service Acura TSX 2012 Owner's Manual

Contents
Child Safety P. 48 Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 60 Safety Labels P. 61Opening and Closing the Trunk P. 95 Security System P. 98 Opening and Closing the Windows P. 100
Operating the Switches Around the Steering Wheel P. 104 Adjusting the Mirror P. 114
Interior Lights/Interior Convenience Items P. 125 Climate Control System P. 133Audio Error Messages P. 158 Audio Remote Controls P. 160
HomeLink® Universal Transceiver P. 165Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® P. 167 Compass
* P. 179
When Driving P. 191 Braking P. 210 Parking Your Vehicle P. 214
Accessories and Modifications P. 219Maintenance Under the Hood P. 229 Replacing Light Bulbs P. 247
Checking and Maintaining Tires P. 259 Battery P. 268 Remote Transmitter Care P. 269
Cleaning P. 271Engine Does Not Start P. 283 Jump Starting P. 284 Shift Lever Does Not Move P. 287
Fuses P. 294 Emergency Towing P. 299
When You Cannot Open the Trunk P. 301Devices that Emit Radio Waves P. 309 Reporting Safety Defects P. 310
Authorized Manuals P. 315 Client Service Information P. 316
Quick Reference Guide
P. 2
Safe Driving
P. 21
Instrument Panel
P. 63
Controls
P. 87
Features
P. 137
Driving
P. 181
Maintenance
P. 221
Handling the Unexpected
P. 275
Information
P. 303
Index
P. 317

16Quick Reference Guide
Handling the Unexpected
(P 275)
Flat Tire
(P277)
●Park in a safe location and replace the
flat tire with the compact spare tire in the
trunk.
Indicators Come On (P290)
●Identify the indicator and consult the
owner’s manual.
Engine Won’t Start (P283)
●If the battery is dead, jump start using a
booster battery.Blown Fuse
(P294)
●Check for a blown fuse if an electrical
device does not operate.
Overheating
(P288)
●Park in a safe location. If you do not see
steam under the hood, open the hood,
and let the engine cool down.
Emergency Towing (P299)
●Call a professional towing service if you
need to tow your vehicle.

19Quick Reference Guide
California Proposition 65 WarningEvent Data RecordersThis vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder (EDR).
The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding how a vehicle’s
systems performed. The EDR is designed to record data related
to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle is
designed to record such data as:
•How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
•Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened;
•How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator
and/or brake pedal; and,
•How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data
are recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and
crash location) are recorded. However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.WARNING: This product contains or emits
chemicals known to the state of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is required,
and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as law enforcement, that
have the special equipment, can read the information if they have
access to the vehicle or the EDR.
The data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by
anyone else except as legally required or with the permission of the
vehicle owner.Service Diagnostic RecordersThis vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record
information about powertrain performance. The data can be used
to verify emissions law requirements and/or help technicians
diagnose and solve service problems. It may also be combined with
data from other sources for research purposes, but it remains
confidential.California Perchlorate Contamination Prevention ActThe airbags, seat belt tensioners, and CR type batteries in this
vehicle may contain perchlorate materials - special handling may
apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate/
As you read this manual, you will find information that is preceded
by a symbol. This information is intended to help you avoid
damage to your vehicle, other property, or the environment.
NOTICE

47
uuAirbagsuAirbag Care
Safe Driving
Airbag CareYou do not need to, and should not, perform any maintenance on or replace any
airbag system components yourself. However, you should have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer in the following situations:■
When the airbags have deployed
If an airbag has inflated, the control unit and other related parts must be replaced.
Similarly, once an automatic seat belt tensioner has been activated, it must be
replaced.
■
When the vehicle has been in a moderate-to-severe collision
Even if the airbags did not inflate, have your dealer inspect the following: the driver’s
seat position sensor, weight sensors in the passenger’s seat, front seat belt
tensioners, and each seat belt that was worn during the crash.
■
Do not remove or modify a front seat without consulting a dealer
This would likely disable the driver’s seat position sensor or the weight sensors in the
passenger’s seat. If it is necessary to remove or modify a front seat to accommodate
a person with disabilities, contact an Acura dealer. For U.S. vehicles you can also
contact Acura Client Service at 800-382-2238. For Canadian vehicles you can also
contact Canadian Acura Client Service at 888-9-ACURA-9.
1Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, including the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.

