Acura TL User Manual

Introduction

2008 TL

Main Menu

Congratulations! Your selection of a 2008 Acura TL was a wise investment. It
will give you years of driving pleasure.

One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new vehicle is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Afterwards, keep this owner’s manual in your vehicle so
youcanrefertoitatanytime.

Several warranties protect your new vehicle. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.

Maintaining your vehicle according to the maintenance minder shown in the
instrument panel helps to keep your driving trouble-free while it preserves
your investment. When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that
your dealer’s staff is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique
to your vehicle. Your dealer is dedicated to your satisfaction and will be
pleased to answer any questions and concerns.

As you read this manual, you will
find inf ormation that is preceded by
a symbol. This
information is intended to help you
avoid damage to your vehicle, other
property, or the environment.

i

Introduction

2008 TL

Main Menu

California Proposition 65 Warning

WARNING:

defects or other reproductive harm.

Event Data Recorders

This vehicle is equipped with one or more devices commonly referred to as event data recorders. These
devices record front seat belt use, front passenger seat occupancy, airbag deployment data, and the f ailure
of any airbag system component.

except as legally required or with the permission of the vehicle owner.

Service Diagnostic Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record information about powertrain performance. The data
can be used to verify emissions law requirements and/or help technicians diagnose and solve service problems. It may
also be combined with data f rom other sources for research purposes, but it remains conf idential.

This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth

This data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by anyone else

ii

AFewWordsAboutSafety

2008 TL

Main Menu

Your safety, and the safety of others,
is very important. And operating this
vehicle safely is an important
responsibility.

To help you make informed
decisions about safety, we have
provided operating procedures and
other information on labels and in
this manual. This information alerts
you to potential hazards that could
hurt you or others.

Of course, it is not practical or
possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or
maintaining your vehicle. You must
use your own good judgement.

You will f ind this important safety inf ormation in a variety of forms,
including:

−

Safety Labels
Safety Messages

three signal words: , , or .
These signal words mean:

Safety Headings

Safety Precautions.

Safety Section
Instructions

This entire book is f illed with important saf ety information please read it
carefully.

on the vehicle.

−

preceded by a safety alert symbol and one of

DANGER WARNING CAUTION

You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

You CAN be HURT if you don’t follow
instructions.

−

such as Important Safety Reminders or Important

−

such as Driver and Passenger Safety.

−

how to use this vehicle correctly and safely.

−

iii

2008 TL Online Reference Owner's Manual

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... i

A Few Words About Safety .............................................................................................................................. iii

Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) .................................................................................................... 3

Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) .................................................... 5

Instruments and Controls
Features (

Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading) ...................................................................... 235

Driving (engine and transmission operation) ................................................................................................ 251

Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 277

Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, fuses) .................................... 317

Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 341

Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 357

Authorized Manuals (U. S. only) (how to order) ......................................................................................... 361

Index ............................................................................................................................... ........................................ I

climate control,audio,steering wheel,security,cruise control,HomeLink

(indicators, gauges, multi-information display, dashboard and steering column)

Contents

®

,and other convenience items

.......... 55

) ........... 125

Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)

00X31-TK4-6001

1

Overview of Contents

2008 TL

Main Menu

Contents

A convenient reference to the
sections in this manual.

Your Vehicle at a Glance

A quick reference to the main
controls in your vehicle.

Driver and Passenger Saf ety

Important information about the
proper use and care of your vehicle’s
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable information on how to
protect children with child restraints.

Instruments and Controls

Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and gauge,
and how to use the controls on the
dashboard and steering column.

Features

How to operate the heating and air
conditioning system, the audio
system, and other convenience
features.

2

Before Driving

What gasoline to use, how to break­in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.

Driving

The proper way to start the engine,
shift the transmission, and park.

Maintenance

The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance service.
There is also a list of things to check
and instructions on how to check
them.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience,
and details how to handle them.

Technical Information

ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.

Warranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)

A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual for detailed
information.

Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only)

How to order manuals and other
technical literature.

Index

Service Information Summary

A summary of the information you
need when you pull up to the fuel
pump.

Your Vehicle at a Glance

2008 TL

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(P. 97)

(P. 118)

(P. 107)

(P. 189)

(P. 115)

INSTRUMENT PANEL
INDICATORS
GAUGES

FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE HANDLE

MIRROR CONTROLS

DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY SYSTEM
(P. 108)

POWER DOOR
LOCKS
(P. 96)

POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES

(P. 112)

TRUNK RELEASE
BUTTON

:

＊

CEILING LIGHT
HOMELINK
MOONROOF SWITCH

BUTTONS

On models with navigation system shown

(P. 57)

(P. 65)

CEILING CONSOLE

(P. 237)

＊

DRIVER’S FRONT AIRBAG

HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE

(P. 239)

(P. 9)

PASSENGER’S
FRONT AIRBAG
(P. 9)

CLOCK
(P. 116)

CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM
(P. 126)

AUDIO SYSTEM
(P. 133)

MANUAL TRANSMISSION
(P. 256)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
(P. 259)

Your Vehicle at a Glance

3

Your Vehicle at a Glance

2008 TL

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INSTRUMENT PANEL
BRIGHTNESS
(P. 89)

VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA) OFF
SWITCH

MIRROR CONTROLS
(P. 107)

＊ To use the horn, press the center pad of the steering wheel.:

4

HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS/
FOG LIGHTS
(P. 86, 89)

(P. 271)

STEERING WHEEL
ADJUSTMENT

(P. 91)

WINDSHIELD WIPERS/
WASHERS
(P. 85)

REMOTE AUDIO CONTROL
BUTTONS

(P. 183)

PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR
(P. 60)

HAZARD WARNING
BUTTON
(P. 90)

REAR WINDOW
DEFOGGER
BUTTON
(P. 90)

CRUISE
CONTROL
BUTTONS
(P. 186)

SEAT HEATER

＊

HORN

BLUETOOTH
BUTTONS

HANDSFREELINK

(P. 192)

SWITCHES
(P. 111)

Driver and Passenger Safety

2008 TL

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This section gives you important
information about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts. It
explains how your airbags work. And
it tells you how to properly restrain
infants and children in your vehicle.

.........Important Safety Precautions . 6

.......Your Vehicle’s Safety Features . 7

.......................................Seat Belts . 8

...........................................Airbags . 9

.........Protecting Adults and Teens . 11

.....1. Close and Lock the Doors . 11

...........2. Adjust the Front Seats . 12

............3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 13

...4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 13

5. Fasten and Position the

.............................Seat Belts . 14

6. Maintain a Proper Sitting

................................Position . 16

.....Advice for Pregnant Women . 16

...Additional Safety Precautions . 17

Additional Information About

.......................Your Seat Belts . 18

......................Lap/Shoulder Belt . 19

Automatic Seat Belt

...............................Tensioners . 20

...............Seat Belt Maintenance . 21

Additional Information About

...........................Your Airbags . 22

How Your Front Airbags

.........................................Work . 24

How Your Side Curtain Airbags

.........................................Work . 29

How The Side Airbag Off

......................Indicator Works . 30

How the Passenger Airbag Off

......................Indicator Works . 30

.............................Airbag Service . 31

Protecting Children General

All Children Must Be

−

................................Guidelines . 33

...............................Restrained . 33

..Seat Belt System Components . 18

......Airbag System Components . 22

...How Your Side Airbags Work . 27

..How the SRS Indicator Works . 29

...Additional Safety Precautions . 32

All Children Should Sit in a

.................................Back Seat . 34

The Passenger’s Front Airbag

If You Must Drive with Several

...................................Children . 36

If a Child Requires Close

..................................Attention . 36

Protecting Infants and Small

...................................Children . 38

.......................Protecting Infants . 38

.....................Selecting a Child Seat . 41

....................Installing a Child Seat . 42

...............................With LATCH . 43

..............................With a Tether . 46

...............Checking Seat Belt Fit . 48

..................Using a Booster Seat . 49

When Can a Larger Child Sit in

.........................................Front . 50

.............Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 52

...................................Safety Labels . 53

.........Can Pose Serious Risks . 34

...Additional Safety Precautions . 37

.........Protecting Small Children . 39

.........With a Lap/Shoulder Belt . 45

...........Protecting Larger Children . 48

...Additional Safety Precautions . 51

Driver and Passenger Safety

5

Important Safety Precautions

2008 TL

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You’ll find many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.

Always Wear Your Seat Belt

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 ).

14

6

Restrain All Children

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 ).

Be Aware of Airbag Hazards

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.
Infants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.

Don’t Drink and Drive

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

48 51

−

every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your friends
drink and drive, either.

Control Your Speed

Excessive speed is a major factor 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
faster than is safe for current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.

Keep Your Vehicle in Safe
Condition

Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical failure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition frequently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).

284

Your Vehicle’s Safety Features

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(8) (10) (9)

(7)

(2)

(1)(4)(3)

(9)

(8)

(11)

(6)

(7)

(5)

(1) Safety Cage
(2) Crush Zones
(3) Seats and Seat-Backs
(4) Head Restraints
(5) Collapsible Steering Column
(6) Seat Belts
(7) Front Airbags
(8) Side Airbags
(9) Side Curtain Airbags
(10) Door Locks
(11) Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners

(2)

Your vehicle is equipped with many
features that work together to
protect you and your passengers
during a crash.

Some features do not require any
action on your part. These include a
strong steel framework that forms a
safety cage around the passenger
compartment, front and rear crush
zones, a collapsible steering column,
and tensioners that tighten the front
seat belts in a crash.

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger Safety

7

Your Vehicle’s Safety Features

2008 TL

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However, you and your passengers
can’t take full advantage of these
features unless you remain sitting in
a proper position and

your seat belts

features can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly.

The f ollowing pages explain how you
cantakeanactiveroleinprotecting
yourself and your passengers. Seat belts are the single most

always wear

. In fact, some safety

Seat Belts

Your vehicle is equipped with seat
belts in all seating positions.

Your seat belt system also includes
an indicator on the instrument panel
and a beeper to remind you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts.

Why Wear Seat Belts

effectivesafetydeviceforadultsand
larger children. (Infants and smaller
children must be properly restrained
in child seats.)

Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags.

In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces require you to
wear seat belts.

8

Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags.

Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.

When properly worn, seat belts:

Keep you connected to the vehicle
so you can take advantage of the
vehicle’s built-in safety features.

Help protect you in almost every
type of crash, including f rontal,
side and rear impacts, and
rollovers.

