tow Acura TSX 2004 Owner's Manual

2004 TSX Online Reference Owner's Manual Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com.

Contents

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance ........................................................................\
....................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
.................................................. .57
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
.............................. .113
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................... ...............183
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................197
The proper way to start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
...................................................... ...................229
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
...................................................... ...........295
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your car ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................303
This section covers several problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
...................................................... .331
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)..................................................................... .347
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only )........................................................................\
......................................
.351
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

Adjust the steering wheel, if needed,
so that the wheel points toward your
chest, not toward your f ace.
Pointing the steering wheel toward
your chest provides optimal
protection f rom the airbag.
See page f or how to adjust the
steering wheel.After all occupants have adjusted
their seats and put on seat belts, it is
very important that they continue to
sit upright, well back in their seats,
with their feet on the floor, until the
car is parked and the engine is of f .
Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example, if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward or sideways,
or puts one or both f eet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is
greatly increased.
In addition, an occupant who is out of
position in the f ront seat can be
seriously or f atally injured by
striking interior parts of the car, or
by being struck by an inf lating f ront
airbag. Being struck by an inflating
side airbag can result in possibly
serious injuries.
76
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Adults
Adjust the Steering Wheel Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position
6.
7.
18
Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the
floor.

(See page
.)
Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions, many parents and other
adults may not know how to
protect young passengers.
So if you have children, or if you ever
need to drive with a grandchild or
otherchildreninyourcar,besureto
read this section. Each year, many children are injured
or killed in car crashes because they
are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In f act, car
accidents are the number one cause
of death of children ages 12 and
under.
To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state and
Canadian province requires that
inf ants and children be restrained
whenever they ride in a car.
(See page .)
26
36
properly
CONT INUED
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children
All Children Must Be Restrained
Anychildwhoistoosmalltowearaseat belt should be properlyrest rained in a child seat .
A larger child should always berest rained wit h a seat belt , and use aboost er, if needed.
21
Children who are unrestrained
or improperly restrained can be
seriously injured or killed in a
crash.
Any child too small for a seat
belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. A
larger child should be properly
restrained with a seat belt.

CONT INUED
To achieve the desired reclining
angle, it may help to put a rolled up
towel under the toe of the child seat,
as shown. Forproperprotection,aninfantmust
ride in a reclined, or semi-reclined
position. To determine the proper
reclining angle, check with the baby’s
doctor or f ollow the seat maker’s
recommendations.We also recommend that a small
child stay in the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit f or the seat.
In this car, the best place to install a
f orward-f acing child seat is in one of
the seating positions in the back seat.
A child at least one year old who can
sit up without support, and who f its
within the child seat maker’s weight
and height limits, should be
restrained in a f orward-f acing,
upright child seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown. If the vehicle seat is too f ar f orward,
or the child’s head is thrown f orward
during a collision, an inf lating
passenger’s airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to cause
very serious or f atal injuries. If a
small child must be closely watched,
we recommend that another adult sit
in the back seat with the child.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Rear-Facing Child Seat Inst allat ion
Tips
Child Seat Placement
Child Seat T ype Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
t he f ront seat of a car equipped wit ha passenger airbag can be hazardous.Protecting Small Children
33

If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:Caref ully read the owner’s manual
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Remind the child not to lean
toward the door because of the
side airbag. Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly positioned and secured.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly. Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position. Since a tether can provide additional
security, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available. (Tethers are required in
Canada.)
To use the anchorage point, pivot its
cover up. Your car has three tether anchorage
points f or securing a tether-style
child seat to the car. One tether
anchorage point f or each of the outer
rear seat and center rear seat is
located under the rear window.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Using Child Seats with T ethers
39
TETHER ANCHORAGE POINTS COVER

Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in that position.
Move the steering wheel up or
down, and in or out to the desired
position, making sure the wheel
points toward your chest, not
toward your f ace. Make sure you
can see the instrument panel
gauges and the indicator lights. Make sure you have securely
locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up, down, in,
and out.
Your car comes with two master
keys and a valet key.
The master key fits all the locks on
your car:
 Ignition
 Driver’s door
Glovebox
 Trunk release handle
 Rear seat trunk access
3. 4.
5.
CONT INUED
Keys
Controls Near the Steering Wheel, K eys and L ocks
Inst rument s and Cont rols77
VALET KEY
(LIGHT GREY)
MASTER
KEY
(BLACK)
KEY
NUMBER
TAG

To use the sun visor, pull it down.
You can also use the sun visor at the
side window. Remove the support
rod f rom the clip and swing the sun
visor toward the side window.Touseavanitymirroronthebackof
the sun visor, pull up the cover.
The light beside the mirror comes
on when you pull up the cover.
Sun Visor
Vanity Mirror
Sun Visor, Vanit y Mirror
Inst rument s and Cont rols108

If you want to adjust the sound while
the radio/CD is playing, push the
AUDIO DISPLAY button, then touch
the SOUND icon in the display.
To return to the previous display,
push the AUDIO DISPLAY button
again.
To adjust the balance, touch the left
or right icon on the sound grid.
When you touch an icon, the yellow
bars on the grid turn orange and
move toward the icon, changing the
balance lef t or right. To equalize the
balance, touch the lef t or right icon
until each side has an orange bar at
the center of the sound grid.
To adjust the fader, touch the front
or rear icon on the sound grid. When
you touch an icon, the white bars on
thegridturnorangeandmove
toward the icon, changing the f ader
to the f ront or rear. To equalize the
f ader, touch the f ront or rear icon
until each side has an orange bar at
the center of the sound grid. The upper display shows the time
when the ignition switch is in the
ACCESSORY (I) or ON (II) position.
The Navigation System receives
signals f rom the Global Positioning
System (GPS), and the displayed
time is updated automatically by the
GPS. Ref er to the Navigation System
Owner’s Manual to set up the time.
To see the audio screen when you
are f inished adjusting the sound,
touch the RETURN icon or wait five
seconds. Digital Clock
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures153

Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
Insert it all the way back in its tube.
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel. 3.
4.
2.
244
A dding Oil
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving188
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK

Your car has several convenient
storage areas so you can stow cargo
saf ely.
The glove box, and the pockets in
the doors and seat-backs, are
designed f or small, lightweight items.
The trunk is intended f or larger,
heavier items. In addition, the back
seatcanbefoldeddowntoallowyou
to carry more cargo or longer items.
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can af f ect
your car’s handling, stability,
stopping distance, and tires, and
make it unsaf e. Bef ore carrying any
type of cargo, be sure to read the
f ollowing pages.
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving193
CONSOLE COMPARTMENT FRONT DOOR POCKETTRUNK GLOVE BOX
SEAT-BACK POCKET CENTER POCKET