service indicator Acura MDX 2004 Owner's Manual

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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 how your airbag
work, 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
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens . 11
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors . 11
...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats . 11
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 12
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 13
5. Fasten and Position the Seat .....................................
Belts .14
....
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel . 16
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .16
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 17
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 17Additional Inf ormation About Your
.................................
Seat Belts .19
..
Seat Belt System Components . 19
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .19
........ 20
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 21
Additional Inf ormation About Your .....................................
Airbags .22
......
Airbag System Components . 22
......... 23
........................
Advanced Airbag .25
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 27
How Your Side Curtain Airbag .........................................
Work .28
How the SRS Indicator Light .......................................
Works .28
How The Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .29
How the Passenger Airbag ...............
Of f indicator Works . 30
.............................
Airbag Service .31
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 32
Protecting Children General ................................
Guidelines .33
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .33 All Children Should Sit in a Back
...........................................
Seat .34
The Passenger’s Front Airbag Can Pose Serious Risks to ...............................
Children .34
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .36
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .36
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 36
Protecting inf ants and .........................
Small Children .38
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .38
.........
Protecting Small Children . 39
.....................
Selecting a Child Seat .40
....................
Installing a Child Seat .41
Installing a Child Seat with .....................................
LATCH .42
Installing a Child Seat with ...............
a Lap/Shoulder Belt . 44
Installing a Child Seat with ...................................
a Tether .45
...........
Protecting Larger Children . 47
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 51
...................................
Saf ety Labels .52
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
How Your Front Airbags Work
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety5

your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor and the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors to
make sure they are operating
properly.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized Acura dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
Your 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:
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. If a
f ront airbag inf lates, the seat belt
tensioners must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an Acura dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop.
If this happens, have the passenger
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. If the passenger must ride in
front, move the seat as far to the
rear as possible, have the passenger
sit upright and wear the seat belt
properly.
This indicator may come on and of f
repeatedly if objects are placed on
the front passenger’s seat, or if the
interior temperature of the vehicle
changes suddenly when a door is
opened.
See page f or more inf ormation
about the passenger’s advanced
f ront airbag.
25
If your vehicle has a moderat e t o
severe impact , and even if yourairbags do not inf late,
T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o a problem.
An airbag ever inf lates.Airbag Service
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety31

This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition to ON (II).
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition to ON (II).
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle’s tires are extremely low on
pressure.
If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is saf e, check which tire
has lost the pressure on the Tire
Pressure Monitor, and determine the
cause. If it is because of a f lat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page ), and have the
f lat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinf lated,
call a prof essional towing service
(see page ). Ref er to page
f or more inf ormation. The appropriate tire indicator will
come on along with the Low Tire
Pressure Indicator if a tire is
extremely under inf lated or has
suddenly lost pressure. See Low Tire
Pressure Indicator f or what to do if
this indicator comes on.
If this indicator comes on and stays
on at any other time, or it does not
come on when you turn the ignition
switch to ON (II), there is a problem
with the TPMS. With this indicator
on, the low tire pressure indicator
and the tire pressure monitor will not
come on when a tire loses pressure.
Take the vehicle to your dealer to
have the system checked.
231
244
178
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (T PMS) Indicator
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator Tire Pressure Monitor
64

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time. Your Acura is designed to operate on
premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause occasional metallic knocking
noises in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance.
You should also f ollow these same
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
We recommended using a gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits. Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT. Use of
gasoline with these additives may
adversely affect performance, and
cause the Malf unction Indicator
Lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact your
authorized Acura dealer f or service.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
Quick Start Guide.
Break-in Period, Gasoline T ype
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period
Gasoline Type
158

Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least three times.
If you do not properly tighten the
cap, the Malf unction Indicator
Lampmaycomeon(seepage).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Park the vehicle, 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.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.
If the hood latch handle moves stif f ly,
or if you can open the hood without
lifting the handle, the mechanism
should be cleaned and lubricated
(see page ).
1.
5.
6.
2.
243
214
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
Opening the Hood
160
HOOD RELEASE HANDLELATCH

Your Acura is equipped with a Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that turns on every time you
start the engine and monitors the
pressure in your tires while driving.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure indicator and the
appropriate tire on the Tire Pressure
Monitor to come on.Driving on a signif icantly under-
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
When the tire pressure monitoring
system warning light is lit, one or
more of your tires is signif icantly
under-inf lated. You should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper
pressureasindicatedonthevehicle’s
tire inf ormation placard. Each tire, including the spare should
be checked monthly when cold and
set to the recommended inf lation
pressure as specif ied in the vehicle
placard and owner’s manual (see
page ).
Although your tire pressure is
monitored, you must manually check
thetirepressuresmonthly.
If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly to the station and
inflate the tire to the recommended
pressure shown on the driver’s
doorjamb.
If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire.
222
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Driving
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
177

