instrument panel Acura TSX 2004 Owner's Guide

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood and trunk are
f ully closed.Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
steering wheel (see page ).
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
Start the engine (see page ).
Check the gauges and indicator
lights in the instrument panel (see
page ).
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely. Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your car.
3.2.
1.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9. 11.
12. 10.
15
90
102 76 199
59
Preparing to Drive
Driving198

Your Acura’s transmission has f ive
f orward speeds, and is electronically
controlled f or smoother shif ting. It
also has a ‘‘lock-up’’ torque converter
forbetterfueleconomy.Youmay
f eel what seems like another shif t
when the converter locks.The shift lever has five positions. It
must be in Park or Neutral to start
the engine. When you are stopped in
D, D , N, R or the manual mode,
press firmly on the brake pedal and
keep your f oot of f the accelerator
pedal.
This indicator on the instrument
panel shows which position the shif t
lever is in.
The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch ON (II). If it f lashes
at any time (in any shif t position), it
indicates a possible problem in the
transmission. Avoid rapid
acceleration and have the
transmission checked by an
authorized Acura dealer as soon as
possible.
3
Driving
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ever Position Indicator Shif t L ever Positions
204
SHIFT LEVER

µ
´µ
To enter the Sequential SportShif t
Mode, move the shif t lever f urther to
the driver’s side. To return to ‘‘D’’,
move the shift lever to the
passenger’s side. With
the shif t lever in ‘‘D’’ position, you
can select the Sequential SportShif t
Mode to shif t gears much like a
manual transmission, but without a
clutch pedal.
When you accelerate away f rom a
stop, the transmission will be in f irst
gear. The transmission will not
automatically upshift. Watch the
tachometer and upshif t manually
bef ore the engine reaches redline.
The transmission remains in the
selectedgear(5,4,3,2,or1).There
is no automatic downshif t when you
push the accelerator pedal to the
f loor.
In Sequential SportShif t mode, each
time you push f orward on the shif t
lever, the transmission will shif t to a
higher gear. Pull back on the lever to
downshif t. The number of the gear
selected is displayed on the
instrument panel (see page ). When you move the shif t lever f rom
‘‘D’’ to the Sequential SportShift
mode, the display shows the selected
gear.
204
CONT INUED
Automatic Transmission
Driving
Sequent ial Sport Shif t Mode
207
Up shift
Down shift
SELECTED GEAR

µMake sure the parking brake is f ully
released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes.
Always use the parking brake when
you park your car. The indicator on
the instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not f ully released; it
does not indicate that the parking
brakeisfirmlyset.Makesurethe
parking brake is set f irmly or your
car may roll if it is parked on an
incline.
If your car has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park.Thiskeepsthecarfrom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the car is f acing uphill, turn the
f ront wheels away f rom the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put
it in f irst gear.
If the car is f acing downhill, turn the
f ront wheels toward the curb. If you
have a manual transmission, put it in
reverse gear.
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lockthedoorswiththekeyorthe
remote transmitter.
Check the indicator on the
instrument panel to verif y that the
security system is set.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving211

such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed f or the road and
weather conditions.
Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into
oncoming traffic or off the road. it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a saf e f ollowing distance
f rom other vehicles. on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow, than a car without anti-lock.
Slow down and allow a greater
distance between cars under those
conditions.
The ABS is self -checking. If anything
goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see
page ). This means the anti-lock
f unction of the braking system has
shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-
lock, providing normal stopping
ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your car as soon as possible.61
Import ant Saf et y Reminders
A BS Indicat or
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS cannot prevent a loss of
stability. A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the car;A car with ABS may require a
longer distance to stop
The Braking System
Driving214
ABS INDICATOR

The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your car’s
handling and perf ormance, so
driving with a trailer requires some
special driving skills and techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below.Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or cars with trailers. If
you have an automatic transmission,
use D position when towing a trailer
on level roads. D is the proper shif t
lever position to use when towing a
trailer in hilly terrain. (See ‘‘
’’inthenextpagefor
additional gear information.)
When towing a trailer in the
Sequential SportShif t mode, select
Fourth, Third, Second, or First gear;
depending on the vehicle speed and
road condition. Do not use Fif th gear. If the automatic transmission f luid
temperature increases and exceeds
the specif ied limit, the transmission
will also automatically downshif t to
the first gear even with the
Sequential Sportshif t mode. This
prevents the automatic transmission
f rom overheating. In this case, the
gear position ‘‘1’’ in the instrument
panel between tachometer and
speedometer blinks about f or f ive
seconds, then it stays on.
3
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Towing a Trailer
Driving
T owing Speeds and Gears
Driving
on Hills
226

................
Gas Station Procedures . 184
Gauges ...
Engine Coolant Temperature . 66
...............................................
Fuel .67
...............................
Speedometer .65
.................................
Tachometer .65
Gearshif t Lever Positions ..........
Automatic Transmission . 204
6-speed Manual .........................
Transmission .201
..............................
Glass Cleaning .300
........................................
Glove Box .89
.............
Halogen Headlight Bulbs . 282
..............
Hazard Warning Flashers . 75
........................................
Headlights .70
........................................
Aiming .282
..............
Automatic Lighting Off . 71
............
Daytime Running Lights . 72
............
Low Beams, Turning on . 70
.........................
Reminder Chime .70
........
Replacing Halogen Bulbs . 282
...................................
Turning on .70
..............................
Head Restraints .93 .....................
Heating and Cooling .114
...............................
Heated Mirror .103
.............
High Altitude, Starting at . 200
HomeLink Wireless Control ........................................
System .177
.......................
Hood, Opening the .186
...........................
Hydraulic Clutch .260
.................................
Hydroplaning .220
...
Identif ication Number, Vehicle . 332
Ignition ..............................................
Keys .77
...........................................
Switch .80
............
Timing Control System . 343
........................
Immobilizer System .79
.........
Important Safety Precautions . 6
.........
Indicators, Instrument Panel . 59
...............................
Inf ant Restraint .30
......................................
Inf ant Seats .30
..........
Tether Anchorage Points . 39
...................
Inf lation, Proper Tire . 273
.................................
Inside Mirror .102
.............................
Inspection, Tire .275
............................
Instrument Panel .59 ........
Instrument Panel Brightness . 72
...........................
Interior Cleaning .298
...............................
Interior Lights .110
........................................
Introduction .i
........................
Jacking up the Car .307
.......................................
Jack, Tire .305
................................
Jump Starting .312
..................................................
Keys .77
.......................
Label, Certif ication .332
.................
Lane Change, Signaling . 73
........................
Lap/Shoulder Belts .43
.........................
Leather, Cleaning .299
Lights ....................
Bulb Replacement .282
.......................................
Indicator .59
.........................................
Parking .70
..................................
Turn Signal .73
Index
H IJ
K
L
IV