stop start Acura MDX 2004 Owner's Manual

See page f or important saf etyinf ormation about how to properlyposition the steering wheel. 16
Make any steering wheel adjustment
bef ore you start driving.
Push the lever under the steering
column all the way down.
Move the steering wheel so it
points toward your chest, not
toward your f ace. Make sure you
can see the instrument panel
gauges and indicators.Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in position.
Make sure you have securely
locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.
3.
4.
1.
2.
Steering Wheel A djustment
Inst rument s and Cont rols76
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured
inacrash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.

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Turn the ignition switch to ON (II)
toraiseorloweranywindow.To
open the window, push the switch
downandholdit.Releasetheswitch
when you want the window to stop.
Pull back on the switch and hold it to
close the window. If the MAIN switch is OFF, the
passenger windows cannot be raised
or lowered. Keep the MAIN switch
off whenyouhavechildreninthe
vehicle so they do not injure
themselves by operating the
windows unintentionally. If the driver’s
window runs into any obstacle while
it is closing automatically, it will
reverse direction and then stop. To
close the window, remove the
obstacle, then use the window switch
again.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, or the
driver’s window f use is removed, the
AUTO f unction will be disabled. The
power window system needs to be
reset af ter reconnecting the battery
or installing the f use.
Start the engine. Push down and
hold the driver’s window switch
until the window is f ully open.
Pull and hold the driver’s window
switch to close the window
completely, then hold the switch
f or a second or two more.
If the power windows do not operate
properly af ter resetting, have your
vehicle checked by an Acura dealer.
The windows will operate f or up to
10 minutes af ter you turn of f the
ignition switch. Opening either f ront
door cancels this f unction. To open/close the driver’s
window, push the window switch
f irmly down or up to the second
detent, and release it. The window
will automatically go up or down all
the way. To stop the window, pull/
push on the window switch brief ly. 1.
2.
Power Windows
Inst rument s and Cont rols
AUTO REVERSE
AUTO
90
DRIVER’S WINDOW
SWITCH MAIN SWITCH
Closing a power window on
someone’s hands or fingers can
cause serious injury.
Make sure your passengers are
away from the windows before
closing them.

If you do not remove the disc f rom
the slot, the system will reload the
disc af ter 10 seconds and begin
playing it.
To remove a dif f erent CD f rom the
changer,firstselectitwiththe
appropriate preset button. When that
CD begins playing, press the eject
button.If you press the Eject button while
listening to the radio or tape, or with
the audio system turned of f , the disc
that was last selected is ejected.
Af ter that disc is ejected, pressing
the Eject button again will eject the
next disc in the numerical order. By
doing this six times, you can remove
all the CDs f rom the changer.
In any mode, if you press the eject
button and hold it until you hear a
beep, the system will eject all of the
discs in the changer.
You can also eject discs when the
ignition switch is of f . The disc that
was last selected is ejected f irst. You
can eject up to six discs, one at a
time.
To remove the disc that is currently
playing, press the eject button. You
will see ‘‘EJECT’’ in the display. The
system automatically begins the
Load sequence so you can load
another CD in that position. If you do
not load another CD, af ter 10
seconds the system begins playing
the next disc in the changer. If the
changer is empty, the system selects
the previous mode (AM, FM, or
Tape).
If you press the LOAD button while
a disc is playing, the system will stop
playing that disc and start the
loading sequence. It will then play
the disc just loaded. If you stop loading CDs bef ore all six
positions are f illed, and you do not
press the Load button, the system
will wait f or 10 seconds, then stop
the load operation and begin playing
the last CD loaded.
You can also load a CD into an empty
position while a CD is playing by
pressing the appropriate preset
button. Select an empty position (the
CD Loaded indicator is of f ), and
press the preset button f or that
position (1 to 6). The system will
stop playing the current CD and start
the loading sequence. It will then
play the CD just loaded. Removing CDs f rom the Changer
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
CD Changer
118

