check engine Acura TL 2012 Workshop Manual

µ
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder) af ter
removing all engine compartment
covers (see page ). To remove
corrosion, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f urther corrosion.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your Acura dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
The sensor on the negative terminal
monitors your vehicle’s battery
condition.
If there is a problem with the sensor,
you will see a ‘‘CHECK BATTERY
SENSOR’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display. Have the vehicle
checked by your dealer.
To see the battery label, remove the
lef t side engine compartment cover
(see page ).
542 542
CONT INUED
Checking the Battery
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Maint enance
577
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.
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2012 TL

When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position or on
models with keyless access system,
press the engine start/stop button to
set START Mode (see page ),
you do not hear the normal noise of
the engine trying to start. You may
hear a clicking sound, a series of
clicks, or nothing at all.
Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position or on models with keyless
access system, press the engine
start/stop button to set START
Mode (see page ):
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly. Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or neutral. Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position or on models with
keyless access system, press the
engine start/stop button to set ON
Mode (see page ). Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
184
184
591
184
If theEngineWon’tStart
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
588
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In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position or on models with keyless
access system, press the engine
start/stop button to set START
Mode (see page ), but the engine
does not run.
Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position or on models
with keyless access system, press
the engine start/stop button to set
STARTMode(seepage ).If
the headlights do not dim, check
the condition of the fuses. If the
f uses are OK, there is probably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. See
on page .If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
Are you using a properly coded
key or keyless access remote (on
models with keyless access
system)? An improperly coded key
or keyless access remote will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).65
184
184
607 591
577
CONT INUED
T he Starter Operates Normally
Emergency T owing
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
589
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2012 TL

Do you have your keyless access
system remote with you? The
vehicle will not start without the
remote within operating range and
with the keyless access main
switch in the glove box turned on.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to
on pages and .
If you are unable to stop the
engine normally while in the Park
position, see on page .
You may need to hold the start/
stop button down or hold the key
in the START (III) position until
the engine starts. It can be held
forupto15seconds.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ). Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the warning indicator may
not be working. If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See
on page .
487 489
600 192 607
On models with keyless access system
If theEngineWon’tStart
Starting the
Engine
Emergency Engine
Stop Emergency
Towing
590
NOTE:
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start a vehicle with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it.Open the hood, and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or like ice, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
To jump start your vehicle:
Turn of f all the electrical
accessories: climate control, audio
system, lights, etc. Put the
transmission in neutral (manual)
or Park (automatic), and set the
parking brake. Pull up the battery terminal cover
to remove. The battery terminal
cover can be removed without
removing the lef t side engine
compartment cover.
1.
2.
3.
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
591
BATTERY TERMINAL COVER
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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´´ µStart the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
The numbers in the illustration
show you the order to connect the
jumper cables.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery. Once the vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
and then from the booster battery.
Install the battery terminal cover.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the engine hanger as
shown. Do not connect this jumper
cable to any other part of the
engine.
4. 5.
6.7.
8.
9.
Jump Starting
592
BOOSTER
BATTERY
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If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark
(seeon
page ).
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before
checking the radiator. If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back
on tightly. Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and check
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (seeon page ).
Start the engine, and set the
interior temperature to maximum
heat (each temperature control
sets to ‘‘ ’’). Add coolant to
the radiator up to the base of the
f iller neck. If you do not have the proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and refilled with
the proper mixture
as soon as you can.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. After the
pressure releases, push down
8.
9.
7. 6.
10.
11.
546
607
A dding Engine Coolant
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
594
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
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on the cap, and turn it until it
comes off.
2012 TL

Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
outwithin10seconds,turnoff the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(seeon
).
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ). Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers. Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
ENGINE OIL LEVEL’’ message on
the multi-information display when
this indicator comes on.
The indicator notif ies you of low oil
pressure and does not measure the
oil level. Check your vehicle’s oil
level at each ref ueling. 2.
3.4.
1. 474
543 607
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
595
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.
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page
2012 TL

Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
CHARGING SYSTEM’’ message on
the multi-information display.
If you see a ‘‘REPLACE BATTERY’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display, along with this indicator on,
you may need to replace the battery.
Have your vehicle’s battery checked
andreplacedbyyourdealer.
Charging System Indicator
596
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If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may go of f as you
continue driving, have the vehicle
checked by your dealer as soon as
possible.
If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage. Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.
If the battery in your vehicle has
been disconnected or gone dead,
thesecodesmaybeerased.Ittakes
several days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, the malf unction
indicator lamp may also come on
with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
f uel f ill cap. Tighten the cap until it
clicks at least once. Tightening the
cap will not turn the indicator of f
immediately; it can take several days
of normal driving.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
EMISSION SYSTEM’’ message on
the multi-information display.
CONT INUED
Readiness Code
Malf unction Indicator L amp
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597
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
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