dashboard Acura TL 2004 Owner's Manual

2004 TL Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com.
Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance ........................................................................\
....................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
...................................................49
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
............................... 109
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
....................................................... ..............163
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................175
The proper way to start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
....................................................... ..................193
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................229
This section covers several problems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
....................................................... 253
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)...................................................................... 265
A summary of the warranties covering your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.......................................269
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to
the fuel pump.

They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:
Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright, and as f ar back f rom the
steering wheel while allowing f ull
control of the vehicle. A f ront
passenger should move their seat as
f ar back f rom the dashboard as
possible.
The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your saf ety.
Remember however, that no saf ety
system can prevent all injures or
deaths that can occur in severe
crashes, even where seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
Your vehicle also has side curtain
airbags to help protect the heads of
the driver, f ront passenger, and
passengers in the outer rear seating
positions. (See page f or more
inf ormation on how your side curtain
airbags work.) To do their job, airbags must
inf late with tremendous f orce. So
while airbags help save lives, they
can cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly.
26
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rear
impact s, rollovers, or minorcollisions.
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
What you should do:
Airbags can pose serious hazards.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety10

The f ollowing pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect the driver, adult passengers
and teenage children who are large
enough and mature enough to ride in
the front seat.
See page f or important guidelines
on how to properly protect inf ants,
small children, and larger children
who ride in your vehicle.Af ter everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors are closed
and locked.
Locking the doors reduces the
chance of someone being thrown out
of the vehicle during a crash, and it
helps prevent passengers f rom
accidentally opening a door and
f alling out.
Locking the doors also helps prevent
an outsider f rom unexpectedly
opening a door when you come to a
stop.
See page f or how to lock the
doors.
If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard. Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible while allowing you to
maintain control of the vehicle. Have
your f ront passenger adjust their
seat as far to the rear as possible.
29
82
CONT INUED
Protecting A dults and Teens
Adjust the Front Seats
Close and L ock the Doors 2.
1.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety11

Your Airbag System includes:Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG.’’
Two side airbags, one f or the
driver and one f or a f ront
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘Side
Airbag’’ (see page ). Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the f ront,
center, and rear pillars. The f ront
and center pillars on both sides are
marked ‘‘SIDE CURTAIN
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags (see
page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact.
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, and driver and
frontpassengerseatbeltusewhen
the ignition is in the ON (II)
position.
25 26
26 20
A irbag System Components
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety22

µ
To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in the back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboardand
on the driver’s and f ront passenger’s
visors. Please read and f ollow the
instructions on these labels.To remind you of the f ront airbag
hazards, your vehicle has warning
labels on the driver’s and f ront
passenger’s visors. Please read and
f ollow the instructions on these
labels.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
U.S. Models
Canadian Models
31

µ
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap. If you are not wearing a
seat belt in crash, you could be
thrown f orward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.
Never put a seat belt over yourself
or a child. During a crash, the belt
could press deep into the child and
cause serious or f atal injuries.
Never let two children use the
same seat belt. If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
Use childproof door locks to
prevent children f rom opening the
doors. This can prevent children
f rom accidentally f alling out.Do not leave children alone in a
vehicle. Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous. For
example, inf ants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition can accidentally set the
vehicle in motion, possibly injuring
themselves or others.
Lock all doors and the trunk when
your vehicle is not in use. Children
who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside the
trunk. Teach your children not to
play in or around vehicles. Know
how to operate the emergency
trunk opener and decide if your
children should be shown how to
use this f eature (see page ).
Keep vehicle keys and remote
transmitters out of the reach of
children. Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition,
and open the trunk, which can
lead to accidental injury or death.
84
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Driver and Passenger Saf ety33

These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury. Read these labels caref ully.
If a label comes of f or becomes hard
to read, contact your Acura dealer
f or a replacement.
CONT INUED
U.S. modelsCanadian models U.S. models only
Saf ety L abels
Driver and Passenger Saf ety47
HOOD
DASHBOARD
RADIATOR CAP

