Page 11 of 560

µ
You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important. Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags are
designed to supplement seat belts,
not replace them. So even though
your vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your passengers
always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly (see page ).
Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat, not the front seat. Infants and
smallchildrenshouldberestrained
in a child seat. Larger children
should use a booster seat and a lap/
shoulder belt until they can use the
belt properly without a booster seat (see pages ).
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
17 55
38
445
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Restrain All Children Don’t Drink and Drive
Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
8
2009 RL
Page 64 of 560

Î
ÎÎ
Î
Î
The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or the Canadian models are noted in the text. If equipped.
:
Instrument Panel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
61
SEAT BELT REMINDER
INDICATOR
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR KEYLESS ACCESS
SYSTEM INDICATOR
LOW OIL PRESSURE
INDICATOR MALFUNCTION INDICATOR
LAMP
LOW FUEL INDICATORELECTRONICALLY
CONTROLLED
POWER STEERING
SYSTEM (ECPS)
INDICATOR
LIGHTS ON INDICATOR
FOG LIGHT INDICATOR
MULTI-INFORMATION
DISPLAY MESSAGE INDICATOR
SECURITY SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.64)
(P.68)
(P.68)
(P.69)
(P.71)
(P.21,62)(P.68)
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE
SYSTEM (ABS)
INDICATOR
(P.34,63)
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM
(SRS) INDICATOR
VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA)
SYSTEM INDICATOR
VSA
ACTIVATION
INDICATOR
HIGH BEAM
INDICATOR
SIDE AIRBAG OFF
INDICATOR(P.35,63)
(P.65) (P.65)
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATOR PARKING BRAKE
AND BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR(P.64)
SH-AWD INDICATOR (P.66)
LOW TIRE PRESSURE/TPMS INDICATOR(P.66)
ADAPTIVE FRONT LIGHTING SYSTEM
(AFS) INDICATOR ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC)
INDICATOR
(P.65) /
CRUISE MAIN INDICATOR
COLLISION MITIGATION BRAKE
SYSTEM (CMBS) INDICATOR (P.69)
(P.69,144) (P.66,319)
(P.62,506)
(P.62,507)(P.62,506) (P.435)
(P.65,435)
(P.64,417)
(P.63,508)
(P.67,429)
2009 RL
Page 70 of 560

Pull to the side of the road when it is
saf e, shif t to Park, and let the engine
idle until the indicator goes out.You will also see a ‘‘CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display (see page ).
Check the tire pressure monitor on
the multi-inf ormation display and
determinethecause(seepage ).
If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is saf e, check which tire
has lost pressure on the multi-
inf ormation display, and determine
the cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
have the flat tire repaired as soon as
possible. If two or more tires are
underinf lated, call a prof essional
towing service. For more
inf ormation, see page .
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
This indicator has two f unctions:
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle’s tires are signif icantly low
on pressure. If this indicator begins to f lash,
there is a problem with the tire
pressure monitoring system
(TPMS). You will also see a
‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display. The indicator continues to
f lash f or a while (approximately 1
minute), then stays on. If this
happens, have your dealer check
the system as soon as possible.
For more inf ormation, see page
.
1. 2.
79
431
519 429
Instrument Panel Indicators
Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
Inst rument s and Cont rols
67
Continuing to drive with the SH-AWD
indicator blinking may cause serious
damage to the system.
2009 RL
Page 79 of 560
This monitor shows how much
torque is being delivered to each
wheel. For more inf ormation, see
page .Whenthetirepressuremonitoris
shown on the multi-inf ormation
display, press the SEL/RESET
button. The display changes as
shown.
You can see the pressure of each tire
in this monitor. If one or more tires
are low, inflate them to the correct
pressure. For more inf ormation, see
page .You can receive or make phone calls
f rom your cell phone through your
vehicle’s Bluetooth
HandsFreeLink(HFL) system
without touching your cell phone.
413
429
Multi-Inf ormation Display
SH-AWD T orque Distribution
MonitorTire Pressure Monitor BluetoothHandsFreeL ink
76
U.S.
Canada
2009 RL
Page 396 of 560

Bef ore installing any accessory:Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Acura accessories, can
make your vehicle unsaf e. Bef ore
you make any modif ications or add
anyaccessories,besuretoreadthe
f ollowing inf ormation.
Your dealer has Acura accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved f or your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.
Bef ore installing any electronic
accessory, have the installer
contact your dealer. If possible,
have your dealer inspect the f inal
installation.
Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
the proper operation of your
vehicle.
Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows. Accessories installed in
theseareasmayinterferewith
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.
Although non-Acura accessories may
f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability.
When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags, anti-lock brakes, and
tire pressure monitoring system. 510
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
393
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
2009 RL
Page 397 of 560

Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
saf ety systems could make the
systems inef f ective.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer.
Raising your vehicle with a non-
Acura suspension kit can af f ect
the handling and stability.
Lowering the vehicle with a non-
Acura suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with non-
Acura components could seriously
af f ect your vehicle’s handling,
stability, and reliability.
Herearesomeexamples:
Non-Acura wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components and will not be
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS).
Modif ying Your Vehicle
A ccessories and Modif ications
394
2009 RL
Page 404 of 560

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 vehicle, the braking
system, the Super Handling-All
Wheel Drive (SH-AWD
)system,
the vehicle stability assist (VSA)
system, the tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS), the collision
mitigation brake system (CMBS),
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer. ........................
Preparing to Drive .402
.......................
Starting the Engine .403
Check Starting System .................................
Message .404
..............
Automatic Transmission .405
Driving with the Paddle
...................................
Shif ters .409
................
D-Paddle Shif t Mode .409
..............
Sequential Shif t Mode .411
Super Handling-All Wheel Drive .................
(SH-AWD
) System .413
...........................................
Parking .415
.............................
Braking System .416
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .417
Collision Mitigation Brake
........................
System (CMBS) .419
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .429
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
),
aka Electronic Stability ........
Control (ESC), System .435
...........................
Towing a Trailer .437
...................
Towing Your Vehicle .442
Driving
Driving
401
TM
TM
2009 RL
Page 405 of 560
Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors and the
trunk are securely closed and
locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel, and the
messages on the multi-inf ormation
display (see pages , and).
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. 17
78 61 70
156
148
161
481
Preparing to Drive
402
2009 RL