Acura TSX 2014 Owner's Manual

uu Towing a Trailer u Towing Preparation
190

Towing equipment varies by the size of yo ur trailer, how much load you are towing,
and where you are towing.
■Hitches
The hitch must be of an approved type and properly bolted to the underbody.
■Safety chains
Always use safety chains when you tow a trailer. Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do not allow the chains to drag on the ground.
■Trailer brakes
There are two common types of trailer brake s: surge and electric. Surge brakes are
common for boat trailers, since the brakes will get wet. If you choose electric brakes,
be sure they are electronically actuated. Do not attempt to attach trailer brakes to
your vehicle’s hydraulic system, as it w ill lower braking effectiveness and create a
potential hazard.
■Additional towing equipment
Many states and provinces/territories requ ire special outside mirrors when towing a
trailer. Even if mirrors are not required in your locale, you should install special
mirrors if visibility is restricted in any way.
■Trailer light
Trailer lights and equipment must comply with federal, state, province/territory, and
local regulations. Check with your local trailer sales or rental agency for the
requirements in the area where you plan to tow.
■Towing Equipment and Accessories1 Towing Equipment and Accessories
Make sure that all equipment is properly installed and
maintained, and that it meets federal, state, province/
territory, and lo cal regulations.
Consult your traile r sales or rental agency if any other
items are recommended or required for your towing
situation.
The lighting and wiring of tra ilers can vary by type
and brand. If a connector is required, it should only
be installed by a qua lified technician.
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191
uu Towing a Trailer u Driving Safely with a Trailer
Continued
Driving Safely with a Trailer
• Have the trailer properly servic ed 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. 189
• 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 traile r tires, including the spare.
• Drive slower than normal.
• Obey posted speed limits fo r 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
Operating speed when towing a trailer is restricted
up to 62 mph (100 km/h).
Parking
In addition to the normal precautions, place wheel
chocks at each of the trailer’s tires.
Automatic transmission models
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uu Towing a Trailer u Towing Your Vehicle
192

• 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 Vehicle
Your vehicle is not designed to be towed behind a motor home. If your vehicle needs
to be towed in an emergency, refe r to the emergency towing information.
2Emergency Towing P. 303
■Driving in Hilly Terrain1Driving in Hilly Terrain
If you use the paddle shifte rs 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. Th e gear position indicator
blinks for a few seconds, then stays on. Gear Position
Speed Range
1st0 - 42 mph (0 - 67 km/h)
2nd,3rd 19 - 62 mph (30 - 100 km/h)
Automatic transmission models
Automatic transmission models
Automatic transmission models
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193Continued
When Driving
Starting the Engine
1.Make sure the parkin g 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 st art 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 de fogger 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. Cons ult a dealer for details.
If the exhaust system 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.
Brake PedalAutomatic transmission models
Brake Pedal
Clutch Pedal
Manual transmission models
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uu When Driving u Starting the Engine
194

3. Turn the ignition switch to START (e

without depressing the accelerator pedal.
1. Keeping your right foot on the brake peda l, release the parking brake. Check that
the parking brake indicator has gone off.
2 Parking Brake P. 212
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 sta rt 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 accelerator pedal.
Release the accelerator pedal once the engine
starts.
The immobilizer system pr otects your vehicle from
theft. If an improperly code d key (or other device) is
used, the engine’s fuel system is disabled.
2 Immobilizer System P. 99
■Starting to Drive
Automatic transmission models
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195
uu When Driving u Precautions While Driving
Precautions While Driving
Avoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine or
driveline, or cause electrical component failure.
If there is a strong impact with something under the 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
NOTICE
Do not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.
NOTICE
If you repeatedly turn the steering wheel at an
extremely low speed, or hold the steering wheel on
the full left or right position for a while, the electric
power steering (EPS) system heats up. The system
goes into a protective mode, and limits its
performance. The steering wheel becomes harder
and harder to operate. Once the system cools down,
the EPS system is restored.
Repeated operation under these conditions can
eventually damage the system.
If the ignition switch is turned to ACCESSORY
(
q
or
LOCK (
0
while driving, the e ngine will shut down
and all steering and brake pow er 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 acce leration) 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 brake pads are
replaced.
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196
uu When Driving u Automatic Transmission

Automatic Transmission
The engine runs at a higher idle speed and creeping increases. 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, unex pectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especi ally on slippery roads and curves.
■Creeping
■Kickdown
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197
uu When Driving u Shifting
Continued
Shifting
Change the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.
■Shift lever positions
Automatic 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 pe dal 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
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uu When Driving u Shifting
198

■Shift Lever Operation1Shift Lever Operation
NOTICE
When 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 be fore the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever positi on indicator to check the
lever position befo re pulling away.
If the transmission indicator blinks when driving, in
any shift position, there is a problem with the
transmission.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.
The fuel supply may be cut of f if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tachometer’s red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happe ns, 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
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199
uu When Driving u Shifting
Continued
Use the paddle shifters to change between 1st and 5th gears without removing
your hands from the steering wheel. The transmission will switch to the
sequential shift mode.
■When the shift lever is in (D
:
The vehicle will go into the sequential shi ft mode momentarily, and the gear position
indicator will come on.
Once you start traveling at a constant speed, the sequential shift mode will
automatically switch off, and the gear position indicator will go off.
Hold the
(+
paddle shifter for two seconds to return to normal drive.
■When the shift lever is in (S
:
The vehicle will go into the sequential shift mode, and the M (sequential shift)
indicator and gear position indicator will come on. At speeds of 6 mph (10 km/h) or
less, the vehicle automatically shifts down in to 1st gear. It will not automatically shift
up, even if vehicle speed increases.
You can only pull away in 1st or 2nd gear.
When switching out of the sequential shift mode, move the shift lever from
(S
to
(D
. When the sequential shift mode is canc eled, the sequential shift mode indicator
and shift indicator go off.
■Sequential Shift Mode
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