air condition Acura TSX 2005 User Guide

Always drive in the highest gear
possible.
Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
fuel. Use the cruise control when
appropriate.
Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. See
(see page
).
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering and
hard braking use more f uel. The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion. an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more f uel. 192
For example,
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
159

Test your brakes as instructed on
page . If the brakes f eel normal,
drive slowly and have your vehicle
repaired by your dealer as soon as
possible. Avoid sudden hard braking
which could cause the rear wheels to
lock up and possibly lead to a loss of
control.on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
It only helps with the
steering control during braking.
such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe
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 vehicle to veer
into oncoming traffic or off the road. The VSA indicator will come on
alongwiththeABSindicator.
250
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
A vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stop
A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the
vehicle.
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS cannot prevent a loss of
stability.Import ant Saf et y Reminders
180
ABS INDICATOR

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, cooling system, and
lights are in good operating
condition. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
trailer maker.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed,
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections. Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or Reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly. All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure. All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ). 183 184 227
bottom
Pre-T ow Checklist
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Backing Up
Parking
Towing a Trailer
Driving
187

The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .If youmuststopwhenfacinguphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shif t down to 2nd
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles 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 ‘‘ ’’ in the next
column f or additional gear
inf ormation.) Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
3
3
Driving Saf ely With a T railerMaking T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
T owing Speeds and Gears
Towing a Trailer
188

Ì
ÌÌ
NOT E: If you only OCCASIONALLY
drive under ‘‘severe’’ conditions, you
should f ollow the Normal Conditions
Maintenance Schedule.
CONT INUED
Follow the Normal Maintenance
Schedule if the severe driving
conditions specif ied in the Severe
Conditions Maintenance Schedule on
page do not apply.195
Maint enance
193
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000
Service the items listed at the indicated distance (or time, if given).
Every 10,000 miles (16,000 km)
( (O
O r
re
ev
ve
er
ry
y 1
1y
ye
ea
ar
r,
, w
w h
hi
ic
ch h e
ev
ve
er
r c
coo m
m e
es
s f
fi
ir
r s
st t)
)
Check inflation and condition once a month Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop
(
(
O
O r
re
ev
ve
er
ry
y 1
1y
ye
ea
ar
r,
, w
w h
hi
ic
ch h e
ev
ve
er
r c
coo m
m e
es
s f
fi
ir
r s
st t)
)
70
112 90
144
(
( O
O r
re
ev
ve
er
ry
y 2
2y
ye
ea
ar
rs
s, , w
w h
hi
ic
ch h e
ev
ve
er
r c
coo m
m e
es
s f
fi
ir
r s
st t)
)
10
16 20
3230
4840
6450
8060
96 80
128 120
192150
240
100
160 140
224
110
176 130
208
Check engine oil and coolant
Check tires
Replace engine oil
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page 175)
Replace engine oil filter
Check front and rear brakes
Check parking brake adjustment
Inspect the following items: Tie-rod ends, steering gearbox, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system
Fuel lines and connections
Inspect drive belts
Replace dust and pollen filter
Replace air cleaner element
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page .
: 192
Maintenance Schedule for Normal Conditions

ÌÌ
Î
Î Ì
µ
Follow the Severe Maintenance
Schedule if you drive your vehicle
MAINLY under one or more of the
f ollowing conditions:
Extensive idling or long periods of
stop and go driving, such as a taxi or
a commercial delivery vehicle. Driving less than 5 miles (8 km) per
trip or, in f reezing temperatures,
driving less than 10 miles (16 km)
per trip.
Driving in extremely hot [over 90°F
(32°C)] conditions.
CONT INUED
T railer towing, driving with a roof
rack, or driving in mountainous
conditions. Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions. Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced
roads.
Maint enance
For Canadian Owners
195
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000
Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop
Service the items listed at the indicated distance (or time, if given).
Every 10,000 miles (16,000 km)
Check inflation and condition once a month
Every 5,000 miles (8,000 km) or every 6 months, whichever comes first
Check engine oil and coolant
Check tires
Replace engine oil
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page
175)
Replace engine oil filter
Check front and rear brakes
Lubricate all hinges, locks and latches
Inspect the following items: Tie-rod ends, steering gearbox, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Check parking brake adjustment
Inspect the following items: Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system
Fuel lines and connections
Lights and controls/vehicle underbody
Inspect drive belts
Replace dust and pollen filter
Replace air cleaner element Every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) (Use normal schedule
except in dusty conditions)
( (O
O r
re
ev
ve
er
ry
y 2
2y
ye
ea
ar
rs
s, , w
w h
hi
ic
ch h e
ev
ve
er
r c
coo m
m e
es
s f
fi
ir
r s
st t)
)
(
(
O
O r
re
ev
ve
er
ry
y 1
1y
ye
ea
ar
r,
, w
w h
hi
ic
ch h e
ev
ve
er
r c
coo m
m e
es
s f
fi
ir
r s
st t)
)
10
16 20
3230
4840
6450
8060
96
( (
O
O r
re
ev
ve
er
ry
y 1
1y
ye
ea
ar
r,
, w
w h
hi
ic
ch h e
ev
ve
er
r c
coo m
m e
es
s f
fi
ir
r s
st t)
)
70
112 80
128 90
144 100
160110
176120
192130
208140
224150
240
See dust and pollen filter on page for replacement information under special driving conditions.
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page .
1:
: 223
192
1
Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions

Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth
dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.If you use aftermarket floor mats
make sure they f it properly and that
theycanbeusedwiththefloormat
anchors. Do not put additional f loor
mats on top of the anchored mats.
This f ilter removes the dust and
pollenthatisbroughtinfromthe
outside through the heating and
cooling system/climate control
system.
Clean dirty seat belts with a sof t
brush and a mixture of mild soap and
warm water. Do not use bleach, dye,
or cleaning solvents that can weaken
the belt material. Let the belts air
drybeforeyouusethevehicle. The driver’s f loor mat that came
with your vehicle hook over the f loor
mat anchors. This keeps the f loor
mats f rom sliding f orward and
possibly interf ering with the pedals.
If you remove the f loor mats, make
sure to re-anchor them when you put
them back in your vehicle.Have your Acura dealer replace this
f ilter every 30,000 miles (48,000 km)
under normal conditions. It should
be replaced every 15,000 miles
(24,000 km) if you drive primarily in
urban areas that have high
concentrations of soot in the air, or if
the airf low f rom the climate control
system becomes less than usual.
Seat Belts, Floor Mats, Dust and Pollen Filter
Seat Belts
Floor Mats
Dust and Pollen Filter
Maint enance
223
LOOP

Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort.Underinf lated tires wear unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to
fail from being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,are
more prone to damage f rom road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
To saf ely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inf lated.
The f ollowing pages give more
detailed inf ormation on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they need to be replaced.
Check the air pressures when the
tires are cold. This means the
vehicle has been parked f or at least
three hours, or driven less than 1
mile (1.6 km). Add or release air, if
needed, to match the recommended
cold tire pressures on the next page. Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure in each tire at least once a
month. Even tires that are in good
condition may lose one to two psi (10
to 20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per
month. Remember to check the
sparetireatthesametime.
Tires
Inf lation Guidelines
226
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.

If you check air pressures when the
tires are hot (driven f or several
miles), you will see readings 4 to 6
psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4 kgf /cm )
higher than the cold readings. This
is normal. Do not let air out to match
the recommended cold air pressure.
The tire will be underinf lated.The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions.
Youshouldgetyourowntire
pressure gauge whenever you check
your tire pressures. This will make it
easier f or you to tell if a pressure
loss is due to a tire problem and not
due to a variation between gauges.
While tubeless tires have some
ability to self -seal if they are
punctured, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure. Thecompactsparetirepressureis:
For convenience, the recommended
tire sizes and cold air pressures are
on a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
For additional inf ormation about
your tires, see page .
264
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
Front:
Rear:
Tires
Recommended Tire Pressures
Maint enance
227
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
P215/50R17 93V 32 psi (220 kPa ,2.2 kgf/cm
)
30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm
)

If the indicator remains on or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have the vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible.If your vehicle’s battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing f uel f ill cap. Check the cap
or replace it. Tightening the cap will
not make the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.To check if they are set, turn the
ignition to ON (II), without starting
the engine. The Malf unction
Indicator Lamp will come on f or 20
seconds. If it then goes of f , the
readiness codes are set. If it blinks 5
times, the readiness codes are not
set. If possible, do not take your
vehicle f or a state emissions test
until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to
f or more inf ormation (see page ).
271
Readiness Codes
State Emissions T esting
Malf unction Indicator L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
249
If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties. This indicator may also
come on with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.