weight Acura TSX 2007 Owner's Guide

Your vehicle has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can also use it to
tow a trailer if you caref ully observe
the load limits, use the proper
equipment, and f ollow the guidelines
in this section.The
maximum allowable weight of the
trailer and everything in or on it
must not exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg).
Towing a load that is too heavy
can seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain. The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 % of the total
trailer weight. Too much tongue
load reduces front-tire traction and
steering control. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway.
Load Limits
T otal T railer Weight:
T ongue L oad:
Towing a Trailer
264
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.

To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 % of the load
toward the front of the trailer and
40 % toward the rear, then re-adjust
the load as needed.The best way to conf irm that vehicle
and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the f irst time you set up a
towing combination (a f ully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
The maximum allowable weight of
the vehicle axles is:
The maximum allowable weight of
the vehicle, all occupants, all
accessories, all cargo, and the
tongue load is: on the f ront axle
on the rear axleChecking L oads
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GA WR):
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):
Towing a Trailer
Driving
265
4,300 Ibs (1,950 kg) 2,335 Ibs (1,060 kg)
2,030 Ibs (920 kg)

If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle’s hydraulic system. No
matter how successf ul it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle’s hydraulic system
will lower braking ef f ectiveness and
create a potential hazard.
See your trailer dealer or rental
agency f or more inf ormation on
installing electric brakes.
Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody.
Always use saf ety chains when you
tow a trailer. Make sure the chains
are secured to the trailer and hitch,
and that they cross under the tongue
and can catch the trailer if it
becomes unhitched. Leave enough
slack to allow the trailer to turn
corners easily, but do not let the
chains drag on the ground.
Acura recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs
(450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
Towing generally requires a variety
of supplemental equipment,
depending on the size of your trailer,
how much load you are towing, and
where you tow. To ensure the best
quality, we recommend that you
purchase Acura equipment
whenever possible.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and maintained,
and that it meets f ederal, state,
province, and local regulations. T owing Equipment and
A ccessories
Trailer Brakes
Hitches
Saf et y Chains
Towing a Trailer
266

When preparing to tow, and before
driving away, be sure to check the
following: Al
ways drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the left
to get the trailer to move to the left,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including firmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in first or reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
Your
vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause the trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections.
The
vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the suspension,
cooling system, and lights are in
good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly. 264 265
311
bottom
Pre-T ow ChecklistBacking Up
Parking
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Towing a Trailer
268

The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shif t down to second
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use D position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D is
the proper shif t lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See ‘‘ ’’ in the next
column f or additional gear
inf ormation.) Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
3
3
Driving Saf ely With a T railerMaking T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
T owing Speeds and Gears
Towing a Trailer
Driving
269

µYour vehicle does not require any oil
additives. Additives may adversely
af f ect the engine or transmission
perf ormance and durability.
Make sure the API Certif ication Seal
says ‘‘For Gasoline Engines.’’ An oil with a viscosity of 5W-30 is
pref erred f or improved f uel economy
and year-round protection in your
vehicle. You may use a 10W-30 oil if
the temperature in your area never
goes below
0°F ( 20 °C). Y ou may use a synthetic motor oil if
it meets the same requirements
given f or a conventional motor oil: it
displays the API Certif ication Seal
and it is the proper weight. You must
f ollow the oil and f ilter change
intervals shown on the multi-
inf ormation display. Synthetic Oil
Engine Oil A dditives
A dding Engine Oil
288
API CERTIFICATION SEAL Ambient Temperature

The floor mats that came with your
vehicle hook over f loor mat anchors.
This keeps the f loor mats f rom
sliding f orward/rearward and
possibly interf ering with the pedals
or making the f ront passenger’s
weight sensor’s inef f ective.
Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth
dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.
If your seat belts get dirty, use a sof t
brush with a mixture of mild soap
and warm water to clean them. Do
not use bleach, dye, or cleaning
solvents. Let the belts air dry bef ore
you use the vehicle. Seat Belts Floor Mats
Seat Belts, Floor Mats
306
LOOPDriver’s floor

If you remove a f loor mat, make sure
tore-anchoritwhenyouputitback
in your vehicle.
If you use a non-Acura f loor mat,
make sure it f its properly and that it
canbeusedwiththefloormat
anchor. Do not put additional f loor
mats on top of the anchored mat.
Make sure the rear f loor mats are
properly hooked to the f loor mat
anchors. Your vehicle is equipped
with f ront passenger’s seat weight
sensors. If the rear passenger’s f loor
mat is on the seat rail of the front
passenger’s seat, the sensors will
detect the decreased weight on the
seat, and they may not work properly. This f ilter removes the dust and
pollenthatisbroughtinfromthe
outside through the climate control
system.
Have your dealer replace the filter
when this service is indicated by a
maintenance message on the multi-
inf ormation display. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban
areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air, or if the f low f rom
theclimatecontrolsystembecomes
less than usual. Dust and Pollen Filter
Floor Mats, Dust and Pollen Filter
Maint enance
307
Rear passenger’s floor

Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:Have your dealer check the tires if
you f eel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed f rom the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance. In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a
band 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread
lef t on the tire.
A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators.
Excessive tread wear. Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Tire Inspection
Tire Maintenance
Tires
312
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only genuine Acura wheels weights f or
balancing.

Emergency Towing
342
Trying to lif t or tow your vehicle by the
bumpers will cause serious damage.
The bumpers are not designed to
support the vehicle’s weight.The steering system can be damaged if
the steering wheel is locked. Leave the
ignition switch in the ACCESSORY (I)
position, and make sure the steering
wheel turns f reely bef ore you begin
towing.