2000 Acura TL 3.2 Owner's Manual

The Braking System
Important Safety Reminders
ABS does not reduce the time or distance it takes to stop the
vehicle, it only helps with steering control during braking. You should
always maintain a safe following
distance from other vehicles.
ABS will not prevent a skid that results from changing direction
abruptly, such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,prudent speed for the road and
weather conditions. ABS cannot prevent a loss of
stability. Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into oncoming traffic or off the road.
A vehicle with ABS may require a longer distance to stop on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under
those conditions.ABS Indicator
ABS INDICATOR
The ABS is self-checking. If anythinggoes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (seepage 55). This means the anti-lock
function of the braking system has
shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-
lock, providing normal stopping
ability. You should have the dealer inspect your car as soon as possible.
Driving

Traction Control System
Your Acura is equipped with a
Traction Control System (TCS) to assist you in maintaining traction
while driving slowly on loose or slippery surfaces. The TCS assists
only in low-speed, low-traction
conditions; up to approximately 18mph(30km/h).
The TCS monitors the speed of all four wheels. When it senses a front
wheel losing traction, it applies
braking to that wheel. The TCSindicator flashes when this occurs.
Driving with TCS requires no special
skills or technique. The TCS doesnot control your vehicle's whole
braking system and cannot prevent skidding if you enter a corner too
fast. It is still your responsibility to drive at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
TCS INDICATOR
When starting out or driving at low speeds on a loose or slippery road
surface, you may notice that the
vehicle does not respond to the accelerator in the same way it does
at other times. This is a sign the TCSis activating. You will see the TCS
indicator light flash. You should still install winter tires on
your vehicle during the winter. Make
sure to use the same size originally
supplied with vehicle. Exercise the
same caution in winter driving as you
would if your vehicle was not equipped with TCS.
Driving with the compact spare tire
installed (see page 254) may
activate the TCS. You should turn off
the system.
If the brakes overheat while the TCS
is activating, the TCS indicator will
stop flashing and stay on temporarily.
This indicates that the TCS system has turned off. After the brakes have
cooled down (usually for about 10 minutes), the TCS will turn back onand the indicator will turn off.
Driving

Traction Control System
TCS ON/OFF SwitchThis switch is under the side vent. It lets you turn the Traction ControlSystem on and off. You cannot turn
off the TCS while the TCS indicator
light is flashing. Deactivate the system by pressing
the TCS On/Off switch. The TCS indicator light comes on as a
reminder. Pressing the switch again
turns the system back on.
The Traction Control System turns on every time you start the engine,
even if you turned it off the last time
you drove the vehicle. TCS Indicator
The TCS indicator comes on or flashes under the following condi-
tions:
• When you turn the ignition switch
to ON (II)
• When you manually turn off theTCS.
• It flashes when the TCS is
regulating wheelspin.
• If the system's diagnostics senses a problem in the TCS, the indica-
tor will come on and stay on.
Driving

Traction Control System
If the TCS indicator comes on whiledriving, pull to the side of the road
when it is safe and turn off the engine. Reset the system by re-starting the engine, and watch the
TCS indicator. If the indicator remains on, or comes back on whiledriving, have the TCS inspected by
your Acura dealer. You can still drive the vehicle without TCS.
The TCS indicator may occasionally come on for one or two seconds and
then go out. This is normal. This indicator will come on along
with the ABS indicator if there is aproblem in the anti-lock brakesystem (see ABS Indicator on page 174).
If the TCS indicator comes on along
with the Brake System indicator, it indicates a problem in the brakesystem (see Brake System
Indicator on page 54).
Driving

Driving in Bad Weather
Rain, fog, and snow conditions
require a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well- maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control
should not be used in these
conditions. Driving Technique — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to
react, even in conditions that may seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious for the first few miles (kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills. Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Driving

Driving in Bad Weather
Visibility — Being able to seeclearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of theproper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defroster and air
conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see pages 112 and 118). Traction — Check your tires
frequently for wear and properpressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four
wheels for the best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully, they can change from moment tomoment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when theoutside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddlesmixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the
drive wheels for a moment and cause
a skid. Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other vehicles. The spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.
Driving

Towing a Trailer
Your Acura has been designedprimarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment, and follow the guidelines in thissection. Load Limits
• Total Trailer Weight: The total
weight of the trailer andeverything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 lbs (450kg).Towinga load that is too heavy can
seriously affect your vehicle's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
• Tongue Load: The weight that the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces front-tire
traction and steering control. To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer and 40 percent toward the rear, then
readjust the load as needed.
Driving

Towing a Trailer
• Gross Vehicle Weight Rating(GVWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed: 4,430 lbs (2,010 kg)
• Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
2,425 lbs (1,100 kg)
on the front axle
2,050 lbs (930 kg)
on the rear axle Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive. Checking Loads
The best way to confirm that vehicle and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a publicscale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the first time you set up a towing combination (a fully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
Driving