2013 Acura TL Owner's Manual

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .582
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .583
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start . 588
................................
Jump Starting .591
..............
If the Engine Overheats . 593
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 595
..........
Charging System Indicator . 596
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 597
...............
Brake System Indicator . 598
Opening the Fuel Fill Door ....................................
Manually .599
..............................................
Fuses .600
..............................
Fuse Locations .604
......................
Emergency Towing .607
..........
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck . 609
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
581
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Use the compact spare tire as a
temporary replacement only. Get
your regular tire repaired or replaced,
and put it back on your vehicle as
soon as you can.
Check the air pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indicator bars. The
replacement tire should be the same
sizeanddesign,mountedonthe
same wheel. The spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the spare wheel is not
designed f or mounting a regular tire.
Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road
surf aces. Use greater caution
while driving. Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare tire.
Do not use your compact spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel.
After the flat tire is replaced with
the spare tire, the low tire
pressure/TPMS indicator stays on.
Af ter several miles (kilometers)
driving with the spare, this
indicator begins to f lash, then
stays on again. You will also see a
‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display (see page ).
517
Compact Spare Tire
582
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
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Î
CONT INUED
If you have a f lat tire while driving,
pull over saf ely. Drive slowly along
the shoulder until you get to an area
far away from traffic lanes.Park the vehicle on f irm, level, and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park (automatic)
or reverse (manual). Apply the
parking brake.
Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to
the LOCK (0) position. Have all
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.
Open the trunk. Raise the trunk
f loor lid by lif ting up on the back
edge.
3.
2. 1.
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
583
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.
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Î
Models equipped with the
keyless access system have an engine
start/stop button instead of
an ignition switch. VEHICLE OFF
(LOCK) Mode is the equivalent of
LOCK (0).
For more information
,
see pages
and .
:
184 187
2013 TL

Loosen each wheel nut 1/2 turn
with the wheel nut wrench.
Take the tool case out of the spare
tire.
Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of its well.
Take the jack out of the tool kit
case. Placethejackunderthejacking
point nearest the tire you need to
change. Turn the end bracket
clockwise until the top of the jack
contacts the jacking point. Make
sure the jacking point tab is
restinginthejacknotch.
Place blocks in front and back of
the wheel diagonally opposite the
tire you are changing.
7. 8.
6. 4.
5. 9.
Changing a Flat Tire
584
WHEEL NUT WRENCH
EXTENSION JACK WHEEL NUT
WRENCH
JACKING POINTS
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CONT INUED
Bef ore mounting the spare tire,
wipe any dirt of f the mounting
surface of the wheel and hub with
a clean cloth. Wipe the hub
carefully;itmaybehotfrom
driving.
Remove the wheel nuts, then
remove the f lat tire. Handle the
wheel nuts caref ully; they may be
hot from driving. Place the flat tire
on the ground with the outside
surface facing up.
Use the extension and the wheel
nut wrench as shown to raise the
vehicle until the f lat tire is of f the
ground.
10.
11. 12.
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
585
BRAKE HUB
WHEEL NUT WRENCH EXTENSION
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2013 TL

Tighten the wheel nuts securely
in the same crisscross pattern.
Have the wheel nut torque
checked at the nearest
automotive service facility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:
Remove the center cap before
storing the f lat tire in the trunk
well.
Lower the vehicle to the ground,
and remove the jack.
Put on the spare tire. Put the
wheel nuts back on f inger-tight,
then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel nut wrench
until the wheel is f irmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten the
wheel nuts f ully.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Changing a Flat Tire
586
94 lbf·ft (127 N·m , 13 kgf·m)
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Store the center cap in the trunk.
Make sure it does not get
scratched or damaged. Store the jack and tools in the tool
kit case. Place the tool kit case in
the f lat tire.
To remove the spacer cone,
squeeze the tabs on the wing
bolt to disengage it from the
center of the spacer cone,
then pull the bolt downward.
To install the wing bolt to the
spacer cone, reverse this procedure.
Securetheflattirebyscrewing
the wing bolt back into its hole.
Place the flat tire face down in the
spare tire well.
Remove the spacer cone f rom the
wing bolt, turn it over, and put it
back on the bolt.
Lower the trunk f loor, then close
the trunk lid.
Your vehicle’s original tire has a
tire pressure monitoring system
sensor. To replace a tire, ref er to
(see
page ).
17.
18.
19.20.
21.
22.
518
Changing a Flat Tire
Changing a T ire with T PMS
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
587
SPACER CONE
TAB
SPACER CONE For compact
spare tireFor normal
tire
WING BOLT
Loose items can fly around the
interiorinacrashandcould
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
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2013 TL

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 ),
you do not hear the normal noise of
the engine trying to start. You may
hear a clicking sound, a series of
clicks, or nothing at all.
Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear 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 ):
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly. Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or neutral. Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position or on models with
keyless access system, press the
engine start/stop button to set ON
Mode (see page ). Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
184
184
591
184
If theEngineWon’tStart
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
588
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2013 TL