Reading and Clearing Diagnostic Trouble Codes
General Troubleshooting InformationThe HandsFreeLink (HFL) works only with an approved Bluetooth enabled cell phones with the Hands Free Profile. If you are not sure if your cell phone is compatible with the HFL - and not all phones are - Acura has a dedicated call center and web-site to answer your questions on the web. Go to www.acurahandsfreelink.com or www.acura.com or dial 888-528-7876 for further assistance. The call center is open Monday thru Friday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm CST, Saturday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm CST, and Sunday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm CST.
NOTE: The HFL support desk should always be referred to when there are any questions or concerns not covered, the owner's manual or the quick start guide.
The HFL gives the user the convenience of hands-free operation. It can't control the phone's performance (call quality and signal strength). To avoid performance problems, don't put the phones in a metal briefcase, in the trunk or in a purse under the seat.
This guide shows you just a few of the HFL's many features. You will see how to pair your phone to the HFL, and then make and receive calls, all using simple voice commands. If you want a complete description of this system, please refer to the owner's manual and quick start guide.
Voice Control Tips
To give any voice command, press and release the HFL TALK button. Always wait for the beep, then give your command in a clear, natural voice. The HFL microphone is on the ceiling, by the front spotlights. To improve HFL voice recognition, make sure the moonroof and all the windows are fully closed. Keep conversation among other passengers to a minimum. Turn the blower speed down, and turn the dash vents away from the HFL microphone.
Sometimes background noise (i.e. rough roads or rain) can adversely affect HFL voice recognition. If this is the case, pull the vehicle off the road or park the vehicle in a sheltered area and try again.
If the HFL doesn't recognize your voice command, you'll hear "Pardon". If after repeating your command, it still doesn't recognize it, you'll hear "Please repeat". If after repeating your command again, it still doesn't recognize it, the HFL sends you to the Help menu.
To hear a list of available options at any time, say "Hands free help".
You can give many voice commands together. For example, you can say "Dial 123-456-7890".
To give a string of numbers in a call or dial voice command, you can say them all at once, or separate them into blocks of 3, 4, 7, 10, or 11.
To skip a voice prompt, press and release the TALK button while the HFL is speaking. The HFL begins listening for your next voice command.
To go back a step in a voice command sequence, press and release the Back button, or say "Go back".
If you don't say anything while the HFL is listening for your voice command, it will time out and stop its voice recognition. The next time you press and release the TALK button, the HFL begins listening from the point where it timed out.
To stop a voice command sequence at any time, press and hold the BACK button, or press and release the TALK button, wait for the beep, and say "Cancel". The next time you press and release the TALK button, the HFL begins from its main menu. You'll see MAIN MENU on the multi-information display (MID) in the instrument panel.
When you're done with a voice command sequence, the HFL goes back to its main menu. The next time you press and release the TALK button, you'll be at the main menu and you'll see MAIN MENU on the MID.
Remember to press and hold the BACK button until you exit the main menu, otherwise, the audio system stays muted.
Pairing Your Cell Phone (A One Time Procedure)
You must pair a Bluetooth compatible the phone to the HFL before you can make and receive calls. The following steps show you what you need to do. For specific pairing instructions on the web go to www.acura.com or contact Acura's call center at 888-528-7876. You can also refer to the phone's user manual or call the phone retailer. Make sure the vehicle is stationary when you pair the phone.
NOTE:
- You cannot pair a phone if the vehicle is moving.
- Your phone must be in its Discovery mode.
- Up to six Bluetooth compatible phones can be paired by the HFL.
- Not all Bluetooth phones are compatible with the HFL. For a current list of approved Bluetooth phones, visit www.acura.com.
1. Turn on your phone, and follow the prompts to activate Bluetooth.
2. Give these voice commands to the HFL by pressing the HFL talk button.
3. Follow the cell phone manufacture's instructions to put the phone in its Discovery mode. The phone will search for the HFL. When you see HANDSFREELINK in the device list on the phone, select it.
4. When prompted, enter the four-digit PIN from step 2 into the phone. You will hear the HFL say "A new phone has been found. Would you like to name this phone?"
5. Press and release the HFL talk button, and say what the phone name will be. For example, say "John's phone". You'll hear "John's phone has been successfully paired". Returning to the main menu. " # When the phone is paired to the HFL, you'll also see a phone icon in the subdisplay in the dashboard."
6. To pair another phone, repeat steps 1 thru 5.
Clearing the HFL system
NOTE:
- This operation clears the HFL system of all passcode(s), any paired phones, and all names in the HFL phonebook.
- Clearing the HFL system is recommend before selling the vehicle.
- If the system is locked and the pass code is lost or forgotten, see the symptom troubleshooting. Symptom Related Diagnostic Procedures
1. Press and release the HFL Talk button. After the beep, say "System clear" and the HFL system will respond, "This process will clear all paired phone, clear all entries in the phonebook, clear the passcode and restore all defaults in the system setup. Is this what you would like to do?".
2. Press and release the HFL Talk button. After the beep, say "Yes" and the HFL system responds, "Preparing to clear all paired phone, all phonebook entries, the passcode. This may take up to 2 minutes to complete".
Self-diagnostic Function
NOTE: This procedure should be used only if the HDS is unavailable. To run the self-diagnostic function, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition switch to ACC (I).
2. Press and hold the HFL BACK button for more than 5 seconds.
3. When the HandsFreeLink system enters the self-diagnostic function, the word "DIAGNOSTIC MODE" is displayed on the multi-information display (MID) on the gauge control module.
- If the system has not completed testing for DTCs, the HandsFreeLink control unit audibly outputs "The hands free system test is in progress".
- If there are no DTCs, the HandsFreeLink control unit audibly outputs "The hands free system is OK".
- If there are any DTCs, the HandsFreeLink control unit audibly outputs "The hands free system needs to be serviced".
NOTE:
- The self-diagnostic function can only be initiated while the HFL is in its idle state.
- The self-diagnostic function is considered to start once the 5 seconds press and hold is detected, and ends when the units returns to idle state.
Exiting the Self-diagnostic Mode
Press the HFL BACK button and exit the self-diagnostic mode.