maintenance Acura MDX 2007 Owner's Guide

Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement.
Using any non-Honda brake f luid can
cause corrosion and decrease the lif e
of the system. Have the brake
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 as soon as possible.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your vehicle’s
braking system and can cause
extensive damage.The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.
Replace the brake f luid when this
service is indicated on a maintenance
message in the multi-inf ormation
display.
Check the f luid level in the brake
f luid reservoir monthly.
Brake Fluid
Maint enance
395
MAX
MIN
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Replace the belt at 60,000 miles
(100,000 km) if you regularly drive
your vehicle in one or more of these
conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Check the level on the side of the
reservoir when the engine is cold.
The f luid should be between the
UPPER LEVEL and LOWER LEVEL.
If not add power steering f luid to the
UPPER LEVEL mark. Always use Honda Power Steering
Fluid. You may use another power
steering f luid as an emergency
replacement, but have the power
steering system f lushed and ref illed
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
The timing belt should be replaced
at the intervals shown in the
maintenance minder schedule.
If you f requently tow a trailer.
A low power steering f luid level can
indicate a leak in the system. Check
the f luid level f requently, and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.
If you are not sure how to add
f luid, contact your dealer.
Pour the f luid slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill any. Clean up any
spills immediately; it could damage
components in the engine
compartment. Timing Belt
Power Steering Fluid
Power Steering Fluid, Timing Belt
396
UPPER LEVEL
LOWER LEVEL
Turning the steering wheel to f ull lef t
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.
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If your seat belts get dirty, use a sof t
brush with a mixture of mild soap
and warm water to clean them. Do
not use bleach, dye, or cleaning
solvents. Let the belts air-dry bef ore
you use the vehicle.
Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth
dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.
This f ilter removes the dust and
pollenthatisbroughtinfromthe
outside through the climate control
system.
Have your dealer replace the filter
when this service is indicated by a
maintenance message in the multi-
inf ormation display. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban
areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air, or if the f low f rom
theclimatecontrolsystembecomes
less than usual.
Cleaning the Seat Belts
Dust and Pollen Filter
Dust and Pollen Filter, Cleaning the Seat Belts
Maint enance
403
LOOP
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To safely operate your vehicle, your
ti res must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inflated. Keeping
the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life, and riding
comfort.
Thetirepressuremonitoringsystem
(TPMS)will warnyouwhenatire
pressu re is low. See page for
inform ation on the TPMS.
The f ollowing pages give more
detailed inf ormation on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they need to be replaced.
Underinf lated tires wear unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to
fail from being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,are
more prone to damage f rom road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
We recommend that you visually
check your tires everyday. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge. Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure in each tire at least once a
month. Even tires that are in good
condition may lose 1 to 2 psi (10 to
20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per
month. Remember to check the
sparetireatthesametime.
343
CONT INUED
Inf lation Guidelines
Tires
Maint enance
409
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
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In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you f eel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed f rom the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance.
Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a
band 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread
lef t on the tire.
A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators.
Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:
Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Excessive tread wear. T ire Maintenance
Tire Inspection
Tires
Maint enance
411
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only Acura wheel weights f or balancing.
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To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires according to the
maintenance messages displayed on
the multi-information display. Move
the tires to the positions shown in
the diagram each time they are
rotated. If you purchase directional
tires, rotate only front-to-back.Replace your tires 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 braking
ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Using tires of a dif f erent
size or construction can cause the
ABS and vehicle stability assist
system (VSA) to work inconsistently.
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
activate.It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, replace the two f ront
tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
af f ect your vehicle’s handling.
If you ever replace a wheel, make
sure that the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheels.
Also be sure you use only TPMS
specif ic wheels. If you do not, the
tire pressure monitoring system will
notworkonthattire.
Replacement wheels are available at
your Acura dealer.
Tires
T ire Rotation
Replacing T ires and Wheels
412
Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) Front
(For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
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µ
µ
µ
µ Check
the terminals for corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it off with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
further corrosion.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
If
additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualified technician.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehic le’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last. If
the radio fuse is removed, the
audio system will disable itsel f. The
nexttimeyouturnontheradioyou
will see ‘‘ENTER CODE’’ in the
f requency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the digit code (see
page ).
Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window:
Green Good condition
White Liquid level low, replace battery
Black Charging necessary
231
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
Maint enance
415
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.
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Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inf lated to
the inf lation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manuf acturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inf lation
pressure label.
(If your vehicle has tires of a
dif f erent size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire
inf lation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inf lation
pressure f or those tires.)As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale
when one or more of your tires is
signif icantly under-inf lated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inf late them to
the proper pressure.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.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inf lation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
CONT INUED
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Required Federal Explanation
Technical Inf ormation
451
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Î
ÎThe burning of gasoline in your
vehicl e’s engine produces several by-
products. Some of these are carbon
monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen
(NOx), and hydrocarbons (HC).
Gasoline evaporating from the tank
also produces hydrocarbons. Con-
trolling the production of NOx, CO,
and HC is important to the environ-
ment. Under certain conditions of
sunlight and climate, NOx and HC
react to form photochemical ‘‘smog.’’
Carbon monoxide does not contri-
bute to smog creation, but it is a
poisonous gas. The
United States Clean Air Act
sets standards for automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
workandwhattodotomaintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page .
In Canada, Acura vehicles comply
with the Canadian emission
requirements, as specif ied in an
agreement with Environment
Canada, at the time they are
manuf actured.
Your vehicle has a positive
crankcase ventilation system. This
keeps gasses that build up in the
engine’s crankcase f rom going into
the atmosphere. The positive crankcase ventilation valve routes
them from the crankcase back to the
intake manif old. They are then
drawn into the engine and burned.
As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
The onboard ref ueling vapor
recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f .
382
Emissions Cont rols
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
Technical Inf ormation
453
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