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Ý Û
Pressthisbutton
to stop playing a DVD.
Some DVDs have menus that allow
you to select a dubbed language,
subtitles, a chapter list, previews, etc.
Themenucontentswillvaryfrom
DVD to DVD.
Usethe,,,and buttons to select the desired
menu option. Then press ENT to
enter your selection. Use the and buttons to change
pages. You can also use the
numbered buttons to enter the two-
digit number of a menu option. You
do not have to press ENT. Press the
button again to close the window. Many DVDs are recorded with
subtitles or dubbed in multiple
languages. To select subtitles, press
the SUBTITLE button. To select a
dif f erent language than the one
being heard, press the AUDIO
button. Continue to press and
release the SUBTITLE or AUDIO
button to scan through all available
languages.
To change the
color, contrast, aspect ratio, and
brightness of the video screen, press
the DISP button. The current setting
of one will be displayed on the
screen each time you press the
button. Use the and buttons to change the setting
as desired. The display will disappear
f rom the screen several seconds
af ter you stop adjusting the setting. On some DVDs,
the scenes are recorded by more
than one camera, giving different
viewpoints of the same scene. By
pressing the Angle button, you can
select a dif f erent viewpoint.
In the
MENU selection mode, pressing the
RETURN button for less than 2
seconds changes the MENU display
to the previous page. Pressing the
RETURN button for more than 2
seconds while a DVD is playing
brings the system into the TITLE
enter mode. When you enter your
selection, the DVD player will start
playing f rom the selected title.
Rear Entertainment System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
STOP Button
MENU and TITLE Buttons SUBT IT L ES and A UDIO Buttons
DISP ButtonANGLE Button
RETURN (T/C) Button
138

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CONT INUED
This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop bef ore shif ting
into Park. The shif t lever must be in
Park bef ore you can remove the key
from the ignition switch. Press the brake
pedal to shift from Park to Reverse.
To shif t f rom Reverse to Neutral,
come to a complete stop and then
shif t.
Your vehicle has a reverse lockout so
you cannot accidentally shif t to
Reverse from Neutral or any other
driving position when the vehicle
speed exceeds 7 9 mph (12 14
km/h).
If you cannot shif t to Reverse when
the vehicle is stopped, press the
brake pedal and slowly shift to
Neutral, and then to Reverse.
If there is a problem in the reverse
lockout system, or your vehicle’s
battery is disconnected or goes dead,
you cannot shif t to Reverse. (Ref er
to Shif t Lock Release on page ). Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from Neutral to
another gear.
Use this position f or
normal driving. The transmission
automatically selects a suitable gear
f or your speed and acceleration. You
may notice the transmission shif ting
up at higher speeds when the engine
is cold. This helps the engine warm
up f aster.
175
175
Automatic Transmission
Driving
Park (P)Shif t L ock Release Reverse (R)
Neutral (N)
Drive (D )
5
173

µµ µThese positions
are similar to D , except when you
select the D position, only the f irst
f our gears are selected. When you
select D , only the f irst three gears
are selected. D can also keep the
transmission f rom cycling between
f ourth and f if th gears in stop-and-go
driving, and D can keep the
transmission f rom cycling between
third and f ourth gears. This position locks
thetransmissioninsecondgear.It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop.
Use Second gear: For more power when climbing.
To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.
For starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow.
When driving downhill with a
trailer. With the lever in this
position, the transmission locks in
First gear.
If you shif t into First position when
the vehicle speed is above 31 mph
(50 km/h), the transmission shif ts
into Second gear f irst to avoid
sudden engine braking.
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Use D to provide engine braking
when going down a steep hill. D
gives you more power and increased
engine braking.
5
4
3 4
3
3 3
Automatic Transmission
Driving
Drive(D,D) Second(2)First(1)
Engine Speed L imiter43
174

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

Your MDX can be towed behind a
motorhome at legal highway speeds
up to 65 mph (100 km/h). Do not
exceed 65 mph (100 km/h) or severe
transmission damage will occur. To
avoid damage to the 4WD system, it
must be towed with all f our wheels
on the ground (f lat towing).
When purchasing a tow bar, make
sure you select a reputable
manuf acturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s attachment
instructions caref ully.
Perf orm this procedure every day
immediately bef ore you begin towing.
Otherwise, severe automatic
transmission damage will occur.Start the engine. Check the transmission f luid level
(see page ). Press on the brake pedal. Shif t the
lever through all the positions (P,
R,N,D,D,D,2,1).
ShifttoD ,thentoN.Letthe
engine run f or three minutes, then
turn it off.
Release the parking brake.
Leave the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) position so the
steering wheel does not lock.
Make sure the radio and any items
plugged into the accessory power
sockets are turned of f so you do
not run down the battery.
If you tow more than 8 hours in one
day, you should repeat the above
procedure at least every 8 hours
(when you stop f or f uel, etc.)
210
543 5
Ext ended T owing
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a Motorhome
Driving191
NOTICE: T he steering system can be
damaged if the steering wheel is locked.
Leave the ignition switch in the
ACCESSORY (I) position, and make
sure the steering wheel turns f reely
bef ore you begin towing.

