Acura MDX 2011 Owner's Manual

Accelerating and Braking
For better traction on all surfaces,
accelerate slowly and gradually build
up speed. If you try to start too fast
on wet soil, mud, snow, or ice, you
might not have enough traction to
get underway, and you may dig
yourself a hole. Starting with the shift
lever in the D position will help you
have a smoother start on snow or ice.
Keep in mind that you will usually
need more time and distance to
brake to a stop on unpaved surfaces.
Avoid hard braking. Do not‘‘pump ’’
the brakes; let the anti-lock braking
system pump them for you.
Avoiding Obstacles
Debris in the road can damage your
suspension or other components.
Because your vehicle has a high
center of gravity, driving over a large
obstacle, or allowing a wheel to drop
into a deep hole can cause your
vehicle to tip or roll over. Driving on Slopes
If you can't clearly see all conditions
or obstacles on a slope, walk the
slope before you drive on it. If you
have any doubt whether or not you
can safely drive on the slope, don't
do it. Find another route.
If you are driving up a hill and find
that you cannot continue,
do not try to
turn around.
Your vehicle could roll
over. Slowly back down the hill,
following the same route you took up
the hill.
Crossing a Stream
Before driving through water, stop,
get out if necessary, and make sure
that:
●
The water is not deep enough to
cover your wheel hubs, axles, or
exhaust pipe. You could stall and
not be able to restart your engine.
The water can also damage
important vehicle components.
●
The banks are sloped so you can
drive out.
●
The water is not flowing too fast.
Deep rushing water can sweep you
downstream. Even very shallow
rushing water can wash the
ground from under your tires and
cause you to lose traction and
possibly roll over.
●
The banks and surface under the
water provide good traction. The
water may hide hazards such as
rocks, holes, or mud.
If you decide it is safe to drive
through water, choose a suitable
speed, and proceed without shifting,
changing speeds, stopping, or
shutting off the engine.
After driving through water, test your
brakes. If they got wet, gently
‘‘ pump ’’them while driving slowly
until they operate normally.
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines49610/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

If the water is deeper than the wheel
hubs, some additional service may be
required. This service is not covered
by your warranties.
If You Get Stuck
If you get stuck, carefully try to go in
the direction (forward or reverse)
that you think will get you unstuck.
Do not spin the tires at high speeds.
It will not help you get out and may
cause damage to the transmission or
SH-AWD system.
If you are still unable to free yourself,
your vehicle is equipped with front
and rear tow hooks designed for this
purpose.
Use a nylon strap to attach the MDX
to the recovery vehicle and carefully
take out the slack in the strap. Once
the strap is tight, the recovery
vehicle should apply force.
Remember that the recovery vehicle
needs good traction to avoid
becoming stuck, too.You should never use a jack to try to
get unstuck. Your vehicle could
easily slip off the jack and hurt you or
someone else.
Towing a Trailer Off-Road
You may be able to safely tow a
lightweight trailer (such as a
motorcycle or small tent trailer) off-
road if you follow these guidelines:
●
Do not exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
or a tongue weight of 100 lbs (45
kg).
●
Stay on smooth, level dirt roads,
and avoid driving in hilly terrain.
●
Allow extra room for starting,
stopping, and turning.
●
Slow down if you encounter bumps
or other obstacles.
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines
497
Driving
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This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
Maintenance Minder messages on
the multi-information display, and
instructions for simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to
perform more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page 589 for information on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.U.S. Vehicles:
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are
‘‘certified’’to EPA
standards. Maintenance Safety
.....................
500
Maintenance Minder
TM
...............
501
Fluid Locations
...........................
509
Engine Compartment Cover
........
510
Adding Engine Oil
......................
511
Changing the Engine Oil and
Filter
.......................................
512
Engine Coolant
...........................
514
Windshield Washers
...................
516
Automatic Transmission Fluid
....
517
Brake Fluid
.................................
519
Power Steering Fluid
..................
520
Timing Belt
.................................
520
Lights
..........................................
521
Dust and Pollen Filter
.................
528
Cleaning the Seat Belts
...............
528
Floor Mats
..................................
529
Wiper Blades
..............................
530
Tires
...........................................
534
Checking the Battery
..................
541
Vehicle Storage
...........................
542
Maintenance
499
Maintenance
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All service items not detailed in this
section should be performed by a
certified technician or other qualified
mechanic.
Important Safety Precautions
To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions before you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.●
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is off.
●
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
●
To reduce the possibility of fire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and flames away from the battery
and all fuel-related parts.
●
Wear eye protection and protective
clothing when working with the
battery or compressed air.Improperly maintaining this
vehicle, or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection
and maintenance
recommendations and
schedules in this owner's
manual.
Potential Vehicle Hazards
●
Carbon Monoxide poison from
engine exhaust. Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.
●
Burns from hot parts. Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down before touching any parts.
●
Injury from moving parts. Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner's
manual.
Some of the most important safety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
performing maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perform a given task.
Maintenance Safety50010/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

