Acura TSX 2013 User Guide
Page 11 of 325
10Quick Reference Guide
Steering Wheel 
(P113)
● To adjust, pull the adjustment lever 
towards you, adjust to the desired 
position, then lock the lever back in place.
Trunk 
(P95)
● Push the trunk release on the driver’s 
door, or on the remote transmitter. With 
the doors unlocked, press the trunk 
release switch on the trunk lid to open it.
Trunk Release
Power Door Mirrors (P114)
● With the ignition switch in ON 
(w
, move 
the selector switch to  L or R .
● Push the appropriate edge of the 
adjustment switch to adjust the mirror.
● Place the selector switch in the R position 
to use the reverse tilt door mirror feature.
Selector Switch
Adjustment Switch
Power Windows 
(P100)
● With the ignition switch in ON 
(w
, open 
and close the power windows.
● If the power window lock button is in the 
off position, each passenger’s window 
can be opened and closed with its own 
switch.
● If the power window lock button is in the 
on position (indicator is on), each 
passenger’s window switch is disabled.
Power Window 
Lock Button
Window Switch Indicator 
Page 12 of 325
11Quick Reference Guide
Climate Control System 
(P133)
● Press the  AUTO button to activate the climate control system.
● Press the  ON/OFF button to turn the system on or off.
● Press the   button to defrost the windshield.
The climate control system is voice operable. See the navigation system manual for complete 
details.
Models with navigation system
 (Rear Window Defogger/
Heated Mirror) Button
 (Windshield Defroster) Button
A/C  (Air Conditioning) 
Button
Air flows from dashboard 
vents and back of the 
center console
*.
Air flows from floor and 
dashboard vents, and back 
of the center console
*.
Air flows from floor vents. Air flows from floor and 
windshield defroster vents.
 (Recirculation) Button
 (Fan Control) Bar
Passenger’s Side 
Temperature 
Control Switch
SYNC
 (Synchronized) Button
AUTO  Button
Driver’s Side 
Temperature 
Control Switch
ON/OFF Button MODE Control Button
Clock 
(P88)
a
Press the CLOCK button until the 
displayed time begins flashing.
b
Press Preset 
( 4
 (Hour) or 
(5
 (Minute) 
to set the time. Press Preset ( 6
 (Reset) 
to set the time to the nearest hour.
c
Press the  CLOCK button again to set 
the time.
The navigation system receives signals from 
GPS satellites, updating the clock 
automatically.
Models without navigation systemModels with navigation system
*  Not available on all models 
Page 13 of 325
12Quick Reference Guide
Features 
(P137)
Audio System 
(P138)
Audio Display
AM Button
FM  Button
SCAN Button
CATEGORY  Bar A.SEL
 (Auto Select) 
Button  
(Volume/Power) 
Knob
VOL/CD Slot AUX  Button
CD
 Button
 (CD Eject) 
ButtonPreset Buttons
SKIP Bar
TITLE
 Button (XM
®) 
ButtonMENU Button
Selector Knob
RETURN  Button
For navigation system operation
 ()  See Navigation System Manual
●Audio Remote Controls (P160)
● VOL  (volume) Button
Press   /   to adjust the volume up/
down.
● MODE Button
Press and release to change the audio 
mode: FM1/FM2/AM/XM1/XM2/CD/AUX.
● CH  (channel) Button
Radio: Press and release to change the  preset station.
Press and hold to select the next or 
previous strong station.
CD/USB device: Press and release to skip to the 
beginning of the next song or 
return to the beginning of the 
current song.
Press and hold to change a folder.
VOL Button
CH  Button MODE
 Button 
Page 14 of 325
13Quick Reference Guide
Driving 
(P181)
Release ButtonShift Lever
Depress the brake pedal and press the 
release button to move out of 
( P
.
Move the shift lever without 
pressing the release button.
Press the release button to move 
the shift lever.
Manual Transmission 
(P199)
Automatic Transmission 
(P195)
● Shift to 
(P
 and depress the brake pedal when starting the 
engine.
● Shifting
Park
Turn off or start the engine.
Transmission is locked.
Reverse
Neutral
Transmission is not locked.
Drive
Normal driving. D-paddle 
shift mode can be used.
S Position
Sequential shift mode can be 
used.
Paddle Shifters 
(P197)
● Paddle shifters allow you to shift gears much like a manual 
transmission (1st through 5th). This is useful for engine braking.
●D-paddle shift mode: The 
transmission will shift back 
to automatic mode once the 
system detects that the 
vehicle is cruising.
● Sequential shift mode: Holds 
the selected gear, and the  M 
indicator comes on.
● The selected gear position is 
shown in the instrument 
panel.
Shift Down 
(
-
 
Paddle Shifter Shift Up 
(
+
 
Paddle Shifter Selected Gear 
Number M
 Indicator 
Page 15 of 325
14Quick Reference Guide
VSA® OFF Button 
(P205)
● The vehicle stability assist (VSA ®) system 
helps stabilize the vehicle during 
cornering, and helps maintain traction 
while accelerating on loose or slippery 
road surfaces.
● VSA ® comes on automatically every time 
you start the engine.
● To turn VSA ® on or off, press and hold 
the button until you hear a beep.
Cruise Control 
(P201)
● Cruise control allows you to maintain a 
set speed without keeping your foot on 
the accelerator pedal.
● To use cruise control, press the  CRUISE 
button, then press  DECEL/SET when the 
vehicle speed is above 25 mph (40 km/h).
Tire Pressure Monitoring 
System (TPMS) 
(P206)
● TPMS monitors tire pressure.
