Page 350 of 524

CONT INUED
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10% ethanol by
volume and up to 15% MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.The vehicle doors and the f uel f ill
door will automatically relock if
the remote transmitter unlock
f unction is used. In this instance,
the security relock f unction can be
deactivated by brief ly opening
then closing the driver’s door. Make sure the driver’s door is
unlocked. The f uel f ill door always
locks or unlocks in conjunction
with the driver’s door.
Outside of the vehicle, push on the
right side edge of the f uel f ill door
in the middle. The f uel f ill door
will pop up slightly. Pull it outward
to open it.
Park with the driver’s side closest
to the gas pump.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise the engine speed by shif ting to
a lower gear.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation f or your vehicle, or
inf ormation on gasoline that does not
contain MMT, contact your dealer or
visit My Acura at
(In Canada, visit 1.2.
3.On vehicles with manual transmission
owners.acura.com
www.myacura.ca).
Service Station Procedure
Ref uelingBef ore Driving
347
Push
Pull out
FUEL FILL DOOR
2010 TSX
Page 358 of 524

µµ
µ µ
µ
µ
µ
Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traf f ic
Cold engine operation (engines
aremoreefficientwhenwarmed
up)
Driving with a heavy load or the
air conditioner running
Improperly inf lated tires
The f ollowing f actors can lower your
vehicle’s f uel economy:
A properly maintained vehicle
maximizes f uel economy. Poor
maintenance can signif icantly reduce
f uel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the multi-
inf ormation display (see
on page ).
For example: Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking increase fuel
consumption.
Aerodynamic drag has a big ef f ect
on f uel economy at speeds above
45 mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your f uel economy by up
shif ting as early as possible.
Idling
results in 0 miles per gallon (0 kms
per liter).
In
particular, a build-up of snow or
mud on your vehicle’s underside
adds weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
economy. It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing f uel
consumption. An underinf lated tire increases
‘‘rolling resistance,’’ which reduces
f uel economy.
410
CONT INUED
Fuel Economy Factors Use the recommended viscosity
motor oil, displaying the A PI
Certif ication Seal (see page ).
Improving Fuel Economy Owner’s
Maintenance Checks Drive moderately
Observe the speed limit
Always drive in the highest gear
possible
Avoid excessive idling
K eep your vehicle clean A void carrying excess weight in
your vehicle Maintain proper tire inf lation
416
Vehicle Maint enance Drive Ef f icient ly
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
355
2010 TSX
Page 363 of 524

µµ·
The maximum load f or your vehicle
is 850 lbs (385 kg).
See Tire And Loading Inf ormation
label attached to the driver’s
doorjamb.
Label Example
This f igure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, and
accessories, and the tongue load if
you are towing a trailer. Steps f or Determining Correct Load
Limit
Locate the statement ‘‘The
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX
kg or XXX lbs.’’ on your vehicle’s
placard.
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle.
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers f rom
XXX kg or XXX lbs. The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For
example, if the ‘‘XXX’’ amount
equals 1,400 lbs. and there will be
f ive 150 lb. passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.
(1,400 750 (5 150) = 650 lbs.)
Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not saf ely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
If yourvehiclewillbetowinga
trailer, load f rom your trailer will
be transf erred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
(1)
(2)
(3) (4)
(5)
(6)
Load Limits
Carrying Cargo
360
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.
2010 TSX
Page 368 of 524

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
the braking system, the vehicle
stability assist (VSA
) system, the
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS), and f acts you need if you
are planning to tow a trailer. ........................
Preparing to Drive .366
Starting the Engine ..................
(4-cylinder models) . 367
Starting the Engine ..................
(6-cylinder models) . 368
...................
Manual Transmission . 370
..............
Automatic Transmission . 373
Driving with the Paddle .......................................
Shif ters .377
...........................................
Parking .382
.............................
Braking System .383
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 384
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .386
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
),
aka Electronic Stability ........
Control (ESC), System . 392
...........................
Towing a Trailer .394
Driving
Driving
365
2010 TSX
Page 370 of 524

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position f or more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for at least
10 seconds bef ore trying again.
Press the clutch pedal down all the
way. The START (III) position
does not f unction unless the clutch
pedal is pressed.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Manual transmission:
Automatic transmission:
Starting the Engine (4-cylinder models)
Driving
367
T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page . The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
121
2010 TSX
Page 373 of 524

On models with manual transmission
The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot accidentally shif t f rom
any forward gear to reverse while
the vehicle is moving at a certain
speed (see page ).When shif ting up or down, make
sure you push the clutch pedal down
all the way, shif t to the next gear,
and let the pedal up gradually. When
you are not shif ting, do not rest your
f oot on the clutch pedal. This can
cause your clutch to wear out f aster.
Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into reverse, or shif t into one
of the f orward gears f or a moment.
This stops the gears so they won’t
‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheatingwhilegoingdowna
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
372
Manual T ransmission
370
Rapid slowing or speeding up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
2010 TSX
Page 375 of 524
Press the clutch pedal, and shif t to
reverse.
With the clutch pedal still pressed,
start the engine. If you are still unable to shif t to
reverse, apply the parking brake,
andturntheignitionkeytothe
ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0)
position.
If you need to use this procedure to
shif t to reverse, your vehicle may be
developing a problem. Have it
checked by your dealer.
The manual transmission has
lockout so you cannot accidentally
shif t f rom any f orward gear to
reverse while the vehicle is moving
at a certain speed. If you cannot shif t
to reverse when the vehicle is
stopped, do the f ollowing:
With the clutch pedal pressed,
move the shift lever to the first/
second gear side of the neutral
gate, then shif t to reverse.
1. 2.
3.
4.
Manual T ransmission
Reverse Lockout
372
Move the shift lever in sequence.
2010 TSX
Page 376 of 524

If the malf unction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicator, 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.
The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it f lashes while driving (in
any shif t position), it indicates a
possible problem in the transmission. These indicators in the tachometer
show which position the shif t 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.
To shif t f rom Park to any position,
pressfirmlyonthebrakepedal,and
pressthereleasebuttononthefront
of the shift lever, then move the
lever. You cannot shift out of Park
when the ignition switch is in the
LOCK (0) or ACCESSORY (I)
position.
CONT INUED
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Automatic Transmission
Driving
373
SHIFT LEVER
RELEASE
BUTTON
2010 TSX