ECO mode Acura TSX 2004 Owner's Manual

Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
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. (See page
.)
Children are saf est when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
notthefrontseat.Achildwhoistoo
smallforaseatbeltmustbeproperly
restrained in a child saf ety seat. (See
page .) 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 .)
You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inf late only in a
moderate to severe f rontal collision.
So even though your car is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and
your passengers always wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
(See page .)
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.
15
21 9
232
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat BeltBe Aware of Airbag Hazards Control Your Speed
Restrain All Children K eep Your Car in Saf e Condition
Don’t Drink and Drive
6

If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown f orward into the
dashboard and crush the child.
During a
crash, the belt could press deep
into the child and cause very
serious injuries. According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in the
back seat, not the f ront seat. The
National Highway Traf f ic Saf ety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
In the back seat, children are less
likely to be injured by striking hard
interior parts during a collision or
hard braking. Also, children cannot
be injured by an inf lating airbag
when they ride in the back.
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large, and it inf lates with tremendous
speed.
If youarewearingaseatbelt,the
child can be torn f rom your arms
during a crash. For example, if
your car crashes into a parked car
at 30 mph (48 km/h), a 20-lb
(9 kg) inf ant will become a 600-lb
(275 kg) f orce, and you will not be
able to hold on. If the
airbag inflates, it can hit the back of
the child seat with enough force to
kill or very seriously injure an inf ant.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children
A ddit ional Precaut ions t o Parent s
Neverholdaninfantorchildonyour lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfand an inf ant or child. Inf ant s
Never put a rear-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a car equipped wit ha passenger’s f ront airbag.Children Should Sit in the Back
Seat The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Poses Serious Risks to Children
22

A child who is too
large f or a rear-f acing child seat, and
who can sit up without support,
should be restrained in a f orward-
f acing child seat. See page f or
additional inf ormation on protecting
small children. Due to variations in the design of
child seats, vehicle seats, and seat
belts, all child seats will not f it all
vehicle seating positions.
However, Acura is conf ident that one
or more child seat models can f it and
be properly installed in all
recommended seating positions in
your car.
Bef ore purchasing a child seat, we
recommend that parents test the
child seat in the specif ic vehicle
seating position (or positions) where
they intend to use the seat. If a
previously purchased child seat does
not f it, you may need to buy a
dif f erent one that will f it.
Your car has lower anchors installed
for use with LATCH (Lower
AnchorsandTethersforChildren)-
compatible child seats. For more
inf ormation, see page .
33 41
CONT INUED
Small Children:T he child seat should f it the
vehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
3.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety27

Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back. Inf ants up to about
one year of age must be restrained in
a rear-f acing child seat.In this car, a rear-f acing child seat
can be placed in any seating position
in the back seat, but not in the front
seat.
Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode. If the passenger’s
f ront airbag inf lates, it can hit the
back of the child seat with enough
f orce to kill or seriously injure an
inf ant. If an inf ant must be closely
watched, we recommend that
another adult sit in the back seat
with the baby.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision.
We recommend that an inf ant be
restrained in a rear-f acing child seat
until the inf ant is at least one year
old, reaches the seat maker’s weight
or height limit, and is able to sit up
without support.
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype
Rear-Facing Child Seat Placement
Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe front seat.
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat ina f orward-f acing position.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety30
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death if the
passenger’s front airbag inflates.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.

Your Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) includes:Two f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG.’’
Emergency backup power in case
your car’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash. An indicator light on the
instrument panel that alerts you to
a possible problem with the
system (see page ). A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, and driver and
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition is ON (II).
Your car is equipped with dual-stage,
dual-threshold airbags to help reduce
the chance of airbag-caused injuries.
Automatic seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal
collision.
44
49
SRS Components
How Your Front A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety46