Before you leave the pavement, be
sure to do all scheduled maintenance
and service and that you inspect your
vehicle. Pay special attention to the
condition of the tires and check the
tire pressure.
After you return to the pavement,
caref ully inspect your vehicle to
make sure there is no damage that
could make driving it unsaf e.
Recheck the condition of the tires
and the tire pressure.
The route presents limits (too steep
or bumpy roads). You have limits
(driving skill and comf ort). And your
vehicle has limits (traction, stability,
and power).
Driving of f -highway can be
hazardous if you f ail to recognize
limits and take the proper
precautions.Forbettertractiononallsurfaces,
accelerate slowly and gradually build
up speed. If you try to start too fast
on wet soil, mud, snow, or ice, you
might not have enough traction to
get underway and you may dig
yourself a hole. Starting with the
shif t lever in second gear (2) will
help you have a smoother start on
snow and ice.
Keep in mind that you will usually
need more time and distance to
brake to a stop on unpaved surf aces.
Avoid hard braking. Do not pump
the brakes; let the anti-lock braking
system pump them f or you.
Debris in the road can damage your
suspension or other components.
Because your vehicle has a high
center of gravity, driving over a large
obstacle, or allowing a wheel to drop
into a deep hole can cause yourvehicle to tip or roll over.
If you can’t clearly see all road
conditions or obstacles, walk the
slope bef ore you drive on it. If you
have any doubt whether or not you
can saf ely drive on the slope, don’t
do it. Find another route.
Bef ore driving through water, stop
and make sure that:
The water is not deep enough to
cover your wheel hubs, axles or
exhaust pipe. You could stall and
not be able to restart your engine.
The water can also damage
important vehicle components.
If you are driving up a hill and f ind
that you cannot continue,
. Your vehicle could roll
over. Slowly back down the hill,
f ollowing the same route you took up
the hill.
do not try to
turn around
Check Out Your Vehicle
Remember: Accelerating and Braking
Avoiding ObstaclesDriving on Slopes
Crossing a Stream
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
Driving193

The banks are sloped so you can
drive out.
The water is not f lowing too f ast.
Deep rushing water can sweep you
downstream. Even very shallow
rushingwatercanwashthe
ground f rom under your tires and
cause you to lose traction and
possibly roll over.
The banks and surf ace under the
water provide good traction. The
water may hide hazards such as
rocks, holes, or mud.
If you decide it is saf e to drive
through water, choose a suitable
speed and engage the VTM-4 Lock.
Proceed without shif ting or changing
speeds, and do not stop the vehicle
or shut of f the engine.
After driving through water, test
your brakes. If they got wet, gently
pump them while driving slowly until
they operate normally. If the water is deeper than the wheel
hubs, some additional service may
be required. This service is not
covered by your warranties.
If you get stuck, engage the VTM-4
Lock (see page ). Caref ully try to
go in the direction (f orward or
reverse) that you think will get you
unstuck. Do not spin the tires at high
speeds. It will not help you get out
and may cause damage to the
transmission or VTM-4 system.
If you are unable to f ree yourself ,
your vehicle is equipped with f ront
and rear tow hooks designed f or this
purpose.
Use a nylon strap to attach the MDX
to the recovery vehicle and caref ully
take out the slack in the strap. Once
the strap is tight, the recovery
vehicle should apply f orce.
Remember that the recovery vehicleneeds good traction to avoid
becoming stuck, too.
You should never use a jack to try to
get unstuck. Your vehicle could
easily slip of f the jack and hurt you
or someone else.
You may be able to safely tow a
lightweight trailer (such as a
motorcycle or small tent trailer) of f -
road if you f ollow these guidelines.
Do not exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
or a tongue weight of 100 lbs (45
kg).
Trytostayonsmooth,leveldirt
roads, and avoid driving in hilly
terrain.
Allow extra room f or starting,
stopping, and turning.
Slow down if you encounter bumps
or other obstacles.
176
If You Get Stuck
Towing a Trailer Off-Road
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
Driving194