Your Vehicle’s Safety Features

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Help keep you from being thrown
against the inside of the vehicle
and against other occupants.

Keep you from being thrown out
of the vehicle.

Help keep you in a good position
should the airbags ever deploy. A
good position reduces the risk of
injury from an inflating airbag and
allows you to get the best
advantage from the airbag.

Of course, seat belts cannot
completely protect you in every
crash.Butinmostcases,seatbelts
can reduce your risk of serious
injury.

What You Should Do:

Always wear your seat belt, and
make sure you wear it properly.

Airbags

Your vehicle has a supplemental
restraint system (SRS) with front
airbags to help protect the heads and
chests of the driver and a front seat
passenger during a moderate to
severe f rontal collision (see page

for more information on how

your front airbags work).

Your vehicle also has side airbags to
help protect the upper torso of the
driver or a front seat passenger
during a moderate to severe side
impact (see page f or more

27

information on how your side airbags
work).24

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger Safety

9

Your Vehicle’s Safety Features

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In addition, your vehicle has side
curtain airbags to help protect the
heads of the driver, f ront passenger,
and passengers in the outer rear
seating positions during a moderate
to severe side impact (see page

for more information on how

29

your side curtain airbags work).

10

The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:

Airbags do not replace seat belts.

They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.

Airbags off er no protection in rear
impacts, or minor frontal or side
collisions.

Airbags can pose serious hazards.

To do their job, airbags must
inflate with tremendous force. So
while airbags help save lives, they
can cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly.

What you should do:

Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as far back from the
steering wheel as possible while
allowing full control of the vehicle. A
front passenger should move their
seat as far back from the dashboard
as possible.

The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your safety.

Remember however, that no safety
system can prevent all injures or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.

Protecting Adults and Teens

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The f ollowing pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect the driver, adult passengers
and teenage children who are large
enough and mature enough to drive
or ride in the front seat.

See pages for important
guidelines on how to properly
protect infants, small children, and
larger children who ride in your
vehicle.

33 37

−

Close and Lock the DoorsIntroduction 1.

After everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors and trunk
are closed and locked.

Your vehicle has a door and trunk
openindicatoronthemulti­information display to indicate when
a specific door or the trunk is not
tightly closed.

Locking the doors reduces the
chance of someone being thrown out
of the vehicle during a crash, and it
helps prevent passengers from
accidentally opening a door and
falling out.

Locking the doors also helps prevent
an outsider from unexpectedly
opening a door when you come to a
stop.

See page f or how to lock the
doors, and page for how the door
and trunk open monitor system
works.

Your vehicle has the auto door
locking/unlocking feature. For more
information, see page .

96

68

79

11

Driver and Passenger Safety

Protecting Adults and Teens

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Adjust theFront Seats2.

rear as possible while allowing you to
maintain full control of the vehicle.
Have a front passenger adjust their
seat as far to the rear as possible.

If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inflating front
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.

12

The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that drivers
allow at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the center of the steering
wheel and the chest. In addition to
adjusting the seat, you can adjust the
steering wheel up and down, and in
and out (see page ).

If you cannot get f ar enough away
from the steering wheel and still
reach the controls, we recommend
that you investigate whether some
type of adaptive equipment may help.Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the

91

Sitting too close to a front
airbag can result in serious
injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.

Always sit as far back from the
front airbags as possible.

See page for how to adjust the
front seats.

103

Protecting Adults and Teens

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Adjust the Head RestraintsAdjust the Seat-Backs 4.3.

Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a
comfortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel.

Passengers with adjustable seat­backs should also adjust their seat­back to a comfortable, upright
position.

Reclining the seat-back too far
can result in serious injury or
death in a crash.

Adjust the seat-back to an
upright position, and sit well
back in the seat.

Reclining a seat-back so that the
shoulder part of the belt no longer
rests against the occupant’s chest
reduces the protective capability of
the belt. It also increases the chance
of sliding under the belt in a crash
and being seriously injured. The
farther a seat-back is reclined, the
greater the risk of injury.

See page for how to adjust the

103

seat-backs.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Adjust the driver’s head restraint so
the center of the back of your head
rests against the center of the
restraint.

Have passengers adjust their head
restraints properly as well. Taller
persons should adjust their restraint
as high as possible.

CONTINUED

13

Protecting Adults and Teens

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Improperly positioning head
restraints reduces their
effectiveness and you can be
seriously injured in a crash.

Make sure head restraints are
in place and positioned properly
before driving.

Properly adjusted head restraints
will help protect occupants from
whiplash and other crash injuries.

See page for how to adjust the
head restraints.

104

Fasten and Position the Seat

5.
Belts

Insert the latch plate into the buckle,
then tug on the belt to make sure the
belt is securely latched. Also check
that the belt is not twisted, because a
twisted belt can cause serious
injuries in a crash.

Position the lap part of the belt as
low as possible across your hips,
then pull up on the shoulder part of
thebeltsothelappartfitssnugly.
This lets your strong pelvic bones
take the force of a crash and reduces
the chance of internal injuries.

14

Protecting Adults and Teens

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If necessary, pull up on the belt again
to remove any slack, then check that
the belt rests across the center of
your chest and over your shoulder.
This spreads the forces of a crash
over the strongest bones in your
upper body.

Improperly positioning the seat
belts can cause serious injury
or death in a crash.

Make sure all seat belts are
properly positioned before
driving.

If the seat belt touches or crosses
your neck, or if it crosses your arm
instead of your shoulder, you need to
adjust the seat belt anchor height.

RELEASE
BUTTON

The front seats have adjustable seat
belt anchors. To adjust the height of
an anchor, press and hold the release
button and slide the anchor up or
down as needed (it has four
positions).

Never place the shoulder portion of a
lap/shoulder belt under your arm or
behind your back.

This could cause

very serious injuries in a crash.

If a seat belt does not seem to work
properly, it may not protect the
occupant in a crash.

No one should sit in a seat with an
inoperative seat belt.

Using a seat
belt that is not working properly can
result in serious injury or death.
Have your dealer check the belt as
soon as possible.

See page f or additional

18

information about your seat belts
and how to take care of them.

CONTINUED

15

Driver and Passenger Safety

Protecting Adults and Teens

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6.
Position

After all occupants have adjusted
their seats and head restraints, and
put on their seat belts, it is very
important that they continue to sit
upright, well back in their seats, with
their feet on the floor, until the
vehicle is parked and the engine is
off.

Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example, if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward or sideways,
or puts one or both feet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is
greatly increased.

16

In addition, an occupant who is out of
position in the front seat can be
seriously or f atally injured in a crash
by striking interior parts of the
vehicle or being struck by an
inflating front airbag.

Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
injury or death in a crash.

Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the
floor.

Advice for Pregnant WomenMaintain a Proper Sitting

If you are pregnant, the best way to
protect yourself and your unborn
child when driving or riding in a
vehicle is to always wear a seat belt,
and keep the lap part of the belt as
low as possible across the hips.

Protecting Adults and Teens

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When driving, remember to sit
upright and adjust the seat as far
back as possible while allowing full
control of the vehicle. When riding
as a front passenger, adjust the seat
as far back as possible.

This will reduce the risk of injuries
to both you and your unborn child
that can be caused by a crash or an
inflating front airbag.

Each time you have a checkup, ask
your doctor if it’s okay for you to
drive.

Additional Safety Precautions

same seat belt.

If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.

Do not put any accessories on seat
belts.

Devices intended to improve
occupant comfort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt can
reduce the protective capability of
thebeltandincreasethechanceof
serious injury in a crash.

Do not place hard or sharp objects
between yourself and a front
airbag.

Carrying hard or sharp
objects on your lap, or driving with
a pipe or other sharp object in
your mouth, can result in injuries
if your airbags inflate.

Keep your hands and arms away
from the airbag covers.Two people should never use the

If your
hands or arms are close to an
airbag cover, they could be injured
if the airbags inf late.

Do not attach or place objects on
the f ront airbag covers.

Objects on
the covers marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’
could interfere with the proper
operation of the airbags or be
propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone if the airbags inflate.

Do not attach hard objects on or
near a door.

If a side airbag or a
side curtain airbag inflates, a cup
holder or other hard object
attached on or near the door could
be propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone.

17

Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

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Seat Belt System Components

Your seat belt system includes lap/
shoulder belts in all five seating
positions. The front seat belts are
also equipped with automatic seat
belt tensioners.

This system uses the same sensors
as the front airbags to monitor
whether the front seat belts are
latched or unlatched, and how much
weight is on the front passenger’s
seat (see pages and ).

26 27

18

The seat belt system

includes an indicator on the
instrument panel and a beeper to
remind you and your passengers to
fasten your seat belts.

This system monitors the front seat
belts. If you turn the ignition switch
to the ON (II) position before your
seat belt is fastened, the beeper will
sound and the indicator will flash. If
your seat belt is not fastened before
the beeper stops, the indicator will
stop flashing but remain on.

If a front passenger does not fasten
their seat belt, the indicator will
come on about 6 seconds after the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position.

If either the driver or a front
passenger does not fasten their seat
belt while driving, the beeper will
sound and the indicator will flash
again at regular intervals.

You will also see a ‘‘FASTEN SEAT
BELT’’ or ‘‘FASTEN PASSENGER
SEAT BELT’’ message on the multi­information display (see page ).

When no one is sitting in the front
passenger’s seat, or a child or small
adult is riding there, the indicator
should not come on and the beeper
should not sound.

68

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

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If the indicator comes on or the
beeper sounds when the driver’s seat
belt is latched and there is no front
seat passenger and no items on the
front seat, something may be
interfering with the monitoring
system. Look for and remove:

Any items under the f ront
passenger’s seat.

Any object(s) hanging on the seat
or in the seat-back pocket.

Any object(s) touching the rear of
the seat-back.

If no obstructions are found, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer.

Lap/Shoulder Belt

The lap/shoulder belt goes over
your shoulder, across your chest,
and across your hips.

To fasten the belt, insert the latch
plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is
latched (see page for how to

14

properly position the belt).

To unlock the belt, press the red
PRESSbuttononthebuckle.Guide
the belt across your body so that it
retracts completely. Af ter exiting the
vehicle, be sure the belt is out of the
way and will not get closed in the
door.

All seat belts have an emergency
locking retractor. In normal driving,
the retractor lets you move freely in
your seat while it keeps some
tension on the belt. During a collision
or sudden stop, the retractor
automatically locks the belt to help
restrain your body.

The seat belts in all positions except
the driver’s have a lockable retractor
that must be activated to secure a
child seat (see page ).

