Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System

1 Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) SystemThe Vehicle Stability Assist systemhelps to stabilize the Vehicle duringcornering if the car turns more orless than desired. It also assists youin maintaining traction whileaccelerating on loose or slipperyroad surfaces. It does this byregulating the engine's output, andby selectively applying VSA activates, you may noticethat the engine does not respond tothe accelerator in the same way itdoes at other times. You will also seethe VSA Activation Indicator a technical description of theVehicle Stability Assist System , seepage VSA System cannot enhance thecar's driving Stability in all situationsand does not control your Vehicle 'sentire braking System . It is still yourresponsibility to drive and corner atreasonable speeds and to leave asufficient margin of Activation IndicatorVSA ACTIVATION INDICATORWhen VSA activates, you will see theVSA Activation indicator Stability Assist (VSA) SystemVSA System IndicatorThe VSA System indicator (see page56 ) comes on and stays on whenthere is a problem with the the VSA indicator comes on whiledriving, pull to the side of the roadwhen it is safe and turn off theengine.

2 Reset the System byrestarting the engine, and watch theVSA System indicator. If theindicator remains on, or comes backon while driving, have the VSAsystem inspected by your the indicator does not come onwhen the ignition switch is turnedON (II), there may be a problemwith the VSA System . Have yourdealer inspect your car as soon VSA, your car will havenormal braking and cornering ability,but it will not have VSA traction andstability Off SwitchThis switch is under the left it to turn the Vehicle StabilityAssist System on and VSA is off, the VSA ActivationIndicator light comes on as areminder. Pressing the switch againturns the System back System INDICATORV ehicle Stability Assist (VSA) SystemVSA is turned on every time youstart the engine, even if you turned itoff the last time you drove the and Tire SizesDriving with varying tire or wheelsizes may cause the VSA tomalfunction.

3 When replacing tires,make sure they are of the same sizeand type as your original tires (seepage 245).Deactivate the VSA System if youneed to drive with the compact sparetire installed (see page 270).If you install winter tires, make surethey are the same size as those thatwere originally supplied with yourcar. Exercise the same cautionduring winter driving as you would ifyour car was not equipped with in Bad WeatherRain, fog, and snow conditions re-quire a different driving techniquebecause of reduced traction andvisibility. Keep your car well-maintained and exercise greatercaution when you need to drive inbad weather. The cruise controlshould not be used in these Technique Always driveslower than you would in dryweather. It takes your car longer toreact, even in conditions that mayseem just barely damp. Applysmooth, even pressure to all thecontrols.

4 Abrupt steering wheelmovements or sudden, hard appli-cation of the brakes can cause loss ofcontrol in wet weather. Be extracautious for the first few miles(kilometers) of driving while youadjust to the change in drivingconditions. This is especially true insnow. A person can forget somesnow-driving techniques during thesummer months. Practice is neededto relearn those extra caution when drivingin rain after a long dry spell. Aftermonths of dry weather, the firstrains bring oil to the surface of theroadway, making it in Bad WeatherVisibility Being able to seeclearly in all directions and beingvisible to other drivers are importantin all weather conditions. This ismore difficult in bad weather. To beseen more clearly during daylighthours, turn on your your windshield wipers andwashers frequently. Keep the wind-shield washer reservoir full of theproper fluid.

5 Have the windshieldwiper blades replaced if they start tostreak the windshield or leave partsunwiped. Use the defroster and airconditioning to keep the windowsfrom fogging up on the inside (seepages 126 and 131).Traction Check your tiresfrequently for wear and properpressure. Both are important inpreventing "hydroplaning" (loss oftraction on a wet surface). In thewinter, mount snow tires on all fourwheels for the best road conditions carefully,they can change from moment tomoment. Wet leaves can be as slip-pery as ice. "Clear" roads can havepatches of ice. Driving conditionscan be very hazardous when theoutside temperature is near road surface can becomecovered with areas of water puddlesmixed with areas of ice, so yourtraction can change without careful when downshifting. Iftraction is low, you can lock up thedrive wheels for a moment and causea very cautious when passing, orbeing passed by other vehicles.

