warning Acura MDX 2009 User Guide

Front Seat Power AdjustmentsSeepages 12－14for important safety
information and warnings about how to properly position the seats and seat-backs.The controls for the power adjustable
front seats are on the outside edge of
each seat bottom. You can adjust the
seats with the ignition switch in any
position. Make all seat adjustments
before you start driving.
The passenger seat has the same
adjustments as the driver's seat but
without any lumbar adjustment.
Moves the seat forward
and backward.
Moves the front of the
seat up or down.
Raises or lowers the seat. Moves the whole seat up
and forward, or down
and backward. The front
of the seat also tilts up or
down at the same time.
Adjusts the seat-back
angle forward or
backward.
Increases or decreases
the lumbar support.
(Driver's seat only)
Seats14008/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Head RestraintsSeepage 14for important safety
information and a warning about improperly positioning head restraints.Your vehicle is equipped with head
restraints in all seating positions to
help protect you and your
passengers from whiplash and other
injuries.
They are most effective when you
adjust them so the center of the back
of the occupant's head rests against
the center of the restraint.
Adjusting the Head RestraintThe head restraints adjust for height.
You need both hands to adjust the
restraint. Do not attempt to adjust it
while driving. To raise it, pull
upward. To lower the restraint, push
the release button sideways, and
push the restraint down.FRONT
SEAT-
BACK
LEGS RELEASE BUTTONCUSHION
CONTINUED
Seats
141
Inst rument s and Cont rols
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2009 MDX

If any of the tires has low pressure,
the tire pressure monitor also shows
the above message to warn you
about the low tire pressure when you
select the display by pressing the
INFO button several times.
Following this display, press the
SEL/RESET button to see each tire
pressure.
When you continue driving after
installing the spare tire, you will also
see this message on the multi-
information display.
If there is a problem with the TPMS,
the tire pressure monitor shows a
‘‘SYSTEM FUNCTION ERROR’’
message and the tire pressure
readings are not displayed. If this
happens, you will first see a system
warning message ‘‘CHECK TPMS
SYSTEM ’’on the multi-information
display. TPMS System Failure
If there is a problem with the TPMS,
you will see the above message on
the multi-information display.
If you see this message, the system
is off and is not monitoring the tire
pressures. Have the system checked
by your dealer as soon as possible.
Also, the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator begins to flash, then stays
on (see page352).
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)35408/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

If the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator comes on, or the multi-
information display shows a‘‘CHECK
TPMS SYSTEM ’’message, the VSA
system automatically turns on even
when the VSA system is turned off
by pressing the VSA OFF switch
(see page360).If this happens, you
cannot turn the VSA system off by
pressing the VSA OFF switch again.
When you restart the vehicle with
the compact spare tire, the TPMS
system message will also be
displayed on the multi-information
display after several miles
(kilometers) driving.
Changing a Tire with TPMS
If you have a flat tire, the low tire
pressure/TPMS and tire monitor
indicators will come on. Replace the
indicated flat tire with the compact
spare tire (see page425). After the flat tire is replaced with the
spare tire, the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator stays on while
driving. After several miles
(kilometers) driving, this indicator
begins to flash, then stays on again.
You will also see a
‘‘CHECK TPMS
SYSTEM ’’message on the multi-
information display. This is normal;
the system cannot monitor the spare
tire pressure. Manually check the
spare tire pressure to be sure it is
correct. This indicator and the warning
message on the multi-information
display will go off, after several miles
(kilometers) driving, when the spare
tire is replaced with the specified
regular tire equipped with the tire
pressure monitor sensor.
Each wheel is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor mounted inside the
tire behind the valve stem. You must
use TPMS specific wheels. It is
recommended that you always have
your tires serviced by your dealer or
a qualified technician.
Never use a puncture-repairing agent
in a flat tire. If used, you will have to
replace the tire pressure sensor.
Have the flat tire repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible.
CONTINUED
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
355
Driving
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2009 MDX