45

If the shoulder part of the belt is
pulled all the way out, the lockable
retractor will activate. The belt will
retract, but it will not allow the
passenger to move freely.

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19

Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

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To deactivate the lockable retractor,
unlatch the buckle and let the seat
belt fully retract. To refasten the
seat belt, pull it out only as far as
needed.

20

Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners

For added protection, the front seat
belts are equipped with automatic
seat belt tensioners. When activated,
the tensioners immediately tighten
the belts to help hold the driver and
a front passenger in position.

The tensioners are designed to
activate in any collision severe
enough to cause the front airbags to
deploy.

If a side airbag or side curtain airbag
deploys during a side impact, the
tensioner on that side of the vehicle
will also deploy.

The tensioners can also be activated
during a collision in which the front
airbags . In this case, the
airbags would not be needed, but the
additional restraint could be helpful.

When the tensioners are activated,
the seat belts will remain tight until
they are unbuckled.

do not deploy

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Seat Belt Maintenance

For safety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.

Pull each belt out fully, and look for
frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
the belts retract easily. If a belt does
not retract easily, cleaning the belt
may correct the problem (see page

). Any belt that is not in good

303

condition or working properly will
not provide good protection and
should be replaced as soon as
possible.

Acura provides a limited warranty on
seat belts. See your

Information

booklet for details.

Acura Warranty

If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
it must be replaced by your dealer. A
belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.

The dealer should also inspect the
anchors for damage and replace
them if needed. If the automatic seat
belt tensioners activate during a
crash, they must be replaced.

Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.

Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.

Driver and Passenger Safety

21

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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Airbag System Components

(1) Driver’s Front Airbag
(2) Passenger’s Front Airbag
(3) Control Unit
(4) Front Seat Belt Tensioners
(5) Side Airbags
(6) Driver’s Seat Position Sensor
(7) Front Passenger’s Weight Sensors
(8) Front Impact Sensors
(9) Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
(10) Side Impact Sensors
(11) Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) Sensors
(12) SRS Indicator
(13) Side Curtain Airbags
(14) Front Passenger’s Weight Sensors Control Unit/

22

OPDS Sensors Control Unit

(8)

(3)

(1)

(12)

(13)

(8)

(10)

(9)

(6)

(2) (13)

(5)

(4)

(14)

(11)

(5)

(4)

(10)

(7)

(7)

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Your airbag system includes:

Two SRS (supplemental restraint
system) front airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the front
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).

Two side airbags, one for the
driver and one for a front
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat­backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).

Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling,
above the side windows. The front
and rear pillars are marked ‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see page

29

).

24

27

Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).

Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact.

Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag off (see

28

page ).

Sensors that can detect whether
the driver’s seat belt and the front
passenger’s seat belt are latched
or unlatched (see page ).

A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will
inflate with less force (see page

26

).

20

18

Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the front passenger’s
seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less (the weight of an
infant or small child), the
passenger’s front airbag will be
turned off (see page ).

A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records information about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position.

An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned off (see page ).

26

30

Driver and Passenger Safety

23

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ).

An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
front airbag has been turned off
(see page ).

Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.

29

30

24

How Your Front Airbags Work

If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, sensors will
detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration.

If the rate of deceleration is high
enough, the control unit will instantly
inflate the driver’s and f ront
passenger’s airbags, at the time and
with the force needed.

During a frontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the front airbag helps protect
your head and chest.

Although both airbags normally
inflate within a split second of each
other, it is possible for only one
airbag to deploy.

This can happen if the severity of a
collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
sufficient protection, and the
supplemental protection offered by
the airbag would be minimal.

Only the driver’s airbag can deploy if
there is no passenger in the front
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger’s
airbag off (see page ).

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Additional Information About Your Airbags

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After inf lating, the front airbags
immediately deflate, so they won’t
interfere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.

The total time for inflation and
deflation is one-tenth of a second, so
fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until
they see them lying in their laps.

After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder from the airbag’s surface.
Although the powder is not harmful,
people with respiratory problems
mayexperiencesometemporary
discomfort. If this occurs, get out of
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.

Dual-Stage Airbags

Your front airbags are dual-stage
airbags. This means they have two
inflation stages that can be ignited
sequentially or simultaneously,
depending on crash severity.

more severe

In a crash, both stages
will ignite simultaneously to provide
the quickest and greatest protection.

less severe

In a crash, one stage will
ignite first, then the second stage
will ignite a split second later. This
provides longer airbag inflation time
with a little less force.

Dual-Threshold Airbags

Your front airbags are also dual­threshold airbags. Airbags with this
feature have two deployment
thresholds that depend on whether
sensors detect the occupant is
wearing a seat belt or not.

If the occupant’s belt is ,

not latched

the airbag will deploy at a slightly
lower threshold, because the
occupant would need extra
protection.

If the occupant’s belt is , the

latched

airbag will inf late at a slightly higher
threshold, when the airbag would be
needed to supplement the protection
provided by the seat belt.

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25

Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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Advanced Airbags

Your front airbags are also advanced
airbags. The main purpose of this
feature is to help prevent airbag­caused injuries to short drivers and
children who ride in front.

For both advanced airbags to work
properly:

Occupants must sit upright and
wear their seat belts properly.

Do not spill any liquids on or
under the seats, cover the sensors,
or put any cargo or metal objects
under the front seats.

Back-seat passengers should not
put their f eet under the front seats.

Failure to follow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them from working properly.

26

DRIVER’S
SEAT
POSITION
SENSOR

The driver’s advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will
inflate with less force, regardless of
the severity of the impact.

If there is a problem with the sensor,
the SRS indicator will come on, and
the airbag will inflate in the normal
manner regardless of the driver’s
seating position.

PASSENGER’S
SEAT WEIGHT
SENSOR

The passenger’s advanced f ront
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Acura does
not encourage carrying an infant or
small child in front, if the sensors
detect the weight of an infant or
small child (up to about 65 lbs or 29
kg), the system will automatically
turn the passenger’s front airbag off.

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Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger’s seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.

When the airbag is turned off, a
‘‘passenger airbag off’’ indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page ).

30

If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the front seat, the
airbag will be off. However, the
passenger airbag off indicator will
not come on.

To ensure that the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,

that would increase or decrease the
weight on the front passenger’s seat.

do not do anything

This includes:

A rear passenger pushing or
pulling on the back of the front
passenger’s seat.

Moving the front seat or seat-back
forcibly back against cargo on the
seat or f loor behind it.

Hanging heavy items on the front
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.

Also,makesurethefloormatbehind
the front passenger’s seat is hooked
to the floor mat anchor (see page

). If it is not, the mat may

304

interfere with the proper operation
of the sensors and operation of the
seat.

How Your Side Airbags Work

Driver and Passenger Safety

If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid acceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag and activate the seat belt
tensioner on the affected side.

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27

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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Only one airbag will deploy during a
side impact. If the impact is on the
passenger’s side, the passenger’s
side airbag will deploy even if there
is no passenger.

To get the best protection from the
side airbags, front seat occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.

28

Side Airbag Cutoff System

Your vehicle has a side airbag cutof f
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the f ront passenger’s
seat.

children to ride in front, if the
position sensors detect a child has
leaned into the side airbag’s
deployment path, the airbag will shut
off.

Thesideairbagmayalsoshutoffifa
short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the airbag’s
deployment path.

Objects placed on the front
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to be shut off.

If the side airbag off indicator comes
on (see page ), have the
passenger sit upright. Once the
passenger is out of the airbag’s
deployment path, the system will
turn the airbag back on, and the
indicator will go out.Although Acura does not encourage

There will be some delay between
the moment the passenger moves
into or out of the airbag deployment
pathandwhentheindicatorcomes
on or goes off.

A front seat passenger should not
use a cushion or other object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutoff
system f rom working properly.

30

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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How Your Side Curtain Airbags
Work

SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG

In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid acceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag and activate the seat belt
tensioner on the driver’s or the
passenger’s side of the vehicle.

If the impact is on the passenger’s
side, the passenger’s side curtain
airbag will inflate even if there are no
occupants on that side of the vehicle.

To get the best protection from the
side curtain airbags, occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.

How the SRS Indicator Works

The SRS indicator alerts

you to a potential problem
with your airbags or seat belt
tensioners.

When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on briefly then goes off. This
tells you the system is working
properly.

If the indicator comes on at any
other time, or does not come on at all,
you should have the system checked
by your dealer. For example:

If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.

If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.

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29

Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoffwhileyoudrive.

If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them.

Ignoring the SRS indicator can
result in serious injury or death
if the airbag systems or
tensioners do not work properly.

Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS indicator alerts you to
a possible problem.

30

How the Side Airbag Off
Indicator Works

CanadaU. S.

This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
automatically shut off. It does

not

mean there is a problem with your
side airbags.

When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the indicator
should come on briefly and then go
out(seepage ).Ifitdoesn’tcome

60

on, stays on, or comes on while
driving without a passenger in the
front seat, have the system checked.

How the Passenger Airbag Off
Indicator Works

Canada

U. S.

PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR

This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s front airbag has been
shut off because weight sensors
detect about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less
(the weight of an infant or small
child) on the front passenger’s seat.
It does there is a problem

not mean

with the airbag.

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Be aware that objects placed on the
front seat can cause the indicator to
come on.

If no weight is detected on the f ront
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut off. However, the indicator will
not come on.

The passenger airbag off indicator
maycomeonandoffrepeatedlyif
the total weight on the seat is near
the airbag cutoff threshold.

If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in front, move the seat as far
to the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly.

If the indicator comes on with no
front seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interfering
with the weight sensors. Look for
and remove:

Any items under the f ront
passenger’s seat.

Any object hanging on the seat or
in the seat-back pocket.

If no obstructions are found, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible.

Airbag Service

Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance free, and there are no
parts you can safely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:

An airbag ever inflates.

Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.

Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.

The SRS indicator alerts you to a
problem.

Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger Safety

31

Additional Information About Your Airbags

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If your vehicle has a moderate to
severe impact.

Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor, the front
passenger’s weight sensors, the
front seat belt tensioners, and all
seat belts worn during a crash to
make sure they are operating
properly.

32

Additional Safety Precautions

Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.

Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.

Do not tamper with airbag
components or wiring for any
reason.

Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.

Do not expose the f ront passenger’s
seat-back to liquid.

If water or
another liquid soaks into a seat­back, it can prevent the side airbag
cutoff system from working
properly.

Do not remove or modif y a front
seat without consulting your
dealer.

