maintenance schedule Acura MDX 2002 Owner's Guide

Open the hood and remove the
engine oil f ill cap. Remove the oil
drain bolt and washer f rom the
bottom of the engine. Drain the oil
into an appropriate container.
Always change the oil and f ilter
accordingtothetimeanddistance
(miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and f ilter collect contami-
nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly.
Changing the oil and f ilter requires
special tools and access f rom
underneath the vehicle. The vehicle
should be raised on a service station-
type hydraulic lif t f or this service.
Unless you have the knowledge and
proper equipment, you should have
this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.
Run the engine until it reaches
normal operating temperature,
then shut it off.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
Engine Oil
Maint enance
Changing the Oil and Filter
263
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CONT INUED
Turn the ignition ON (II). Set the
Climate control system to 90°F(32
°C). Turn the ignition off.
Openthehood.Makesurethe
engine and radiator are cool to the
touch.
Remove the radiator cap.Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the
splash guard.
Thecoolingsystemshouldbe
completely drained and ref illed with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
Honda All Season Antif reeze/
Coolant Type 2. Use of any non-
Honda coolant or plain water can
result in corrosion and deposits in
the cooling system.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the vehicle.
Unless you have the tools and
knowledge, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.
1.
3.
2.
Replacing Engine Coolant
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance267
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Check the f luid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature.Park the vehicle on level ground.
Shut of f the engine.
Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)
f rom the transmission and wipe it
with a clean cloth.
Insert the dipstick all the way into
the transmission.
Remove the dipstick and check the f luid level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
To thoroughly f lush the
transmission, the technician
should drain and ref ill it with
Honda ATF-Z1 (Automatic
Transmission Fluid), then drive
the vehicle a short distance. Do
this three times. Then drain and
ref ill the transmission a f inal time.
If you are not sure how to add f luid,
contact your Acura dealer. The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule. Insert the dipstick all the way back
in the transmission.
If the level is below the lower
mark, add f luid into the tube to
bring it to the upper mark. Always
use Honda ATF-Z1 (Automatic
Transmission Fluid). If it is not
available, you may use a
DEXRON
III automatic
transmission f luid as a temporary
replacement. However, continued use can affect shift quality. Have
the transmission f lushed and
ref illed with Honda ATF-Z1 as
soon as it is convenient.
1.
2.
3. 5.
6.
4.
Maint enance
Automatic Transmission Fluid
271
U UP PP
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Put a new washer on the f iller bolt,
then reinstall the f iller bolt. Tighten
it securely. Tightening torque:
The dif f erential should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance
recommendations in the
maintenance schedule.
Check the f luid level with the
dif f erential at normal operating
temperature and the vehicle sitting
on level ground. Remove the
dif f erential f luid f iller bolt and
washer and caref ully f eel inside the
bolt hole with your f inger. The f luid
level should be up to the edge of the
bolt hole. If it is not, slowly add
VTM-4 Dif f erential Fluid until it
starts to run out of the hole.
Maint enance
Dif f erential Fluid
272
F FI ILLL LEE R
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CT T L
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V E
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33 lbf·ft (45 N·m , 4.6 kgf·m)
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To replace it: The air cleaner element is inside the
air cleaner housing on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment.Disconnect the cable from the air
cleaner housing cover by pushing
the plastic clip and pulling on it.
Remove the cable from connector. Loosen the f our bolts with a
Phillips-head screwdriver.
The air cleaner element should be
replaced according to the time and
distance recommendations in the
maintenance schedule.
1.2.
CONT INUED
Replacement
A ir Cleaner Element
Maint enance275
B BO
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The spark plugs in your vehicle are a
special platinum-tipped design f or
longer lif e. The spark plugs should
be replaced according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule.Loosen the two holding clips by
turning the heads one-quarter turn
counterclockwise with a f lat-tipped
screwdriver. Remove the cover on
the f ront cylinder bank by pulling
it straight up.
Clean up any dirt and oil that have
collected around the ignition coils.
Clean the hood latch assembly with a
mild cleaner, then lubricate it with a
multipurpose grease. Lubricate all
the moving parts (as shown),
including the pivot. Follow the time
and distance recommendations in
the Maintenance Schedule. If you
are not sure how to clean and grease
the latch, contact your Acura dealer. 1.
