wheel size Acura MDX 2003 Owner's Manua

VSA is turned on every time you
start the engine, even if you turned it
off the last time you drove the
vehicle.Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the VSA to
malf unction. When replacing tires,
make sure they are of the same size
and type as your original tires (see
page ).
Deactivate the VSA system if you
need to drive with the compact spare
tire installed (see page ).
If you install winter tires, make sure
they are the same size as those that
were originally supplied with your
car. Exercise the same caution
during winter driving as you would if
your vehicle was not equipped with
VSA.337
360
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System
Driving
VSA and Tire Sizes
268

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 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.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure. All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ). The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.
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366 361 271 273 333
Trailer Mirrors
Spare TiresPre-T ow Checklist
Towing a Trailer
Driving280

It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, then replace the two
f ront tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s han-
dling.
When shopping f or replacement
tires, you may find that some tires
are ‘‘directional.’’ This means they
are designed to rotate only in one
direction. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back.
The tires that came with your
vehicle were selected to match the
perf ormance capabilities of the
vehicle while providing the best
combination of handling, ride
comfort,andlonglife.Youshould
replace them with radial tires of the
same size, load range, speed rating,
and maximum cold tire pressure
rating (as shown on the tire’s
sidewall). Mixing radial and bias-ply
tires on your vehicle can reduce its
braking ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Replacing T ires and Wheels
Tires
Maint enance336
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.

´
Tires that are marked ‘‘M S’’ or
‘‘All Season’’ on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They
should be suitable f or most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed f or
optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate
perf ormance in winter driving.
For the best perf ormance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions.
TheABSworksbycomparingthe
speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally
supplied with the vehicle. Tire size
and construction can affect wheel
speed and may cause the system to
work inconsistently.
Wheel:
Tire:
See page f or inf ormation about
DOT Tire Quality Grading.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your vehicle. Re-
placement wheels are available at
your Acura dealer. 392
CONT INUED
Winter Driving
Wheels and T ires
Tires
Maint enance337
17x61/2JJ
P235/65R17 103T

If you mount snow tires on your
Acura, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tiresonallfourwheelstobalance
your vehicle’s handling in all weather
conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle’s
original-equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads
areclear.Checkwiththetiredealer
f or maximum speed recommen-
dations.Because your Acura has limited tire
clearance, mount only SAE Class ‘‘S’’
cable-type traction devices, with
rubber chain tensioners, on the f ront
tires. Use traction devices only when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Make sure they are the
correct size f or your tires.
When installing cables, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with them installed. If
youhearthemcomingincontact
with the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Make sure the cables are
installed tightly, and that they are
not contacting the brake lines or
suspension. Remove them as soon asyou begin driving on cleared roads.
Metal link-type ‘‘chains’’ should not
be used. No matter how tight they
seem to be installed, they can come
into contact with the body and
suspension, causing serious damage.
Snow T ires T ire Chains
Tires
Maint enance338
Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle’s brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of
the vehicle.

Your vehicle has a compact spare
tire that takes up less space. Use this
sparetireasatemporaryreplace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put it back
on your vehicle as soon as you can.Thecompactsparetirehasashorter
tread lif e than a regular tire. Replace
it when you can see the tread wear
indicator bars. The replacement
should be the same size and design
tire, mounted on the same wheel.
Thecompactsparetireisnot
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the compact wheel is not
designed f or mounting a regular tire.
Check the inf lation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
f aces than the regular tire. Use
greater caution while driving on
this tire. Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances.
Follow these precautions whenever
you are using the compact spare tire: Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare.
Do not use the compact spare tire
if you are towing a trailer.
The wheel of the compact spare
tire is designed especially to f it
your vehicle. Do not use your
sparetireonanothervehicle
unlessitisthesamemakeand
model.
Compact Spare Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed360
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)