6 Thespray from large vehicles reducesyour visibility, and the wind buffetingcan cause you to lose a TrailerYour Acura has been designedprimarily to carry passengers andtheir cargo. You can use it to tow atrailer if you carefully observe theload limits, use the proper equipment,and follow the guidelines in LimitsTotal Trailer weight : The totalweight of the trailer andeverything loaded in it must notexceed 2,000 Ibs (900 kg). Towinga load that is too heavy canseriously affect your car'shandling and performance. It canalso damage the engine Load: The weight thatthe tongue of a fully-loaded trailerputs on the hitch should beapproximately 10 percent of thetrailer weight . Too little tongueload can make the trailer unstableand cause it to sway. Too muchtongue load reduces front-tiretraction and steering achieve a proper tongue load,start by loading 60 percent of theload toward the front of the trailerand 40 percent toward the rear, thenreadjust the load as a TrailerGross Vehicle weight Rating(GVWR):The total weight of the Vehicle , alloccupants, all cargo, and thetongue load must not exceed:4,830 Ibs (2,190 kg)Gross Axle weight Rating(GAWR):The total weight of the Vehicle , alloccupants, all cargo, and thetongue load must not exceed.

7 2,570 Ibs (1,165 kg)on the front axle2,260 Ibs (1,025 kg)on the rear axleChecking LoadsThe best way to confirm that vehicleand trailer weights are within limitsis to have them checked at a a suitable scale or a specialtongue load gauge, check the tongueload the first time you set up atowing combination (a fully-loadedvehicle and trailer), then recheck thetongue load whenever the load limits orimproperly loading your vehicleand trailer can cause a crash inwhich you can be seriouslyinjured or the loading of yourvehicle and trailer carefullybefore starting to a TrailerTowing Equipment andAccessoriesTowing can require a variety ofequipment, depending on the size ofyour trailer, how it will be used, andhow much load you are your needs with your trailersales or rental agency, and follow theguidelines in the rest of this make sure that all equipment isproperly installed and that it meetsfederal, state, province, and hitch used on your Vehicle mustbe properly bolted to the ChainAlways use a safety chain.

8 Makesure that it is secured to both thetrailer and hitch, and that it crossesunder the tongue so it can catch thetrailer if it becomes enough slack to allow thetrailer to turn corners easily, but donot let the chain drag on the BrakesAcura recommends that any trailerhaving a total weight of 1,000 Ibs(450 kg) or more be equipped withits own electric or surge-type you choose electric brakes, besure they are electronically not attempt to tap into yourvehicle's hydraulic System . Nomatter how successful it may seem,any attempt to attach trailer brakesto your Vehicle 's hydraulic systemwill lower braking effectiveness andcreate a potential a TrailerTrailer LightsYour Vehicle has a trailer lightingconnector located in the trunk by theleft taillight. To use the connector,undo the fastener on the left side ofthe trunk lining.

9 Refer to thedrawing in this page for the wiringcolor code and purpose of each you use a converter, you can getthe connector and pins that matewith the connector in your vehiclefrom your Acura lighting and wiring vary withtrailer type and brand, you shouldalso have a qualified technicianinstall a suitable connector betweenthe Vehicle and the (BLACK)BACK-UP LIGHT(GREEN/BLACK)LEFT TURN SIGNAL(PINK/BLUE)RIGHT TURN SIGNAL(GREEN/YELLOW)BRAKE LIGHT(GREEN/WHITE)TAILLIGHT(RED/BLACK)To wing a TrailerAdditional Trailer EquipmentMany states and Canadian provincesrequire special outside mirrors whentowing a trailer. Even if they don't,you should install special mirrors ifyou cannot clearly see behind you, orif the trailer creates a blind your trailer sales or rentalagency if any other items arerecommended or required for yourtowing ChecklistWhen preparing to tow, and beforedriving away, be sure to check thefollowing:The Vehicle has been properlyserviced, and the tires, brakes,suspension, and cooling systemare in good operating weights and loads are withinlimits (see pages 194 and 195 ).

10 The hitch, safety chain, and anyother attachments are items on and in the trailer areproperly secured and cannot shiftwhile you lights and brakes on yourvehicle and the trailer are Vehicle tires and spare areproperly inflated (see page 242 ),and the trailer tires and spare areinflated as recommended by thetrailer a TrailerDriving Safely With a TrailerThe added weight , length, andheight of a trailer will affect yourvehicle's handling and performance,so driving with a trailer requiressome special driving skills your safety and the safety ofothers, take time to practice drivingmaneuvers before heading for theopen road, and follow the guidelinesdiscussed Speeds and GearsDriving slower than normal in alldriving situations, and obey postedspeed limits for vehicles with the D4 position when towing atrailer on level roads.