Acura MDX 2015 Owner's Manual

330
uuWhen Driving uAutomatic Transmission
Driving
Automatic TransmissionThe engine runs at a higher idle speed and creeping increases.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.
Quickly depressing the accelerator pedal while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower gear, unexpectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especially on slippery roads and curves.■
Creeping
■
Kickdown
1Driving Guidelines for Your Utility Vehicle
Failure to op erate your vehicle correctly might result
in a crash or a rollover. 2 Important Handling Information P. 28
2 Precautions While Driving P. 329

331
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
ShiftingChange the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.■Shift lever positions
1Shifting
You cannot change the power mode from ON to
VEHICLE OFF (LOCK) unless the shift lever is in
(P.
The vehicle may move forward very slightly even in
( N while the engine is cold.
Depress the brake pedal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.
When shifting gears in extremely low temperatures
(-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short delay before the
shift indicated in the display. Always confirm you are
in the correct ge ar before driving.
Park
Used when parking or starting the
engine
Reverse
Used when reversing
Neutral
Used when idling
Drive
Used:●For normal driving (gears change
between 1st and 6th automatically)●When temporarily driving in the
sequential mode
Drive (S)
Used for:●Automatically changing gears
between 1st and 5th (5th gear is
used only at high speed)●Driving in the sequential mode
Release Button

uuWhen Driving uShifting
332Driving
■
Shift Lever Operation
1Shift Lever OperationNOTICEWhen you change the shift lever from
(D to
(R and
vice versa, come to a complete stop and keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Operating the shift lever before the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever posit ion indicator to check the
lever position before pulling away.
Whichever position the shift lever is in when driving,
a blinking transmission indicator indicates a
transmission problem.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.
The fuel supply may be cut off if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tachometer’s red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happens, you may experience a
slight jolt.
It may not be possible to operate the shift lever if the
brake pedal is applied while the shift lever release
button is held down.
Depress the brake pedal first.
Tachometer’s red zone
Shift Lever Position Indicator
Depress the brake pedal and press
the shift lever release button to shift.
Shift without pressing the shift lever
release button.
Press the shift lever release button
and shift.M (Sequential Shift mode) Indicator/
Gear Position Indicator

333
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
Use the paddle shifters to change between 1st and 6th gears without removing your
hands from the steering wheel. The transmission will switch to the sequential shift
mode.■When the shift lever is in
(D
:
The vehicle will go into the sequential shift mode momentarily, and the gear position
indicator will come on.
Once you start traveling at a constant speed, the sequential shift mode will
automatically switch off, and the gear position indicator will go off.
Hold the
(+
paddle shifter for two seconds to return to normal drive.
■When the shift lever is in
(S
:
The vehicle will go into the sequential shift mode, and the M (sequential shift mode)
indicator and gear position indicator will come on. At speeds of 6 mph (10 km/h) or
less, the vehicle automatically shifts down into 1st gear. If you do not operate the
paddle shifters while in 1st gear, the transmission automatically shifts up to 2nd
gear.
You can only pull away in 1st or 2nd gear.
When switching out of the sequential shift mode, move the shift lever from
(S
to
(D
. When the sequential shift mode is canceled, the M indicator and gear position
indicator go off.
■
Sequential Shift Mode

uuWhen Driving uShifting
334Driving
■Second gear lock mode
If you pull the
(+
paddle shifter while stopped or driving at 6 mph (10 km/h) or less,
the gear position will be locked in 2nd gear. This makes it easier to pull away on
slippery surfaces such as snow covered roads.
To cancel the 2nd gear lock mode, pull the
(-
paddle shifter, or move the shift lever
from
(S
to
(D
.
■
Sequential Shift Mode Operation
1 Sequential Shift Mode Operation
Each paddle shift operation makes a single gear
change.
To change gears continuously, release the paddle
shifter before pulling it again for the next gear.
Recommended Shift Points
Use this table as a guideline for efficient fuel
economy and effective emission control.
The gear position indicator blinks when you cannot
shift up or down. It indicates that your vehicle speed
is not in its allowable gear shifting range.
Slightly accelerate to shift up and decelerate to shift
down while the indicator is blinking. Shift Up Normal Acceleration1st to 2nd
15 mph (24 km/h)
2nd to 3rd 25 mph (40 km/h)
3rd to 4th
40 mph (64 km/h)
4th to 5th 45 mph (72 km/h)
5th to 6th
50 mph (80 km/h)
Paddle Shifter (Shift down)
Downshifting when pulling
the
( - paddle shifter.
(Changes to a lower gear.) Upshifting when pulling
the
(
+ paddle shifter.
(Changes to a higher gear.)
( - (+
Paddle Shifter (Shift up)

335
uuWhen Driving uIntegrated Dynamics System (IDS)
Driving
Integrated Dynamics System (IDS)Modifies the dynamic character of the vehicle. There are three IDS modes to select
from: Comfort, Normal , and Sport .
Press the IDS button to select a mode. The mode you have selected appears on the
MID.
You can customize the IDS mode default setting using the MID.2 Customized Features P. 104
Normal
Balanced driving
performance for most
driving situations.
Sport
Enhances vehicle response
feel through decreased
steering assist, heightened
throttle response, increased
SH-AWD
* torque bias, and
modified active sound
control. Comfort
Maximizes driver comfort
through increased steering
assist.
IDS Button
* Not available on all models

336
uuWhen Driving uCruise Control
Driving
Cruise ControlMaintains a constant vehicle speed without having to keep your foot on the
accelerator. Use cruise control on freeways or open roads where you can travel at a
constant speed with little acceleration or deceleration.
1Cruise Control
It may not be possible to maintain a constant speed
when driving uphill or downhill.
When not using cruise control:
Turn off cruise control by pressing the CRUISE
button.
3
WARNING
Improper use of the cruise control can lead
to a crash.
Use the cruise control only when traveling
on open highways in good weather.
■Shift positions for cruise control:
In ( D or
(S
When to use
Always keep sufficient distance
between you and the vehicle in
front of you.
■Vehicle speed for cruise control:
Desired speed in a range above
roughly 25 mph (40 km/h) ~How to use
CRUISE MAIN is on in
the instrument panel.Cruise control is ready to
use.
■Press the
CRUISE
button on
the steering wheel.

337
uuWhen Driving uCruise Control
Continued
Driving
Take your foot off the pedal and press the RES/+/SET/– switch down when you
reach the desired speed.
The moment you release the RES/+/SET/– switch, the set speed is fixed, and cruise
control begins. The CRUISE CONTROL indicator comes on.■
To Set the Vehicle Speed
RES/+/SET/− Switch
On when cruise control begins
Press down and release
On

uuWhen Driving uCruise Control
338Driving
Increase or decrease the vehicle speed using the RES/+/SET/– switch on the steering
wheel.
• Each time you press the switch up or down, the vehicle speed is increased or
decreased by about 1 mph or 1 km/h accordingly.
• If you keep the switch pressed up or down, the vehicle speed increases or
decreases until you release it. This speed is then set.
To cancel cruise control, do any of the
following:
•Press the CANCEL button.
• Press the CRUISE button.
• Depress the brake pedal.
The CRUISE CONTROL indicator goes off.■
To Adjust the Vehicle Speed
1To Adjust the Vehicle Speed
You can set the vehicle speed pressing the RES/+/
SET/– switch down on the steering wheel when
adjusting the speed with the accelerator and brake
pedals.
■
To Cancel
To decrease speedTo increase speed
1 To Cancel
Resuming the prior set speed:
After cruise control has been canceled, you can still
resume the prior set speed by pressing the RES/+ /
SET/– switch up while driving at a speed of at least
25 mph (40 km/h) or more.
You cannot set or resume in the following situations:•When vehicle speed is less than 25 mph (40 km/h)•When the CRUISE button is turned off
At vehicle speeds of 22 mph (35 km/h) or less, cruise
control is canceled automatically.
CRUISE ButtonCANCEL Button

339
uuWhen Driving uAdaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow (LSF)
*
Continued
Driving
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow (LSF)
*
Helps maintain a constant vehicle speed and a set following distance behind a
vehicle detected ahead of yours and, if the detected vehicle slows to a stop,
decelerates and stops your vehicle, without you having to keep your foot on the
brake or the accelerator.
1Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow (LSF)
*
3
WARNING
Improper use of ACC with LSF can lead to a
crash.
Use ACC with LSF only when driving on
expressways or freeways and in good
weather conditions.
3
WARNING
ACC with LSF has limited braking capability
and may not stop your vehicle in time to
avoid a collision with a vehicle that quickly
stops in front of you.
Always be prepared to apply the brake
pedal if the conditions require.
3
WARNING
Exiting a vehicle that has been stopped
while the ACC with LSF system is operating
can result in th e vehicle moving without
operator control.
A vehicle that moves without operator
control can cause a crash, resulting in
serious injury or death.
* Not available on all models