dashboard Acura MDX 2005 Owner's Manual

2005 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.h\
elminc.com.
Contents

Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................... i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
........................................... 4
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
.................................... 7
Seat belts, SRS, and child protection.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
......................................... 57
Indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column.
Features ........................................................................\
..................................................................... 105
Climate, audio, rear entertainment, steering wheel, secruity, cruise con\
trol, HomeLink and Onstar
Before Driving........................................................................\
.......................................................... 185
Fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... . 197
Engine and transmission operation.
Maintenance........................................................................\
............................................................. 227
Schedules, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.............................. 259
Flat tire, dead battery, overheating, fuses.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ . 281
Vehicle specifications, tires, fuels, and emissions controls.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................ 295
Warranty and contact information.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.............................. 299
How to order.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
..... I
Service Information Summary
Fluid capacities and tire pressures.
Important Handling Information. ........................................................................\
................... iii

The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your saf ety.
The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:
They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
Your vehicle also has side curtain
airbags to help protect the heads of
the driver, f ront passenger, and
passengers in the outer rear seating
positions during a moderate to
severe side impact or rollover (see
page f or more inf ormation on how
your side curtain airbags work). To do their job, airbags must
inf late with tremendous f orce. So
while airbags help save lives, they
can cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly. Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as f ar back f rom the
steering wheel while allowing f ull
control of the vehicle. A f ront
passenger should move their seat as
f ar back f rom the dashboard as
possible.
Remember, however, that no saf ety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
31
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rearimpact s, or minor f ront al or sidecollisions.
Airbags can pose serious hazards. What you should do:
12

If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that drivers
allow at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the center of the steering
wheel and the chest.Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a
comf ortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel.
Passengers with adjustable seat-
backs should also adjust their seat-
back to a comf ortable, upright
position.
If you cannot get f ar enough away
f rom the steering wheel and still
reach the controls, we recommend
that you investigate whether some
type of adaptive equipment may help.
If your seat is adjusted manually,
rock it back and f orth to make sure
the seat is locked in position. See
page f or more inf ormation on
how to adjust the f ront seats.
86
Protecting A dults and Teens
Adjust the Seat-Backs
3.
14
Sitting too close to a front
airbag can result in serious
injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
front airbags as possible.

Your Airbag System (SRS) includes:Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the f ront and
rear pillars and above the windows.
The f ront and rear pillars on both
sides are marked ‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two side airbags, one f or the
driver and one f or a f ront
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
26
29
31
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
A irbag System Components
24
(5) (3)
(4)
(4)
(5)(2)
(10) (8) (10)(8)(9)
(11)
(7)
(9)(1)
(6)
(1) Driver’s Front Airbag
(2) Passenger’s Front Airbag
(3) Control Unit
(4) Seat Belt Tensioners
(5) Side Airbags
(6) Side Curtain Airbags
(7) Driver’s Seat Position Sensor
(8) Front Passenger’s Seat Weight Sensors
(9) Front Impact Sensor
(10) Side Impact Sensors
(11) Passenger Airbag Off Indicator

CONT INUED
Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the f ront passenger’s
seat. If the weight of an inf ant or
small child is detected, the
passenger’s f ront airbag will be
turned of f (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact.
Height and position sensors that
can detect whether a child is in the
passenger’s side airbag path and
signal the control unit to turn the
airbag off (see page ).
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too f ar f orward, the airbag will
inf late with less f orce (see page
). A rollover sensor that can detect if
your vehicle is about to roll over
and signal the control unit to
deploy both side curtain airbags
and f ront seat belt tensioners (see
page ).
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and f ront
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition is in ON (II). Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ).
An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
f ront airbag has been turned of f
(see page ).
22
33
28 33
3332
31
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
25

When the airbag is turned of f , an
indicator in the center of the
dashboard will come on indicating
passenger airbag ‘‘OFF’’ (see page).
If there is no passenger in the f ront
seat, the airbag will be off. However,
the Passenger Airbag Of f indicator
will not come on.
Objects placed on the f ront
passenger seat can also cause the
passenger airbag to be shut of f .
To ensure that the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
This includes: A rear passenger pushing or
pulling on the back of the
passenger’s seat. Moving the f ront seat f orcibly
back against cargo on the seat or
f loor behind it.
Hanging heavy items on the f ront
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.
If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid deceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag.
33
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
do not do anyt hing
t hat would increase or decrease t he weight on t he f ront passenger’s seat .
How Your Side A irbags Work
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
29

µ
To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.Canadian Models
U.S. Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
37

µ
Your vehicle has two rows of back
seats where children can be properly
restrained. If you ever have to carry
a group of children, and a child must
ride in f ront:Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).
Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page ).
Have the child sit upright and well
backintheseat(seepage ).
Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page ). Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Placing a child in the f ront seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
f rontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.
If a child requires close physical
attention or f requent visual contact,
we strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in a back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.
This can prevent children
f rom accidentally f alling out (see
page ). If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown f orward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
57
13
18
16 82
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
If a Child Requires Close
AttentionAdditional Saf ety Precautions
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Use childproof door locks t o
prevent children f rom opening t hedoors.
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfand a child.
38

These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury. Read these labels caref ully.
If a label comes of f or becomes hard
to read (except for the U.S.
dashboard label which is removed by
the owner), contact your Acura
dealer f or a replacement.
CONT INUED
U.S. models only
Saf ety L abels
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
55
RADIATOR CAP
HOOD DASHBOARD
BATTERY LABEL

µThe Automatic Lighting
f eature turns on the headlights, all
other exterior lights, and the
instrument panel lights when it
senses low ambient light.
To turn on automatic lighting, turn
the light switch to AUTO at any time.
The lights will come on automatically
when the outside light level becomes
low (at dusk, f or example). The
lights on indicator comes on as a
reminder. The lights and indicator
will turn of f automatically when the
system senses high ambient light. The lights will remain on when you
turn of f the ignition switch. They will
turn of f automatically when you open
the driver’s door. To turn them on
again, either turn the ignition switch
to ON (II) or turn the light switch to
.
Even with the automatic lighting
f eature turned on, we recommend
thatyouturnonthelightsmanually
when driving at night or in a dense
f og, or when you enter dark areas
such as long tunnels or parking
structures.
Do not leave the light switch in
AUTO if you will not be driving the
vehicle f or an extended period (a
weekormore).Youshouldalsoturn
of f the lights if you plan to leave the
engine idling or the engine of f f or a
long time. The automatic lighting f eature is
controlledbyasensorlocatedontop
of the dashboard. Do not cover this
sensor or spill liquids on it.
Headlights
AUTO
Inst rument s and Cont rols
75
LIGHT SENSOR