The appropriate tire indicator and
Low Tire Pressure Indicator will
come on if a tire becomes
signif icantly underinf lated. Follow
the instructions under ‘‘Low Tire
Pressure Indicator’’.The indicator comes on and stays on
when there is a problem with the
Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
If this happens, the system will shut
of f and no longer monitor tire
pressures. Have the system checked
by an Acura dealer as soon as
possible.
If you have a f lat tire, the Low Tire
Pressure and Tire monitor indicators
will come on. Replace the indicated
flat tire with the compact spare tire
(see page ).Each wheel is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor mounted inside the
tire behind the valve stem. You must
use TPMS specif ic wheels. It is
recommended that you always have
your tires serviced by your Acura
dealer or qualif ied technician.
Af ter you replace the f lat tire, the
Low Tire Pressure indicator will stay
on.Thisisnormal;thesystemisnot
monitoring the spare tire pressure.
Manually check the spare tire
pressure to be sure it is correct.
Never use a puncture-repairing agent
in a f lat tire. If used, you will have to
replace the tire pressure sensor.
Havetheflattirerepairedbyan
Acura dealer as soon as possible.
231
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Driving
Tire Pressure Monitor
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (T PMS) Indicator
ChangingtheTirewithTPMS
178

Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within ten seconds, turn of f
the engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(seeon page
). If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
GotoanAcuradealeroraservice
station where you can get technical
assistance.
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible and you should
take immediate action. 1.
2.
3.
4.161
205
244
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
242
NOTICE:
Running the engine with low
oil pressure can cause serious
mechanical damage almost immediately.
Turn of f the engine as soon as you can
saf ely get the vehicle stopped.

The brake system indicator
normally comes on when
you turn the ignition switch
to ON (II), and as a
reminder to check the
parking brake. It will stay
on if you do not f ully
release the parking brake.
If the brake system indicator comes
on while driving, the brake f luid level
is probably low. Press lightly on the
brake pedal to see if it f eels normal.
If it does, check the brake f luid level
thenexttimeyoustopataservice
station (see page ).
If the f luid level is low, take the
vehicle to your dealer and have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads. However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.
If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a professional towing service or
organization. Never tow your vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.
The operator will load
your vehicle on the back of a truck.
Any other method of towing will
damage the drive system. When you
contact the towing agency, inf orm
them a f lat-bed is required.
Refer to on page
for non-emergency towing
inf ormation.
Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible.
If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and caref ully.
212
191
Brake System Indicator
Emergency Towing
The only way you can saf ely tow
your vehicle is with f lat-bed
equipment.
Towing Your Vehicle
Behind a Motorhome
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Brake System Indicator, Emergency Towing
244
NOTICE:
Canada U.S.
Towing your vehicle with
two tires on the ground will damage
parts of the 4WD system. It should be
transported on a f lat-bed truck or
trailer.

ÎÎ
CONT INUED
Replacement Inf ormation................
Engine Oil and Filter . 206
..........................................
Fuses .246
................................
Light Bulbs .214
....................................
Schedule .197
................................
Timing Belt .213
...........................................
Tires .221
.............................
Wiper Blades .219
Replacing Seat Belts Af ter a ............................................
Crash .21
...
Reserve Tank, Engine Coolant . 162
..................
Reverse Gear Position . 173
................................
Rotation, Tire .223
..................................
Saf ety Belts .8, 19
.........
Safety Defects, Reporting . 268
.................................
Saf ety Features .7
...........................................
Airbags .9
..................................
Door Locks .11
..........................
Head Restraints .13
.................................
Seat Belts .8, 14
...............
Seats & Seat-Backs . 11,12
.............
Saf ety Labels, Location of . 52
...............................
Saf ety Messages .ii .....................................
Seat Belts .8, 19
...............
Additional Information . 19
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .20
.....................................
Cleaning .218
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .19
................................
Maintenance .21
Reminder Light and ................................
Beeper .19, 58
...................
System Components . 19
...............
Use During Pregnancy . 17
...
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt . 14
.................................................
Seats .84
.........
Adjusting the Second Seat . 87
...........
Adjusting the Third Seat . 88
............
Folding the Second Seat . 87
...............
Folding the Third Seat . 88
..........................
Head Restraints .86
.......................
Third Row Access .87
...............................
Serial Number .252
...........................
Service Intervals .199
...........................
Service Manual .269
.........
Service Station Procedures . 159
Shif ting the Automatic .............................
Transmission .172
.....
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 172........................
Shif t Lock Release .175
....................................
Side Airbags .27
......................
Side Curtain Airbags .28
Side Marker Lights, Bulb .........................
Replacement in .215
...............................
Signaling Turns .72
.....................................
Snow Tires .225
................
Sound System . 110,115,125
Spare Tire ..............................
Inf lating .222, 230
............................
Specif ications .255
....................
Specif ications Charts . 254
................................
Speed Control .144
...................................
Speedometer .66
..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation . 22
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 32
......
Airbag System Components . 22
.............................
Airbag Service .31
..
How the SRS Indicator Works . 28
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .23
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 27
How Your Side Curtain Airbags .........................................
Work .28
Index
S
VII