brake Acura MDX 2009 User Guide

Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake applied can damage the rear
brakes and axles. A beeper will sound if
the vehicle is driven with the parking
brake on.Mirrors
Keep the inside and outside mirrors
clean and adjusted for best visibility.
Be sure to adjust the mirrors before
you start driving.
The inside mirror can automatically
darken to reduce glare. To turn on
this feature, press the button on the
bottom of the mirror. The AUTO
indicator comes on as a reminder.
When it is on, the mirror darkens
when it senses the headlights of a
vehicle behind you, then returns to
normal visibility when the lights are
gone. Press the button again to turn
off this feature.INDICATOR
AUTO BUTTON SENSOR
Parking Brake, Mirrors15408/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Cruise control may not hold the set
speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your vehicle speed
increases going down a hill, use the
brakes to slow down. This will cancel
the cruise control. To resume the set
speed, press the RES/ACCEL
button. The CRUISE CONTROL
indicator on the instrument panel will
come back on.
When climbing a steep hill, the
automatic transmission may
downshift to hold the set speed.Changing the Set Speed
You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
●Press and hold the RES/ACCEL
button. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.●Push on the accelerator pedal.
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed, then press the SET/
DECEL button.●To increase the speed in very
small amounts, tap the RES/
ACCEL button. Each time you do
this, your vehicle will speed up
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
●Press and hold the SET/DECEL
button. Release the button when
you reach the desired speed.●To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the SET/DECEL
button. Each time you do this,
your vehicle will slow down about
1 mph (1.6 km/h).●Tap the brake pedal lightly with
your foot. The CRUISE CONTROL
indicator on the instrument panel
will go out. When the vehicle
slows to the desired speed, press
the SET/DECEL button.
CONTINUED
Cruise Control
271
Feat ures
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2009 MDX

Even with cruise control turned on,
you can still use the accelerator pedal
to speed up for passing. After
completing the pass, take your foot
off the accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will return to the set cruising speed.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal
causes cruise control to cancel.Cancelling Cruise Control
You can cancel cruise control in any
of these ways:●Tap the brake pedal.●Push the CANCEL button on the
steering wheel.●Push the CRUISE button on the
steering wheel.Resuming the Set Speed
When you push the CANCEL button
or tap the brake pedal, the system
remembers the previously set speed.
To return to that speed, accelerate to
above 25 mph (40 km/h), then press
and release the RES/ACCEL button.
The CRUISE CONTROL indicator
comes on. The vehicle accelerates to
the same speed as before.
Pressing the CRUISE button turns
the system completely off and erases
the previous cruising speed.CRUISE BUTTON
CANCEL BUTTON
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Break-in Period
Help assure your vehicle's future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:●Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.●Avoid hard braking for the first 200
miles (300 km).●Do not change the oil until the
multi-information display indicates
it is needed.●Do not tow a trailer.
You should also follow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Fuel Recommendation
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with
a pump octane of 91 or higher. If this
octane grade is unavailable, regular
unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane of 87 or higher may be used
temporarily. The use of regular
unleaded gasoline can cause metallic
knocking noises in the engine and
will result in decreased engine
performance. The long-term use of
regular-grade gasoline can lead to
engine damage.
We recommend quality gasolines
containing detergent additives that
help prevent fuel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
performance, fuel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
fuel additives such as MMT.Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely affect performance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your dealer for service.
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% ethanol by
volume and up to 15% 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.
For further important fuel-related
information, please refer to your
Quick Start Guide.Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation32208/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Opening and Closing the Hood1. Park the vehicle, and set theparking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower left corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
2. Put your fingers under the frontedge of the hood near the center.
Slide your hand to your left until
you feel the hood latch handle.
Push this handle up until it
releases the hood. Lift up the
hood.
If the hood latch handle moves stiffly,
or if you can open the hood without
lifting the handle, the mechanism
should be cleaned and lubricated. 3. Lift the hood up most of the way.
The hydraulic supports will lift it
up the rest of the way and hold it
up.
To close the hood, lower the hood to
about a foot (30 cm) above the
fender, then press down firmly with
your hands. Make sure it is securely
latched.
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
LATCH
Service Station Procedures
325
Bef ore Driving
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Modifying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Acura accessories, can
make your vehicle unsafe. Before
you make any modifications or add
any accessories, be sure to read the
following information.
Accessories
Your dealer has Acura accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have been
designed and approved for your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.
Although non-Acura accessories may
fit on your vehicle, they may not
meet factory specifications, and could
adversely affect your vehicle's
handling and stability.
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle's handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interfere with your vehicle's
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags, anti-lock brakes, and
tire pressure monitoring system. Before installing any accessory:
●Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interfere
with proper vehicle operation or
performance.●Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits (see
page440)or interfere with proper
operation of your vehicle.●Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows. Accessories installed in
these areas may interfere with
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.●Before installing any electronic
accessory, have the installer
contact your dealer for assistance.
If possible, have your dealer
inspect the final installation.
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2009 MDX