This could make the
driver’s seat position sensor or the
front passenger’s weight sensors
ineffective. If it is necessary to
remove or modify a front seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, first contact Acura
Client Services at 800-382-2238.

Do not cover or replace front seat­back covers without consulting
your dealer.

Improperly replacing
or covering front seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags from
inflating during a side impact.

Children depend on adults to protect

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them. However, despite their best
intentions, many adults do not know
how to protect child

properly

passengers.

If you have children, or ever need to
drive with a child in your vehicle, be
sure to read this section. It begins
with important general guidelines,
then presents special information for
infants, small children, and larger
children.

Protecting Children General Guidelines

All Children Must Be Restrained

Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In f act, vehicle
accidents are the number one cause
of the death of children ages 12 and
under.

To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state and
Canadian province requires that
infants and children be properly
restrained when they ride in a
vehicle.

Infants and small children must be
restrained in an approved child seat
that is properly secured to the
vehicle

(see pages ).

38 47

−

−

Children who are unrestrained
or improperly restrained can be
seriously injured or killed in a
crash.

Any child too small for a seat
belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. A
larger child should be properly
restrained with a seat belt and
use a booster seat if necessary.

Larger children must be restrained
with a lap/shoulder belt and ride on
a booster seat until the seat belt f its
them properly

(see pages ).

48 51

−

Driver and Passenger Safety

33

Protecting Children General Guidelines

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−

All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat

According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
safer when they are restrained in a
back seat.

The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Some
states have laws restricting where
children may ride.

Children who ride in the back are
less likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back.

34

The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks

Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s front airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
force to cause very serious injuries.

advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
front airbag off (see page ),

30

please follow these guidelines:

Infants
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger’s front airbag.

If
the airbag inflates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
infant.

Small Children
Placing a f orward-facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger’s front airbag can
be hazardous.

If the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown forward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough force to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.Even though your vehicle has an

Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
seats are also at risk of being injured
or killed by an inflating passenger’s
front airbag.

Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page for important

48

information about protecting larger
children).

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−

To remind you of the passenger’s
front airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the front visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.

U.S. Models

SUN VISOR

Canadian Models

SUN VISOR

DASHBOARD

Driver and Passenger Safety

35

Protecting Children General Guidelines

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−

If You Must Drive with Several
Children

Your vehicle has a back seat where
children can be properly restrained.
If you ever have to carry a group of
children, and a child must ride in
front:

Place the largest child in the front
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).

Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page ).

Have the child sit upright and well
backintheseat(seepage ).

Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page

14

).

48

103

16

36

If a Child Requires Close
Attention

Many parents say they prefer to put
an infant or a small child in the front
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.

Placing a child in the front seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
frontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.

If a child requires close physical
attention or frequent visual contact,
we strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in the back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.

Protecting Children General Guidelines

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−

Additional Safety Precautions

Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.

If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.

Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a child.

During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.

Never let two children use the
same seat belt.

If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.

Use the childproof door locks to
prevent children from opening the
rear doors.

children from accidentally falling
out (see page ).

98

Make sure any unused seat belt
that a child can reach is buckled,
the lockable retractor is activated,
and the belt is fully retracted and
locked.

If a child wraps a loose
seat belt around their neck, they
can be seriously or fatally injured.
(See pages and for how to

45 46

activate and deactivate the
lockable retractor.)

Do not leave children alone in a
vehicle.

Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous.

For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die from heatstroke. A
child left alone with the key in the
ignition switch can accidentally set
the vehicle in motion, possibly
injuring themselves or others.This can prevent

Lock all doors and the trunk when
your vehicle is not in use.

Children
who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles. Know how to
operate the emergency trunk
opener and decide if your children
should be shown how to use this
feature(seepage ).

Keep vehicle keys and remote
transmitters out of the reach of
children.

Even very young

98

children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition
switch, and open the trunk, which
can lead to accidental injury or
death.

37

Driver and Passenger Safety

Protecting Infants and Small Children

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Protecting Infants

Child Seat Type

An infant must be properly
restrained in a rear-facing, reclining
child seat until the child reaches the
seat maker’s weight or height limit
for the seat, and the child is at least
one year old.

Only a rear-facing child seat provides
proper support for a baby’s head,
neck, and back.

38

Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively for infants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear­facing, reclining mode.

Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in
a forward-facing position.

If placed
facing forward, an infant could be
very seriously injured during a
frontal collision.

Rear-f acing Child Seat Placement

A rear-facing child seat can be placed
in any seating position in the back
seat, but not in the front.

rear-f acing child seat in the f ront
seat.

Never put a

If the passenger’s front airbag
inflates, it can hit the back of the
child seat with enough force to kill or
seriously injure an infant.

When properly installed, a rear­facing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger from
moving their seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking their
seat-back in the desired position.

It can also interfere with proper
operation of the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system.

Protecting Infants and Small Children

2008 TL

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Main Menu

In any of these situations, we
strongly recommend that you install
the child seat directly behind the
front passenger’s seat, move the seat
as far forward as needed, and leave it
unoccupied. Or, you may wish to get
a smaller rear-facing child seat.

Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death during a
collision.

Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.

Protecting Small Children

Child Seat Type

A child who is at least one year old,
and who fits within the child seat
maker’s weight and height limits,
should be restrained in a f orward­facing, upright child seat.

Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a five­point harness system as shown.

We also recommend that a small
child use the child seat until the child
reaches the weight or height limit
for the seat.

Child Seat Placement

We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the front.

Placing a f orward-facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger’s airbag can be
hazardous.

If the vehicle seat is too
far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown forward during a collision, an
inflating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to cause very
serious or fatal injuries.

Even with advanced front airbags
that automatically turn the
passenger’s front airbag off (see
page ), a back seat is the safest

26

place for a small child.

CONTINUED

39

Driver and Passenger Safety

Protecting Infants and Small Children

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

If it is necessary to put a f orward­facing child seat in the front, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, and be sure the child seat is
firmly secured to the vehicle and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.

Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.

Ifyoumustplaceaforward­facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.

40

When buying a child seat, you need

2008 TL

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Main Menu

to choose either a conventional child
seat, or one designed for use with
the lower anchors and tethers for
children (LATCH) system.

Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the two outer
rear seats.

Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.

In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH­compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.

Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:

The child seat should meet U.S. or

1.
Canadian Motor Vehicle Saf ety
Standard 213.

Look f or FMVSS

213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.

Selecting a Child Seat

The child seat should be of the

2.
proper type and size to fit the child.

Rear-facing for infants, forward­facing for small children.

The child seat should f it the

3.
vehicle seating position (or
positions) where it will be used.

Before purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend that
you test the seat in the specific
vehicle seating position or positions
where the seat will be used.

Driver and Passenger Safety

41

Installing a Child Seat

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Main Menu

After selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:

Properly secure the child seat to

1.
the vehicle.

All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (lower anchors and
tethers for children) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.

Make sure the child seat is firmly

2.
secured.

After installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.

42

A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as firmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid.’’ Some side-to-side
movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat’s
effectiveness.

If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a different seating
position, or use a different style of
child seat that can be firmly secured.

Secure the child in the child seat.

3.

Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash.

The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A forward-facing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same for a rear­facing child seat.

Installing a Child Seat

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Main Menu

Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH

Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (lower anchors and tethers
for children) at the outer rear seats.

The lower anchors are located
between the seat-back and seat
bottom, and are to be used only with
a child seat designed for use with
LATCH.

The location of each lower anchor is
indicated by a small button above the
anchor point.

MARKS

LOWER ANCHORS

To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:

Move the seat belt buckle or

1.
tongue away from the lower
anchors.

2.
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors.

Ripid type

Place the child seat on the vehicle

3.
seat, then attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.

Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connector as
shown above.Make sure there are no objects

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger Safety

43

Installing a Child Seat

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Main Menu

TETHER STRAP
HOOK

7.

Push and pull the child seat
forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.

Flexible type

Other LATCH-compatible seats
have a f lexible-type connector as
shown above.

4.

Whatever type you have, follow
the child seat maker’s instructions
for adjusting or tightening the fit.

44

ANCHOR

5.

Lift the head restraint (see page

104

), then route the tether strap
through the legs of the head
restraint and over the seat-back,
making sure the strap is not
twisted.

6.

Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.

Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/

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Shoulder Belt

When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.

In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver’s have a lockable retractor
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.

Installing a Child Seat

Driver and Passenger Safety

With the child seat in the desired

1. 2.
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle.

To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt feed back into the
retractor.

After the belt has retracted, tug on

3.
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
thebeltout,itisnotlocked,and
you will need to repeat these steps.

CONTINUED

45

Installing a Child Seat

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Main Menu

Installing a Child Seat with a
Tether

COVER

After conf irming that the belt is

4. 5.
locked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle, and pull
up to remove any slack from the
lap part of the belt. Remember, if
the lap part of the belt is not tight,
the child seat will not be secure.

To remove slack, it may help to
putweightonthechildseat,or
push on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt.

46

Push and pull the child seat
forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract fully, then repeat these
steps.

To deactivate the lockable retractor
and remove a child seat, unlatch the
buckle, unroute the seat belt, and let
the belt fully retract.

ANCHORAGE POINT

A child seat with a tether can be
installed in any seating position in
the back seat, using one of the
anchorage points shown above.

Since a tether can provide additional
security to the lap/shoulder belt
installation, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.

Installing a Child Seat

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TETHER STRAP
HOOK

After properly securing the child

1.
seat (see page ), lift the head

COVER

ANCHOR

45 45

restraint, then route the tether
strap over the seat-back and
through the legs of the head
restraint.

Lift the anchor cover, then attach

2.
the tether strap hook to the
anchor, making sure the strap is
not twisted.

Tighten the strap according to the

3.
seat maker’s instructions.

Using the Center AnchorUsing an Outer Anchor

After properly securing the child

1.
seat (see page ), route the
tether strap over the top of the
seat-back.

Followsteps2and3inthe

2.
previous column.

Driver and Passenger Safety

47

Protecting Larger Children

2008 TL

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Main Menu

When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in a back seat on a
booster seat and wear a lap/shoulder
belt.

The f ollowing pages give
instructions on how to check proper
seat belt fit, what kind of booster
seat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions for a child
who must sit in front.

48

Allowing a child age 12 or under
to sit in front can result in injury
or death if the passenger’s front
airbag inflates.

If a child must ride in front,
move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, use a booster
seat if needed, have the child
sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly.