If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, the sensors
will detect the car’s rapid
deceleration. If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the
control unit will instantly inf late the
f ront airbags.
During a f rontal crash, your seat
belts help restrain your lower body
and torso. Your airbag provides a
cushion to help restrain and protect
your head and chest.Since both airbags use the same
sensors, both airbags normally
inf late at the same time. However, it
is possible f or only one airbag to
inf late.
This can occur when the severity of
a collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
suf f icient protection, and the
supplemental protection of f ered by
the airbag would be minimal.
Af ter inf lating, the f ront airbags
immediately def late, so they won’t
interf ere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and
def lation is approximately one-tenth
of a second, so f ast that most
occupants are not aware that the
airbags deployed until they see them
lying in their laps.
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety47

These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury. Read these labels caref ully. If
a label comes of f or becomes hard to
read (except f or the U.S. dashboard
label which is removed by the
owner), contact your Acura dealer
f or a replacement.
U.S. modelsCanadian models U.S. models only
On models with side curtain airbags
Saf ety L abels
Driver and Passenger Saf ety54
HOOD DASHBOARD
RADIATOR CAP

This indicator comes on f or a f ew
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). It will then go of f if
you have inserted a properly-coded
ignition key. If it is not a properly-
coded key, the indicator will blink
and the engine will not start (see
page ).
This indicator also blinks several
times when you turn the ignition
switch f rom ON (II) to ACCESSORY
(I) or LOCK (0).
This light comes on when the
washer f luid level is low. Add washer
f luid when you see this light come on
(see page ).
This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch to ON (II) with
the headlight switch of f and the
parking brake set. It should go of f if
youturnontheheadlightsorrelease
the parking brake. If it comes on at
any other time, it means there is a
problem with the DRL. There may
also be a problem with the high
beam headlights.
This light comes on with the high
beam headlights. See page for
inf ormation on the headlight
controls.
On Canadian models, this indicator
comes on with reduced brightness
when the Daytime Running Lights
(DRL) are on (see page ). This indicator comes on when you
turn on the Cruise Control System
by pressing the Master Button. (see
page .)
This lights when you set the cruise
control. See page f or inf ormation
on operating the cruise control.
70
72 174
174 79
255
Canadian models only
Canadian models only
Immobilizer System
Indicator
Washer Level Indicator
‘‘Daytime Running
Lights’’ Indicator
High Beam Indicator
Cruise Main Indicator
Cruise Control Indicator
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols64

With the headlight switch off, the
high beam headlights and the high
beam indicator come on with
reduced brightness when you turn
the ignition switch to ON (II) and
release the parking brake. They
remain on until you turn the ignition
of f , even if you set the parking brake.
The headlights revert to normal
operation when you turn them on
with the switch.The instrument panel will illuminate
with reduced brightness when you
unlock and open the driver’s door.
The brightness will increase slightly
when you insert the key in the
ignitionswitch,thengotonormal
brightness when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II).
Turntheknobontherightsideof
the instrument panel to adjust the
instrument panel brightness. There
are six brightness levels. When you
turn the knob, the odometer display
changes to circles that show you the
current level. The display returns to
the odometer values f ive seconds
af ter you stop adjusting the knob. If you do not insert the key in the
ignition switch af ter opening and
closing the driver’s door, the
illumination turns of f in about 30
seconds.
If you insert the key but do not turn
the ignition switch to ON (II), the
illumination turns of f in about 10
seconds.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Daytime Running L ights
(Canadian Models)
Instrument Panel Brightness
72

To operate the wipers in mist mode,
push the control lever up f rom the
OFF position. The wipers run at high
speed until you release the lever.
This gives you a quick way to clear
the windshield.
In intermittent, the wipers operate
every f ew seconds. The sweep
interval will change slightly with
speed; getting shorter as you drive
f aster. While the car is stopped and
in gear, the wipers sweep the
windshield whenever you remove
your f oot f rom the brake pedal. In
low speed and high speed, the wipers
run continuously.
You can vary how of ten the wipers
sweep the windshield by turning the
INT TIME ring on the lever.
If you turn the INT TIME ring to the
shortest delay, the wipers will
change from intermittent to low
speed operation when car speed
exceeds 12 mph (20 km/h).
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols74