lights Acura MDX 2009 Owner's Guide

UNLOCK－Press this button once
to unlock the driver's door. Push it
twice to unlock the other doors.
Some exterior lights will flash twice
when you push the button. If you do
not open any door or the tailgate
within 30 seconds, they will
automatically relock.
To change the ‘‘KEY AND REMOTE
UNLOCK MODE ’’setting, see page
109.
To change the ‘‘SECURITY RELOCK
TIMER ’’setting, see page111. When you press the UNLOCK
button, the front and rear individual
map lights and the cargo area light,
depending on their switch positions,
will come on (see page160).If you
do not open any door or the tailgate,
the lights stay on for about 30
seconds, then go out. If you relock
the doors and the tailgate with the
remote transmitter before 30 seconds
have elapsed, the lights will go off
immediately.
Models with power tailgateTAILGATE
－Press and hold the
TAILGATE button to open or close
the power tailgate. When the tailgate
begins to move, you will hear a beep,
and some front and rear lights will
flash. If you push the same button again
while the tailgate is opening or
closing, three beeps sound, the
tailgate stops moving, reverses
direction and stops in the fully
opened or fully closed position.
PANIC
－Press and hold this
button for about 1 second to attract
attention; the horn will sound, and
the exterior lights will flash for about
30 seconds. To cancel panic mode,
press any other button on the remote
transmitter, or turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. Panic
mode does not work when the key is
in the ignition switch.
Remote Transmitter13608/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

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

Light Control SwitchThe light control switch has three
positions: OFF, Door Activated, and
ON.When the switch is in the OFF position:●The individual door lights or the
tailgate lights will operate when a
door or the tailgate is opened.●The individual map lights in the
front can be turned on and off by
pressing the lenses.
●The individual map lights in the
second row and the cargo area
light in the third row cannot be
turned on.When the switch is in the door activatedposition:●The individual map lights in the
front and second rows come on
when any door or the tailgate is
opened, or when the remote
transmitter is used to unlock the
doors (see page135).When the
doors and the tailgate are closed,
each light can be turned on and off
by pushing the lens.●The cargo area light comes on
when any door or the tailgate is
opened if the light control switch is
in the door activated (center)
position. When the doors and the
tailgate are closed, the cargo area
light can be turned on with the
switch in the light. After all doors are closed tightly, the
lights dim slightly, then fade out in
about 30 seconds.
To change the
‘‘INTERIOR LIGHT
DIMMING TIME’’ setting, see page
101.
With any door or the tailgate left
open, the lights stay on about 3
minutes, then go out.
The lights also come on when the
key is removed from the ignition
switch.
DOOR ACTIVATED POSITION
ON
OFF
CONTINUED
Interior Lights
159
Inst rument s and Cont rols
08/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

When the light control switch is in theON position:●All the individual map lights come
on and stay on as long as the
switch remains in the ON position.●The cargo (3rd row) area light
comes on if the switch is in the
door activated position. Individual Map Lights
Turn on the front row individual map
lights by pushing the lens. Push the
lens again to turn it off. With the light
control switch in the door activated
position, the second row map lights
can be turned on by pushing the
lens. Push the lens again to turn it
off.
The courtesy light between the map
lights comes on when you turn the
parking lights on. To adjust its
brightness, press either of the
instrument panel brightness control
buttons (＋
or－).
FRONT
COURTESY LIGHT
Interior Lights16008/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Cargo Area LightThe cargo area light has a three-
position switch. In the OFF position,
the light does not come on. In the
center position, it comes on when
you open the tailgate. In the ON
position, it stays on continuously.Tailgate Lights
The lights in the tailgate have an on-
off switch to control if the lights
come on when the tailgate is opened.
The tailgate lights do not come on
when any other doors are opened.
Individual Interior Lights
The courtesy lights in all four doors
come on when you open any door.
The light around the ignition switch
comes on when any door is opened.
After you close the door, the ignition
switch light stays on for about 30
seconds regardless of the interior
light dimming time setting (see page
101).
ON
OFF
Interior Lights
161
Inst rument s and Cont rols
08/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Adjusting the Sound
Press the TUNE (SOUND) knob
repeatedly to display the BASS,
TREBLE, FADER, BALANCE,
SUBWOOFER, and SVC (speed-
sensitive volume compensation)
settings.
BASS－Adjusts the bass.
TREBLE －Adjusts the treble.
FADER －Adjusts the front-to-back
strength of the sound.
BALANCE －Adjusts the side-to-
side strength of the sound.
SUBWOOFER －Adjusts the
strength of sound from the
subwoofer speaker.
CENTER －Adjusts the strength of
sound from the center speaker. SVC
－Adjusts the volume level
based on the vehicle speed.
Each mode is shown in the display as
it changes. Turn the TUNE knob to
adjust the setting to your liking.
When the level reaches the center,
you will see ‘‘C ’’in the display.
The system will return to the audio
display about 5 seconds after you
stop adjusting a mode.
Speed-sensitive Volume Compensation (SVC)The SVC mode controls the volume
based on vehicle speed. The faster
you go, the louder the audio volume
becomes. As you slow down, the
audio volume decreases.
The SVC has four modes; SVC OFF,
SVC LOW, SVC MID, and SVC
HIGH. Turn the TUNE knob to
adjust the setting to your liking. If
you feel the sound is too loud,
choose low. If you feel the sound is
too quiet, choose high. This function is set to MID as the
default setting when the vehicle
leaves the factory.
Audio System Lighting
You can use the instrument panel
brightness control buttons to adjust
the illumination of the audio system
(see page123).The audio system
illuminates when the parking lights
are on, even if the radio is off.
Playing the AM/FM Radio (Models without navigation system)18408/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