Checking Seat Belt Fit

To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly fits a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself:

Does the child sit all the way back

1.
against the seat?

Do the child’s knees bend

2.
comfortably over the edge of the
seat?

Protecting Larger Children

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Main Menu

Does the shoulder belt cross

3.

Using a Booster Seat

between the child’s neck and arm?

Is the lap part of the belt as low as

4.
possible, touching the child’s
thighs?

Will the child be able to stay

5.
seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answer yes to all these
questions, the child is ready to wear
the lap/shoulder belt correctly. If
you answer no to any question, the
child needs to ride on a booster seat. A child who has outgrown a forward-

facing child seat should ride in a
back seat and use a booster seat
until the lap/shoulder belt fits them
properly without the booster.

Some states and Canadian provinces
also require children to use a booster
seat until they reach a given age or
weight (e.g., 6 years or 60 lbs). Be
sure to check current laws in the
states or provinces where you intend
to drive.

Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster seat meets
federal safety standards (see page

) and that you follow the booster

41

seat maker’s instructions.

If a child who uses a booster seat
must ride in f ront, move the vehicle
seat as far back as possible and be
sure the child is wearing the seat
belt properly.

CONTINUED

49

Driver and Passenger Safety

Protecting Larger Children

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle’s or
booster’s seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster seat.

50

When Can a Larger Child Sit in
Front

The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.

If the passenger’s front airbag
inflates in a moderate to severe
frontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.

A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.

Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can safely ride in front,
there are other important f actors you
should consider.

Physical Size

Physically, a child must be large
enough for the lap/shoulder belt to
properly fit (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not fit properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in front.

Maturity

To safely ride in front, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout the ride.

14 48

Protecting Larger Children

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Main Menu

If you decide that a child can safely
ride up front, be sure to:

Carefully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all safety
information.

Move the vehicle seat to the rear­most position.

Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the floor.

Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.

Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to fasten the seat belts
or sit properly.

Additional Safety Precautions

Do not let a child wear a seat belt
across the neck.

This could result
in serious neck injuries during a
crash.

Do not let a child put the shoulder
part of a seat belt behind the back
or under the arm.

This could
cause very serious injuries during
a crash. It also increases the
chance that the child will slide
under the belt in a crash and be
injured.

Two children should never use the
same seat belt.

If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.

Do not put any accessories on a
seat belt.

Devices intended to
improve a child’s comfort or
reposition the shoulder part of a
seat belt can make the belt less
effective and increase the chance
of serious injury in a crash.

Driver and Passenger Safety

51

Carbon Monoxide Hazard

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Main Menu

Your vehicle’s exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. Carbon
monoxide should not enter the
vehicle in normal driving if you
maintain your vehicle properly and
follow the information on this page.

Have the exhaust system inspected
for leaks whenever:

The vehicle is raised for an oil
change.
You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.
The vehicle was in an accident
that may have damaged the
underside.

52

Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.

Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.

High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage.

With the trunk lid open, airflow can
pull exhaust gas into your vehicle’s
interior and create a hazardous
condition. If you must drive with the
trunk open, open all the windows,
and set the climate control system as
shown below.

If you must sit in your parked vehicle
with the engine running, even in an
unconfined area, adjust the climate
control system as follows:

Select the fresh air mode.

1.
Select the mode.

2.
Set the fan speed to high.

3.
Set the temperature control to a

4.
comfortable setting.

Safety Labels

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Main Menu

These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury or death. Read these labels
carefully.

If a label comes off or becomes hard
to read (except for the U.S.
dashboard label which may be
removed by the owner), contact your
dealer for a replacement.

HOOD

U.S. models

Canadian models

DASHBOARDRADIATOR CAP

U.S. models only

Driver and Passenger Safety

CONTINUED

53

Safety Labels

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Main Menu

SUN VISOR

U.S. models

Canadian models

54

DOORJAMB

U.S. models

Canadian models

Instruments and Controls

2008 TL

Main Menu

This section gives information about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your vehicle. All the essential
controls are within easy reach.

...........................Control Locations . 56

............................Instrument Panel . 57

.............................................Gauges . 65

...................Temperature Gauge . 65

..................................Fuel Gauge . 65

.............Multi-Information Display . 66

Automatic Lighting Off

.....................................Feature . 88

............Daytime Running Lights . 88

........................................Fog Lights . 89

.................Hazard Warning Button . 90

.................Rear Window Defogger . 90

...............................Keys and Locks . 92

........................Immobilizer System . 94

................................Ignition Switch . 95

......................................Door Locks . 96

................................................Trunk . 97

..................Childproof Door Locks . 98

.......................Remote Transmitter . 99

..........Instrument Panel Indicators . 58

......Controls Near Steering Wheel . 84

.Windshield Wipers and Washers . 85

...........Turn Signal and Headlights . 86

........Instrument Panel Brightness . 89

..........Steering Wheel Adjustment . 91

........Emergency Trunk Opener . 98

...............................................Seats . 103

...........................................Mirrors . 106

Driving Position Memory

........................................System . 108

..................................Seat Heaters . 111

............................Power Windows . 112

.......................................Moonroof . 115

..............................................Clock . 116

...............................Parking Brake . 117

...............................Interior Lights . 118

.....................Beverage Holders . 120

..................................Glove Box . 121

...............................Coin Holder . 122

..................Front Door Pockets . 123

............................Vanity Mirror . 123

...................................Sun Visor . 123

..........Trunk Pass-through Cover . 105

Instruments and Controls

.........Interior Convenience Items . 119

........Accessory Power Sockets . 120

.............Console Compartment . 121

55

Control Locations

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Main Menu

DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY
(P. 108)

POWER DOOR LOCKS
(P. 96)

POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES

(P. 112)

TRUNK RELEASE
BUTTON

:

＊

CEILING LIGHT
HOMELINK
MOONROOF SWITCH

BUTTONS (P. 189)

(P. 118)

(P. 97)

FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE HANDLE

(P. 115)

On models with navigation system shown

56

MIRROR
CONTROLS
(P. 107) (P. 126)

CEILING CONSOLE

＊

HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE
(P. 239)(P. 237)

CLOCK
(P. 116)

CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM

AUDIO SYSTEM
(P. 133)

MANUAL TRANSMISSION
(P. 256)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
(P. 259)

Instrument Panel

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Main Menu

(P. 61)

SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR

SIDE AIRBAG OFF
INDICATOR

IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P. 63)

LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
(P. 59)

VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA) SYSTEM
INDICATOR

VSA ACTIVATION
INDICATOR
(P. 61)

(P. 61)

FOG LIGHT INDICATOR
(P. 63)

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR
(P. 59, 331)

CHARGING
SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P. 59)

DAYTIME RUNNING
LIGHT INDICATOR
(P. 62)

CRUISE MAIN INDICATOR

HIGH BEAM
INDICATOR
(P. 62)

MESSAGE
INDICATOR
(P. 64)

MULTI-INFORMATION
DISPLAY

LOW FUEL
INDICATOR

(P. 63)

(P. 66)

SEAT BELT REMINDER INDICATOR

CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR
(P. 60)

LIGHTS ON INDICATOR
(P. 62)

The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Differences for the Canadian models are noted in the text.

(P. 58)

(P. 61)

(P. 60)

PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P. 59)

LOW TIRE PRESSURE/
TPMS INDICATOR

(P. 60)

(P. 64)

Instruments and Controls

57

Instrument Panel Indicators

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Main Menu

The instrument panel has many
indicators to give you important
information about your vehicle.

58

Seat Belt Reminder
Indicator

This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. It reminds you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts.
A beeper also sounds if you have not
fastened your seat belt.

If you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position before fastening
your seat belt, the beeper sounds
and the indicator flashes. If you do
notfastenyourseatbeltbeforethe
beeper stops, the indicator stops
flashing but remains on.

If your front passenger does not
fasten their seat belt, the indicator
comes on about 6 seconds after the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position.

If either of you do not fasten your
seat belt while driving, the beeper
will sound and the indicator will flash
again at regular intervals, and you
will also see a ‘‘FASTEN SEAT
BELT’’ or ‘‘FASTEN PASSENGER
SEAT BELT’’ message on the multi­information display (see page ).68

For more information, see page .

18

Instrument Panel Indicators

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Main Menu

Low Oil Pressure
Indicator

The engine can be severely damaged
if this indicator f lashes or stays on
when the engine is running. For
more information, see page .

330

Charging System
Indicator

If this indicator comes on when the
engine is running, the battery is not
being charged. For more information,
see page .

330

Malfunction Indicator
Lamp

See page .

331

Parking Brake and Brake System
Indicator

CanadaU.S.

This indicator has two functions:

This indicator comes on when you

1.
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. It is a reminder to
check the parking brake. A beeper
sounds if you drive with the
parking brake not fully released.
Driving with the parking brake not
fully released can damage the
brakes and tires.

If you drive without releasing the
parking brake, a beeper will sound,
and you will also see a ‘‘RELEASE
PARKING BRAKE’’ message on the
multi-information display (see page

).

68

If it stays on after you have fully

2.
released the parking brake while
the engine is running, or if it
comes on while driving, it can
indicate a problem in the brake
system. For more information, see
page .

332

Instruments and Controls

59

Instrument Panel Indicators

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Main Menu

Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS) Indicator

This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it comes on at any other
time, there is a problem with the
ABS. If this happens, have your
vehicle checked at a dealer. With
this indicator on, your vehicle still
has normal braking ability but no
anti-lock function. For more
information, see page .

268

60

Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator

This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at
any other time, it indicates a
potential problem with your front
airbags. This indicator will also alert
you to a potential problem with your
side airbags, passenger’s side airbag
cutoff system, side curtain airbags,
automatic seat belt tensioners,
driver’s seat position sensor, or the
front passenger’s weight sensors.
For more information, see page .

29

Side Airbag Of f Indicator

U. S. Canada

This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at
any other time, it indicates that the
passenger’s side airbag has
automatically shut off. For more
information, see page .

30

Instrument Panel Indicators

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Main Menu

Vehicle Stability Assist
(VSA) System Indicator

This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.

Ifitcomesonandstaysonatany
other time, or if it does not come on
when you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, there is a
problem with the VSA system. Take
your vehicle to a dealer to have it
checked. Without VSA, your vehicle
still has normal driving ability, but
will not have VSA traction and
stability enhancement. See page

for more information on the

270

VSA system.

VSA Activation Indicator Cruise Main Indicator

This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. For more information, see

270

page .
This indicator has three functions:

Itcomesonasareminderthatyou

1.
have turned off the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system.

It flashes when VSA is active (see

2.
page ).

270

It comes on along with the VSA

3.
system indicator if there is a
problem with the VSA system.

This indicator comes on when you
turn on the cruise control system by
pressing the CRUISE button (see
page ).

186

Cruise Control Indicator

This indicator comes on when you
set the cruise control. See page

for inf ormation on operating the

186

cruise control.

Instruments and Controls

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Instrument Panel Indicators

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Main Menu

Turn Signal and
Hazard Warning
Indicators

The lef t or right turn signal indicator
blinks when you signal a lane change
or turn. If an indicator does not blink
or blinks rapidly, it usually means
one of the turn signal bulbs is
burned out (see page ). Replace
the bulb as soon as possible, since
other drivers cannot see that you are
signaling.

When you press the hazard warning
button, both turn signal indicators
and all turn signals on the outside of
the vehicle flash.

298

62

Daytime Running Lights
Indicator

If this indicator comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position and the parking brake is
released, it means there is a problem
in the circuit. Have your vehicle
checked by your dealer.

High Beam Indicator

This indicator comes on with the
high beam headlights. See page

for inf ormation on the headlight

86

controls.

Lights On Indicator

This indicator reminds you that the
exterior lights are on. It comes on
when the light switch is in either the

or position. This indicator
will also come on when the light
switch is in AUTO and the lights
turn on automatically. If you turn the
ignition switch to the ACCESSORY
(I) or the LOCK (0) position without
turning off the light switch, this
indicator will remain on. A reminder
chime will also sound when you open
the driver’s door.

Instrument Panel Indicators

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Immobilizer System
Indicator

This indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. It will then go off if
you have inserted a properly-coded
ignition key. If it is not a properly­coded key, the indicator will blink,
and the engine’s fuel system will be
disabled (see page ).

94

This indicator also blinks several
times when you turn the ignition
switch from the ON (II) position to
the ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0)
position.

Low Fuel Indicator Fog Light Indicator

This indicator comes on when you
turn on the fog lights. See page

for inf ormation on fog light

86

operation.

LOW FUEL INDICATOR

This indicator is in the fuel gauge. It
comesonasareminderthatyou
must refuel soon. When the indicator
comes on, there is about 2.3 U.S. gal

) of fuel remaining in the tank

(8.6
before the needle reaches E. There
is a small reserve of fuel remaining
in the tank when the needle does
reach E.
You will also see a ‘‘FUEL LOW’’
message on the multi-information
display (see page ).

68

Instruments and Controls

63

Instrument Panel Indicators

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

TPMS Indicator

This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.

This indicator has two functions:

If it comes on while driving, it

1.
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle’s tires are signif icantly low
on pressure.

You will also see a ‘‘CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE’’ message on the
multi-information display (see
page ).

274

Check the tire pressure monitor
on the multi-information display
and determine the cause (see page

).

273

64

If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is safe, check which tire
has lost the pressure on the multi­information display, and determine
the cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page ), and have the
flat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinflated,
call a professional towing service.
For more information, see page .

If this indicator begins to flash,

2.
there is a problem with the tire
pressure monitoring system
(TPMS). You will also see a
‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-information
display. The indicator continues to
flash for a while (approximately 1
minute), then stays on. If this
happens, have your dealer check
the system as soon as possible.
For more information, see page

.

275

319

272

Message IndicatorLow Tire Pressure/

This indicator comes on when there
is a system message on the multi­information display. Press the INFO
button on the steering wheel (see
page ) to see the message (see

66

page ).

68

Most of the time, this indicator
comes on along with other indicators
in the instrument panel such as the
seat belt reminder indicator, SRS
indicator, VSA system indicator, etc.

Temperature Gauge

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

This shows the temperature of the
engine’s coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise to
about the middle of the gauge. In
severe driving conditions, the pointer
may rise to the upper zone. If it
reaches the red (hot) mark, pull
safely to the side of the road. Turn to
page f or instructions and

328

precautions on checking the engine’s
cooling system.

Fuel Gauge

This shows how much fuel you have.
It may show slightly more or less
than the actual amount. Driving
uphill or making turns can cause the
needle to fluctuate or the low fuel
indicator to come on early. The
needle returns to the bottom after
you turn off the ignition.

Gauges

TACHOMETER SPEEDOMETER

FUEL GAUGE

Avoid driving with an extremely low f uel level. Running out of fuel could cause
the engine to misfire, damaging the catalytic converter.

TEMPERATURE GAUGE

Instruments and Controls

65

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

The multi-information display in the
instrument panel displays various
information and messages when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position. Some of the messages help
you operate your vehicle more
comfortably.
Others help to keep you aware of the
periodic maintenance your vehicle
needs for continued trouble-free
driving.

When you open the driver’s door, a
‘‘Welcome’’ message is shown on the
multi-information display.

66

SEL/RESET
BUTTON

INFO BUTTONS

To change the display, press the
INFO( / )buttononthesteering

▲▼

wheel repeatedly until the main
menu appears (see page ).

69

With the ignition switch in the ON
(II) position, the multi-information
display changes as shown on page

69

each time you press the INFO

▲▼

( / ) button or SEL/RESET
button.

When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, what you last
selected is displayed.

In the multi-information display, the
system message is also displayed
(see page ) and you can

68

customize your vehicle control
settings (see page ).

77

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

System Messages

SYSTEM MESSAGE INDICATOR

If there is a problem with your
vehicle, for example, the parking
brake is not fully released or a door
is not fully closed, the multi­information display will show you the
problem. It does this by interrupting
the current display with one or more
messages.

The system message(s) triggers the
appropriate indicator(s) on the
instrument panel, including the
system message indicator, to come
on. The system message indicator
does not go off until the problem(s)
is corrected.

You will also hear a beep when the
system message comes on for the
first time.

Most of the messages are displayed
for about 5 seconds, and then the
normal display returns. If there are
several system messages to be
shown, the display switches these
messages every 5 seconds.

To cancel the message(s) before 5
seconds elapsed, press the INFO

▲▼

( / ) button on the steering wheel.

Even if you press the INFO ( / )

▲▼

button, some messages stay on or
come on again at regular intervals
until the problem is corrected.

Here is a list of all messages:

CONTINUED

67

Instruments and Controls

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

See page

11

See page

274

AT model only

See page

255

U.S.

Canada

68

See pages

18, 58

See pages

18, 58

See page

59

See page

59

Canada only

See page

275

See page

238

See page

63

See page

291

See page

280

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Main Menu

: Press INFO button ( )

: Press INFO button ( )

▼

▲

Instruments and Controls

69

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Odometer Trip Meter

SEL/RESET BUTTON

The odometer shows the total
distance your vehicle has been
driven. It measures miles in U.S.
models and kilometers in Canadian
models. It is illegal under U.S.
federal law and Canadian provincial
regulations to disconnect, reset, or
alter the odometer with the intent to
change the number of miles or
kilometers indicated.

70

This meter shows the number of
miles (U.S.) or kilometers (Canada)
driven since you last reset it. There
are two trip meters: Trip A and Trip
B. Each trip meter works
independently, so you can keep track
of two different distances.
Switch between Trip A and Trip B by
pressing the SEL/RESET button.

To reset a trip meter, display it, then
press and hold the SEL/RESET
button until the number resets to
‘‘0.0’’.

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Outside Temperature

U.S.

Canada

This shows the outside Fahrenheit
temperature in U.S. models, and
Centigrade temperature in Canadian
models.

The temperature sensor is in the
front bumper. The temperature
reading can be affected by heat
reflection from the road surface,
engine heat, and the exhaust from
surrounding traffic. This can cause
an incorrect temperature reading
when your vehicle speed is under
19 mph (30 km/h). When you start
your trip, the sensor is not f ully
acclimatized, theref ore it may take
several minutes until the proper
temperature is displayed.

If the outside temperature is
incorrectly displayed, you can adjust
it up to 5°F ( 3°C) warmer or

±±

cooler.

NOTE: The temperature must be
stabilized before doing this
procedure.

Select the outside temperature
display, then press the SEL/RESET
button for 10 seconds. The following
sequence will appear for 1 second
each:0,1,2,3,4,5, 5, 4, 3, 2,

1,0(U.S.)or0,1,2,3, 3, 2,

−−−

1, 0 (Canada).

−

−−−−

Instruments and Controls

When it reaches the desired value,
release the SEL/RESET button. You
should see the new outside
temperature displayed.

In certain weather conditions,
temperature readings near freezing
(32°F, 0°C) could mean that ice is
forming on the road surface.

71

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Engine Oil Life Language Selection

This shows the remaining life of the
engine oil. It shows 100% after the
engine oil is replaced and the display
is reset. The engine oil lif e is
calculated based on engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions. For more information,
see page .

279

72

The language of the multi­information display is selectable. The
selectable languages are English
French and Spanish.

To select a language, display
‘‘LANGUAGE SELECTION.’’ Press
the SEL/RESET button. The display
will change as shown above.

Select the desired language by
pressing the INFO ( ) button, then
enter your selection by pressing the
SEL/RESET button.

▼

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

TM

You can receive or make phone calls
from your cell phone through your
vehicle’s Bluetooth
HandsFreeLink (HFL) system
without touching your cell phone.

To use the system, your cell phone
and the HFL system must be linked.
Not all cell phones are compatible
with this system. Refer to page

for instructions on how to link

192

your cell phone to the HFL and how
to receive or make phone calls, or
visit the handsfreelink.com website.

Trip ComputerHandsFreeLink

Instruments and Controls

When the multi-information display
is in the trip computer mode,
pressing the SEL/RESET button
changes the display as shown in the
next column.

CONTINUED

73

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

U.S.

Themessagesinthisdisplay
indicate:

U.S.

AVG MPG (U.S. models)/AVG
L/100 KM (Canadian models):
Average fuel economy

Canada

74

AVG MPH (U.S. models)/AVG
km/h (Canadian models): Average
vehicle speed

DISTANCE: Distance traveled

TIME: Time traveled

To reset the values in the trip
computer,pressandholdtheSEL/
RESET button until the values reset.

Canada

When you press the INFO ( )

▼

button, the display changes as shown
above. This is the estimated distance
you can travel on the fuel remaining
in the tank. This distance is
estimated from the fuel economy
you received over the last several
miles (kilometers), so it will vary
withchangesinspeed,traffic,etc.It
measures miles in U.S. models and
kilometers in Canadian models.