Active Damper System
Indicator
If there is a problem with the active
damper system, the active damper
system shuts down and the active
damper system indicator on the
instrument panel comes on.
You will also see the ‘‘CHECK ADS
SYSTEM ’’message appear on the
multi-information display. If you see this warning indicator and
message, have your vehicle checked
at your dealer as soon as possible.
In this case, your vehicle still has the
normal damper function, but it will
not have the active damper function.
Towing a Trailer
Your vehicle has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can also use it to tow
a trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper
equipment, and follow the guidelines
in this section.
Break-In PeriodAvoid towing a trailer during your
vehicle's first 600 miles (1,000 km)
(see page322).
Be sure to read the
Off-Highway
Driving Guidelines section on page
378if you plan to tow off paved
surfaces.
Your vehicle is equipped with a
trailer stability assist to help stabilize
the vehicle/trailer combination by
reducing the vehicle speed. For more
information, see page376.
CONTINUED
Active Damper System, Towing a Trailer
363
Driving
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2009 MDX

Trailer Stability Assist FailureThe control unit monitors the VSA
circuitry and the braking system. If
there is a problem with the brake
lighting system, the trailer stability
assist function shuts down and the
‘‘CHECK TRAILER STABILITY
ASSIST ’’message appears on the
multi-information display.
If you see this message, have your
vehicle checked at your dealer as
soon as possible. In this case, your vehicle still has the
VSA traction and stability
enhancement, but it will not have the
trailer stability assist function.
If there is a problem with the VSA
system, the system and trailer
stability assist shuts off. The VSA
system and VSA activation indicators
also come on (see page359).
The ABS indicator and the brake
system indicator may also come on
along with the VSA system indicator.
If you see these warning indicators,
have your vehicle checked at your
dealer as soon as possible.
If you turn off the VSA, the trailer
stability assist function also shuts off.
Press and hold the VSA off switch
until you hear a beep (see page360).
The VSA activation indicator comes
on as a reminder. Press and hold the
switch again to turn the system on.
The function turns on every time you
start the engine along with the VSA,
even if you turned it off the last time
you drove the vehicle.
Trailer Stability Assist
377
Driving
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2009 MDX

Check the condition of the battery
monthly by looking at the test
indicator window:Green －Good condition
White －Liquid level low, replace
battery
Black －Charging necessary 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.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualified technician.
WARNING:
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
Wash your hands after handling.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle's
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative (－ ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
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.
If the radio fuse is removed, the
audio system will disable itself. The
next time you turn on the radio you
will see ‘‘ENTER CODE ’’in the
frequency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the digit code (see
page235).
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
Checking the Battery
421
Maint enance
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2009 MDX

If you have a flat tire while driving,
stop in a safe place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.
1. Park the vehicle on firm, level, and non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park. Apply the
parking brake.
2. Turn on the hazard warning lights,and turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Have all
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.
3. Open the tailgate. 4. Push the rear edge of the handle
to raise the handle loop and pull up
the loop to raise the cargo area
floor.
CARGO AREA
FLOOR
TOOLS
SPARE TIRE JACK
CONTINUED
Changing a Flat Tire
425
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
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2009 MDX

●Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer toStarting the
Engine on page339.●Do you have fuel? Check the fuel
gauge; the warning indicator may
not be working.●There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see
page440).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find the
problem. See Emergency Towing on
page446. Jump Starting
Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct
procedure, seriously injuring
anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
You cannot start your vehicle by
pushing or pulling it.
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:1. Open the hood, and check the physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or frozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze. Attempting
to jump start with a frozen battery can
cause it to rupture.
2. Turn off all the electricalaccessories: heater, A/C, climate
control, audio system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
If the Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting43208/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

The pointer of your vehicle's
temperature gauge should stay in the
midrange under most conditions. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason (hot day,
driving up a steep hill, etc.).
If the vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or spray
coming from under the hood.Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Park, and
set the parking brake. Turn off all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to
overloading, the engine should
start to cool down almost
immediately. If it does, wait until
the temperature gauge comes
down to the midpoint, then
continue driving.
If the Engine Overheats43408/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX