................
With a Tether .46
...........
Protecting Larger Children .48
...............
Checking Seat Belt Fit .48
..................
Using a Booster Seat .49
When Can a Larger Child Sit in
.........................................
Front .50
...
Additional Safety Precautions .51
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard .52
...................................
Saf ety Labels .53
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Be aware that objects placed on the
f ront seat can cause the indicator to
come on.
The passenger airbag of f indicator
maycomeonandoff repeatedlyif
the total weight on the seat is near
the airbag cutof f threshold.
If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in f ront, move the seat as f ar
to the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly.If the indicator comes on with no
f ront seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interf ering
with the weight sensors. Look f or
and remove:
Any items under the f ront
passenger’s seat.
If no weight is detected on the f ront
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut of f . However, the indicator will
not come on.
If no obstructions are f ound, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible.Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
Any object hanging on the seat or
in the seat-back pocket. Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Airbag Service
An airbag ever inf lates.
T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o aproblem.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Improperly replacing
or covering f ront seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags f rom
inf lating during a side impact. This could make the
driver’s seat position sensor or the
f ront passenger’s weight sensors
inef f ective. If it is necessary to
remove or modif y a f ront seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, f irst contact Acura
Client Services at 800-382-2238.
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
If water or
another liquid soaks into a seat-
back, it can prevent the side airbag
cutof f system f rom working
properly.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor, the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors, the
f ront seat belt tensioners, and all
seat belts worn during a crash to
make sure they are operating
properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ingyour dealer.
Do not remove or modif y a f ront
seat without consulting yourdealer.
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
Do not expose the f ront passenger’sseat-back to liquid.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t o
severe impact .
Additional Saf ety Precautions
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This indicator comes on when there
is a system message on the multi-
inf ormation display. Press the INFO
button on the steering wheel (see
page ) to see the message (see
page ).
Most of the time, this indicator
comes on along with other indicators
in the instrument panel such as the
seat belt reminder indicator, SRS
indicator, VSA system indicator, etc.
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
This indicator has two f unctions:
If this indicator begins to f lash,
there is a problem with the tire
pressure monitoring system
(TPMS). You will also see a
‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display. The indicator continues to
f lash f or a while (approximately 1
minute), then stays on. If this
happens, have your dealer check
the system as soon as possible.
For more inf ormation, see page.
If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is saf e, check which tire
has lost the pressure on the multi-
inf ormation display, and determine
the cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page ), and have the
f lat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinf lated,
call a prof essional towing service.
For more inf ormation, see page .
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle’s tires are signif icantly low
on pressure.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display (see
page ).
Check the tire pressure monitor
on the multi-information display
and determine the cause (see page
). 66
68
1.
2.
275 319
272
274
273 Message Indicator
Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
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Depending on where you drive, you
may experience reception problems.
Interf erence can be caused by any of
these conditions:Driving on the north side of a
large commercial truck on an
east/west road.
Driving in tunnels.
Driving on a road beside a vertical
wall, steep clif f , or hill to the south
of you.
Driving on the lower level of a
multi-tiered road.
Driving on a single lane road
alongside dense trees taller than
50 ft. (15 m) to the south of you.
There may be other geographic
situations that could af f ect XM radio
reception. Driving on the north side of an
east/west mountain road.
If your XM Satellite Radio service
has expired or you purchased your
vehicle f rom a previous owner, you
can listen to a sampling of the
broadcasts available on XM Satellite
Radio. With the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) or ON (II) position,
push the power/volume knob to turn
on the audio system and press the
XM button. A variety of music types
and styles will play.
If you decide to purchase XM
satellite radio service, contact XM
Radio at , or at
1-800-852-9696. In Canada, contact
XM Canada at , or at
1-877-438-9677. You will need to give
them your radio I.D. number and your credit card number. To get your
radio I.D. number, turn the TUNE
knob until ‘‘0’’ appears in the display.
Your I.D. will appear in the display.
