2009 Acura TL instrument panel

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).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
).
Youshoulddothesechecksand
adjustments bef ore you drive your
vehicle:
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Check that the trunk is f ully
closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.
3.
2.
1.
7.
8.
9.
4.
5. 6.
155
63 75
77
16
161
140
10. 11.
Preparing to Drive
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´
µ
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µ
When you are driving in D position,
you can shif t the transmission up or
down manually with the paddle
shif ters.
Each time you pull (right), the
transmission shif ts to a higher gear.
Pull (lef t) to downshif t. You will
see the selected gear number on the
instrument panel.
To shif t up or down, use the
(right) or (lef t) paddle shif ter on
each side of the steering wheel. Downshifting with the paddle shifter
allows you to increase the engine
braking when going down steep or
long hills, and provides more power
when climbing uphills. You can
upshif t the transmission manually to
reduce the rpm. Driving in the
higher gear helps f uel economy.
When you pull either paddle shif ter,
the gear position indicator shows you
the selected gear number.
Using the Paddle Shif ters in D
position (D-Paddle Shif t Mode)
Driving with the Paddle Shif ters
512
GEAR POSITION INDICATOR
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2009 TL

If the SH-AWD indicator on the
instrument panel stays on, and the
‘‘CHECK SH-AWD SYSTEM’’
message also appears on the multi-
inf ormation display, there is problem
with the SH-AWD system.Your vehicle still has normal f ront-
wheel drive with vehicle stability
assist (VSA), but does not have the
advantages of SH-AWD. Have your
vehicle checked by a dealer as soon
as possible.
If the SH-AWD indicator blinks while
driving, it indicates the dif f erential
temperature is too high. You will also
see an ‘‘SH-AWD DIFF TEMP.
HIGH’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display. If this happens,
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. If
the indicator does not go out, take
your vehicle to a dealer to have it checked.
Super Handling-A ll Wheel Drive (SH-A WD)System
518
TM
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2009 TL

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.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.
Lock the doors.
If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb.
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.
Check the indicator on the
instrument panel to verif y that the
security system is set.If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb.
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 you are unable to stop the
engine normally while in the Park
position, see on page . 184
On models with keyless access system
Parking T ips
Emergency Engine
Stop
Parking
Driving
519
NOTE:
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Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly to the station, then
inflate the tire to the recommended
pressure shown on the driver’s
doorjamb.
If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire (see page ).
Driving on a signif icantly under-
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Becausetirepressurevariesby
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator may come on unexpectedly.
When the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator is on, one or more of your
tires is signif icantly underinf lated.
Youshouldstopandcheckyourtires
as soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure as indicated
on the vehicle’s tire inf ormation
placard.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure/TPMS indicator in the
instrument panel to come on. If this
happens, you will see which tire is
losing pressure on the multi-
inf ormation display along with a
‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE’’
message. It is possible that the pressures
shown on the multi-inf ormation
display and the pressures you
manually measure are slightly
dif f erent.
If the dif f erence is signif icant or you
cannot make the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator and message on the
multi-inf ormation display go out af ter
inf lating the tires to the specif ied
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible. 583
Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
526
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2009 TL

Î
Each tire pressure is shown in PSI
(U.S. models) or in kPa (Canadian
models).If any of the tires has low pressure,
thetirepressuremonitoralsoshows
the above message and each tire
pressure to warn you about the low
tire pressure when you select the
displaybypressingtheINFObutton
several times.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure/TPMS indicator in the
instrument panel to come on. If this
happens, you will see which tire is
losing pressure on the multi-
inf ormation display along with a
‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE’’
message.
Models equipped with the
keyless access system have an
engine start/stop button instead
of an ignition switch. ON Mode
is the equivalent of ON (II). For
more inf ormation, see pages
and .
:
180
178
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
528
Canadian model U.S. model Canadian model
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In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position or on models with keyless
access system, press the engine
start/stop button to set START
Mode (see page ), but the engine
does not run.Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position or on models
with keyless access system, press
the engine start/stop button to set
STARTMode(seepage ).If
the headlights do not dim, check
the condition of the fuses. If the
f uses are OK, there is probably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. See
on page .If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
65
180
180
591577
606
CONT INUED
T he Starter Operates Normally
Emergency T owing
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
589
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.................
Jacking up the Vehicle .584
.......................................
Jack, Tire .583
................................
Jump Starting .591
.......................
Halogen Fog Bulbs .556
......
HandsFreeLink
(HFL) .392,420
............
Hazard Warning Flashers .139
.....................................
Headlights .133
........................................
Aiming .556
Automatic Lighting Off ...................................
Feature .135
.........
Daytime Running Lights .136
..................
High Beam Indicator .71 .......................
Reminder Chime .133
.................................
Turning on .133
............................
Head Restraints .156
...............
High-Low Beam Switch .133
HomeLink
Universal
................................
Transceiver .389
.......................
Hood, Opening the .489
.........................................
Gasoline .486
...............
Fuel Reserve Indicator .73
...........................................
Gauge .75
................
Octane Requirement .486
........................
Tank, Filling the .487
................
Gas Station Procedures .487
Gauges
...
Engine Coolant Temperature .76
...............................................
Fuel .75
...............................
Speedometer .75
.................................
Tachometer .75
Gearshif t Lever Positions ..........
Automatic Transmission .507
......................................
Glove Box .205 ...
Identif ication Number, Vehicle .612
Ignition
............................................
Keys .141
.........................................
Switch .145
............
Timing Control System .624
......................
Immobilizer System .143
.........
Important Safety Precautions .6
.........................................
Indicators .64
......
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake) .66,521
Brake (Parking and Brake
............................
System) .65,597
................
Charging System .65,595
.............................
Cruise Control .72
.....................................
Fog Light .71
...................................
High Beam .71
........
Key (Immobilizer System) .65 ......................................
Low Fuel .73
................
Low Oil Pressure .64,595
.....................
Side Airbag Of f .33,67
.........................................
SRS .26,67
Turn Signal and Hazard ...................................
Warning .70
............................
VSA Activation .68
.................................
VSA System .68
...............................
Inf ant Restraint .42
......................................
Inf ant Seats .42
..........
Tether Anchorage Points .51
...................
Inf lation, Proper Tire .568
.................................
Inside Mirror .161
.............................
Inspection, Tire .571
............................
Instrument Panel .63
..........
Instrument Panel Indicators .64
......
Instrument Panel Brightness .137
...............................
Interior Lights .209
........................................
Introduction .i
Index
H I
J
IV
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