The security system helps to protect
your vehicle and valuables from
theft. The horn sounds and a
combination of headlights, position
lights, side marker lights and
taillights flashes if someone attempts
to break into your vehicle or remove
the audio unit. This alarm continues
for 2 minutes, then the system
resets. To reset an activated system
before the 2 minutes have elapsed,
unlock the driver's door with the key
or the remote transmitter.
The security system automatically
sets 15 seconds after you lock the
doors, hood, and the tailgate. For the
system to activate, you must lock the
doors and the tailgate from the
outside with the key, driver's lock
tab, door lock master switch, or
remote transmitter. The security
system indicator on the instrument
panel starts blinking immediately to
show you the system is setting itself.
Once the security system is set,
opening any door, the tailgate, or the
hood without using the key or the
remote transmitter, will cause it to
alarm. It also alarms if the radio is
removed from the dashboard or the
wiring is cut.The security system will not set if the
hood, tailgate, or any door is not fully
closed. If the system will not set,
check that the doors, the tailgate and
the hood are fully closed.
Do not attempt to alter this system or
add other devices to it.
SECURITY SYSTEM INDICATOR
Security System
269
Feat ures
08/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Microphone
The HFL microphone is on the
ceiling, between the front map lights
and the console buttons. On models
with navigation system, the
microphone is shared with the
navigation system.
Audio System
When the HFL is in use, the sound
comes through the vehicle's front
audio system speakers. If the audio
system is in use while operating
either of the HFL buttons or making
a call, the HFL over-rides the audio
system. To change the volume level,
use the audio system volume knob,
or the steering wheel volume
controls.HFL Buttons
To operate the HFL, use the HFL
Talk and Back buttons on the left
side of the steering wheel.
The HFL buttons are used as follows:
HFL Talk: This button is used before
you give a command, to answer
incoming calls, and to confirm
system information.
Press and release the button, then
wait for a beep before giving a
command.HFL Back: This button is used to end
a call, go back to the previous voice
control command, and to cancel an
operation.
HFL TALK BUTTON
HFL BACK
BUTTON
Bluetooth
®HandsFreeLink
®
28008/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

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.
Accessories and Modifications33008/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Driving Guidelines
Your vehicle has higher ground
clearance that allows you to travel
over bumps, obstacles, and rough
terrain. It also provides good
visibility so you can anticipate
problems earlier.
Because your vehicle rides higher off
the ground, it has a high center of
gravity that can cause it to roll over if
you make abrupt turns. Utility
vehicles have a significantly higher
roll over rate than other types of
vehicles.
To prevent rollovers or loss of
control:●Take corners at slower speeds
than you would with a passenger
vehicle.●Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers whenever possible.
●Do not modify your vehicle in any
way that would raise the center of
gravity.●Do not carry heavy cargo on the
roof.Seepage 378for off-highway driving
guidelines.
Preparing to Drive
You should do the following checks
and adjustments before you drive
your vehicle.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
2. Check that the hood is fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be carrying are stored properly or
fastened down securely.
5. Check the seat adjustment (see page 140).
Driving Guidelines, Preparing to Drive33808/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX