maintenance Acura TL 2012 Owner's Manual

Several warranties protect your new vehicle. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.As you read this manual, you will
f ind inf ormation that is preceded by
a
symbol. This
inf ormation is intended to help you
avoid damage to your vehicle, other
property, or the environment.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new vehicle is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Af terwards, keep this owner’s manual in your vehicle so
youcanrefertoitatanytime.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the Maintenance Minder shown in
the instrument panel helps to keep your driving trouble-f ree while it
preserves your investment. When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in
mind that your dealer’s staff is specially trained in servicing the many
systems unique to your vehicle. Your dealer is dedicated to your satisf action
and will be pleased to answer any questions and concerns. Congratulations! Your selection of a
2012 Acura TLwas a wise investment. It
will give you years of driving pleasure.
Introduction
i
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Index
Bo ok Ta ble of Contents
Chapter Ta ble of Contents
Navigation Key
Your Vehicle at a Glance
2012 TL

(f luid capacities and tire pressures)
(main controls)
(seat belts, SRS, and child protection)
(indicators, gauges, multi-inf ormation display, dashboard, and steering column)
()
(fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading)
(engine and transmission operation)
(minder, f luid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)
(f lat tire, jump starting, overheating, and f uses)
(vehicle specif ications, tires, and emissions controls)
(warranty and contact inf ormation)
(how to order)
climate control, audio, steering wheel, security, cruise control, HomeLink, and other convenience items
Contents
................................................................................................................................................Index.I
Service Inf ormation Summary
...............................................................................................Your Vehicle at a Glance.3
............................................................Driver and Passenger Saf ety.5
.......Instruments and Controls.61
..............Features.225
.......................................................................Bef ore Driving.467
.........................................................................................Driving.485
.................................................Maintenance.529
........................................T aking Care of the Unexpected.581
..............................................T echnical Inf ormation.611
.......................Warranty and Client Relations (U.S. and Canada only).629
..................................................................................A uthorized Manuals (U.S. only).633
1
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Owner's Identification Form
Index
Book Table of Contents
Chapter Table of Contents
Navigation KeyYour Vehicle at a Glance00X31-TK4-6310

A convenient ref erence to the
sections in this manual.
A quick ref erence to the main
controls in your vehicle.ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
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.
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and gauge,
the multi-information display, and
how to use the controls on the
dashboard and steering column.
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience,
and details how to handle them. 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. The proper way to start the engine,
shif t the transmission, and park. What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo. How to operate the climate control
system, the audio system, and other
convenience f eatures.
Contents
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Instruments and Controls T echnical Inf ormation
Warranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only)
Index
Service Inf ormation Summary
Features
T aking Care of the Unexpected Maintenance Driving Bef ore Driving
Overview of Contents
2
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HOME
2012 TL

µ
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 . 13
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 14
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 15
5. Fasten and Position the .............................
Seat Belts .16
6. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .18
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 18
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 19Additional Inf ormation About
.......................
Your Seat Belts .20
..
Seat Belt System Components . 20
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .21
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .22
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 23
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags .24
......
Airbag System Components . 24
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .26
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 30
How Your Side Curtain Airbags .........................................
Work .32
..
How the SRS Indicator Works . 32
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .33
How the Passenger Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .34
.............................
Airbag Service .35
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 36
Protecting Children General ................................
Guidelines .37
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .37 All Children Should Sit in a
.................................
Back Seat .38
The Passenger’s Front Airbag .........
Can Pose Serious Risks . 38
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .40
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .40
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 40
Protecting Inf ants and Small ...................................
Children .42
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .42
.........
Protecting Small Children . 43
.....................
Selecting a Child Seat .45
....................
Installing a Child Seat .46
...............................
With LATCH .47
.........
With a Lap/Shoulder Belt . 49
..............................
With a Tether .51
...........
Protecting Larger Children . 53
...............
Checking Seat Belt Fit . 53
..................
Using a Booster Seat . 54
When Can a Larger Child Sit in .........................................
Front .55
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 56
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 57
...................................
Saf ety Labels .58
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
5
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2012 TL

