transmission Acura MDX 2009 Owner's Manual

2009 MDX Online Reference Owner's Manual


Contents


Owner's Identification Form

Introduction
.............................................................................................................................\
............................. i


A Few Words About Safety ......................................................................\
........................................................ iii


Important Handling Information ........................................................................\
............................................ iv

Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) ....................................................\
................................................ 3

Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) ......................\
.............................. 5
Instruments and Controls

(indicators, gauges, multi-information display, dashboard, and steering column)
..... 61
Features
(
climate control,audio,rear entertainment,steering wheel,security,cruise \
control,and other convenience items
)
......... 169
Before Driving
(fuel, vehicle break- in, and cargo loading) ................\
..................................................... 321
Driving
(engine and transmission operation) .........................................\
....................................................... 337
Maintenance
(minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 381
Taking Care of the Unexpected
(flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) ............................... 423
Technical Information
(vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 449
Warranty and C
lient Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) .......... 465

Index ........................................................................\
....................................................... ................\
........................ I


Service Information Summary
( fluid capacities and tire pressures)
\
\

1 00X31-STX-6200

Contents
A convenient reference to the
sections in this manual.
Your Vehicle at a Glance
A quick reference to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important information about the
proper use and care of your vehicle's
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable information on how to
protect children with child restraints.
Instruments and Controls
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and
gauge, and how to use the controls
on the dashboard and steering
column.
Features
How to operate the climate control
system, the audio system, rear
entertainment system, and other
convenience features.Before Driving
What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
Driving
The proper way to start the engine,
shift the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you're
planning to tow a trailer.
Maintenance
The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance
service. There is also a list of things
to check and instructions on how to
check them.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience, and
details how to handle them.
Technical Information
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
Warranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual for detailed
information.
Index
Service Information Summary
A summary of the information you
need when you pull up to the fuel
pump.Overview of Contents208/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

ꭧ: If equipped
DRIVER'S FRONT
AIRBAG (P.9,27)
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY SYSTEM
(P.157)
POWER DOOR LOCK
MASTER SWITCH
(P.130)
PARKING BRAKE
RELEASE HANDLE
(P.153)
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P.149)
FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE BUTTON
(P.323)
POWER TAILGATE
BUTTON
ꭧ(P. 132)
HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE (P.325) PARKING BRAKE
PEDAL (P.153)AUXILIARY INPUT JACKS
ꭧ
(P.
267) HEADPHONE CONNECTORS
ꭧ
(P.
268)
INSTRUMENT PANEL
INDICATORS (P.63)
HomeLink
®BUTTONS
(P.276) MOONROOF SWITCH
(P.152)MIRROR CONTROL
AUTO BUTTON
ꭧ
(P.
154)
PASSENGER'S
FRONT AIRBAG
(P.9,27)
CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM (P.170)
AUDIO SYSTEM
(P.180)
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
(P.341)
REAR CLIMATE
CONTROL SYSTEM
(P.175)
GAUGES (P.72)
CONTINUED
Your Vehicle at a Glance
3
Your V ehicle at a Glance
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2009 MDX

ꭧ: If equipped
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY SYSTEM
(P. 157)
POWER DOOR LOCK
MASTER SWITCH
(P. 130)
PARKING BRAKE
RELEASE HANDLE
(P. 153)
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P. 149)
FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE BUTTON
(P. 323)
POWER TAILGATE
BUTTON
ꭧ(P. 132)
HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE (P. 325)PARKING BRAKE
PEDAL (P.153)
AUXILIARY INPUT JACKS
ꭧ
(P.
267) HEADPHONE CONNECTORS
ꭧ
(P.
268) REAR CLIMATE
CONTROL SYSTEM
(P.
175)
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
(P.
341)
AUDIO SYSTEM
(P.
180)
CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM (P.
170)
MIRROR CONTROL
AUTO BUTTON
ꭧ
(P.
154)
MOONROOF SWITCH
(P.
152)
HomeLink
®BUTTONS
(P. 276)
INSTRUMENT PANEL
INDICATORS (P.
63)
GAUGES (P. 72)
Control Locations6208/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
This indicator has two functions:
1. If it comes on while driving, it indicates that one or more of your
vehicle's tires are significantly low
on pressure.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE ’’message on the multi-
information display (see page82).
Check the tire pressure monitor on
the multi-information display and
determine the cause (see page352). If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is safe, check which tire
has lost pressure on the multi-
information display, and determine
the cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
have the flat tire repaired as soon as
possible. If two or more tires are
underinflated, call a professional
towing service. For more
information, see page446.
2. If this indicator begins to flash,
there is a problem with the tire
pressure monitoring system
(TPMS). You will also see a
‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-information
display. The indicator continues to
flash for a while (approximately 1
minute), then stays on. If this
happens, have your dealer check
the system as soon as possible.
For more information, see page
354.
A/T Temperature
Indicator
This indicator monitors the
temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid. It should come on
for a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it comes on while driving,
it means the transmission fluid
temperature is too high. Pull to the
side of the road when it is safe, shift
to Park, and let the engine idle until
the indicator goes out.
You will also see an ‘‘A/T TEMP
HIGH ’’message on the multi-
information display (see page82).
Continuing to drive with the A/T
temperature indicator on may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
Instrument Panel Indicators6808/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Customize SettingsWhen the main menu displays
‘‘Keyless Memory Settings ™,’’you
can customize some vehicle control
settings.
To enter the customizing mode,
press the SEL/RESET button.
To change the settings, the ignition
switch must be in the ON (II)
position, and the vehicle must be
stopped with the transmission in
Park. If you turn the ignition switch to the
ACCESSORY (I) or the LOCK (0)
position, or move the shift lever out
of Park, the display will change to the
normal screen.
You can customize some vehicle
control settings for
‘‘DRIVER 1’’ and
‘‘ DRIVER 2’’ separately. If ‘‘DRIVER
1’’ or‘‘DRIVER 2’’ is not displayed,
customizing is not possible.
To have the driver's ID detected,
make sure your remote transmitter is
linked to the system (see Keyless
Memory Settings ™on page139).
If you want the settings as they were
when the vehicle left the factory,
select DEFAULT ALL, as described
on page86.
If you want to change any vehicle
control settings, select CHG
SETTING, then press the SEL/
RESET button.
Refer to the table on the following
pages about the settings you want to
customize.
CONTINUED
Multi-Information Display
83
Inst rument s and Cont rols
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2009 MDX

3. When you turn the wiper switch tothe ‘‘OFF ’’position, the wiper will
return to its parked position.
4. Rotate the switch counterclockwise to spray the
window washer.
When you shift the transmission to
the reverse position with the front
windshield wipers activated, the
rear window wiper operates
automatically.
When the wiper control lever
position is INT, the rear wiper
operates intermittently. When it is
LO or HI, the rear wiper operates
continuously.
The rear window washer uses the
same fluid reservoir as the
windshield washer. Turn Signal and Headlights
1. Turn signal
2. Off
3. Parking and indicator lights
4. AUTO
5. Headlights on
6. High beams
7. Flash high beams
8. Fog lights off
9. Fog lights onTurn Signal
－Push down on the
lever to signal a left turn and up to
signal a right turn. To signal a lane
change, push lightly on the lever,
and hold it. The lever will return to
center when you release it or
complete a turn.
Headlights On －Turning the
switch to the ‘‘
’’position turns on
the parking lights, taillights,
instrument panel lights, side-marker
lights, and rear license plate lights.
Turning the switch to the ‘‘
’’
position turns on the headlights. If
you leave the lights on with the key
removed from the ignition switch,
you will hear a reminder chime when
you open the driver's door.
Windshield Wipers and Washers, Turn Signal and Headlights11808/06/06 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

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
08/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

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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2009 MDX