service indicator Acura MDX 2011 Owner's Manual

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)
...........
63
Features (
climate control, audio, rear entertainment, steering wheel, security, cruise control, and other convenience items
)..
179
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading)
.......................................................................................
417
Driving (engine and transmission operation)
...........................................................................................................
433
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)
...........................................................
499
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, Jump starting, overheating, and fuses)
...................................................
543
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls)
........................................................
569
Warranty and Client Relations (U.S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information)
...............................
585
Index
..............................................................................................................................................................................
I
INDEX
Service Information Summary (fluid capacities and tire pressures)
...............................................................
last page
Contents
1
10/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

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 Contents210/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

This section gives you important
information about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It shows
you how to use seat belts. It explains
how your airbags work. And it tells you
how to properly restrain infants and
children in your vehicle.
Important Safety Precautions
..............
6
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
............
8
Seat Belts
.....................................
9
Airbags
.......................................
10
Protecting Adults and Teens
.............
12
1. Close and Lock the Doors
..........
12
2. Adjust the Front Seats
...............
14
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs
................
15
4. Adjust the Head Restraints
.........
15
5. Fasten and Position the Seat Belts
...................................
16
6. Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
...............................
18
Advice for Pregnant Women
..........
19
Additional Safety Precautions
........
20
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
...............................
21
Seat Belt System Components
.......
21 Lap/Shoulder Belt
........................
22
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
.....
23
Seat Belt e-pretensioners
...............
24
Seat Belt Maintenance
..................
25
Additional Information About Your
Airbags
...................................
26
Airbag System Components
..........
26
How Your Front Airbags Work
......
29
How Your Side Airbags Work
........
32
How Your Side Curtain Airbags Work
......................................
34
How the SRS Indicator Works
.......
35
How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works
.....................................
35
How the Passenger Airbag Off Indicator Works
.......................
36
Airbag Service
.............................
37
Additional Safety Precautions
........
38
Protecting Children －General
Guidelines
..............................
39
All Children Must Be Restrained
...............................
39
All Children Should Sit in a Back Seat
........................................
40
The Passenger's Front Airbag Can Pose Serious Risks
...................
40 If You Must Drive with Several
Children
..................................
42
If a Child Requires Close Attention
.................................
42
Additional Safety Precautions
........
43
Protecting Infants and Small Children
.................................
44
Protecting Infants
.........................
44
Protecting Small Children
.............
45
Selecting a Child Seat
......................
47
Installing a Child Seat
......................
48
Installing a Child Seat with LATCH
...................................
49
Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/
Shoulder Belt
...........................
52
Installing a Child Seat with a Tether
.....................................
53
Protecting Larger Children
...............
56
Checking Seat Belt Fit
..................
56
Using a Booster Seat
....................
57
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front
.......................................
58
Additional Safety Precautions
........
59
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
................
60
Safety Labels
..................................
61
Driver and Passenger Safety
5
Driver and Passenger Safety
10/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

Airbag Service
Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance free, and there are no
parts you can safely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:●
An airbag ever inflates.
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
any airbag by yourself. This must
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
●
The SRS indicator alerts you to a
problem.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
●
If your vehicle has a moderate to
severe impact.
Even if your airbags
do not inflate, your dealer should
inspect the driver's seat position
sensor, the front passenger's
weight sensors, the front seat belt
tensioners, and all seat belts and
their anchors worn during a crash
to make sure they are operating
properly.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
37
Driver and Passenger Safety
10/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

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 page 87).
Check the tire pressure monitor on
the multi-information display and
determine the cause (see page 450). 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 page 566.
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
452.
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 page 87).
Continuing to drive with the A/T
temperature indicator on may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
Instrument Panel Indicators7010/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

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 for your vehicle, or
information on gasoline that does not
contain MMT, visit My Acura at
owners.acura.com.
In Canada, visit
www.acura.ca
for additional
information on gasoline.
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation41810/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

5. Screw the fuel fill cap back on untilit clicks at least once. If you do not
properly tighten the cap, you will
see a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP ’’
message on the multi-information
display (see right column on this
page), and the malfunction
indicator lamp may also come on
(see page 557).
6. Push the fuel fill door closed until it latches. Tighten Fuel Cap Message
Your vehicle's on board diagnostic system
will detect a loose or missing fuel fill cap as
an evaporative system leak. The first time a
leak is detected a
‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP’’
message appears on the multi-information
display. Turn the engine off, and confirm the
fuel fill cap is installed. If it is, loosen it, then
retighten it until it clicks at least once. The
message should go off after several days of
normal driving once you tighten or replace
the fuel fill cap. To scroll to another message,
press the INFO button. The ‘‘TIGHTEN
FUEL CAP’’ message will appear each time
you restart the engine until the system turns
the message off.
If the system still detects a leak in
the vehicle's evaporative emissions
system, the malfunction indicator
lamp (MIL) comes on. If the fuel fill
cap was not already tightened, turn
the engine off, and check or
retighten the fuel fill cap until it
clicks at least once. The MIL should
go off after several days of normal
driving once the cap is tightened or
replaced. If the MIL does not go off,
have your vehicle inspected by a
dealer. For more information, see
page 557.
Service Station Procedures42010/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.
Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes significantly low, the sensor
in that tire immediately sends a
signal that causes the low tire
pressure/TPMS indicator in the
instrument panel to come on. If this
happens, you will see which tire is
losing pressure on the multi-
information display along with a
‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE ’’
message.
Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
When the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator is on, one or more of your
tires is significantly underinflated.
You should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure as indicated
on the vehicle's tire information
placard.
It is possible that the pressures
shown on the multi-information
display and the pressures you
manually measure are slightly
different.
If the difference is significant or you
cannot make the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator and message on the
multi-information display go out after
inflating the tires to the specified
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible. If you think you can safely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly to the station, then
inflate the tire to the recommended
pressure.
If the tire is flat, or if the tire pressure
is too low to continue driving, replace
the tire with the compact spare tire
(see page 545).
Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle's handling and
stopping ability.
Because tire pressure varies by
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator may come on unexpectedly.
CONTINUED
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
449
Driving
10/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

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 page 468). 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 page 545). 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. 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)
453
Driving
10/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

Low Oil Pressure Indicator
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
ENGINE OIL LEVEL’’ message on
the multi-information display when
this indicator comes on.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn off
the engine as soon as you can safely get
the vehicle stopped. 1. Safely pull off the road, and shut
off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the vehicle sit for a minute. Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page 422). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page 511).
4. Start the engine, and watch the oil pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn off the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
before you can continue driving
(see Emergency Towing on page
566). Charging System Indicator
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
CHARGING SYSTEM’’ message on
the multi-information display (see
page 86).
Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
If you see a ‘‘REPLACE BATTERY ’’
message on the multi-information
display, along with this indicator on,
you may need to replace the battery.
Have your vehicle's battery checked
and replaced by your dealer.
Low Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator55610/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu