tow Acura TSX 2006 Owner's Manual

2006 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.h\
elminc.com.
Contents

Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
.............................................4
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
...................................... 7
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s

........................................................................\
.........................................59
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Features ................................................................................................................................\
............159
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................227
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
......................................................................239
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................263
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................311
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................335
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................349
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................353
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.

µ
µ
µ µ
µ µ
µ
µ µ
MIST
OFF
INT Intermittent
LO Low speed
HI High speed
Windshield washers Push the right lever up or down to
select a position.
The wipers run at high
speed until you release the lever.
The wipers are not activated. The wipers run at low speed.
The wipers run at high speed.
The length of the wiper
interval is varied automatically
according to the vehicle’s speed.
Vary the delay by turning the INT
TIME ring. If you turn it to the
shortest delay, the wipers will
change to low speed operation when
the vehicle speed exceeds 12 mph
(20 km/h). Pull the
wiper control lever toward you, and
hold it. The washers spray until you
release the lever. The wipers run at
low speed, then complete one more
sweep after you release the lever.
To change the ‘‘FRONT WIPER
ACTION’’ setting, see page .
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
116
Windshield Wiper
MIST
OFFLO
HI
INT Windshield Washer
Wipers and Washers
Inst rument s and Cont rols
119
 — —y 
y
( y 
y

To use the sun visor, pull it down.
You can also use the sun visor at the
side window. Remove the support
rod from the clip and swing the sun
visor toward the side window.To use a vanity mirror on the back of
the sun visor, pull up the cover.
The lights come on when you pull up
the cover.
Sun Visor
Vanity Mirror
Sun Visor, Vanity Mirror
152
 — —y y
( y 
y

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause occasional metallic knocking
noises in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance. Use
of a gasoline with a pump octane
number less than 87 can lead to
engine damage.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise the engine speed by shif ting to
a lower gear.
We recommend quality gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we stronglyrecommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline. Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 % ethanol by
volume and up to 15 % MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
On vehicles with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
228
 — —y  y
( y 
y

Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its hole. Remove the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page f or
informationonaddingtheproper
coolant.
Refer to on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
vehicle.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see
on page .
1.
2.
3. 4.
278 283
273
Oil Check
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
A dding Engine Oil
Service Station Procedure
232
UPPER MARK
DIPSTICK (orange handle) LOWER MARKRESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
 — —y y
( y y

µ·
Steps f or determining correct load
limit:
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle.
The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
For example, if the maximum load
is 850 lbs and there will be f ive 150
lb. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 100 lbs. (850 750 (5 150) =100lbs.)
If yourvehiclewillbetowinga
trailer, load f rom your trailer will
be transf erred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of
yourvehicle(seepage ).
The maximum load f or your vehicle
is 850 lbs (385 kg) f or U.S.A, 395 kg
f or Canada. This f igure includes the
total weight of all occupants, cargo,
and accessories, and the tongue load
if you are towing a trailer.
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers f rom
850 lbs.Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. The weight may
unsaf ely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity in
step 4.
Locate the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 850
lbs’’ on your vehicle’s placard.
(The placard is on the driver’s
doorjamb).
1.
2. 5.
6.
3.
4. 258
CONT INUED
Carrying Cargo
Load Limits
Bef ore Driving
237
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.
 — —y y
( y  y

........................
Preparing to Drive .240
.......................
Starting the Engine .241
...................
Manual Transmission .242
.....
Recommended Shif t Points .242
..............
Engine Speed Limiter .243
.......................
Reverse Lockout .243
..............
Automatic Transmission .244
Shif t Lever Position ...............................
Indicators .244
.......................................
Shif ting .244
....
Sequential SportShif t Mode .246
..............
Engine Speed Limiter .249
....................
Shif t Lock Release .249
...........................................
Parking .251
..............................
Parking Tips .251
.............................
Braking System .252
...............
Brake System Design .252
.............
Brake Wear Indicators .252
...........
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .253
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) ....................................
System .255
.......................
VSA OFF Switch .256
...................
VSA and Tire Sizes .256
...........................
Towing a Trailer .257
This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
the braking system, the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system, and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer.
Driving
Driving
239
 — —y y
( y y

µ
µ
When you move the shif t lever f rom
‘‘D’’ to ‘‘M’’ position, the display
shows the selected gear.
In Sequential SportShif t mode, each
time you push f orward on the shif t
lever, the transmission shif ts to a
higher gear. Pull back on the lever to
downshif t. The number of the gear
selected is displayed on the
instrument panel.
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.
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.
This position is similar
to D, except only the first three
gears are selected instead of all f ive.
Use D when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain, or to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D can
also keep the transmission f rom
cycling between third and f ourth
gears in stop-and-go driving.
3
3
Automatic Transmission
Sequential SportShif t ModeDrive (D )3
246
SELECTED GEAR
 — —y y
( y y

Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly, or
your vehicle may roll if it is parked
on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission.
If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear.Make 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. If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb. If your vehicle has 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 hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving
251
 — —y  
y
( y y

Your vehicle has been designed to
primarily carry passengers and their
cargo. You can also use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.The
maximum allowable weight of the
trailer and everything in or on it
must not exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg).
Towing a load that is too heavy
can seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain. The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 % of the total
trailer weight. Too much tongue
load reduces front-tire traction and
steering control. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway.
CONT INUED
Load Limits
T otal T railer Weight: T ongue L oad:
Towing a Trailer
Driving
257
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.
 — —y 
 y
( y  y