2007 Acura TSX Owner's Manual

The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on for a
few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it flashes while driving (in
any shift position), it indicates a
possible problem in the transmission. If
the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicato r, there is a problem with the
automatic transmission control
system. Avoid rapid acceleration, and
have the transmission checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
These indicators in the tachometer
show which position the shift lever is
in. When
the ‘‘D’’ indicator warns of a
possible problem with the
transmission, you will see a ‘‘CHECK
TRANSMISSION’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display (see page ). To shif t f rom any position, move the
shiftlever.Youcannotshiftoutof
Park when the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) or the ACCESSORY
(I) position.
83
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ever Position Indicators
Shif ting
246
SHIFT LEVER

µµµ µ
µ
µ
CONTINUED
To
shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR
DtoD DtoN
DtoD NtoDRtoN Do
this:
Press the brake pedal
and move the lever.
Move the lever.
3
3
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop before shifting
into Park. The shift lever must be in
Park before you can remove the key
from the ignition switch.
Press the brake
pedal, and move the shift lever from
Park to reverse. To shift from
reverse to neutral, come to a
completestop,andthenshift.
Your vehicle has a reverse lockout so
you cannot accidentally shift to
reverse from neutral or any other
driving position when the vehicle
speed exceeds 5 6 mph (8 10
km/h).
If you cannot shift to reverse when
the vehicle is stopped, press the
brake pedal, slowly shift to neutral,
andthenshifttoreverse. Use
neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle and apply the parking brake.
Press on the brake pedal when you
are moving the shift lever from
neutral to another gear.
Use this position for
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear for the vehicle speed
and acceleration. You may notice the
transmission shifting up at higher
speeds when the engine is cold. This
helps the engine warm up faster.
If
you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .This
position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or
starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the
accelerator pedal. Move the shift
levertotherighttoshiftoutofPark.
If there is a problem in the reverse
lockout system, or your vehicle’s battery
is disconnected or goes dead,
you cannot shif t to reverse. (Ref er to on page ).
251 251
Automatic Transmission
Reverse (R)
Neutral (N)
Drive (D)
Shif t L ock Release
Park (P)
Shif t L ock Release
Driving
247

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µ
When you move the shif t lever f rom
‘‘D’’ to ‘‘M’’ position, the display
shows the selected gear.
In Sequential SportShif t mode, each
time you push f orward on the shif t
lever, the transmission shif ts to a
higher gear. Pull back on the lever to
downshif t. The number of the gear
selected is displayed on the
instrument panel.
With
the shif t lever in ‘‘D’’ position, you
can select the Sequential SportShif t
mode to shif t gears; much like a
manual transmission, but without a
clutch pedal.
To enter the Sequential SportShif t
mode, move the shif t lever f urther to
the driver’s side. To return to ‘‘D,’’
move the shift lever to the
passenger’s side.
This position is similar
to D, except only the first three
gears are selected instead of all f ive.
Use D when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain, or to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D can
also keep the transmission f rom
cycling between third and f ourth
gears in stop-and-go driving.
3
3
Automatic Transmission
Sequential SportShif t ModeDrive (D )3
248
SELECTED GEAR

à
à
൵
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CONT INUED
If the vehicle speed slows to below
the redline of the selected lower gear
position while the indicator is
f lashing, the transmission will
downshif t and the display will show
the selected lower gear. If you try to manually downshif t at a
speed that would cause the engine to
exceed the redline in a lower gear,
the transmission will not downshif t.
Thegearindicatorwillflashthe
numberof thelowergearseveral
times, then return to the higher gear. The transmission will also shif t
automatically as the vehicle comes to
a complete stop. It will downshif t to
f irst gear when the vehicle speed is
under 6 mph (10 km/h). Downshif ting gives you more power
when climbing, and provides engine
brakingwhengoingdownasteephill.
The transmission may automatically
downshif t f rom the higher gear to
the lower gear under the f ollowing
conditions:
The vehicle speeds drops below5 4:33mph(52km/h)
4 3:20mph(32km/h)
When you accelerate away f rom a
stop, the transmission will be in f irst
gear. The transmission will not
automatically upshift. Watch the
tachometer and upshif t manually
bef ore the engine reaches the
redline.
The transmission remains in the
selectedgear(5,4,3,2,or1).There
is no automatic downshif t when you
push the accelerator pedal to the
f loor. If you press the brake pedal as you
drive downhill. If you drive uphill between
54:4533mph
(72 52 km/h)
43:3320mph
(52 32 km/h)
32:2010mph
(32 16 km/h)
Automatic Transmission
Driving
249
Up shift
Down shift

à
à
à
à
à
à
à
à When you are in Sequential
SportShif t mode, and the vehicle is
stopped, push f orward on the shif t
lever to shif t to second gear. You will
see ‘‘2’’ in the display. Starting out in
second gear will help to reduce
wheelspin in deep snow or on a
slippery surf ace.
If you start out in second gear, the
transmission will be f ixed in that
gear.
The transmission will not
automatically downshif t to f irst gear
even when the vehicle speed is
under 6 mph (10 km/h). You need to
shif t down to f irst gear manually.
To shift from
21
32
43
54 Speed range
under 31 mph (50 km/h)
under 69 mph (110 km/h)
under 88 mph (140 km/h)
under 131 mph (210 km/h)
The table shows the speed ranges
f or upshif ting and downshif ting.
To shift from 12
23
34
45 Speed range
over 0 mph (0 km/h)
over 6 mph (10 km/h)
over 20 mph (32 km/h)
over 33 mph (52 km/h)
Automatic Transmission
St art ing in Second Gear
250

CONT INUED
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
rpm below the red zone.Putaclothonthenotchof the
shif t lock release slot cover. Using
a small f lat-tipped screwdriver or a
metal f ingernail f ile, caref ully pry
on the notch of the cover to
remove it.
This allows you to move the shif t
lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal does not work. This procedure
is also used to release the reverse
lockout.
Set the parking brake.
Remove the key from the ignition
switch.
To release the reverse lockout, make
sure the ignition switch is in the
ACCESSORY(I) position.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone. 1.
2.
3.
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ock Release
Engine Speed L imiter
Driving
251
COVER
NOTCH

Insert the key in the shift lock
release slot.
Push down on the key while you
move the shift lever out of Park to
neutral.
To release the reverse lockout, move
the shift lever from neutral to
reverse, then to Park. Remove the key from the shift
lock release slot, then reinstall the
cover. Make sure the notch on the
cover is on the driver’s side. Press
the brake pedal, and restart the
engine.
If you need to use the shif t lock
release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have it
checked by your dealer. 6.
5. 4.
Automatic Transmission
252
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT

Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly, or
your vehicle may roll if it is parked
on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission.
If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear.Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes. If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, put it in reverse gear.
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lockthedoorswiththekeyorthe
remote transmitter.
Check the indicator on the
instrument panel to verif y that the
security system is set.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving
253