engine Acura TSX 2013 Owner's Guide

uuTowing a Trailer uTowing Your Vehicle
190Driving
• Monitor your temperature gauge. If it nears the red (Hot) mark, turn off the air
conditioning and reduce speed. Pull to the side of the road safely to cool down
the engine if necessary.
• Shift to the
(S
position if the transmission shifts frequently.
Towing Your VehicleYour vehicle is not designed to be towed behind a motor home. If your vehicle needs
to be towed in an emergency, refer to the emergency towing information.
2 Emergency Towing P. 299
■
Driving in Hilly Terrain
1Driving in Hilly Terrain
If you use the paddle shifters when driving uphill and
downhill, select 3rd, 2nd, or 1st gear, depending on
the vehicle speed and road conditions. Do not use
4th and 5th gears.
If the automatic transmission fluid temperature
exceeds the specified limit, the transmission will also
automatically downshift to the 1st gear, even in the
sequential shift mode. The gear position indicator
blinks for a few seconds, then stays on. Gear Position Speed Range
1st
0 - 42 mph (0 - 67 km/h)
2nd,3rd 19 - 62 mph (30 - 100 km/h)
Automatic transmission models
Automatic transmission models

191
Continued
Driving
When DrivingStarting the Engine
1.Make sure the parking brake is applied.
2. Check that the shift lever is in
(P
, then
depress the brake pedal.
u Although it is possible to start the vehicle
in
(N
, it is safer to start it in
(P
.
2. Check that the shift lever is in
(N
. Then
depress the brake pedal with your right
foot, and the clutch pedal with your left
foot.
u The clutch pedal must be fully depressed
to start the engine.
1Starting the Engine
Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal when
starting the engine.
The engine is harder to start in cold weather and in
thinner air found at altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters).
When starting the engine in cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories such as the lights, climate
control system, and rear defogger in order to reduce
battery drain.
If you live in a region where winter is extremely cold,
an engine block heater will improve starting and
warming of the engine. If temperatures consistently
below -22°F (-30°C) are expected, the coolant
mixture should be changed to a higher concentration
to prevent freezing. Consult a dealer for details.
If exhaust sounds abnormal or you can smell exhaust
gas inside the vehicle, have your vehicle checked by a
dealer. There may be a problem with the engine or
exhaust system.
The immobilizer system protects your vehicle from
theft.
If an improperly coded device is used, the engine’s
fuel system is disabled.
2 Immobilizer System P. 98
Brake Pedal
Automatic transmission models
Brake Pedal
Clutch Pedal
Manual transmission models

uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
192Driving
3. Turn the ignition switch to START
(e

without depressing the accelerator pedal.
1. Keeping your right foot on the brake pedal, release the parking brake. Check that
the parking brake indicator has gone off.
2 Parking Brake P. 210
2.Put the shift lever in
(D
. Select
(R
when reversing.
3. Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to pull
away.
1Starting the Engine
Do not hold the key in START
(e
for more than 15
seconds.
•If the engine does not start right away, wait for at
least 10 seconds before trying again.•If the engine starts, but then immediately stops,
wait at least 10 seconds before repeating step 3
while gently depressing the acce lerator pedal.
Release the accelerator pedal once the engine
starts.
The immobilizer system protects your vehicle from
theft. If an improperly coded key (or other device) is
used, the engine’s fuel system is disabled. 2 Immobilizer System P. 98
■
Starting to Drive
Automatic transmission models

193
uuWhen Driving uPrecautions While Driving
Driving
Precautions While DrivingAvoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine,
driveline, or cause electrical component failure.
If there is a strong impact with something under th e vehicle, stop in a safe location.
Check the underside of the vehicle for damage or any fluid leaks.■
In Rain
■
Other Precautions
1 Precautions While Driving
NOTICEDo not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.
If the ignition switch is turned to ACCESSORY
(q
or
LOCK
( 0
while driving, the engine will shut down
and all steering and brake power assist functions will
stop, making it difficult to control the vehicle.
Do not put the shift lever in
( N
, as you will lose
engine braking (and acceleration) performance.
During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as to not damage the engine or powertrain.
Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
You should also follow this when the brakes are
replaced.

194
uuWhen Driving uAutomatic Transmission
Driving
Automatic TransmissionThe following conditions cause the engine to run at high revolutions, and increase
creeping:
• Immediately after the engine starts.
• When the climate control system is in use.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.
Quickly depressing the accelerator pedal while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower gear, unexpectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especially on slippery roads and curves.■
Creeping
■
Kickdown

195
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
ShiftingChange the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.■
Shift lever positionsAutomatic transmission models
1Shifting
You cannot turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0
and
remove the key unless the shift lever is in
(P
.
The vehicle may move forward very slightly even in
( N
while the engine is cold.
Depress the brake pedal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.
Park
Used when parking or starting the
engine
Reverse
Used when reversing
Neutral
Used when idling
Drive
Used:●For normal driving (gears change
between 1st and 5th automatically)●When temporarily driving in the
sequential mode
Drive (S)
Used for:●Automatically changing gears
between 1st and 4th (4th gear is used
only at high speed)●Driving in the sequential mode

uuWhen Driving uShifting
196Driving
■
Shift Lever Operation
1Shift Lever Operation
NOTICEWhen you change the shift lever from
(D
to
(R
and
vice versa, come to a complete stop and keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Operating the shift lever before the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever position indicator to check the
lever position before pulling away.
Whichever position the shift lever is in when driving,
a blinking
( D
indicator indicates a transmission
problem.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.
The fuel supply may be cut off if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tachometer’s red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happens, you may experience a
slight jolt.
It may not be possible to operate the shift lever if the
brake pedal is applied while the shift lever release
button is held down.
Depress the brake pedal first.
Tachometer’s red zone
Shift Lever Position Indicator
Depress the brake pedal and
press the shift lever release button to
shift.
Shift without pressing the shift lever
release button.
Press the shift lever release button
and shift.M (Sequential Shift mode) Indicator/
Gear Position Indicator

199
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
ShiftingFully depress the clutch pedal to operate the shift lever and change gears, then
slowly release the pedal.
Depress the clutch pedal, and pause for a few seconds before shifting into
(R
, or
shift into one of the forward gears for a moment. This stops the gears so they do not
“grind.” When you are not shifting, do not rest your
foot on the clutch pedal. This can cause your
clutch to wear out faster.
■
Shift Lever Operation
Manual transmission models
1Shifting
NOTICEDo not shift to
(R
before the vehicle comes to a
complete stop.
Shifting to
( R
before stopping can damage the
transmission.
NOTICEBefore downshifting, make sure the engine will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone. Should this occur,
it can severely damage your engine.
There is a metallic part on the shift lever. If you leave
the vehicle park ed outside for a long time on a hot
day, be careful before moving the shift lever. Because
of heat, the shift lever ma y be extremely hot. If the
outside temperature is low, the shift lever may feel
cold.
Recommended Shift Points
Driving in the highest gear that allows the engine to
run and accelerate smoothly helps to optimize fuel
economy and effective emissions control. The
following shift points are recommended:
If you exceed the maximum speed for the gear you
are in, the engine speed will enter into the
tachometer’s red zone. When this happens, you may
experience a slight jolt. Shift Up Normal Acceleration1st to 2nd
17 mph (27 km/h)
2nd to 3rd 29 mph (46 km/h)
3rd to 4th
37 mph (59 km/h)
4th to 5th 43 mph (69 km/h)
5th to 6th
49 mph (79 km/h)

200
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
The manual transmission has a lockout mechanism that stops you from accidentally
shifting into
(R
from a forward gear while the vehicle is moving at a certain speed.
If you cannot shift to
(R
when the vehicle is stopped, do the following: 1.Depress the clutch pedal, move the shift
lever all the way to the left, and shift to
(R
.
2. If you still cannot shift into
(R
, apply the
parking brake, and turn the ignition switch
to ACCESSORY
(q
or LOCK
(0
.
3. Depress the clutch pedal and shift into
(R
.
4. Keep depressing the clutch pedal and start
the engine.
Have the vehicle checked by a dealer if you
have to go through this procedure repeatedly.
■
Reverse Lockout

204
uuWhen Driving uVSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Driving
VSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), SystemVSA ® helps to stabilize the vehicle during cornering if the vehicle turns more or less
than what was intended. It also assists in maintaining traction on slippery surfaces.
It does so by regulating engine output and selectively applying the brakes.
When VSA® activates, you may notice that the
engine does not respond to the accelerator.
You may also notice some noise from the
hydraulic system. You will also see the
indicator blink.■
VSA ® Operation
1 VSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
The VSA ® may not function properly if tire type and
size are mixed. Make sure to use the same size and
type of tire, and the ai r pressures as specified.
When the VSA ® indicator comes on and stays on
while driving, there may be a problem with the
system. While this may not interfere with normal
driving, have your vehicle checked by a dealer
immediately.
VSA ® cannot enhance stability in all driving situations
and does not control the entire braking system. You
still need to drive and cor ner at speeds appropriate
for the conditions and always leave a sufficient
margin of safety.
The main function of the VSA ® system is generally
known as Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The
system also includes a traction control function.
VSA ® System
Indicator