Modifying Your Vehicle
Removing parts from your vehicle, or
replacing components with
aftermarket components could
seriously affect your vehicle's
handling, stability, and reliability.
Some examples are:●Lowering your vehicle with a non-
Acura suspension kit that
significantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.●Raising your vehicle with a non-
Acura suspension kit can affect the
handling and stability.●Non-Acura wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components and will not be
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS).
●Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interfere with the operation of
your vehicle's anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Modifying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle's safety
features can make the systems
ineffective.
If you plan to modify your vehicle,
consult your dealer.
CONTINUED
Accessories and Modifications
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This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important information on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the Super Handling-All
Wheel Drive™(SH-AWD
®) system,
the vehicle stability assist (VSA
®)
system, active damper system, the
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS), and facts you need if you
are planning to tow a trailer or drive
off-high way. Driving Guidelines
......................
338
Preparing to Drive
......................
338
Starting the Engine
.....................
339
Check Starting System
Message
.............................
340
Automatic Transmission
.............
341
Super Handling-All Wheel Drive ™(SH-AWD
®)
System
................................
348
Parking
.......................................
350
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)
...................................
351
Braking System
..........................
356
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............
357
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
®),
aka Electronic Stability Control (ESC), System
.....................
359
Active Damper System
................
361
Towing a Trailer
..........................
363
Trailer Stability Assist
.................
376
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines
...............................
378
Driving
337
Driving
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6. Check the adjustment of the insideand outside mirrors (see page
154).
7. Check the steering wheel adjustment (see page 124).
8. Make sure the doors and tailgate are securely closed and locked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page 15).
10. When you start the engine, check the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel, and the
messages on the multi-information
display (see pages 63,72and 81). Starting the Engine
Your vehicle's starting system has an
auto control mode. When you turn
the ignition switch to the START (III)
position, this feature keeps the
engine's starter motor running until
the engine starts. Follow these
instructions to start the engine:
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories to reduce the
drain on the battery.
3. Make sure the shift lever is in Park. Press on the brake pedal.
4. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, then
release the ignition switch. You do
not need to hold the ignition
switch in the START (III) position
to start the engine. Depending on
the outside temperature, the
starter motor runs for about 6 to 9
seconds until the engine starts. If you hold the ignition switch in
the START (III) position for more
than 7 seconds, the starter motor,
depending on the outside
temperature, runs for about 10 to
25 seconds until the engine starts.
If the engine does not start, wait at
least 10 seconds before trying
again.
The immobilizer system protects your
vehicle from theft. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine's fuel system is disabled. For
more information, see page
128.
CONTINUED
Preparing to Drive, Starting the Engine
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Shift Lever Position IndicatorsThese indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shift
lever is in. In the Sequential
SportShift Mode, the‘‘M’’ indicator
next to the ‘‘D ’’indicator comes on,
and the illuminated number under
the charging system indicator shows
you the gear you have selected. The
‘‘D ’’indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. If it
flashes while driving (in any shift
position), it indicates a possible
problem in the transmission.
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D ’’
indicator, there is a problem with the
automatic transmission control
system. Avoid rapid acceleration, and
have the transmission checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
When the ‘‘D ’’indicator warns of a
possible problem with the
transmission, you will see a ‘‘CHECK
TRANSMISSION ’’message on the
multi-information display (see page
82). Shifting
To shift from Park to any position,
press firmly on the brake pedal, and
press the release button on the front
of the shift lever, then move the
lever. You cannot shift out of Park
when the ignition switch is in the
LOCK (0) or ACCESSORY (I)
position.
CONTINUED
Automatic Transmission
341
Driving
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