Acura TSX 2007 Owner's Manual

Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:Glove box
Trunk, including the back seats
when f olded down
Center pocket
Console compartment Door pockets
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can af f ect
your vehicle’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
238
GLOVE BOX
CENTER POCKET
DOOR POCKET
CONSOLE
COMPARTMENT
TRUNK

µ·
Steps
for Determining Correct Load
Limit:
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicl e.
The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
Subtract
the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
850 lbs.
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 driv er’s
doorjamb).
For example, if the maximum load
is 850 lbs and there will be five 150
lb. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capaci ty is 100 lbs.
(850 750 (5 150) = 100 lbs.)
Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calc ulated in step 4.
Ifyourvehiclewillbetowinga
trailer, load from your trailer will
be tran sferred 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. vehicles,
and 395 kg for Canadian vehicles.
This f igure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, and
accessories, and the tongue load if
you are towing a trailer.
1.
2.5.
6.
3.
4. 265
CONT INUED
Carrying Cargo
Load Limits
Bef ore Driving
239
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.

Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
If
you carry large items that
prevent you from closing the trunk
lid, exhaust gas can enter the
pa ssenger area. To avoid the
possibility of
, f ollow the instructions
on page . Be sure items placed on the f loor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
under the seats and interf ere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals or the seat.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop.
Do not put any items on top of the
rear shelf . They can block your
viewandbethrownaroundthe
vehicle during a crash.
In addition, the total weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, accessories,
cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the gross vehicle weight
rating (GVWR) or the gross axle
weight rating (GAWR). Both are on
a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the trunk, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.
If youfolddownthebackseat,tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop. 55
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Carrying Cargo in the Trunk
Carrying Cargo
240

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, the tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS),
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive .242
.......................
Starting the Engine .243
...................
Manual Transmission . 244
..............
Automatic Transmission . 246
...........................................
Parking .253
.............................
Braking System .254
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 255
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .257
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) ........................................
System .262
...........................
Towing a Trailer .264
Driving
Driving
241

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page ).
Check
the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Check that the hood is fully closed.
Check that the trunk is fully
closed.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
fastened down securely. Check
the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
pages and ).
Youshoulddothesechecksand
adjustments
before you drive your
vehicle:
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page ). Check
the seat adjustment (see
page ). When
you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicato rs in the
instrument panel, and the
messages on the multi-inform ation
display (see pages , and ).
11.
61
76
3. 2. 1.
4.
5. 6.
7.
8.
9.
10. 145
15
146
138
125
310 68
Preparing to Drive
242

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery. If
the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
downandholdittherewhile
starting to clear flooding. Return
to step 5 if the engine does not
start.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way.
Make sure the shift lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal. Without
touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position for more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for at least
10 seconds before trying again.
If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.6.
Manual
transmission:
Automatic transmission:
127
Starting theEngine
Driv ing
243
The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air found at
altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page .

Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into reverse, or shif t into one
of the f orward gears f or a moment.
This stops the gears so they won’t
‘‘grind.’’
The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. When shif ting up
or down, make sure you push the
clutch pedal down all the way, shif t
to the next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster. When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear. Downshif t one gear
at a time.
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you good
f uel economy and ef f ective emis-
sions control. The f ollowing shif t
points are recommended:
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th
5th to 6th Normal acceleration
12 mph (19 km/h)
23 mph (37 km/h)
34 mph (54 km/h)
45 mph (72 km/h)
56 mph (90 km/h)
Manual T ransmission
Recommended Shif t Points
244
Rapid slowing or speeding up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.

If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
rpm below the red zone.The 6-speed manual transmission
has an electric lockout so you cannot
accidentally shif t f rom f if th to
reverse instead of sixth while the
vehicle is moving. If you cannot shif t
to reverse when the vehicle is
stopped:
Apply the parking brake, and turn
the ignition key to the
ACCESSORY (I) or the LOCK (0)
position.
Press the clutch pedal, and shif t to
reverse.
With the clutch pedal still pressed,
start the engine.
If you need to use this procedure to
shif t to reverse, your vehicle may be
developing a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your dealer.
The engine speed limiter only works
when you upshif t; engine speed is
not limited during downshif ts.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone. 1.
2.
3.
Manual T ransmission
Engine Speed L imiter
Reverse L ockout
Driving
245

The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on for a
few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it flashes while driving (in
any shift position), it indicates a
possible problem in the transmission. If
the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicato r, there is a problem with the
automatic transmission control
system. Avoid rapid acceleration, and
have the transmission checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
These indicators in the tachometer
show which position the shift lever is
in. When
the ‘‘D’’ indicator warns of a
possible problem with the
transmission, you will see a ‘‘CHECK
TRANSMISSION’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display (see page ). To shif t f rom any position, move the
shiftlever.Youcannotshiftoutof
Park when the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) or the ACCESSORY
(I) position.
83
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ever Position Indicators
Shif ting
246
SHIFT LEVER

µµµ µ
µ
µ
CONTINUED
To
shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR
DtoD DtoN
DtoD NtoDRtoN Do
this:
Press the brake pedal
and move the lever.
Move the lever.
3
3
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop before shifting
into Park. The shift lever must be in
Park before you can remove the key
from the ignition switch.
Press the brake
pedal, and move the shift lever from
Park to reverse. To shift from
reverse to neutral, come to a
completestop,andthenshift.
Your vehicle has a reverse lockout so
you cannot accidentally shift to
reverse from neutral or any other
driving position when the vehicle
speed exceeds 5 6 mph (8 10
km/h).
If you cannot shift to reverse when
the vehicle is stopped, press the
brake pedal, slowly shift to neutral,
andthenshifttoreverse. Use
neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle and apply the parking brake.
Press on the brake pedal when you
are moving the shift lever from
neutral to another gear.
Use this position for
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear for the vehicle speed
and acceleration. You may notice the
transmission shifting up at higher
speeds when the engine is cold. This
helps the engine warm up faster.
If
you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .This
position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or
starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the
accelerator pedal. Move the shift
levertotherighttoshiftoutofPark.
If there is a problem in the reverse
lockout system, or your vehicle’s battery
is disconnected or goes dead,
you cannot shif t to reverse. (Ref er to on page ).
251 251
Automatic Transmission
Reverse (R)
Neutral (N)
Drive (D)
Shif t L ock Release
Park (P)
Shif t L ock Release
Driving
247