73
uuIndicatorsuMulti-Information Display Warning and Information Messages
Continued
Instrument Panel
Message
Condition
Explanation
●
Appears when the scheduled maintenance is due
soon.
●
Consequently, SERVICE DUE NOW and SERVICE
PAST DUE follow.
2Maintenance Minder Messages on the Multi-
Information Display P. 226
●
Appears when you open the driver’s door while the
ignition key is in ACCESSORY
(q
.
●
Turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0
, then remove the
key.
●
Appears when the ignition key is turned to
ACCESSORY
(q
from ON
(w
. (The driver’s door is
closed.)
—
●
Appears when you open the driver’s door while the
ignition key is in LOCK
(0
.
●
Remove the key from the ignition switch.

137
Features
This chapter describes how to operate technology features on models without
the navigation system and HomeLink® Universal Transceiver.
Audio System
About Your Audio System ................ 138
USB Adapter Cable .......................... 139
Auxiliary Input Jack .......................... 140
Audio System Theft Protection ......... 140
Audio System Basic Operation
Adjusting the Sound ........................ 142
Playing the AM/FM Radio ................. 143
Playing the XM® Radio ..................... 145
Playing a CD .................................... 147
Playing an iPod®............................... 150
Playing a USB Flash Drive ................. 153Playing Bluetooth® Audio................. 156
Audio Error Messages
CD Player ......................................... 158
iPod®/USB Flash Drive....................... 159
Audio Remote Controls.................... 160
General Information on the Audio
System
XM® Radio Service ........................... 161
Recommended CDs ......................... 162
Compatible iPod® and USB Flash Drives ... 164
HomeLink® Universal Transceiver
Training HomeLink ........................... 165Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®
Using HFL ........................................ 167
HFL Menus ...................................... 169
Compass
*.......................................... 179
* Not available on all models

138Features
Audio SystemAbout Your Audio SystemOn models with the navigation system, see the Navigation System Manual for
operation of the audio system, AcuraLink
*, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, and voice
commands for these features.
The audio system features AM/FM radio and the XM® Radio service. It can also play
CDs, WMA/MP3/AAC files, iPods®, USB flash drives, and Bluetooth® devices.
You can operate the audio system from the buttons and switches on the panel, or
the remote controls on the steering wheel.
1About Your Audio System
XM® Radio is available on a subscription basis only.
For more information on XM® Radio, contact a
dealer.
2General Information on the Audio System
P. 161
XM® Radio is available in the United States and
Canada, except Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.
XM® is a registered trademark of Sirius XM Radio, Inc.
Video CDs, DVDs, and 3-inch (8-cm) mini CDs are not
supported.
iPod® is a registered trademark owned by Apple Inc.
MP3 and AAC are standard audio compression
formats. WMA is an audio compression format
developed by Microsoft Corporation.
Remote Control
iPod®
USB Flash
DriveXM® Radio
* Not available on all models

