warning Acura TL 2004 User Guide

See page f or important saf etyinf ormation and a warning about how toproperly position the head restraints. 13
The head restraints help protect you
and your passengers f rom whiplash
and other injuries. They are most
ef f ective when you adjust them so
the back of the occupant’s head rests
against the center of the restraint. A
taller person should adjust the
restraint as high as possible.
All head restraints adjust f or height.
The tilt of the f ront head restrains is
also adjustable. You need both hands
to adjust the restraint. Do not
attempt to adjust it while driving. To
raise it, pull upward. To lower the
restraint, push the release button
sideways, and push the restraint
down. To adjust the tilt, pivot the
f ront head restraint to the desired
position.The lid of the console compartment
canbeusedasanarmrestbymoving
it f orward and backward. Make sure
the armrest is securely latched.
Make sure the passenger’s hands or
fingersareawayfromthearmrest
bef ore moving it.
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Head Restraints
A rmrest
89
RELEASE BUTTON

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Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors. Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f urther corrosion.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your Acura dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
Checking the Battery
Maint enance
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
226
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the battery
maintenance.

If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.Park the vehicle on f irm, level, and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park (automatic)
or Reverse (manual). Apply the
parking brake.
Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.Open the trunk. Raise the trunk
f loor by lif ting up on the back edge.
Take the tool case out of the spare
tire.
Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of its well.
5. 4.
3.
2. 1.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed231
TOOL CASE
JACK
TRUNK FLOOR
SPARE TIRE
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.

In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See
on page .
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the warning indicator may
not be working.
56
177 245
249
If theEngineWon’tStart
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed237

If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running, and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f all accessories, and turn
on the hazard warning indicators.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
The pointer of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).
If the vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
249
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
240
NOTICE: Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature
gauge pointer at the red mark can
cause serious damage to your engine.

Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn of f the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(seeon page
).
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing
or stays on, the oil pressure has
dropped very low or lost pressure.
Serious engine damage is possible
and you should take immediate
action. Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers. If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running,
the battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
167
204
249
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
242
NOTICE:
Running the engine with low
oil pressure can cause serious
mechanical damage almost immediately.
Turn of f the engine as soon as you can
saf ely get the vehicle stopped.

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No. Amps. Circuits Protected
No. Amps. Circuits Protected
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23 15 A
7.5 A 15 A
30 A
20 A
15 A
30 A
7.5 A 20 A
40 A
40 A
15 A
30 A
40 A
40 A
40 A
40 A
100 A 50 A Right Headlight Low Beam
Back Up
IGP
Condenser Fan
Front Fog Light
Daytime Running Light
Radiator Fan Motor
MG Clutch Relay
Horn, Stop
Rear Defroster
Back UP, ACC
Hazard Warning
VSA Pump Motor Relay
VSA Fail Safe Relay
FI ECU
Power Seat
Heater Motor
Battery
IGI Main
1
2
3
4
5 15 A
30 A
7.5 A 10 A
7.5 A Left Headlight Low Beam
Rear Defroster Coil
Left Headlight High Beam
Small Light
Right Headlight High Beam
U.S. models Canadian models
1: 2:
1
2
Fuse Locations
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed247
UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOX

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The tires on your vehicle meet all
U.S. Federal Saf ety Requirements.
All tires are also graded f or
treadwear, traction, and temperature
perf ormance according to
Department of Transportation
(DOT) standards. The f ollowing
explains these gradings.
Quality grades can be f ound where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and the
maximum section width. For
example:
All passenger car tires must conf orm
to Federal Saf ety Requirements in
addition to these grades. The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specif ied government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-
half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded
100. The relative perf ormance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart signif icantly f rom the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and dif f erences in
road characteristics and climate.
The traction grades, f rom highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specif ied government test surf aces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
perf ormance.
Warning: The traction grade
assignedtothistireisbasedon
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
DOT T ire Quality Grading (U.S. Cars)
T echnical Inf ormation
Unif orm T ire Quality Grading
T readwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A Treadwear
Traction AA, A, B, C
258

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Warning: The temperature grade f or
this tire is established f or a tire that
is properly inf lated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinf la-
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire
f ailure.
Date of manuf acture. Tire type code. Manuf acturer’s
identification mark. This indicates that the tire
meets all requirements of
the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
Tire Identif ication Number (TIN) is
a group of numbers and letters that
look like the f ollowing example TIN.
Speed symbol (an
alphabetical code indicating
the maximum speed rating). Load index (a numerical code
associated with the maximum
load the tire can carry). Rim diameter in inches. Tire construction code (R
indicates radial).
Whenever tires are replaced, they
should be replaced with tires of the
same size. Following is an example
of tire size with an explanation of
what each component means. Aspect ratio (the tire’s section
height as a percentage of its
width). Tire width in millimeters. Vehicletype(Pindicates
passenger vehicle).
The tires that came on your vehicle
have a number of markings. Those
you should be aware of are described
below.
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specif ied indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire f ailure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
perf ormance, which all passenger
vehicle tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Saf ety
Standard No. 109 and No. 139.
Grades B and A represent higher
levels of perf ormance on the
laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
PR
DOT
2202
235
45 17
93
W
OBGN
PVC
Temperature A,B,C
Tire Labeling
DOT T ire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles), T ire L abeling
T ire Ident if icat ion Number
Tire Size
T echnical Inf ormation259
DOT OBGN PVC 2202
P235/45R17 93W

ÎCONT INUED
...............
Gas Mileage, Improving . 168
.........................................
Gasoline .164
...............
Fuel Reserve Indicator . 56
...........................................
Gauge .57
................
Octane Requirement . 164
........................
Tank, Filling the .165
................
Gas Station Procedures . 165
...................................
Fan, Interior .122
Features, Comfort and ..............................
Convenience .109
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 165
........................................
Filter, Oil .205
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning . 76
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a . 231
.....................................
Floor Mats .218
Fluids ..........
Automatic Transmission . 209
..........................................
Brake .211
.........................................
Clutch .211
..............
Manual Transmission . 210
..........................
Power Steering .212
................
Windshield Washers . 208
FM Stereo Radio ...................................
Reception .122
.....................................
Fog Lights .75 ..........................
Four-way Flashers .76
..............................
Front Airbags .9 ,22
......................................
Front Seats .90
......................................
Adjusting .90
.........................................
Heaters .96
.....................................
Airbags .9, 22
.................................................
Fuel .164
......................
Fill Door and Cap .165
...........................................
Gauge .57
................
Octane Requirement . 164
........................
Reserve Indicator .56
........................
Tank, Filling the .165
.....................
Fuses, Checking the .245
..................
Checking the Fuses . 245
.........
Hazard Warning Flashers . 76
......
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck . 249
............................
Jump Starting .238
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 242
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 243
..................
Overheated Engine . 240
.......................................
Towing .249
.........................
Emergency Brake .103
......................
Emergency Flashers .76
......................
Emergency Towing .249
............
Emergency Trunk Opener . 84
.......................
Emissions Controls .260
.............
Emissions Testing, State . 263
Engine ....
Coolant Temperature Gauge . 57
Malf unction Indicator ................................
Lamp .52, 243
.........................................
Oil Lif e .64
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 52,242
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use . 204
...............................
Overheating .240
............................
Specif ications .257
....................
Speed Limiter . 179,185
.......................................
Starting .177
...................
Engine, .236 ......................
Ethanol in Gasoline .164
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls . 260
...............................
Exhaust Fumes .46
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat ........................................
Belts by .17
if it won’t start
Index
F
G
III