2003 Acura TL ABS

Your car is equipped with many
features that work together to
protect you and your passengers
during a crash.
Some saf ety f eatures do not require
anyactiononyourpart.These
include a strong steel f ramework
that forms a safety cage around the
passenger compartment; f ront and
rear crush zones that are designed to
crumple and absorb energy during a
crash; a collapsible steering column;
and seat belt tensioners that
automatically tighten the front seat
belts in the event of a crash.
CONT INUED
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Your Car’s Saf ety Features
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errss

Keeping your doors locked reduces
thechanceof beingthrownoutof
the car during a crash. It also helps
prevent occupants f rom accidentally
opening a door and f alling out, and
outsiders f rom unexpectedly opening
your doors. Head restraints can help protect you
f rom whiplash and other injuries. For
maximum protection, the back of
your head should rest against the
center of the head restraint.Move the f ront
seats as far back as possible, and
keep adjustable seat-backs in an
upright position whenever the car is
moving.
Your car’s seats are designed to keep
you in a comf ortable, upright
position so you can take f ull
advantage of the protection offered
by seat belts and the energy
absorbing materials in the seats.
How you adjust your seats and seat-
backs can also affect your safety. For
example, sitting too close to the
steering wheel or dashboard
increases the risk of you or your
passenger being injured by striking
theinsideof thecar,orbyan
inf lating airbag.
Reclining a seat-back too f ar reduces
the seat belt’s ef f ectiveness and
increases the chance that the seat’s
occupant will slide under the seat
belt in a crash and be seriously
injured.
To do their job, airbags must
inf late with tremendous f orce and
speed. So while airbags help save
lives, they can cause minor injuries,
or more serious or even fatal
injuries if occupants are not
properly restrained or sitting
properly.
Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as f ar back as possible
f rom the steering wheel or
dashboard.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Your Car’s Saf ety Features
Door L ocks Head Restraints
Seats & Seat-Backs
What you should do:
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rear
impact s, rollovers, or minorf ront al or side collisions.
Airbags can pose serious hazards.
What you should do:
10

This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). If it
comes on at any other time, it
indicates that the passenger’s side
airbag has automatically shut off.
For complete inf ormation, see page.
This light normally comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch ON (II), and when
the ignition switch is turned to
START (III). If this light comes on at
any other time, there is a problem in
theABS.If thishappens,takethe
cartoyourdealertohaveitchecked.
With the light on, your car still has
normal braking ability but no anti-
lock. For complete inf ormation, see
page . This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition switch ON (II). If it
comes on at any other time, it
indicates a potential problem with
your f ront airbags. This light will
also alert you to a potential problem
with your side airbags or passenger’s
side airbag automatic cutoff system,
or automatic seat belt tensioners.
For complete inf ormation, see page
. 51
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Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Indicator Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Side A irbag Cutof f
Indicator
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U.S. Canada

If you f orget and leave the key in the
ignition switch, Lockout Prevention
will not allow you to lock the driver’s
door. With the driver’s door open
andthekeyintheignition,both
master door lock switches are
disabled. However, if the driver’s
door is not open, the master door
lock switches are not disabled.
Pushing the switch down on the
open passenger’s door will lock all
doors. If you try to lock an open
driver’s door by pushing in the lock
tab, the tabs on all doors pop out.
Pushinginthelocktabonthe
passenger’s door only locks that door.
Each door has a lock tab at the top of
the door. When you push down the
lock tab on the driver’s door, all
doors lock. Pulling up the lock tab on
the driver’s door only unlocks that
door.Thelocktaboneach
passenger’s door only locks and
unlocks that door.
To lock any passenger’s door when
getting out of the car, push the lock
tab down and close the door. To lock
the driver’s door, remove the key
f rom the ignition switch and push
the lock tab down or push the master
switch down, then close the door.
All doors can be locked f rom the
outsidebyusingthekeyineither
f ront door. To unlock only the driver’s
door f rom the outside, insert the key
in the driver’s door lock, turn the key
and release it. If you turn the key
and hold it, all doors will unlock. All
f our doors will unlock when you
unlock the passenger’s door with the
key.
L ockout Prevent ion
Keys and Locks
Inst rument s and Cont rols80

The rear seat also has a beverage
holder in the center armrest. To use
it, pivot the armrest down.
To open the beverage holder, push
on the button. The beverage holder
lid is spring-loaded and will swing
open. To close it, push either half of
the lid closed.
Be caref ul when you are using the
beverage holder. A spilled liquid that
is very hot can scald you or your
passengers. Spilled liquids can also
damage the upholstery, carpeting,
and electrical components in the
interior. The beverage holder can be
removed. To remove it, lif t up the
f ront of the holder by holding it at
the middle. To reinstall it, put in the
back of the holder, align the f ront
tabs in the slots and push down the
f ront of the holder.
Beverage Holder
Inst rument s and Cont rols108

........................
Preparing to Drive .188
.......................
Starting the Engine .189
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .189
..............
Automatic Transmission . 190
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 190
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 191
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 197
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 197
...........................................
Parking .199
.....................
The Braking System .200
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 200
...............
Brake System Design . 201
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .201
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .202
........................
ABS Indicator .202
..............
Traction Control System . 203
...............
TCS ON/OFF Switch . 204
............................
TCS Indicator .205
...
Vehicle Stability Assist System . 206
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 209
...........................
Towing a Trailer .211
This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your car, the braking system,
the Traction Control System, the
Vehicle Stability Assist System, and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer.
Driving
Driving187

Put your f oot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your f oot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It
also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you.Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshif ting to a lower
gear and taking your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
Check your brakes af ter driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious
and alert in your driving.
Your Acura is equipped with disc
brakes at all f our wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
All f our brakes have audible brake
wear indicators.
When the brake pads need replacing,
you will hear a distinctive metallic
‘‘screeching’’ sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin
screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal
or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not conf use this with the
brakewearindicators.Theymakea
very audible ‘‘screeching.’’ Brake Wear Indicators
Driving
The Braking System
200

this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work f or you by always keeping f irm,
steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes ref erred to as
You will f eel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is
normal; it is the ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount of
traction your tires have. On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
thebrakepedalveryhardbeforeyou
activate the ABS. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
Your car has an Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS) as standard
equipment. ABS helps to prevent the
wheels f rom locking up and skidding
during hard braking, allowing you to
retain steering control.
When the f ront tires skid, you lose
steering control; the car continues
straightaheadeventhoughyouturn
the steering wheel. The ABS helps to
prevent lock-up and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly; much f aster than a
person can do it.
‘‘stomp and steer.’’
CONT INUED
A nti-lock Brakes
You should never pump the
brake pedal;
Brake System Design
Driving
The Braking System
201
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