While waiting f or activation, make
sure your vehicle remains in an open
area with good reception. Once your
audio system is activated, you should
be able to listen to XM radio
broadcasts. XM Radio will continue
to send an activation signal to your
vehicle for at least 12 hours from the
activation request. If the service has
not been activated after 36 hours,
contact XM Radio.
After you’ve registered with XM
Radio, keep your audio system in the
Satellite Radio mode while you wait
f or activation. This should take about
30 minutes.As required by the FCC:
Changes or modif ications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible f orcompliance could void the user’sauthority to operate the equipment.
www.xmradio.comwww.xmradio.ca
Receiving Satellite Radio Service
Audio System (Models without Navigation System)
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Depending on where you drive, you
may experience reception problems.
Interf erence can be caused by any of
these conditions:Driving on the north side of a
large commercial truck on an
east/west road.
Driving in tunnels.
Driving on a road beside a vertical
wall, steep clif f , or hill to the south
of you.
Driving on the lower level of a
multi-tiered road.
Driving on a single lane road
alongside dense trees taller than
50 ft. (15 m) to the south of you.
There may be other geographic
situations that could af f ect XM radio
reception. Driving on the north side of an
east/west mountain road.
If your XM Satellite Radio service
has expired or you purchased your
vehicle f rom a previous owner, you
can listen to a sampling of the
broadcasts available on XM Satellite
Radio. With the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) or ON (II) position,
push the power/volume knob to turn
on the audio system and press the
XM button. A variety of music types
and styles will play.
If you decide to purchase XM
satellite radio service, contact XM
Radio at , or at
1-800-852-9696. You will need to give
them your radio I.D. number and
your credit card number. To get your radio I.D. number, turn the TUNE
knob until ‘‘0’’ appears in the display.
Your I.D. will appear in the display.
After you’ve registered with XM
Radio, keep your audio system in the
Satellite Radio mode while you wait
f or activation. This should take about
30 minutes.
While waiting f or activation, make
sure your vehicle remains in an open
area with good reception. Once your
audio system is activated, you should
be able to listen to XM radio
broadcasts. XM Radio will continue
to send an activation signal to your
vehicle for at least 12 hours from the
activation request. If the service has
not been activated after 36 hours,
contact XM Radio.As required by the FCC:
Changes or modif ications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible f orcompliance could void the user’sauthority to operate the equipment.
www.xmradio.com
Audio System (Models with Navigation System)
Receiving XM Satellite Radio
Service
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Select this button to
delete the current message.
Select this button to hear a
voice read the entire message. This
gives you more inf ormation than the
screen can display at one time. When
you select the Voice button, it
changes to a Stop Reading button.
Select the button again to stop the
voice.
Select this button to call a
phone number embedded in the
message. When you select , the
Bluetooth
HandsFreeLink(HFL)
dials the number f or you. To set your AcuraLink pref erences
(thetypesof messagesyouwantto
receive, if any), visit the Owner Link
website at
www.owners.acura.com,
and choose what you would like to
receive. If you do not have internet
access, call Acura Client Services at
(800) 382-2238; they can set your
message pref erences f or you.
Select this button to f ind the nearest
Acura dealer using the navigation
system.
Select
this button to call the Acura dealer
you purchased your vehicle f rom.
AcuraLink also directs you to this
dealer so you can schedule a
maintenance appointment or receive
inf ormation about a message. If your
assigned servicing dealer changes,
AcuraLink will reset to call that
dealer.
To make a call, your Bluetooth
compatible phone must be paired to
the vehicle’s HandsFreeLink system,
powered on, and located within the
vehicle(seepage). Select this
button to get more inf ormation about
the current diagnostic message. To
use this option, your phone must be
paired with the HFL. In addition, the
paired phone must have a compatible
data service and be set up with the
AcuraLink system to make a data
connection. Access the
handsf reelink.com website to f ind
out which data services are currently
compatible with AcuraLink.
199
Delete
Voice
Call
Call Message Pref erences
Find Nearest Acura Dealer
Call Your A cura Dealer
Diagnostic Inf o
AcuraLink
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