service Acura TSX 2009 Service Manual

Check the f luid level in the
reservoirs monthly. There are up to
two reservoirs, depending on the
model. They are:Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement.
Using any non-Honda brake f luid can
cause corrosion and decrease the lif e
of the system. Have the brake
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 as soon as possible.
The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your vehicle’s
braking system and can cause
extensive damage.
Brake f luid reservoir (all models)
Clutch f luid reservoir
(manual transmission models
only)
Replace the brake f luid when this
service is indicated on a maintenance
message in the multi-inf ormation
display.
You will also see the ‘‘BRAKE
FLUID LOW’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display when the brake
f luid level is low. Brake Fluid
Brake and Clutch Fluid
428
MAX
MIN
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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
anchors. Do not put additional f loor
mats on top of the anchored mats.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.
Make sure the rear f loor mats are
properly positioned. If not, the f loor
mat will prevent the seat operation
and make the front passenger’s
weight sensors inef f ective. Dust and Pollen Filter Exterior Care
Floor Mats, Dust and Pollen Filter, Exterior Care
Maint enance
443
Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your vehicle.
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Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Excessive tread wear. Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a 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. The service lif e of your tires is
dependent on many f actors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inf lation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).
In addition to your regular
inspections and inf lation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
perf ormed once the tires reach f ive
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
Tires
Tire Inspection Tire Service Lif e
Maint enance
449
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
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Put on the spare tire. Put the
wheel nuts back on f inger-tight,
then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel nut wrench
until the wheel is f irmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten the
wheel nuts f ully.
Lower the vehicle to the ground,
and remove the jack.Tighten the wheel nuts securely in
the same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
f acility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:Remove the center cap before
storing the f lat tire in the trunk
well.
13.
12.
14. 15.
Changing a Flat Tire
462
CENTER CAP
80 lbf·ft (108 N·m , 11 kgf·m)
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Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
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 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
(see on page).
This indicator should never come on
when the engine is running. If it
starts flashing or stays on, the oil
pressure has dropped very low or
lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
ENGINE OIL LEVEL’’ message on
the multi-information display when
this indicator comes on.
If the charging system indicator
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, the battery is not being
charged.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
CHARGING SYSTEM’’ message on
the multi-information display (see
page ).
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.
361
419
481 61
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
Emergency T owing
L ow Oil Pressure
Indicator
Charging System
Indicator
470
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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If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and caref ully.
Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed and repaired as
soon as possible (seeon page ).
If the ABS indicator and the VSA
system indicator come on with the
brake system indicator, have your
vehicle inspected by your dealer
immediately.
The brake system indicator normally
comes on when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position, and as
a reminder to check the parking
brake. It will stay on if you do not
f ully release the parking brake.
If the brake system indicator comes
on while driving, the brake f luid level
is probably low. Press lightly on the
brake pedal to see if it f eels normal.
If it does, check the brake f luid level
thenexttimeyoustopataservice
station (see page ). If the f luid level is low, take your
vehicle to a dealer, and have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK BRAKE
SYSTEM’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display when this
indicator comes on.
You will also see a ‘‘BRAKE FLUID
LOW’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display. 481
428 Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
472
U.S. Canada
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µµ
If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a prof essional towing service or
organization. Never tow your vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.
The operator
loads your vehicle on the back of a
truck.
Therearetwowaystotowyour
vehicle: If , due to damage, your vehicle must
be towed with the f ront wheels on
the ground, do this:
Release the parking brake.
Shif t the transmission to neutral.
With the f ront wheels on the ground,
it is best to tow the vehicle no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep the
speedbelow35mph(55km/h).
Leave the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) position so the
steering wheel does not lock.
The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the f ront tires and lif t them of f
the ground. The rear tires remain on
the ground. Start the engine.
Press on the brake pedal. Move
the shif t lever through all its
positions.
Shif t to D position f or 5 seconds,
then to N.
Turn of f the engine.
Release the parking brake.
Leave the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) position so the
steering wheel does not lock.
Manual transmission:
Automatic transmission:
CONT INUED
Flat -bed EquipmentWheel-lif t Equipment
T his is the best way to
transport your vehicle.
This is an acceptable
way to tow your vehicle.
Emergency Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
481
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shif t the transmission or start the
engine (automatic transmission), your
vehicle must be transported with the
f ront wheels of f the ground.
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Quality grades can be f ound where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example: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.
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.
All passenger car tires must conf orm
to Federal Saf ety Requirements in
addition to these grades.
Unif orm T ire Quality Grading
T readwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A T readwear T raction
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
Technical Inf ormation
489
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Client Service Inf ormation .502
....................
Warranty Coverages .503
Reporting Saf ety Def ects
..........................
(U.S. Vehicles) .504
.....................
Authorized Manuals .505
Warranty and Client Relations
Warrant y and Client Relat ions
501
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Acura dealership personnel are
trained prof essionals. They should
be able to answer all your questions.
If you encounter a problem that your
dealership does not solve to your
satisf action, please discuss it with
the dealership’s management. The
service manager or general manager
can help. Almost all problems are
solved in this way.
U.S. Owners:
If you are dissatisf ied with the
decision made by the dealership’s
management, contact the Acura
Client Services Of f ice.Canadian Owners: When you call or write, please give
us this inf ormation:
In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands: Vehicle Identif ication Number
(see page )
Name and address of the dealer
who services your vehicle
Date of purchase
Mileage on your vehicle
Your name, address, and tele-
phone number
A detailed description of the
problem
Name of the dealer who sold the
vehicle to you484
Client Service Inf ormation
502
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Acura Client Services
Mail Stop 500-2N-7E
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
Tel: (800) 382-2238 Honda Canada Inc.
715 Milner Avenue
Toronto, ON
M1B 2K8
Tel: 1-888-9-ACURA-9
Fax: Toll-free 1-877-939-0909
Toronto (416) 287-4776
Vortex Motor Corp.
Bella International
P.O. Box 190816
San Juan, PR 00919-0816
Tel: (787) 620-7546
Acura Client Services
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