161
Features
General Information on the Audio SystemXM® Radio Service1.You need your radio ID ready before registering for subscription.
To see the ID in the display: Turn the selector knob until 0 appears.
2.Have your radio ID and credit card number ready, and either call or visit the XM®
website to subscribe.
Press the (XM®) button and stay in this mode for about 30 minutes until the
service is activated. Make sure your vehicle is in an open area with good reception.
LOADING: XM® is loading the audio or program information.
OFF AIR: The channel is not currently broadcasting.
UPDATING: The encryption code is being updated. Channels 0 and 1 still work
normally.
NO SIGNAL: The signal is too weak in the current location.
--------: No such channel exists, the channel is not part of your subscription, or the
artist or title information is unavailable.
ANTENNA: There is a problem with the XM® antenna. Contact a dealer.■
Subscribing to XM® Radio
■
Receiving XM® Radio
■
XM® Radio Display Messages
1Subscribing to XM® Radio
Contact Information for XM® Radio:
US: XM® Radio at www.siriusxm.com or (800) 852-
9696
Canada: XM® Canada at www.xmradio.ca, or (877)
209-00791Receiving XM® Radio
The XM® satellites are in orbit over the equator;
therefore, objects south of the vehicle may cause
satellite reception interruptions. Satellite signals are
more likely to be blocked by tall buildings and
mountains the farther north you travel from the
equator.
You may experience reception problems under the
following circumstances:•In a location with an obstruction to the south of
your vehicle.•In tunnels•On the lower level of a multi-tiered road•Large items carried on the roof rack

189
uuTowing a TraileruDriving Safely with a Trailer
Continued
Driving
Driving Safely with a Trailer•Have the trailer properly serviced and keep it in good condition.
•Make sure that all the weights and load in the vehicle and trailer are within limits.
2Towing Load Limits P. 187
•Securely attach the hitch, safety chains, and other necessary parts to the trailer.
•Securely store all the items in and on the trailer so that they do not shift while
driving.
•Check if the lights and brakes on the trailer are working properly.
•Check the pressures of the trailer tires, including the spare.
•Drive slower than normal.
•Obey posted speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
•Use the
(D
position when towing a trailer on level roads.
•Turn more slowly and with a wider turning arc than normal.
•Allow more time and distance for braking.
•Do not brake or turn suddenly.
■
Things You Need To Know Before Towing a Trailer
■
Towing Speeds and Gears
■
Turning and Braking
1Driving Safely with a Trailer
Parking
In addition to the normal precautions, place wheel
chocks at each of the trailer’s tires.
Automatic transmission models

215
Continued
Driving
RefuelingFuel Information■
Fuel recommendation
Use of lower octane gasoline can cause occasional metallic knocking noise in the
engine and will result in decreased engine performance.
Use of gasoline with a pump octane less than 87 can lead to engine damage.
Your vehicle is designed to operate on premium unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane of 91 or higher.
If this octane grade is unavailable, regular unleaded gasoline with a pump octane of
87 or higher may be used temporally.
The use of regular unleaded gasoline can cause metallic knocking noises in the
engine and will result in decreased engine performance. The long-term use of
regular-grade gasoline can lead to engine damage.
■
Top tier detergent gasoline
Because the level of detergency and additives in gasoline vary in the market, Acura
endorses the use of “TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline” where available to help
maintain the performance and reliability of your vehicle. TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline meets a new gasoline standard jointly established by leading automotive
manufacturers to meet the needs of today’s advanced engines.
Qualifying gasoline retailers will, in most cases, identify their gasoline as having met
“TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline” standards at the retail location. This fuel is
guaranteed to contain the proper level of detergent additives and be free of metallic
additives. The proper level of detergent additives, and absence of harmful metallic
additives in gasoline, help avoid build-up of deposits in your engine and emission
control system.Unleaded premium gasoline, pump octane number 91 or higher
1Fuel Information
NOTICEWe recommend quality gasoline containing
detergent additives that help prevent fuel system and
engine deposits. In addition, in order to maintain
good performance, fuel economy, and emissions
control, we strongly recommend, the use of gasoline
that does NOT contain harmful manganese-based
fuel additives such as MMT, if such gasoline is
available.
Use of gasoline with these additives may adversely
affect performance, and cause the malfunction
indicator lamp on your instrument panel to come on.
If this happens, contact a dealer for service.
4-cylinder models6-cylinder models