belt Acura MDX 2008 Service Manual

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Does the shoulder belt cross
between the child’s neck and arm?
Is the lap part of the belt as low as
possible, touching the child’s
thighs?
Will the child be able to stay
seated like this f or the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these
questions, the child is ready to wear
the lap/shoulder belt correctly. If
you answer no to any question, the
child needs to ride on a booster seat. A child who has outgrown a f orward- f acing child seat should ride in a
back seat and use a booster seat
until the lap/shoulder belt f its them
properly without the booster.Some states and Canadian provinces
also require children to use a booster
seat until they reach a given age or
weight (e.g., 6 years or 60 lbs). Be
sure to check current laws in the
states or provinces where you intend
to drive.
Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster seat meets
f ederal saf ety standards (see page
) and that you f ollow the booster
seat maker’s instructions.
3.
4.
5.
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Protecting L arger Children
Using a Booster Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
55
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If a child who uses a booster seat
must ride in f ront, move the vehicle
seat as far back as possible and be
sure the child is wearing the seat
belt properly.
A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle’s or
booster’s seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster seat.The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in f ront,
there are other important f actors you
should consider.
Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.
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54
Protecting L arger Children
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
Physical Size
Maturity
56
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If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:Caref ully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly. This could result
in serious neck injuries during a
crash.
This could
cause very serious injuries during
a crash. It also increases the
chance that the child will slide
under the belt in a crash and be
injured.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. Devices intended to
improve a child’s comf ort or
reposition the shoulder part of a
seat belt can make the belt less
ef f ective and increase the chance
of serious injury in a crash.
Protecting L arger Children
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Do not let a child wear a seat belt
across t he neck.
Do not let a child put the shoulderpart of a seat belt behind t he backor under t he arm.
T wo children should never use thesame seat belt . Do not put any accessories on a
seat belt.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
57
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Î
Î
The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or the Canadian models are noted in the text.: If equipped
Instrument Panel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
63
LOW TIRE PRESSURE
INDICATOR
CRUISE CONTROL
INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
MULTI-INFORMATION DISPLAY
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR VSA ACTIVATION INDICATOR
MALFUNCTION
INDICATOR LAMP
A/T TEMPERATURE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON INDICATOR
SEAT BELT REMINDER INDICATOR
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR
SECURITY SYSTEM INDICATOR (P.65)
SIDE AIRBAG OFF
INDICATOR
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATOR FOG LIGHT INDICATORACTIVE DAMPER SYSTEM
INDICATOR
PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATORCRUISE MAIN INDICATOR
(P.70)
(P.71)
(P.66)
(P.69)
(P.65)
(P.68)
(P.65) (P.70)(P.67)(P.67)
(P.71)
(P.70)
(P.70)
LOW FUEL
INDICATOR (P.71)
(P.68)
(P.66)
(P.66)
(P.70)
(P.64)
(P.73)
VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA) SYSTEM INDICATOR
MESSAGE INDICATOR
(P.69)
(P.437) (P.70)
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CHARGINGSYSTEMINDICATOR
SH-AWD INDICATOR®
2008 MDX

The instrument panel has many
indicators to give you important
inf ormation about your vehicle.For more inf ormation, see page .
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. It reminds you and your
passengers to f asten your seat belts.
A beeper also sounds if you have not
f astened your seat belt.
If your f ront passenger does not
f asten their seat belt, the indicator
comes on about 6 seconds af ter the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position.
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position bef ore f astening
your seat belts, the beeper sounds,
and the indicator f lashes. If you do
not fasten your seat belts before the
beeper stops, the indicator stops
f lashing but remains on. If either of you do not f asten your
seat belt while driving, the beeper
will sound and the indicator will f lash
again at regular intervals, and you
will also see a ‘‘FASTEN SEAT
BELT’’ or ‘‘FASTEN PASSENGER
SEAT BELT’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display (see page ).
81
20
Instrument Panel Indicators
Seat Belt Reminder
Indicator
64
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This indicator comes on brief ly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at
any other time, it indicates a
potential problem with your f ront
airbags. This indicator will also alert
you to a potential problem with your
side airbags, passenger’s side airbag
automatic cutoff system, side curtain
airbags, or automatic seat belt
tensioners. You will also see a
‘‘CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display (see page ). For more
inf ormation, see page .This indicator normally comes on
f or a f ew seconds when you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If this indicator comes on
at any other time, there is a
problem in the ABS. If this
happens, take the vehicle to your
dealer to have it checked. With
this indicator on, your vehicle still
has normal braking ability but no
anti-lock f unction. You will also
see a ‘‘CHECK ABS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-information
display (see page ). For more
inf ormation, see page .
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates that the
passenger’s side airbag has
automatically shut of f . You will also
see a ‘‘PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG
OFF’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display (see page ).
For more inf ormation, see page .
81 33 81
357
81
33
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator
Side Airbag Of f
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
66
U.S. Canada
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If the indicator blinks while driving,
it indicates the dif f erential
temperature is too high.
TEMP. HIGH’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display (see page).
Pull to the side of the road when it is
saf e, shif t to Park, and let the engine
idle until the indicator goes out.
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If this indicator comes on at
any other time, there is a problem in
display (see page ). Take your
For more inf ormation, see page .
This indicator comes on when there
is a system message on the multi-
inf ormation display. Press the INFO
button on the steering wheel (see
page ) to see the message (see
page ).
Most of the time, this indicator
comes on along with other indicators
in the instrument panel such as the
seat belt reminder indicator, SRS
indicator, VSA system indicator, etc.
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73
8282
348
Instrument Panel Indicators
Super Handling-All
Indicator
Message Indicator
Inst rument s and Cont rols
69

damage to the system.
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vehicletoadealertohaveitchecked.
indicatorblinkingmaycauseserious
messageonthemulti-information
WheelDrive(SH-AWD®)
®theSH-AWD system. You will also
seea‘‘CHECKSH-AWD®SYSTEM’’
Youwillalsoseea‘‘SH-AWD®DIFF
ContinuingtodrivewiththeSH-AWD®
2008 MDX

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The driver’s and f ront passenger’s
seats have active head restraints. If
the vehicle is struck severely f rom
the rear, the occupant properly
secured with the seat belt will be
pushed against the seat-back and the
head restraint will automatically
move forward.This reduces the distance between
the restraint and the occupant’s head.
It also helps protect the occupants
against whiplash and injuries to the
neck and upper spine.
Af ter a collision, the activated
restraint should return to its normal
position.
If the restraints do not return to their
normal position, or in the event of a
severe collision, have the vehicle
inspected by an Acura dealer.
For a head restraint system to work
properly:
Do not hang any items on the head
restraints, or f rom the restraint
legs.
Do not place any object between
an occupant and the seat-back.
Install each restraint in its proper
location.
Only use genuine Acura
replacement head restraints.
Seats
A ct ive Head Rest raint s
Inst rument s and Cont rols
143
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To change the seat-back angle of the
seats in the second row, pull up on
thehandleontheoutsideof theseat-
back, and push the seat-back.
Overall, the seat-back has six
dif f erent positions.The left and right halves can be
f olded separately.
To unlatch the detachable anchor
bef ore f olding the seat-back, insert
the latch plate into the slot on the
side of the anchor buckle (see
page ) and allow the seat belt
to retract. Store the detachable
anchor and seat belt latch plates in
the retractor housing.
Lower the head restraints to their
lowest positions.
Pull up the handle on the outside
of the seat-back.
Fold the seat-back forward.
Reverse this procedure to return the
seat to the upright position. Make
sure the seat is locked securely
bef ore driving. Make sure that the folded seat-back
does not press against the f ront
passenger’s seat, as this could cause
the weight sensors to work
improperly.
2.
3.
1.
4. 146
Seats
A djusting the Second Row Seats Folding the Second Row Seats
144
HANDLE
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To get into the third row seats, pull
uptheleveronthesideof the
passenger’s side second row seat-
back. The seat-back will tilt f orward,
and then can be slid forward.
After you return the seat-back to the
upright position, push the whole seat
backwards until it latches. Make
sure the seat is f ully latched bef ore
sitting in it.Use the latch plate to release the
seat belt from the detachable
anchor (see page ).
Lower the head restraints to their
lowest positions.
To f old the third row seat,
the second row seat-back must be
f olded down or in the f ull up right
position.
Unlock the seat-back by pulling
the handle. Push the seat-back
forward.
Make sure the outer shoulder belts
are positioned on each hook on the
side panel whenever the third seat is
f olded.
1.
2.
3.
146
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T hird Row A ccess Folding the T hird Row Seat
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols
145
NOTE:
THIRD SEAT HANDLE
RELEASE LEVER
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