Tire Pressure Monitor

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Multi-Information Display

U.S.

Instruments and Controls

Canada

When the tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) is functioning
normally and the tires are properly
inflated, you will see the above
display on the multi-information
display as it cycles through its main
menu.

To see the inflation pressures of all
four tires, press the SEL/RESET
button. The display changes as
shown above.

Each tire pressure is shown in PSI
(U.S. models) or in kPa (Canadian
models).

If one or more of your vehicle tires
are low on pressure, you will see a
‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE’’
message in the display.
If there is a problem with the TPMS,
you will see a ‘‘CHECK TPMS
SYSTEM’’ message.

See page through for more

272 276

information.

75

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Keyless Memory Settings

When the main menu is ‘‘Keyless
Memory Settings ,’’ you can

TM

TM

customize some of the vehicle
control settings to your preference.

76

AT model

MT model

To change the settings, the ignition
switch must be in the ON (II)
position, and the vehicle must be
stopped with the transmission in
Park (A/T) or the parking brake set
(M/T).

You can customize some vehicle
control settings for ‘‘DRIVER 1’’ and
‘‘DRIVER 2’’ separately. If ‘‘DRIVER
1’’ or ‘‘DRIVER 2’’ is not displayed,
customizing is not possible.

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Setup Category

DOOR SETUP

AUTO DOOR L OCK

AUTO DOOR UNLOCK (AT)

AUTO DOOR UNLOCK (MT)

KEY AND REMOTE UNLOCK
MODE
KEYLESS LOCK
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

: Automatic transmission model only

＊

: Default setting

＊＊

Menu Item

Description
Changes the setting of when to automatically lock the
doors

Changes the setting of when to automatically unlock
the driver’s/all the doors.

Changes the setting of when to automatically unlock
the driver’s/all doors.

Changes which doors unlock with the remote
transmitter when the button is first pushed
The exterior lights flash each time you press the
LOCK or UNLOCK button. A beeper will also sound
when you press the LOCK button twice.

Setting Option
SHIFT FROM P
WITH VEH SPD
OFF
SHIFT TO P

＊＊

DRIVER DOOR
SHIFT TO P
ALL DOORS
IGN OFF
DRIVER DOOR
IGN OFF
ALL DOORS
OFF

＊＊

IGN OFF
DRIVER DOOR
IGN OFF
ALL DOORS
OFF
DRIVER’S DOOR
ALL DOORS
BEEP ON

＊＊

BEEP OFF

＊

＊＊

＊＊

CONTINUED

Page

P.79

P.80

P.80

P.81

P.81

Instruments and Controls

77

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Setup Category

DOOR SET UP

LIGHTING SETUP

DEFAULT ALL

: Default setting

＊＊

78

Menu Item

SECURITY RELOCK TIMER

HEADLIGHT A UTO OFF
TIMER

INTERIOR LIGHT DIMMING
TIME

Description
Changes how long it takes (in seconds) for the doors
to relock and the security system to set after you
unlock but do not open the door.
Changes how long (in seconds) the headlights stay on
after you close the driver’s door.

Changes how long (in seconds) the interior lights stay
on after you close the doors.

Changes all the customized settings as default.

Setting Option

＊＊

30 sec
60 sec
90 sec
0sec

＊＊

15 sec

30 sec
60 sec
5sec

＊＊

15 sec

30 sec
SET
CANCEL

Page

P.81

P.82

P.83

P.83

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

To enter the customizing mode,
press the SEL/RESET button while
‘‘Keyless Memory Setting ’’ is

TM

displayed. The display will change as
shown above.

Auto Door Lock

The first Keyless Memory Setting is
Auto Door Lock.

There are two (manual
transmission) or three (automatic
transmission) possible settings:
OFF: The auto door lock is
deactivated all the time.

SHIFT FROM P: The doors will lock
whenever you move the shift lever
out of P. (Models with automatic
transmission.)

On U.S. models

10 mph: The doors will lock when
the vehicle speed reaches 10 mph.

On Canadian models

15 km/h: The doors will lock when
the vehicle speed reaches 15 km/h.

U.S.
(AT)

Canada

(AT)

(MT)

(MT)

Select the desired condition by
moving the pointer with the INFO
( ) button and enter your selection

▼

by pressing the SEL/RESET button.

CONTINUED

79

Instruments and Controls

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Auto Door Unlock

There are five possible settings for
automatic transmission models and
three possible settings for manual
transmission models.

SHIFT TO P: The driver’s door or all
doors depending on your selection in
the next step, will unlock whenever
you move the shift lever to P
(Models with automatic
transmission).

IGN OFF: The driver’s door or all
doors unlock when you turn the
ignition switch to the LOCK (0)
position.

OFF: The auto door unlock is
deactivated all the time.

80

(AT) (MT)

On models with automatic transmission On models with manual transmission

Select the desired condition by
moving the pointer with the INFO
( ) button and enter your selection

▼

by pressing the SEL/RESET button.

Select the condition and door(s) to
unlock by moving the pointer with
INFO ( ) button and enter your

▼

selection by pressing the SEL/

RESET button.
To designate the door(s) that unlock
under the previous step, select
‘‘DRVR DR’’ or ‘‘ALL DRS’’ by
moving the pointer with the INFO

▼

( ) button and enter your selection
by pressing the SEL/RESET button.

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Security Relock TimerKeyless Lock AcknowledgmentKey and Remote Unlock Mode

If you unlock the doors with the

remote transmitter, but do not open

any of the doors within 30 seconds,

the doors automatically relock and

the security system sets.

You can change this relock time

from 30 seconds to 60 or 90 seconds.

Instruments and Controls

You can select whether the driver’s
door or all the doors unlock when
youpresstheunlockbuttononthe
remote transmitter first time.

Select the desired setting ‘‘DRIVER
DOOR’’ or ‘‘ALL DOORS’’ by
pressing the INFO ( ) button and

▼

enter your selection by pressing the
SEL/RESET button.

When you push the LOCK button a
second time within 5 seconds after
you lock the doors with the remote
transmitter, a beeper will sound to
verify that doors are locked and the
security system has set.

If you do not want the beeper to
sound, select ‘‘BEEP OFF’’ with the
INFO ( ) button and enter your

▼

selection by pressing the SEL/
RESET button.

CONTINUED

81

Multi-Information Display

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Headlight Auto Off Timer

The headlights, parking lights, side
marker lights, taillights, and license
plate lights go off after the selected
time when you close the driver’s
door.

You can change how long the lights
stay on before they go off as
described next.

Select the desired relock time by
moving the pointer with the INFO
( ) button and enter your selection

▼ ▼

by pressing the SEL/RESET button.

82

Select the desired time (‘‘0s, 15s, 30s

or 60s’’) by moving the pointer with

the INFO ( ) button and enter your

selection by pressing the SEL/

RESET button.

Interior Light Dimming Time Default All

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Multi-Information Display

Instruments and Controls

The interior lights fade out when you
close all doors (see page ). Select
how long it takes for the interior
lights to fade out (in seconds) from
‘‘5s, 15s, or 30s’’ by moving the
pointer with the INFO ( ) button.

Enter your selection by pressing the
SEL/RESET button.

▼

If you want the settings as they were
when the vehicle left the factory,
display the menu shown above.
Select ‘‘DEFAULT ALL’’ by moving
the pointer with the INFO ( )
button and enter your selection by
pressing the SEL/RESET button.

changing the current settings, select
‘‘EXIT’’ by moving the pointer with
the INFO ( ) button and enter your

▼

▼

selection by pressing the SEL/

RESET button.118

If you select ‘‘DEFAULT ALL,’’ the

display changes as shown. Press the

INFO ( / ) button to cancel

‘‘DEFAULT ALL,’’ or press the SEL/

RESET button to conf irm your

selection is ‘‘DEFAULT ALL.’’To exit ‘‘DEFAULT ALL’’ without

▲▼

83

Controls Near the Steering Wheel

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

FOG LIGHTS
(P. 86, 89)

INSTRUMENT PANEL
BRIGHTNESS
(P. 89)

VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA) OFF
SWITCH
(P. 271)

MIRROR CONTROLS STEERING WHEEL
(P. 107)

ADJUSTMENT
(P. 91) (P. 183)

＊ To use the horn, press the center pad of the steering wheel.:

84

WINDSHIELD
WIPERS/WASHERS
(P. 85)

REMOTE AUDIO
CONTROL BUTTONS

HAZARD WARNING BUTTONHEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS/
(P. 90)

＊

HORN

BLUETOOTH
BUTTONS
(P. 192)

REAR WINDOW
DEFOGGER BUTTON
(P. 90)

CRUISE CONTROL
BUTTONS
(P. 186)

SEAT HEATER
SWITCHES
(P. 111)

HANDSFREELINK

1.

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

MIST

2.

OFF

3.

INT Intermittent

−

4.

LO Low speed

−

5.

HI High speed

−

6.

Windshield washers

Push the right lever up or down to
select a position.

MIST

speed until you release the lever.

OFF

INT

interval is varied automatically
according to the vehicle’s speed.
Vary the delay by turning the INT
TIME ring. If you turn it to the
shortest delay, the wiper speed
will increase to low speed
operation when the vehicle speed
exceeds 12 mph (20 km/h).

The wipers run at high

−

The wipers are not activated.

−

The length of the wiper

−

Windshield Wipers and Washers

LO

The wipers run at low speed.

−

HI

The wipers run at high speed.

−

Windshield Washers

wiper control lever toward you,
andholdit.Thewashersspray
until you release the lever. The
wipers run at low speed, then
complete one more sweep after
you release the lever.

Pull the

−

Instruments and Controls

85

Turn Signals and Headlights

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Turn Signal

1.
Off

2.
Parking and instrument panel

3.
AUTO

4.
Headlights on

5.
Fog lights off

6.
Fog lights on

7.
High beams

8.
Flashhighbeams

9.

Push down on the

Turn Signal

lever to signal a left turn and up to
signal a right turn. To signal a lane
change, push lightly on the lever,
and hold it. The lever will return to
center when you release it or
complete a turn.

Headlights On

switch to the ‘‘ ’’ position turns
on the parking lights, taillights,
instrument panel lights, side-marker
lights, and rear license plate lights.
Turning the switch to the ‘‘ ’’
position turns on the headlights. If
you leave the lights on with the key
removed from the ignition switch,
you will hear a reminder chime when
you open the driver’s door.

−

−

Turning the

When the light switch is in either of
these positions, the lights on
indicator comes on as a reminder.

