maintenance schedule Acura TSX 2004 Owner's Guide

Run the engine until it reaches
normal operating temperature,
then shut it off.
Changing the oil and f ilter requires
special tools and access f rom
underneath the car. The car should
be raised on a service station-type
hydraulic lif t f or this service. Unless
you have the knowledge and proper
equipment, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic. Always change the oil and f ilter
accordingtothetimeanddistance
(miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and f ilter collect contami-
nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly.
Your Acura does not require any oil
additives. Additives may adversely
af f ect your engine’s or transmission’s
perf ormance and durability.
1.
Changing the Oil and Filter
A dditives
Engine Oil
Maint enance246

CONT INUED
Thecoolingsystemshouldbe
completely drained and ref illed with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
Honda All Season Antif reeze/
Coolant Type 2.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance
done by a skilled mechanic.Openthehood.Makesurethe
engine and radiator are cool to the
touch.
Remove the radiator cap.
Turn the ignition to ON (II). Make
sure the DUAL indicator is off. Set
the temperature of the climate
control system to its upper limit
‘‘Hi’’. Then turn of f the ignition,
and remove the key.
1.
2.
Replacing Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance251

To thoroughly f lush the transmission,
the technician should drain and ref ill
it with Honda ATF-Z1, then drive the
vehicle a short distance. Do this
three times. Then drain and ref ill the
transmission a f inal time.Insert the dipstick all the way back
into the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
Make sure the notch fits in the
dipstick guide and the dipstick is
down all the way.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
If you are not sure how to add f luid,
contact your Acura dealer. Remove the check bolt and look for
transmission f luid coming out of the
bolt hole. If a small amount of f luid
drips out of the bolt hole, reinstall
the check bolt.
Check the f luid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the car sitting on
level ground.
To check the transmission f luid level,
remove the two bolts, then pull down
the lef t part of the under cover.
6.
CONT INUED
T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance
6-speed Manual Transmission
257
BOLT
BOLT UNDER COVER CHECK BOLT

Pour the f luid to the f iller hole slowly
and caref ully so you do not spill.
Clean up any spills immediately.
Spilled f luid could damage
components in the engine
compartment.
If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40
viscosity motor oil with the API
Certif ication seal that says ‘‘FOR
GASOLINE ENGINES’’ as a
temporary replacement. However,
motor oil does not contain the proper
additives, and continued use can
cause stiffer shifting. Replace as
soon as it is convenient.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.If you are not sure how to check and
add f luid, contact your Acura dealer.
If no f luid comes out, remove the
f iller bolt. Slowly add Honda Manual
Transmission Fluid (MTF) until it
starts to run out of the check bolt
hole. Let the f luid run out until it
stops, then reinstall the check bolt
and the f iller bolt.
Af ter checking and adding the f luid,
put the under cover back in place
and tighten the bolts securely.
T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance258
FILLER BOLT

The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.
Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement. However, the use of
any non-Honda brake fluid can cause
corrosion and decrease the lif e of the
system. Have the brake system
f lushed and ref illed with Honda
Heavy Duty Brake Fluid DOT 3 as
soon as possible.
Check the f luid level in the reser-
voirs monthly. There are up to two
reservoirs, depending on the model.
They are:
Brake f luid reservoir (all models)
Clutch f luid reservoir
(manual transmission only)
The brake f luid should be replaced
according to the time recommenda-
tion in the maintenance schedule.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your car’s braking
system and can cause extensive
damage. Pour the f luid slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill. Clean up any spills
immediately. Spilled f luid could
damage components in the engine
compartment.Brake System
Brake and Clutch Fluid
Maint enance259
MAX MIN

Place the new air cleaner element
in the air cleaner housing.
Loosen the f our bolts, and remove
the air cleaner housing cover.
Remove the old air cleaner
element.
Caref ully clean the inside of the
air cleaner housing with a damp
rag. Reinstall the air cleaner housing
cover, and tighten the four bolts.
To replace it: The air cleaner element is inside the
air cleaner housing on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment. The air cleaner element should be
replaced according to the distance
recommendation in the maintenance
schedule.
1.
3.4.
5.
2.
Maint enance
Replacement
A ir Cleaner Element
261
BOLTS
AIR CLEANER ELEMENT
BOLTS

The spark plugs in your car are a
special iridium-tipped design f or
longer lif e. The spark plugs should
be replaced according to the distance
recommendation in the maintenance
schedule.
Clean the hood latch assembly with a
mild cleaner, then lubricate it with a
multipurpose grease. Lubricate all
the moving parts (as shown),
including the pivot. Follow the time
and distance recommendations in
the Maintenance Schedule. If you
are not sure how to clean and grease
the latch, contact your Acura dealer. Remove the two nuts and two
bolts with a wrench, then remove
the coil cover.
1.
ReplacementSpark Plugs
Hood L atch
Hood L at ch, Spark Plugs
Maint enance262
PIVOTS
LATCH ASSEMBLY COIL COVER
NUTS
BOLTS

If the pointer is out of this range or
you see signs of wear, have the drive
belt replaced by your Acura dealer as
soon as possible.
Check the condition of the drive belt.
Examine the edges of the belt f or
cracks or fraying.
An auto-tensioner adjusts the tension
of the drive belt. The pointer on the
auto-tensioner should be in the
proper range. It should be checked
accordingtothetimeanddistance
recommendations in the
maintenance schedule.
Maint enance
Drive Belt
272
POINTER
Proper Range

Block the rear wheels.
Fill the f uel tank.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
If you need to park your car f or an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a car
body wax to the painted surf aces
that mate with the door and trunk
seals.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(manual) or Park (automatic). Coverthecarwitha‘‘breathable’’
cover, one made f rom a porous
material such as cotton.
Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your car f or 12 months
or longer, have your Acura dealer
perf orm the inspections called f or in
the 24 months maintenance schedule
(Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page ).
The replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.
246
234
St oring Your Car
Maint enance293

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