2.
CONT INUED
Hood L atch
Spark PlugsReplacement
Hood L at ch, Spark Plugs
Maint enance277
L LAA T
TC
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µµKeeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e and riding
comf ort. Underinf lated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,aremore
prone to damage from road hazards,
and wear unevenly.
We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
To saf ely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inf lated. The
f ollowing pages give more detailed
informationonhowandwhento
check air pressure, how to inspect
your tires f or damage and wear, and
what to do when your tires need to
be replaced.
The timing belt should normally be
replaced at the intervals shown in
the maintenance schedule.
Replace the belt at 60,000 miles (U.S.)
or 100,000 km (Canada) if you regu-
larly drive your vehicle in one or
more of these conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Frequently tow a trailer. Inf lation
Tires
Timing Belt
Timing Belt, Tires
Maint enance286
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
01/09/07 12:40:54 31S3V610_291

If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park. Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield. Disconnect the battery.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals.Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Acura
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months/30,000 miles
(48,000 km) maintenance schedule
(Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page ).
The replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the vehicle has
actually reached that time or mileage.
263
252
St oring Your Vehicle
Maint enance303
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Î
ÎThe burning of gasoline in your
vehicle’s engine produces several by-
products. Some of these are carbon
monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen
(NOx) and hydrocarbons (HC).
Gasoline evaporating f rom the tank
also produces hydrocarbons. Con-
trolling the production of NOx, CO,
and HC is important to the environ-
ment. Under certain conditions of
sunlight and climate, NOx and HC
react to f orm photochemical ‘‘smog.’’
Carbon monoxide does not contri-
bute to smog creation, but it is a
poisonous gas. The United States Clean Air Act
sets standards f or automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
workandwhattodotomaintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page
.
In Canada, Acura vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Saf ety Standards (CMVSS) f or
Emissions valid at the time they are
manuf actured.
Your vehicle has a Positive
Crankcase Ventilation System. This
keeps gasses that build up in the
engine’s crankcase f rom going into
the atmosphere. The Positive Crank-
case Ventilation valve routes them from the crankcase back to the
intake manif old. They are then
drawn into the engine and burned.
As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
The Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f .
250
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
T echnical Inf ormation
Emissions Cont rols
348
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CONT INUED
...................
Neutral Gear Position .213
..................
New Vehicle Break-in .194
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of .i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication .340
.................
Jacking up the Vehicle .318
.......................................
Jack, Tire .315
................................
Jump Starting .323 ...........................
Interior Cleaning .308
...............................
Interior Lights .117
........................................
Introduction .i
..................................................
Keys .79
.......................
Label, Certif ication .340
.................
Lane Change, Signaling .74
..................
Lap/Shoulder Belts .15,46
....................
Light Control Switch .117
.............................................
Lights .293
....................
Bulb Replacement .295
.......................................
Indicator .61
.......................................
Interior .117
.........................................
Parking .72
..................................
Turn Signal .74 ....................................
Load Limits .204
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) . 81
Locks .......
Anti-thef t Steering Column . 81
............................
Fuel Fill Door .195
....................................
Glove Box .89
....................
Lockout Prevention . 83
.................................
Power Door .82
......................
2Low Coolant Level .199
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator .65
...
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 62,327
...
Lubricant Specif ications Chart . 342
.........................................
Luggage .203 ...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline . 194
.........................................
Odometer .67
...............................
Odometer, Trip .67
Oil ........................
Change, How to .263
......................
Change, When to .252
......................
Checking Engine .198
..............
Pressure Indicator . 62,327
Selecting Proper Viscosity ......................................
Chart .262
...........
ON (Ignition Key Position) . 82
..
Operation in Foreign Countries . 347
............................
Outside Mirrors .104
..................................
Maintenance .247
...
Owner Maintenance Checks . 259
.................................
Record .257-258
......................
Required Indicator .69
..........................................
Saf ety .248
.............................
Schedule .252-256
.
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 62,329
..............
Manual Seat Adjustments . 92
...............................
Meters, Gauges .61
...................
Methanol in Gasoline . 346........................
Mirrors, Adjusting .105
Index
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