This indicator stays on if you leave
the lights on and turn the ignition
switch to the ACCESSORY (I) or
LOCK (0) position.

−

High Beams

beams to high beams, push the left
lever forward until you hear a click.
The blue high beam indicator will
come on (see page ). Pull it back
to return to low beams. To flash the
high beams, pull the lever back
lightly, then release it. The high
beamsstayonaslongasyouhold
the lever back.

To switch from low

62

86

Turn Signals and Headlights

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

AUTO

−

The automatic lighting
feature turns on the headlights and
all other exterior lights when it
senses low ambient light.

To turn on automatic lighting, turn
the light switch to AUTO at any time.
The lights will come on automatically
when the outside light level becomes
low (at dusk, for example). The
lights on indicator comes on as a
reminder. The lights and indicator
will turn of f automatically when the
system senses high ambient light.

The lights will remain on when you
turn off the ignition switch. They will
turn off automatically when you
remove the key and open the driver’s
door. To turn them on again, either
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position or turn the light switch
to the position.

Even with the automatic lighting
feature turned on, we recommend

LIGHT SENSOR

thatyouturnonthelightsmanually
when driving at night or in a dense
fog, or when you enter dark areas
such as long tunnels or parking
facilities.

Do not leave the light switch in
AUTO if you will not be driving the
vehicle for an extended period (a
weekormore).Youshouldalsoturn
off the lights if you plan to leave the
engine idling or off for a long time. The automatic lighting feature is

controlledbyasensorlocatedontop
of the dashboard. Do not cover this
sensor or spill liquids on it.

CONTINUED

Instruments and Controls

87

Turn Signals and Headlights

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Automatic Lighting Off Feature Daytime Running Lights

This feature turns off the headlights,
all other exterior lights, and the
instrument panel lights within 15
seconds after you remove the key
and close the driver’s door.

To change the ‘‘HEADLIGHT AUTO
OFF TIMER’’ setting, see page .

The automatic lighting off f eature
activates if you leave the headlight
switch in the ‘‘ ’’ or ‘‘ ’’
position or if the lights are turned on
by setting the switch in the ‘‘AUTO’’
position, remove the key, then open
and close the driver’s door.

82

If you turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position with the
headlight switch on, but do not open
the door and get out, the lights turn
off after 10 minutes (3 minutes, if
the switch is in the ‘‘AUTO’’
position).

The lights turn on again when you
unlock or open the driver’s door.
If you unlock the door, but do not
open it within 15 seconds, the lights
go off. With the driver’s door open,
you will hear a lights-on reminder
chime.

With the headlight switch off, the
daytime running lights come on
when you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position and release the
parkingbrake.Theyremainonuntil
you turn the ignition off, even if you
set the parking brake.

88

Fog Lights, Instrument Panel Brightness

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Fog Lights Instrument Panel Brightness

Turn the fog lights on and off by
turning the switch next to the
headlight switch.

You can use the fog lights only when
the headlights are on low beam.

With the light switch in the AUTO
position, you can also use the fog
lights when the headlights turn on
automatically. They will go off when
the headlights turn off.

MAX BUTTON

ADJUSTMENT BUTTON

Instruments and Controls

Adjust the brightness of the
instrument panel by pressing the
or side of the adjustment button.

＋

＋

Press to increase the brightness
and to decrease it. You can adjust

−

−

the brightness with the headlight
switch on or off.

The level of brightness is shown on
the multi-information display while
you adjust it. It goes out 5 seconds
after you finish adjusting.

To reduce glare at night, the
instrument panel illumination dims
when you turn the light switch to

or . Pressing the MAX
button will bring it to the maximum
level.
If your vehicle is equipped with the
navigation system, the navigation
system screen will also go to full
brightness. This can be helpful when
using the headlights during daylight
hours.

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Hazard Warning Button, Rear Window Defogger

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Hazard Warning Button Rear Window Defogger

Push the button between the center
vents to turn on the hazard warning
lights (four-way flashers). This
causes all four outside turn signals
and both indicators in the instrument
panel to flash. Use the hazard
warning lights if you need to park in
a dangerous area near heavy traffic,
or if your vehicle is disabled.

The rear window def ogger clears fog,
frost,andthinicefromthewindow.
Push the defogger button to turn it
onandoff.Theindicatorinthe
button comes on to show the
defogger is on. If you do not turn it
off , the defogger will shut itself off
after about 15 minutes. It also shuts
off when you turn off the ignition.
You have to turn it on again when
you restart the vehicle.

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Make sure the rear window is clear
and you have good visibility before
starting to drive.

The def ogger and antenna wires on
the inside of the rear window can be
accidentally damaged. When
cleaning the glass, always wipe side
to side.

Steering Wheel Adjustment

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Make any steering wheel adjustment
before you start driving.

Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured
inacrash.

Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.

To adjust the steering wheel:

Push the lever under the steering

1.
column all the way down.

Move the steering wheel up or

2.
down, and in or out, so it points
toward your chest, not toward
your face. Make sure you can see
the instrument panel gauges and
indicators.

Push the lever up to lock the

3.
steering wheel in that position.

Make sure you have securely

4.
locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up, down, in,
and out.

Instruments and Controls

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Keys and Locks

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

KEY NUMBER
TAG

MASTER
KEY

VALET
KEY
(GRAY)

The master key fits all the locks on
your vehicle.

The valet key works only in the
ignition and the driver’s door lock.
You can keep the trunk pass-through
cover and the glove box locked when
you leave your vehicle and the valet
key at a parking facility.

92

Youshouldhavereceivedakey
number tag with your key. You will
need this key number if you ever
have to get a lost key replaced. Use
only an Acura-approved key blank.

These keys contain electronic
circuits that are activated by the
immobilizer system. They will not
work to start the engine if the
circuits are damaged.

Protect the key from direct
sunlight, high temperature, and
high humidity.

Donotdropthekeysorsetheavy
objects on them.

Keep the keys away from liquids.
If they get wet, dry them
immediately with a soft cloth.

The valet key does not contain a
battery. Do not try to take it apart.

Keys and Locks

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Retractable Master Key

RELEASE BUTTON

Push

The master key can be retracted into
theremotetransmitter.Tousethe
key, push the release button. The
key should be fully extended. To
retract the key, push the release
buttonandatthesametimepushthe
key into the remote transmitter until
it is securely latched.

Always make sure the key is fully
extended when you insert it to the
ignition switch. If the key is not fully
extended the immobilizer system
may not operate properly and
prevent the engine from starting.

Thekeymaycomeincontactwith
your finger while being retracted or
extended. Make sure your fingers do
not touch the pivot of the key when
retracting or extending it.

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Instruments and Controls

Immobilizer System

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

The immobilizer system protects
your vehicle from theft. If an
improperly-coded key (or other
device) is used, the engine’s fuel
system is disabled.

When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the immobilizer
system indicator should come on
briefly, then go off. If the indicator
starts to blink, it means the system
does not recognize the coding of the
key. Turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position, remove the key,
reinsert it, and turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position again.

The system may not recognize your
key’s coding if another immobilizer
key or other metal object (i.e. key
fob) is near the ignition switch when
you insert the key.

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If the system repeatedly does not
recognize the coding of your key,
contact your dealer.

Do not attempt to alter this system
or add other devices to it. Electrical
problems could result that may make
your vehicle undrivable.

If you have lost your key and you
cannot start the engine, contact your
dealer.

Always take the ignition key with you
whenever you leave the vehicle alone.

As required by the FCC:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.

Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.

This device complies with Industry
Canada Standard RSS-210.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference that may cause
undesired operation of the device.

Ignition Switch

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

The ignition switch has four
positions: LOCK (0), ACCESSORY
(I), ON (II), and START (III).

You can insert or

LOCK (0)

remove the key only in this position.
To turn the key, you must push the
key in slightly. If your vehicle has an
automatic transmission, the shift
lever must also be in Park.

−

If the front wheels are turned, the
anti-theft lock may make it difficult
to turn the key. Firmly turn the
steering wheel to the left or right as
you turn the key.

You can

ACCESSORY (I)

operate the audio system and the
accessory power sockets in this
position.

ON (II)

position when driving. Several of the
indicators on the instrument panel
come on as a test when you turn the
ignition switch from the
ACCESSORY (I) to the ON (II)
position.

START (III)

only to start the engine. The switch
returns to the ON (II) position when
you let go of the key.

−

This is the normal key

−

−

Use this position

You will hear a reminder beeper if
you leave the key in the ignition
switch in the LOCK (0) or the
ACCESSORY (I) position and open
the driver’s door. Remove the key to
turn off the beeper.

If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must be
in Park before you can remove the
key from the ignition switch.

Removing the key from the
ignition switch while driving
locks the steering. This can
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle.

Remove the key from the
ignition switch only when
parked.

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Instruments and Controls

Door Locks

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

Each front door has a master door
lock switch. Either switch locks and
unlocks all doors. Push the bottom of
the switch to lock the doors and the
toptounlockthem.

Each door has a lock tab on the top.
Push the tab down to lock the door
and pull it up to unlock. When you
push down the lock tab on the driver’s
door, all the doors lock.

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To lock any door when getting out of
the vehicle, push the lock tab down,
and close the door.

All doors can be locked from the
outsidebyusingthekeyinthe
driver’s door. To unlock only the
driver’s door, insert the key, turn it,
and then release it. The remaining
doors unlock when you turn the key
a second time within a few seconds.

Lockout Prevention

With the driver’s door open and the
key in the ignition, both master door
lock switches are disabled. If you try
to lock an open driver’s door by
pushing in the lock tab, all doors will
unlock when you close the driver’s
door.

Trunk

2008 TL

Table Of Contents

Main Menu

ON

OFF

Instruments and Controls

To open the trunk, press the trunk
releasebuttonontheleftcornerof
the dashboard. To open the trunk
from the outside, press the trunk
release button on the remote
transmitter.

To close the trunk, press down on
the trunk lid.

If your vehicle’s battery goes dead or
is disconnected, you can open the
trunk from the rear seat by pulling
the trunk release handle. Reach the
handle through the trunk pass­through.

Keep the trunk lid closed at all times
while driving to avoid damaging it,
and to prevent exhaust gas from
getting into the interior. See

Monoxide Hazard

,page .

Carbon

52

To protect items in the trunk, you
can disable the trunk-release button
on the dashboard by turning off the
trunk main switch in the glove box,
locking the glove box, and locking
the trunk pass-through cover with
the master key.

If you need to give the key to
someone else, give them the valet
key.

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