light Acura TSX 2004 Owner's Manual

Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (Seeon page .)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the car from
a booster battery (see page ). In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
328
312
265 199
324
328
79
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency T owing T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
Emergency
Towing
311

Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake. Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). 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 car, f ollow these
directions closely:
If your car’s battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine
by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start an Acura with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: climate control, audio
system, lights, etc.
1.
2.
265
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting
312
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.

This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low f or a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows
that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ). Letthecarsitforaminute.Open
the hood and check the oil level
(see page ). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during
cornering and other driving
maneuvers.Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the light
does not go out within ten seconds,
turn of f the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired bef ore you can
continue driving. (See
on page .)
1.
2.
3. 4.
187 244 328
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
317
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
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 car stopped.

This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. If it comes on
at any other time, it indicates one of
the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your car’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
your car to put out excessive
emissions. Continued operation may
cause serious damage.Youshouldalsohavethedealer
inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn of f as you continue driving.
This indicator may also come on
along with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.
If you have recently ref ueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing f uel f ill cap. Check the cap
and tighten it until it clicks at least
three times. Replace the f uel f ill cap
if it is missing. Tightening the cap
will not make the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving.
If the indicator remains on past three
days of normal driving, or the f uel
cap was not loose or missing, have
the car checked by the dealer as
soon as possible. Drive moderately
until the dealer has inspected the
problem. Avoid f ull-throttle
acceleration and driving at high
speed.
Malf unction Indicator L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed319
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car’s emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car’s warranties.

Î
ÎIf it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the car’s
brake system. In most cases, the
problem is a low f luid level in the
brake f luid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it f eels
normal. If it does, check the brake
f luid level the next time you stop at a
service station (see page ). If the
fluid level is low, take the car to your
dealer and have the brake system
inspected f or leaks or worn brake
pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. Because of the
brake system’s dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will f eel the brake pedal
go down much f arther bef ore the car
begins to slow down, and you will
have to press harder on the pedal.
The distance needed to stop will be
much longer. Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the
longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the car. You
should have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (See
on page .)
The Brake System Indicator
normallycomesonwhenyouturn
the ignition switch ON (II). It is a
reminder to check the parking brake.
It comes on and stays lit if you do not
f ully release the parking brake. If you must drive the car a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and cautiously.
If the ABS indicator comes on with
this indicator, have the car inspected
by your Acura dealer immediately.
259
328Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed321
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR
U.S. indicator shown

Turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0). Make sure the headlights and
all other accessories are off.
Remove the cover f rom the f use
box.
If something electrical in your car
stops working, the f irst thing you
should check f or is a blown f use.
Determine f rom the chart on pages
and , or the diagram on the
fuse box lid, which fuse or fuses
control that component. Check those
f uses f irst, but check all the f uses
bef ore deciding that a blown f use is
not the cause. Replace any blown
f uses and check the component’s
operation. Check each of the large f uses in
the under-hood f use box by
looking at the wire inside.
Removing these f uses requires a
Phillips-head screwdriver.
3.
1.
2. 326 327
Checking and Replacing Fuses
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed324
BLOWN
BLOWN

µµ
µ
´Circuits Protected
No.
No. No.
Amps. Amps.Amps. Circuits Protected
Circuits Protected
Left Headlight Low
(Rear Defroster Coil)
Lef t Headlight Hi
Small Light
Right Headlight Hi 6
7
8
9
10
1
2
3
4
5 11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
15 A
(30A) 10 A
15 A
10 A 15 A
7.5 A 15 A
20 A 20 A
20 A
40 A
40 A
15 A
30 A
40 A
40 A
40 A
40 A
100 A
50 A
50 A Cooling Fan
Not Used
Horn, Stop
Rear Defroster
Back Up, ACC
Hazard
VSA Motor
VSA
OP 1
OP 2
Heater Motor
Battery
Not Used
BIG1Main
Power Window Main
Right Headlight Low
Back Up
FI ECU
Condenser f an
Not Used
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed326
UNDER-HOOD FUSE/RELAY BOX

µµ
µ
µ
µ
Î
Î
No.
No. No. Amps. Circuits Protected
Amps. Circuits Protected Circuits Protected
Amps.
: On Canadian models
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
1
2
3
4
5
6 7
8
9
10
11
12 10 A
20 A
15 A
7.5 A 30 A Back-Up Lights
Door Lock
Front Accessory Sockets
IG OPDS
IG Wiper
Not Used
(15 A)
15 A
(10 A) 10 A
20 A
10 A DBW
Ignition Coil
Day Light
LAF
Audio Amp
Interior Light Not Used
Driver’s Power Seat Sliding
Heated Seat
Driver’s Power Seat Reclining
Not Used
IG ACG
IG Fuel Pump
IG Washer
IG Meter
IG SRS
IGP (PGM-FI ECU)
Lef t Rear Power Window
Right Rear Power Window
Right Front Power Window
Driver’s Power Window
Moonroof
Not Used
IG HAC
Not Used
ACC
HAC OP
(20 A)
(20 A)
(20 A)
15 A
15 A
7.5 A
7.5 A 10 A
7.5 A 20 A
20 A
20 A
20 A
(20 A)
7.5 A
7.5 A
7.5 A
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed327
INTERIOR FUSE BOX

µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
CONT INUED
Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation335
Alignment Engine
Fuses Battery Lights 12 V 21 W
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V 12 V21 W
21/5 W
5W
21 W
21 W
12 V 55 W
12 V 35 W
12 V 3 CP
Water cooled 4-stroke, DOHC
i-VTEC 4-cylinder, gasoline engine 3.43 x 3.90 in (87.0 x 99.0 mm) 144 cu-in (2,354 cm
)
10.5 : 1
Toe-in
Camber
Caster 0.00 in (0.0 mm)
0.08 in (2.0 mm)
0°1°
3°13’
Type
BorexStroke
Displacement
Compression ratio
Spark plugs
See spark plug maintenance sec-
tion page 264.
See page 326or the fuse box
cover. See page 327or the fuse label
attached to the inside of the fuse
box door on each side of the
dashboard.
Interior
Under-hood Capacity
12 V 38 AH/5 HR12 V 12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V
1.1 W
2CP
5W
8W
8W
3CP
12 V 3 CP
Headlights
Front turn signal
Front parking lights
Rear turn signal lights
Stop/Taillights
Taillights
High-mount brake light
Back-up lights
Rear side marker light
License plate light
Ceiling light
Spotlights/Front ceiling lights
Trunk light
Door courtesy light
Vanity mirror lights
Front
Rear
Front
Rear
Front
High
Low

Î
ÎThe burning of gasoline in your car’s
engine produces several byproducts.
Some of these are carbon monoxide
(CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and
hydrocarbons (HC). Gasoline
evaporating from the tank also
produces hydrocarbons. Controlling
the production of NOx, CO, and HC
is important to the environment.
Under certain conditions of sunlight
and climate, NOx and HC react to
f orm photochemical ‘‘smog.’’ Carbon
monoxide does not contribute to
smog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas. The United States Clean Air Act
sets standards f or automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
workandwhattodotomaintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page
.
Your car has a Positive Crankcase
Ventilation System. This keeps
gasses that build up in the engine’s
crankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve routes them from
the crankcase back to the intake
manif old. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned.
The Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f . As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
In Canada, Acura vehicles comply
with the Canadian emission
requirements, as specif ied in an
agreement with Environment
Canada, at the time they are
manuf actured. 232
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Emissions Cont rols
T echnical Inf ormation342