maintenance Acura TSX 2005 Owner's Manual

2005 TSX 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.h\
elminc.com. Contents


Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ .ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ .4
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .7
Seat belts, SRS, and child protection
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column
Features ........................................................................\
...................................................................... 99
Climate, audio, steering wheel, security, cruise control, and HomeLink
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................151
Fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .165
Engine and transmission operation
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................189
Schedules, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................235
Flat tire, dead battery, overheating, fuses
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ .259
Vehicle specifications, tires, fuels, and emissions controls
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................273
Warranty and contact information
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................277
How to order
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
Fluid capacities and tire pressures
Owner's Identification Form

Calif ornia Proposition 65 WarningThis product contains
or emits chemicals known to the
State of Calif ornia to cause cancer
and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with one or
more recording devices commonly
ref erred to as event data recorders
or sensing and diagnostic modules.
Congratulations! Your selection of a 2005 Acura TSX was a wise investment.
It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Acura is to read
this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Af terwards, keep this owner’s manual in your vehicle so
youcanrefertoitatanytime.
Several warranties protect your new Acura. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the schedules given in this manual
helps to keep your driving trouble-f ree while it preserves your investment.
When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Acura dealer’s
staf f is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to your Acura.
Your Acura dealer is dedicated to your satisf action and will be pleased to
answer any questions and concerns.
As you read this manual, you will
f ind inf ormation that is preceded by
a
symbol. This
inf ormation is intended to help you
avoid damage to your Acura, other
property, or the environment.
Introduction
WARNING:
i

µ
This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts. It
explains how your airbags work. And
it tells you how to properly restrain
inf ants and children in your vehicle.
.........
Important Safety Precautions . 8
.......
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features . 9
.....................................
Seat Belts .10
.........................................
Airbags .11
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens . 13
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors . 13
...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats . 13
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 14
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 15
5. Fasten and Position the Seat .....................................
Belts .16
6. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .17
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 18
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 19Additional Inf ormation About Your
.................................
Seat Belts .20
..
Seat Belt System Components . 20
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .20
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .21
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 21
Additional Inf ormation About Your .....................................
Airbags .23
......
Airbag System Components . 23
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .24
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 26
How Your Side Curtain Airbags .........................................
Work .27
..
How the SRS Indicator Works . 27
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .28
.............................
Airbag Service .28
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 29
Protecting Children General ................................
Guidelines .30
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .30
All Children Should Sit in the .................................
Back Seat .31 The Passenger’s Front Airbag
.........
Can Pose Serious Risks . 31
..........................................
Inf ants .31
.............................
Small Children .31
..........................
Larger Children .31
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .33
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .33
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 34
Protecting Inf ants and .........................
Small Children .35
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .35
.........
Protecting Small Children . 36
.....................
Selecting a Child Seat .37
....................
Installing a Child Seat .38
Installing a Child Seat with .....................................
LATCH .39
...........
Protecting Larger Children . 44
When Can a Larger Child Sit ....................................
in Front .46
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 47
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 48
...................................
Saf ety Labels .49
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
7

µ
You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags are
designed to supplement seat belts,
not replace them. So even though
your vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your passengers
always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly (see page ).
Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. Infants and small children
should be restrained in a child seat.
Larger children should use a booster
and a lap/shoulder belt until they
canusethebeltproperlywithouta
booster (see pages ). While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
16
30 47 191
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat BeltControl Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Restrain All Children Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
Don’t Drink and Drive
8

CONT INUED
For added protection, the f ront seat
belts are equipped with automatic
seat belt tensioners. When activated,
the tensioners immediately tighten
the belts to help hold the driver and
a f ront passenger in place.The tensioners are designed to
activate primarily in f rontal collisions,
andtheyshouldactivateinany
collision severe enough to cause
front-airbag inflation.
When the tensioners are activated,
the seat belts will remain tight until
they are unbuckled in the normal
manner.
For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out f ully and look f or
f rays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
the belts retract easily. Any belt that
is not in good condition or working
properly will not provide good
protection and should be replaced as
soon as possible.
The tensioners can also be activated
during a collision in which the f ront
airbags do not deploy. In this case,
the airbags would not be needed, but
the additional restraint could be
helpf ul.
Acura provides a lif etime warranty
on seat belts f or U.S. models. See
your
booklet f or details.
Acura Warranty Inf ormation
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Seat Belt Maintenance
A utomatic Seat Belt T ensioners
U.S. Models
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
21

If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them.When you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II), the indicator should light
brief ly and go out (see page ). If it
doesn’t light, stays on, or comes on
while driving without a passenger in
the front seat, have the system
checked.This indicator
alerts you that the
passenger’s side
airbag has been automatically shut
of f . It does mean there is a
problem with your side airbags. Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. If a
f ront airbag inf lates, the seat belt
tensioners must also be replaced.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized your dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly. Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by your dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop.
55
How the Side Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
Airbag Service
not
An airbag ever inf lates.
T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o aproblem.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
28
Canada
U.S.
Ignoring the SRS indicator can
result in serious injury or death
if the airbag systems or
tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS indicator alerts you to
a possible problem.

This section gives inf ormation about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your vehicle. All the essential
controls are within easy reach............................
Control Locations .52
............................
Instrument Panel .53
................
Instrument Panel Lights . 54
.............................................
Gauges .60
.....................................
Odometer .60 ...
Outside Temperature Display . 60
...................................
Trip Meter .61
...................
Temperature Gauge . 61
..................................
Fuel Gauge .62
..........
Check Fuel Cap Indicator . 62
Maintenance Required ...................................
Indicator .62
Controls Near the Steering .......................................
Wheel .64
..................
Wipers and Washers . 65
.......
Turn Signal and Headlights . 66
Automatic Lighting Off .....................................
Feature .67
............
Daytime Running Lights . 68
....
Instrument Panel Brightness . 68
..........................
Hazard Warning .69
.............
Rear Window Def ogger . 69
......
Steering Wheel Adjustment . 70
...............................
Keys and Locks .71
..............................................
Keys .71
....................
Immobilizer System . 72
............................
Ignition Switch .73
..................................
Door Locks .74
..............
Childproof Door Locks . 76
...................
Remote Transmitter . 76
...........................................
Trunk .80 ........
Emergency Trunk Opener . 81
.....................
Trunk Main Switch .81
....................................
Seat Heaters .82
...................................................
Seat .83
.............
Power Seat Adjustment . 83
...........
Driver’s Lumbar Support . 83
..........................
Head Restraints .84
.......................
Folding Rear Seat .85
.............................................
Mirrors .87
....
Adjusting the Power Mirrors . 88
................
Power Mirror Heaters . 88
..............................
Power Windows .89
Power Window Control ...............................
Operations .91
.........................................
Moonroof .92
.................................
Parking Brake .93
..........................................
Sun Visor .94
..................................
Vanity Mirror .94
.................................
Interior Lights .95
...........
Interior Convenience Items . 96
.......................
Beverage Holders .97
..........
Accessory Power Sockets . 97
...............
Console Compartment . 97
......................
Sunglasses Holder .98
....................................
Glove Box .98
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols
51

ÎÎ
The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or the Canadian models are noted in the text.
Instrument Panel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
53
CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
SECURITY SYSTEM INDICATOR IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM INDICATOR
CRUISE MAIN INDICATOR LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
DOOR AND TRUNK OPEN MONITOR
VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA)
SYSTEM INDICATORLOW FUEL INDICATOR
VSA ACTIVATION
INDICATOR
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR SEAT BELT
REMINDER
LIGHT
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE REQUIRED
INDICATOR
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKE
SYSTEM INDICATOR
LIGHTS ON INDICATOR
(P.56)
(P.59)
(P.59) (P.54)
(P.59)
(P.57)
(P.58)
(P.56)
(P.56)
(P.57)
(P.55) (P.54)
SIDE AIRBAG CUTOFF INDICATOR (P.55)
(P.55)
(P.
54) (P.54)
(P.62)
(P.54)
(P.58)

¶¶
The odometer shows the total
distance your vehicle has been
driven. It measures miles in U.S.
models and kilometers in Canadian
models. It is illegal under U.S.
federal law and Canadian provincial
regulations to disconnect, reset, or
alter the odometer with the intent to
change the number of miles or
kilometers indicated. The temperature sensor is in the
f ront bumper. Theref ore, the
temperature reading can be af f ected
by heat ref lection f rom the road
surf ace, engine heat, and the
exhaust f rom surrounding traf f ic.
This can cause an incorrect
temperature reading when your
speed is under 19 mph (30 km/h).
The sensor delays the display update
until it reaches the correct outside
temperature. This may take several
minutes.
If the outside temperature is
incorrectly displayed, you can adjust
it up to 5°F ( 3°C) warmer or
cooler.
NOTE: The temperature must be
stabilized bef ore doing this
procedure.
This display shows the outside
temperature in Fahrenheit (U.S.
models) or Centigrade (Canadian
models). To see the outside
temperature, press and release the
Select/Reset knob until the
temperature is displayed.
Gauges
Odometer
Outside T emperature Display
60
SPEEDOMETER
U.S. model is shown. SELECT/RESET KNOB MAINTENANCE REQUIRED INDICATORTEMPERATURE
GAUGE
TACHOMETER ODOMETER
OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR TRIP METER
FUEL GAUGE

This shows how much f uel you have.
It may show slightly more or less
than the actual amount. The needle
returns to the bottom after you turn
of f the ignition.This indicator reminds you that it is
time to take your vehicle in for the
vehicle’s scheduled maintenance
under normal driving conditions. The
indicator does not ref lect severe
maintenance intervals.
If your f uel cap is loose or missing, a
‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message
appears as text in the odometer/
outside temperature display af ter
you start the engine. Turn the
engine of f and conf irm the f uel cap is
installed. If it is, loosen the cap, then
retighten it at least 3 clicks. When
you restart the engine, the message appears again. To clear, press and
hold the Trip/Reset button until the
message is replaced by the
odometer/outside temperature
display.
If the system still detects a loose or
missing f uel cap, the Malf unction
Indicator Lamp (MIL) comes on.
Turn the engine of f and check or
retighten the f uel cap at least 3 clicks.
The MIL goes out af ter 3 days of
normal driving once the cap is
tightened or replaced. If it does not
go out, have your dealer inspect the
vehicle. For more inf ormation, see
page .
Ref er to the maintenance schedule
f or normal and severe driving
conditions on pages and .
248
193 195
Fuel Gauge
Maintenance Required Indicator
Check Fuel Cap Indicator
(odometer/outside temperature
message)
Gauges
62
MAINTENANCE REQUIRED INDICATOR
Avoid driving with an extremely low
f uel level. Running out of f uel could
cause the engine to misf ire, damaging
the catalytic converter.