One of the most convenient and
important features of the multi-
information display on your vehicle is
the Maintenance Minder™.
Based on engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil life.
The system also displays the code for
other scheduled maintenance items
needing service. Engine Oil Life
To see the remaining engine oil life
displayed on the multi-information
display as a percentage, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II) position.
Make sure the display shows blank,
SH-AWD and tire pressure, and then
press the SEL/RESET button on the
steering wheel repeatedly until the
engine oil life appears (see page 77).
The remaining engine oil life is
displayed according to the table shown
below.
Calculated Engine
Oil Life (%) Displayed
Engine Oil Life (%)
100% －91% 100%
90% －81% 90%
80% －71% 80%
70% －61% 70%
60% －51% 60%
50% －41% 50%
40% －31% 40%
30% －21% 30%
20% －16% 20%
15% －11% 15%
10% －6% 10%
5% －1% 5%
0% 0%
REMAINING ENGINE OIL LIFE
CONTINUED
Maintenance Minder
TM501
Maintenance
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When the remaining engine oil life is
15 to 6 percent, the multi-information
display shows a‘‘SERVICE DUE
SOON ’’message along with the
maintenance schedule code
indicating the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil
change. Refer to page 508 for a
complete list of the maintenance
main items and sub items.
When the remaining oil life is 1 to 5
percent, the multi-information display
shows a ‘‘SERVICE DUE NOW ’’
message with the same maintenance
items ‘‘SERVICE DUE SOON ’’was
displayed with. When you see this
message have the indicated
maintenance performed as soon as
possible.
Press the SEL/RESET button on the
steering wheel repeatedly to select
the engine oil life. The message
‘‘ SERVICE ’’, along with ‘‘5% ’’, and the
maintenance item code are displayed
on the lower part of the multi-
information display when the
calculated engine oil life is 1－ 5
percent (see page 501).
MAINTENANCE
MAIN ITEM MAINTENANCE
SUB ITEMS
Maintenance Minder
TM
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If the indicated maintenance service
is not done and the remaining engine
oil life reaches 0%, the multi-
information display will show the
message‘‘SERVICE PAST DUE ’’and
the maintenance item code(s). This
message is displayed again when the
total distance traveled is less than 10
miles (for U.S. models) or 10 km (for
Canadian models) after the engine
oil life became 0%. These messages will come on every
time you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position.
Immediately have the service
performed, and make sure to reset
the oil life minder as previously
described.
The message will be canceled if the
INFO (
/
) button on the steering
wheel is pressed. Press the INFO
(
/
) button to see the message
again.
Press the SEL/RESET button on the
steering wheel repeatedly to select
the engine oil life. The message
‘‘ SERVICE ’’, along with ‘‘0% ’’, and the
maintenance item code are displayed
on the lower part of the multi-
information display when the
calculated engine oil life is 0－ 1%.
CONTINUED
Maintenance Minder
TM503
Maintenance
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If the indicated required service is
not done and the remaining engine
oil life becomes 0%, the multi-
information display will show a
‘‘SERVICE PAST DUE ’’message, the
total distance traveled after the
remaining oil life became 0%, and the
maintenance item code(s). This message is displayed when you
drive over 10 miles (for U.S. models)
or 10 km (for Canadian models) after
seeing the 0% message.
Immediately have the service
performed, and make sure to reset
the display as previously described.
The message will be canceled if the
INFO (
/
) button on the steering
wheel is pressed. Press the INFO
(
/
) button to see the message
again.
When you press the SEL/RESET
button to select the engine oil life,
the message ‘‘SERVICE ’’, along with
the maintenance item code and the
total negative mileage after the oil life
became 0%, will be displayed on the
lower part of the multi-information
display.
TOTAL PAST DUE
DISTANCE TRAVELED
U.S.
MAINTENANCE CODE
CANADA
U.S.
CANADA
TOTAL PAST DUE MILEAGE
Maintenance Minder
TM
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Maintenance Main Items and Sub
ItemsAll the maintenance items displayed
in the multi-information display are in
code.
For an explanation of the
maintenance codes, see page 508.Resetting the Engine Oil Life
Display
Your dealer will reset the display
after completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘
OIL LIFE 100% ’’on the display the
next time you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the Maintenance Minder as
follows:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
2. If the engine oil life is not displayed, press the SEL/RESET button on the
steering wheel repeatedly until the
multi-information display shows blank,
SH-AWD and tire pressure.
3. Press and hold the SEL/RESET button on the steering wheel for more than 10
seconds. The remaining engine oil life
reset mode will be shown on the multi-
information display.
4. Select ‘‘RESET ’’by pressing the INFO
(
/
) button, then press the SEL/
RESET button to reset the engine oil
life display. The maintenance item
code(s) will disappear, and the engine
oil life will reset to ‘‘100. ’’If you want to
cancel the oil life reset mode, select
‘‘ CANCEL. ’’
MAINTENANCE
SUB ITEMS
MAINTENANCE
MAIN ITEM MAINTENANCE
MAIN ITEM MAINTENANCE
SUB ITEMS
CONTINUED
Maintenance Minder
TM505
Maintenance
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