transmission 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
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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

ꭧ: If equippedDRIVER'S FRONT
AIRBAG (P. 10, 29)
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY SYSTEM
(P. 166)
POWER DOOR LOCK
MASTER SWITCH
(P. 139)
PARKING BRAKE
RELEASE HANDLE
(P. 163)
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P. 158)
FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE BUTTON
(P. 419)
POWER TAILGATE
BUTTON (P. 141)
HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE (P. 421) PARKING BRAKE
PEDAL (P. 163)AUXILIARY INPUT
JACKS
ꭧ(P. 336)HEADPHONE
CONNECTORS
ꭧ(P. 337)
INSTRUMENT PANEL
INDICATORS (P. 65)
HOMELINK BUTTONS
(P. 360)
MOONROOF SWITCH
(P. 161) MIRROR CONTROL
AUTO BUTTON
(P. 163)
PASSENGER'S
FRONT AIRBAG
(P. 10, 29)
CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM (P. 180)
AUDIO SYSTEM
(P. 190) AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
(P. 437)
REAR CLIMATE
CONTROL SYSTEM
(P. 185)
GAUGES (P. 76)
AC POWER OUTLET
(P. 176)
USB ADAPTER
CABLE
ꭧ(P. 277)
AUXILIARY INPUT
JACKS (P. 304)
CONTINUED
Your Vehicle at a Glance
3
Your Vehicle at a Glance
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ꭧ: If equipped
DRIVING POSITION
MEMORY SYSTEM
(P. 166)
POWER DOOR LOCK
MASTER SWITCH
(P. 139)
PARKING BRAKE
RELEASE HANDLE
(P. 163) POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P. 158)
FUEL FILL DOOR
RELEASE BUTTON
(P. 419)
POWER TAILGATE
BUTTON (P. 141) HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE (P. 421) PARKING BRAKE
PEDAL (P. 163)
AUXILIARY INPUT
JACKS
ꭧ(P. 336)HEADPHONE
CONNECTORS
ꭧ
(P. 337) REAR CLIMATE
CONTROL SYSTEM
(P. 185)
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
(P. 437)
AUDIO SYSTEM
(P. 190) CLIMATE CONTROL
SYSTEM (P. 180) MIRROR CONTROL
AUTO BUTTON
(P. 163)
MOONROOF SWITCH
(P. 161)
HOMELINK BUTTONS
(P. 360)
INSTRUMENT PANEL
INDICATORS (P. 65)
GAUGES (P. 76)
AC POWER OUTLET
ꭧ
(P. 176)
AUXILIARY INPUT
JACKS
ꭧ(P. 304)
USB ADAPTER CABLE
ꭧ
(P. 277)
Control Locations6410/06/29 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

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 page 147).
If you want the settings as they were
when the vehicle left the factory,
select DEFAULT ALL, as described
on page 92.
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
89
Instruments and Controls
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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.
CONTINUED
Windshield Wipers and Washers, Turn Signal and Headlights
127
Instruments and Controls
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Fuel Economy Factors
The following factors can lower your
vehicle's fuel economy:●
Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
●
Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traffic
●
Cold engine operation (engines
are more efficient when warmed
up)
●
Driving with a heavy load or the air
conditioner running
●
Improperly inflated tires
Improving Fuel EconomyVehicle MaintenanceA properly maintained vehicle
maximizes fuel economy. Poor
maintenance can significantly reduce
fuel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the multi-
information display (seeOwner's
Maintenance Checks on page 507).For example:
●
Use the recommended viscosity
motor oil, displaying the API
Certification Seal (see page 511).
●
Maintain proper tire inflation
－
An underinflated tire increases
‘‘ rolling resistance, ’’which reduces
fuel economy.
●
Avoid carrying excess weight in
your vehicle －It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing fuel
consumption.
●
Keep your vehicle clean －In
particular, a build-up of snow or mud
on your vehicle's underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your fuel
economy.
Drive Efficiently●
Drive moderately －Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering, and
hard braking increase fuel
consumption.
●
Observe the speed limit －
Aerodynamic drag has a big effect
on fuel economy at speeds above
45 mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
●
Always drive in the highest gear
possible －If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your fuel economy by up
shifting as early as possible.
●
Avoid excessive idling －Idling
results in 0 miles per gallon (0 kms
per liter).
Fuel Economy42410/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

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 (If
equipped), the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS), the
collision mitigation braking system ™
(CMBS ™), the blind spot information
system (BSI) and facts you need if
you are planning to tow a trailer or
drive off-high way. Driving Guidelines
......................
434
Preparing to Drive
......................
435
Starting the Engine
.....................
436
Check Starting System
Message
.............................
437
Automatic Transmission
.............
437
Driving with the Paddle Shifters
................................
441
Using the Paddle Shifters in
the D position (D-PaddleShift Mode)
.....................
441
Using the Paddle Shifters in the S position (Sequential
Shift Mode)
.....................
443
Super Handling-All Wheel
Drive ™(SH-AWD
®)
System
................................
446
Parking
.......................................
448
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
...................................
449
Braking System
..........................
454
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............
455
Collision Mitigation Braking System ™(CMBS ™)
...............
457Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
®),
aka Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), System
.....................
467
Blind Spot Information System
(BSI)
.......................................
470
Active Damper System
................
478
Towing a Trailer
..........................
481
Trailer Stability Assist
.................
492
Off-Highway Driving
Guidelines
...............................
494
Driving
433
Driving
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Check Starting System MessageIf there is a problem with the starting
system, you will see a‘‘CHECK
STARTING SYSTEM ’’message on
the multi-information display when
the ignition switch is turned to the
ON (II) position. You will also see
this message when the auto control
mode of the starting system has a
problem. If this message is on, the ignition
switch has to be held in the START
(III) position manually until the
engine starts. The ignition switch can
be held in that position up to 15
seconds.
Even though you may be able to start
the engine manually without the auto
control mode of the starting system,
have your dealer inspect your
vehicle.
Shift Lever Position Indicators
These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shift
lever is in.
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.
CONTINUED
Starting the Engine, Automatic Transmission
437
Driving
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