● TPMS is turned on automatically every 
time you start the engine.
Refueling 
(P 215)
Fuel recommendation:
Premium unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number 
91 or higher recommended
Premium unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number 
91 or higher required
Fuel tank capacity: 18.5 US gal (70 L)
4-cylinder models6-cylinder models
a
Unlock the driver’s door.
b
Press on the edge of the 
fuel fill door to make it 
pop up slightly.
c
Turn the fuel fill cap 
slowly to remove the 
cap.
d
Place the cap in the 
holder on the fuel fill 
door.
e
After refueling, screw 
the cap back on until it 
clicks at least once. 
Page 16 of 325
15Quick Reference Guide
Maintenance 
(P 221)
Under the Hood 
(P 229)
● Check engine oil, engine coolant, and windshield washer 
fluid. Add when necessary.
● Check brake fluid and clutch fluid.
● Check the battery regularly.
a
Pull the hood release handle under the corner of the 
dashboard.
b
Locate the hood latch lever, pull the lever up, and lift up 
the hood.
c
When finished, close the hood and make sure it is firmly 
locked in place.
Lights 
(P247)
● Inspect all lights regularly.
Wiper Blades 
(P257)
● Replace blades if they leave streaks 
across the windshield.
Tires 
(P259)
● Inspect tires and wheels regularly.
● Check tire pressures regularly.
● Install snow tires for winter 
driving. 
Page 17 of 325
16Quick Reference Guide
Handling the Unexpected 
(P 275)
Flat Tire 
(P277)
● Park in a safe location and replace the 
flat tire with the compact spare tire in the 
trunk.
Indicators Come On (P290)
●Identify the indicator and consult the 
owner’s manual.
Engine Won’t Start 
(P283)
● If the battery is dead, jump start using a 
booster battery.
Blown Fuse 
(P294)
● Check for a blown fuse if an electrical 
device does not operate.
Overheating 
(P288)
● Park in a safe location. If you do not see 
steam under the hood, open the hood, 
and let the engine cool down.
Emergency Towing 
(P299)
● Call a professional towing service if you 
need to tow your vehicle. 
Page 18 of 325
17Quick Reference Guide
What to Do If
The ignition switch does 
not turn from 
(0
 to 
(q
. 
Why?
●
The steering wheel may be locked.
●
Try to turn the steering wheel left and right 
while turning the ignition key.
The ignition switch does 
not turn from 
(q
 to 
(0
 and 
I cannot remove the key. 
Why?
The shift lever should be moved to 
(P
.
Why does the brake pedal 
pulsate slightly when 
applying the brakes?
This can occur when the ABS activates, and does not indicate a 
problem. Apply firm, steady pressu re on the brake pedal. Never 
pump the brake pedal.
The rear door cannot be 
opened from inside the 
vehicle. Why?
Check if the childproof lock is in the 
lock position. If so, open the rear 
door with the outside door handle.
To cancel this function, push the lever 
to the unlock position.
Why do the doors lock 
after I unlocked the doors 
using a remote 
transmitter?
If you do not open the doors within 30 seconds, the doors are 
relocked automatically for security. 
Page 19 of 325
18Quick Reference Guide
Why does the beeper 
sound when I open the 
driver’s door?
The beeper sounds when:●
The key is left in the ignition switch.
●
The exterior lights are left on.
Why does the beeper 
sound when I start driving?
The beeper sounds when:●
Driver and/or front passenger are not wearing their seat belts.
●
The parking brake lever is not fully released.
Why do I hear a screeching 
sound when I apply the 
brake pedal?
The brake pads may need to be replaced. Have your vehicle 
inspected by a dealer.
Is it possible to use 
unleaded gasoline with a 
Pump Octane Number 
(PON) of 87 or higher on 
this vehicle?
If premium unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is not 
available, you can temporarily use gasoline with a PON of 87 or 
higher.
This will result in decreased engine performance, and can cause 
occasional metallic knocking noise in the engine.
Unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is recommended.
Unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is required.
The long-term use of a lower PON gasoline can lead to engine 
damage.4-cylinder models6-cylinder models 
Page 20 of 325
19Quick Reference Guide
California Proposition 65 WarningEvent Data RecordersThis vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder (EDR). 
The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain crash or near 
crash-like situations, such  as an air bag deployment or hitting a 
road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding how a vehicle’s 
systems performed.  The EDR is designed to record data related 
to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of 
time, typically 30 seconds  or less. The EDR in this vehicle is 
designed to record such data as:
• How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were 
buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator 
and/or brake pedal; and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of the 
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data 
are recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation 
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under normal driving 
conditions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and 
crash location) are recorded. However, other parties, such as law 
enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of 
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a crash 
investigation.WARNING:   This product contains or emits 
chemicals known to the state of California to cause 
cancer and birth defects  or other reproductive 
harm.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is required, 
and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the 
vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as law enforcement, that 
have the special equipment, can read the information if they have 
access to the vehicle or the EDR. 
The data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by 
anyone else except as legally required or with the permission of the 
vehicle owner.Service Diagnostic RecordersThis vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record 
information ab out powertrain performance. The data can be used 
to verify emissions law requirements and/or help technicians 
diagnose and solve service problems. It may also be combined with 
data from other sources for research purposes, but it remains 
confidential.California Perchlorate Contamination Prevention ActThe airbags, seat belt tensioners, and CR type batteries in this 
vehicle may contain perchlorate materials - special handling may 
apply. See  www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate/
As you read this manual, you will find information that is preceded 
by a   symbol. This information is intended to help you avoid 
damage to your vehicle, other property, or the environment.
NOTICE