To open the trunk, press the trunk
releasebuttonontheleftcornerof
the dashboard. To open the trunk
f rom the outside, press the trunk
release button on the remote
transmitter.
To close the trunk, press down on
the trunk lid.If your vehicle’s battery goes dead or
is disconnected, you can open the
trunk f rom the rear seat by pulling
the trunk release handle. Reach the
handle through the trunk pass-
through.
Keep the trunk lid closed at all times
while driving to avoid damaging it
and to prevent exhaust gas from
getting into the interior. See Carbon
Monoxide Hazard, page .To protect items in the trunk, you
can disable the trunk-release button
on the dashboard by turning off the
trunk main switch in the glove box,
locking the glove box, and locking
the trunk pass-through cover with
the master key.
If you need to give the key to
someone else, give them the valet
key.
46
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Trunk
83

Û
Ý
Û
Ý
Press the button to increase
the fan speed and air flow. Press the
button to decrease them.
The driver’s side temperature and
passenger’s side temperature can be
set separately. Press either side’s
button to increase the temperature
of air f low. Press either side’s
button to decrease it. When you set
the temperature to its lower limit or
its upper limit, it will be displayed as
‘‘Lo’’ or ‘‘Hi’’.
This button turns the air
conditioning on and of f . The A/C
ON indicator comes on in the display
when the A/C is on.
When the indicator in the button is
on, air f rom the vehicle’s interior is
recirculated throughout the system. When the indicator is off, air is
brought in f rom the outside of the
vehicle (Fresh Air mode).
The outside air intakes f or the
heating and cooling system are at
the base of the windshield. Keep this
area clear of leaves and other debris.
ThesystemshouldbeleftinFresh
Air mode under almost all conditions.
Keeping the system in Recirculation
mode, particularly with the A/C of f ,
can cause the windows to fog up.
Switch to Recirculation mode when
driving through dusty or smoky
conditions, then return to Fresh Air
mode.
This button turns the rear window
def ogger of f and on (see page ).
Air f lows f rom the f loor
vents. When you select , the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode. Airf low is divided between
the vents in the dashboard and the
f loor vents. Air flows from the center
and corner vents in the dashboard.
Use the mode control button to select the vents the air flows from.
Some air will flow from the
dashboard vents in all modes.
Airf low is drivided between
the f loor vents and the def roster
vents at the base of the windshield.
Air f lows f rom the def roster
vents at the base of the windshield.
77
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Fan Control Buttons
Temperature Control Buttons
Air Conditioning (A/C) Button
Recirculation Button Rear Window Def ogger Button
Mode Control Button
Airf low Buttons
112

Air conditioning, as it cools, removes
moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, it
makes the interior warm and dry.
This setting is suitable f or all driving
conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32°F (0°C).Switch the f an on.
Turn on the air conditioning.
Select and Fresh Air mode.
Adjust the temperature to your
pref erence.
To clear the windshield f aster, you
can close the dashboard corner vents
by rotating the wheel below each
vent. This sends more warm air to
the windshield def roster vents. Once
the windshield is clear, select Fresh
Air mode to avoid f ogging the
windows.
Select . When you select
, the system automatically
switches to Fresh Air mode and
turns on the A/C. (The A/C ON
indicator will not come on in U.S.
vehicles.)
Adjust the temperature so the
airf low f eels warm.
Select to help clear the
rear window.
When you switch to another mode
f rom , the A/C stays on.
Press the A/C button to turn it of f . To remove f og f rom inside the
windows: Select . The system
automatically switches to Fresh
Air mode and turns on the A/C.
(The A/C indicator will not come
on in U.S. vehicles.)
Select .
Set the f an and temperature
controls to maximum level.
For your saf ety, make sure you have
a clear view through all the windows
bef ore driving.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
Dehumidif y the Interior
T o Def og and Def rostT o Remove Exterior Frost or Ice
From the Windows
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Vents, Heating, and A/C
114