µ
You’ll find many safety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The recommendations on this page
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags are
designed to supplement seat belts,
not replace them. So even though
your vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your passengers
always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly (see page ).
Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat, not the front seat. Infants and
smallchildrenshouldberestrained
in a child seat. Larger children
should use a booster seat and a lap/
shoulder belt until they can use the
belt properly without a booster seat
(see pages ). While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
Engaging in mobile phone
conversation or other activities that
keep you f rom paying close attentionto the road, other vehicles and
pedestrians could lead to a crash.
Remember, situations can change
quickly, and only you can decide
when it is saf e to divert attention
away f rom driving.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ). Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
16
37 56 531
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Restrain All ChildrenBe Aware of Airbag Hazards
Don’t Drink and Drive
Pay Appropriate Attention to the
Task of Driving Saf ely
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition Control Your Speed
6
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
you should have your dealer inspect
the belt, and replace it if necessary.
A belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
Pull each belt out fully, and look for
frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
the belts retract easily. If a belt does
not retract easily, cleaning the belt
may correct the problem (see page
). Any belt that is not in good
condition or working properly
will not provide good protection
and should be replaced as soon
as possible.
Acura provides a limited warranty on
seat belts. See your booklet f or details. The dealer should also inspect the
anchors f or damage and replace
them if needed. If the automatic seat
belt tensioners activate during a
crash, they must be replaced.
564
Acura Warranty
Inf ormation
Seat Belt Maintenance
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
23
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.
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2012 TL

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. 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:
If no obstructions are f ound, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible. Any object hanging on the seat or
in the seat-back pocket.
Any object(s) touching the rear of
the seat-back. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate 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 and their anchors worn
during a crash to make sure they
are operating properly.
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.
We recommend against the use of
salvaged airbag system
components, including the airbag,
tensioners, sensors, and control
unit.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
Airbag Service
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o a
problem.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t osevere impact .
An airbag ever inf lates.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
35
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2012 TL

Î
You can select the displayed
language and also customize some
vehicle control settings to your liking
with the multi-information display
and the three buttons on the steering
wheel (see page ).When you unlock and open the
driver’s door, the display shows
‘‘DRIVER 1’’ or ‘‘DRIVER 2’’
depending on which remote
transmitter/keyless access remoteyou use, and the driver’s seat and the
outside mirrors move to the position
stored in that remote transmitter/
keyless access remote (see ).
The driver’s ID (1 or 2) is displayed
when the power mode is set to ON.
The multi-inf ormation display in the
instrument panel displays various
inf ormation and messages when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position. Some of the messages help
you operate your vehicle more
comf ortably. Others help to keep
you aware of the periodic
maintenance your vehicle needs f or
continued trouble-f ree driving.
There are three types of messages:
normal display messages, engine oil
lif e and maintenance messages, and
system messages.
79
On models with keyless access system
Normal Display Messages
Multi-Inf ormation Display
78
Remote transmitter/keyless
access remote 1 is used.
Remote transmitter/keyless
access remote 2 is used.
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page 170
Inst rument s and Cont rols
ÎModels equipped with the keyless access
system have an engine start/stop button
instead of an ignition switch. ON Mode
is the equivalent of ON (II). For more
information, see page s
184
and
187 .
:
2012 TL

In the multi-information display, the
system message is also displayed
(see page ) and you can
customize your vehicle control
settings (see page ).In the normal display mode, the
upper segment displays trip
computer inf ormation, such as f uel
economy or average speed. The
lower segment displays the
odometer/trip meter (A/B), outside
temperature, and engine oil lif e and
maintenance item code(s).
The multi-inf ormation display
consists of an upper segment and a
lower segment. You will see some keyless access
system messages until you select the
ON mode by operating the engine
start/stop button. These messages
canbecustomized(seepage ).
89
94
110
On models with keyless access system
Multi-Inf ormation Display
80
LOWER
SEGMENT
U.S. model is shown. UPPER
SEGMENT
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Inst rument s and Cont rols
2012 TL

The selector can be pushed lef t,
right, up, down, and in. Use the
selector to scroll through lists, to
select menus, and to highlight menu
items. When you make a selection,
push the center of the selector
(ENTER)togotothatselection.
AcuraLink
enhances your
ownership experience by providing a
direct communication link between
your vehicle and the Acura Server.
Working through the XM
Radio,
AcuraLink works in conjunction with
the navigation system,
HandsFreeLink(HFL), and audio
system in your vehicle. It displays
and receives several kinds of
messages, including:
Operating tips and inf ormation on
your vehicle’s f eatures.
Important recall and safety
inf ormation.
Maintenance inf ormation to keep
your vehicle in top condition.
Diagnostic inf ormation to provide
inf ormation about any problems
with your vehicle. Most AcuraLink f unctions are
controlled by the interf ace dial. The
interface dial has two parts, a dial
and a selector.
The dial turns lef t and right. Use it to
make selections or adjustments to a
list or menu on the screen.
Bluetooth
Interf ace Dial
AcuraLink(U.S. models only)
On models wit h navigat ion syst em
Features
449
CANCEL BUTTON
ENTER SELECTOR
DIAL INFO BUTTON
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2012 TL