service Acura MDX 2002 Owner's Manual

2002 MDX Online Reference Owner's Manual Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com.
Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Important Handling Information ........................................................................\
..................................... iii
Your Vehicle at a Glance ........................................................................\
....................................................... 2
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
............................................... 5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instru ments and Con trols........................................................................\
................................................... 59
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfo rt and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
............................... 121
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
....................................................... ..............
193
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new ve hicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
....................................................... ............................
207
The proper way to start the engine, shift the tr ansmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance ........................................................................\
......................................................................... 247
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care ........................................................................\
................................................................. 305
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected ........................................................................\
....................................... 313
This section covers several prob
lems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information ........................................................................\
....................................................... 339
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada) ......................................................................353
A summary of the warranties covering yo ur new Acura, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only) ........................................................................\
....................................... 357
How t o order manuals and other technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
........................................................................................... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need wh en you pull up to the fuel pump.

This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain inf ants
and children in your vehicle..........
Important Safety Precautions .6
.......
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features .7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
...........................................
Airbags .9
.....................
Seats & Seat-Backs .10
..........................
Head Restraints .10
..................................
Door Locks .10
........
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist .11
............................
Protecting Adults .12 .....
1. Close and Lock the Doors .12
...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats .12
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs .13
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints .14
5. Fasten and Position the Seat
.....................................
Belts .15
....
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel .18
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting
................................
Position .18
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women .19
...
Additional Safety Precautions .19
........................
Protecting Children .21
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .21
Children Should Sit in the Back ...........................................
Seat .22
The Passenger’s Airbag Poses ......
Serious Risks to Children .23
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .25
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .25
...
Additional Safety Precautions .25
General Guidelines f or Using
...............................
Child Seats .26
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .30 .........
Protecting Small Children .35
.......
Protecting Larger Children .38
Using Child Seats with
.....................................
Tethers .42
.............................
Using LATCH .44
Additional Inf ormation About Your .................................
Seat Belts .46
..
Seat Belt System Components .46
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .46
Automatic Seat Belt
...............................
Tensioners .48
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance .49
Additional Inf ormation About Your .....................................
Airbags .50
........................
SRS Components .50
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work .50
...
How Your Side Airbags Work .52
How the SRS Indicator Light
.......................................
Works .53
How The Side Airbag Cutof f ...........
Indicator Light Works .54
.............................
Airbag Service .55
...
Additional Safety Precautions .55
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard .56
...................................
Saf ety Labels .57
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety5
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Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
If rain or spilled water
soaks into a seat-back, it can
prevent the side airbag system
f rom working properly. See page f or f urther inf ormation
and precautions relating to your
airbags.
Your f ront and side airbag systems
are virtually maintenance-f ree, and
there are no parts you can saf ely
service. However, you must have
your vehicle serviced if :
Improperly
replacing or covering f ront seat-
back covers can prevent your side
airbags f rom inf lating during a
collision.
Take your vehicle to
an authorized Acura dealer as
soon as possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inf late when you need them. Any
airbag that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit, automatic seat belt
tensioners, and other related parts.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by a Honda dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop. 202
Airbag Service
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
Do not expose t he f ront seat -backsto water. Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ing anAcura dealer.
T he SRS indicat or light alert s you t o a problem.
Your airbags ever inf late.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety55
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Bef ore you begin driving your Acura,
youshouldknowwhatgasolineto
use, and how to check the levels of
important f luids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage
or packages. The inf ormation in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the inf ormation in this
section f irst..............................
Break-in Period .194
.........................................
Gasoline .194
.........
Service Station Procedures .195
................
Filling the Fuel Tank .195
....................
Opening the Hood .196
...............................
Oil Check .198
.........
Engine Coolant Check .199
...............................
Fuel Economy .200
.....................
Vehicle Condition .200
...........................
Driving Habits .200
...
Accessories and Modif ications .201
.............................
Carrying Cargo .203
.................................
Load Limit .204
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving193
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Because the f uel f ill cap is on the
driver’s side of the vehicle, park
with that side closest to the
service station pumps.
Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat.
In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emissions control system
perf ormance may deteriorate and
the Malf unction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.
If this happens, contact your
authorized Acura dealer f or service.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
Bef ore Driving
Filling the Fuel Tank
Gasoline, Service Station Procedures
195
P Pu
ul
lll
F
FUUE EL
L F
FIILLL L C
CAA P
P
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
01/09/07 12:26:07 31S3V610_200

Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank, leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.Shift to Park or Neutral and set
the parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Screw the f uel f ill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks several
times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may come on (see
page ).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Your vehicle has an on-board
ref ueling vapor recovery system to
help keep f uel vapors f rom going
into the atmosphere. If the fuel
nozzle keeps clicking of f even
though the tank is not full, there
maybeaproblemwiththissystem.
Consult your dealer. 1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
329
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
Opening the Hood
196
H H
O
OO ODD R
REEL
LEE A
A S
SEE H
HA
AN
ND DL
LEE
01/09/07 12:26:17 31S3V610_201

CONT INUED
If you can open the hood without
lifting the hood latch handle, or the
hood latch handle moves stif f ly or
does not spring back as bef ore, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated (see page ).Lif t the hood up most of the way.
The hydraulic supports will lif t it
uptherestof thewayandholdit
up.
To close the hood, lower it to about a
f oot (30 cm) above the f ender, then
press down f irmly with your hands.
After closing the hood, make sure it
is securely latched.
Standing in f ront of the vehicle,
put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood to the left of
center. Slide your hand to the lef t
until you f eel the hood latch
handle. Push this handle up until it
releases the hood. Lif t the hood. 3.
2. 277
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving197
L LA
A T
TC
CH H
01/09/07 12:26:25 31S3V610_202

Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.Insert it all the way back in its tube.
Check the engine oil level every time
you f ill the vehicle with f uel. Wait a
f ew minutes af ter turning the engine
of f bef ore you check the oil.
Remove the dipstick (orange
handle). 3.
2.
1.
Oil Check
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving198
D D I
IPP S
ST TI
ICCK K
01/09/07 12:26:34 31S3V610_203

Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page . Refer to
on page f or inf ormation
on checking other items in your
Acura.
4. 261 265259
A dding
Engine Coolant
A dding Oil Owner Maintenance
Checks
Engine Coolant Check
Bef ore Driving
Service Station Procedures
199
U UP PP
PE
ER
R M
M A
AR
RKK
L
LO OW WE ER
R M
M A
AR
RKK R
RE
ES
SE ER
RV V E
E T
TA
A N
NK K
M
M A
AX
X
M
M I
INN
01/09/07 12:26:44 31S3V610_204

Many states and provinces require
special exterior mirrors when towing
a trailer. Even if they don’t, you
should install special mirrors if you
cannot clearly see behind you, or if
the trailer creates a blind spot.
When towing a trailer, we
recommend that you carry a f ull-size
spare wheel and tire f or your vehicle.
Using the compact spare that came
with the MDX may adversely affect
vehicle handling.
We also recommend that you carry a
f ull-size spare wheel and tire f or your
trailer. Ask your trailer sales or
rental agency where and how to
store the spare. See page f or proper tire size,
page f or how to store a f ull-sized
wheel and tire, and page for
inf ormation on changing a f lat tire.
Remember to unhitch the trailer
bef ore changing a f lat.When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:
The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the brakes,
suspension and cooling system are
in good operating condition. If you
tow f requently, f ollow the Severe
Conditions maintenance schedule.
The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Your vehicle tires and spare are in
good condition and properly
inf lated (see page ).
The trailer tires and spare are in
good condition and inf lated as
recommended by the trailer
maker.
320 315
291
226 228287
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Trailer Mirrors
Spare TiresPre-T ow Checklist
235
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