Acura RDX 2007 Owner's Manual

Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:Glove box
Door lining pockets
Center pocket
Console compartment
Cargo area, including the rear
seatswhenfoldeddown. Front door pockets
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can af f ect
your vehicle’s handling, stability,
stopping distance, and tires, and
make it unsaf e. Bef ore carrying any
type of cargo, be sure to read the
f ollowing pages.
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
287
GLOVE BOX
CARGO AREA CENTER POCKET
FRONT DOOR POCKET
CONSOLE COMPARTMENT
DOOR LINING POCKETS
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Steps
for determining correct load
limit:
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicl e.
The
maximum load for your vehicle
is 870 lbs for U.S. vehicles, and 395
kg for Can adian vehicles. This figure
includes the total weight of all
occupants, cargo, and accessories,
and the tongue load if you are towing
a trailer. Locate
the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 870
lbs’’ on your vehicle’s placard.
(The placard is on the driv er’s
doorjamb.)
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
870 lbs.
The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capaci ty.
For example, if the maximum load
is 870 lbs and there will be five 150
lb. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capaci ty is 120 lbs.
(870 750 (5 150) = 120 lbs.) Determine
the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
in the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capaci ty
calc ulated in step 4.
If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, the load from your trailer
will be transf erred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of
yourvehicle(seepage ).
In addition, the total weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, accessories,
cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the gross vehicle weight
rating (GVWR) or the gross axle
weight rating (GAWR). Both are on
a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
317
Load Limits
Carrying Cargo
288
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.
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Store or secure all items that could
be thro wn around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop.
Be
sure items placed on the floor
behind the front seats cannot roll
under the seats and interfere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals, the proper operation of the
seats, or proper operation of the
sensors under the seats.
Do not put any items on top of the
cargo area cover. They can block
your view and be thrown around
the vehicle during a crash. Distribute
cargo evenly on the
floor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thro wn
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.
Ifyoufoldtherearseatsdown,tie
down items that could be thro wn
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop. Also, keep all cargo
below the bottom of the windows.
If it is higher, it could interfere
with the proper operation of the
side curtain airbags. If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
tailgate, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of
, f ollow the instructions
on page .
If you carry any items on a roof
rack,besurethetotalweightof
the rack and the items does not
exceed the maximum allowable
weight. Please contact your dealer
for further information.
If you use an accessory roof rack,
the roof rack weight limit may be
lower. Ref er to the inf ormation that
came with your roof rack. 58
Carrying Cargo in the Passenger
Compartment
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
289
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To secure the cargo, you can use the
f our cargo hooks on the cargo area.
The illustration shows the location of
each cargo hook.The cargo net can be used to help
hold down light items in the cargo
area. The cargo net may not prevent
heavy items f rom being thrown
f orward in a crash or a sudden stop.
Heavy items should be secured to
the cargo area floor with the hooks
or cinch straps attached to the cargo
hooks.
The hanger bars can be used to hang
items. The hanger bar is designed to
hang light items (maximum load: 11
lbs or 5 kg on each side). Heavy
items may damage the bars.
The cargo hooks on the f loor can be
used to install the cargo net f or
securing items.
Carrying Cargo
Cargo Hooks/Hanger Bars Optional Cargo Net
290
HOOKHANGER
BARS
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This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the super handling-all wheel
drive (SH-AWD) system, the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system, the tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS),
and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer or drive off-
highway.........................
Driving Guidelines .292
........................
Preparing to Drive .293
.......................
Starting the Engine .294
..............
Automatic Transmission .295
Driving with the Paddle
.......................................
Shif ters .299
Super Handling-All Wheel Drive ...................
(SH-AWD) System .303
...........................................
Parking .305
.............................
Braking System .306
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .307
Tire Pressure Monitoring
........................
System (TPMS) .309
Vehicle Stability Assist ............................
(VSA) System .315
...........................
Towing a Trailer .317
Of f -Highway Driving ..................................
Guidelines .324
Driving
Driving
291
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Because your vehicle rides higher
off the ground, it has a high center
of gravity that can cause it to roll
over if you make abrupt turns. Utility
vehicl es have a signifi cantly higher
roll over rate than other types of
ve hicles.
Your
vehicle has higher ground
clearance that allows you to travel
over bumps, obstacles, and rough
terrain. It also provides good
visibility so you can anticipate
problems earlier. To
prevent rollovers or loss of
control:
Take corners at slower speeds
than you would with a passenger
vehicle.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers whenever possible.
Do not modify your vehicle in any
way that would raise the center of
gravity.
Do not carry heavy cargo on the
roof. Your
vehicle is equipped with a
super handling-all wheel drive (SH-
AWD) system. When the system
senses a loss of one or more wheel
traction, it automatically transfers
some power to the other wheels.
This gives you better traction and
mobility.
You still need to exercise the same
care when accelerating, steering, and
brakingthatyouwouldinatwo-
wheel drive vehicle.
See page f or of f -highway driving
guidelines. 324
Driving Guidelines
292
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Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
ad justment (see page ).
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page ).
Make
sure the doors and the
tailgate are secu rely closed and
locked. When
you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicato rs in the
instrument panel, and the
messages in the info rmation
display or multi -information
display (depending on models)
(see pages,,, and
).
Youshoulddothesechecksand
adjustments
before you drive your
vehicle:
Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is fully closed.
Vi sually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page ).
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
16
155
126
372 145
63
84 64 75
Preparing to Drive
Driving
293
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Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Make sure the shift lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position for more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for at least
10 seconds before trying again. If
the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressu re on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
If the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
down, and hold it there while
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5. Your
vehicle has an electric vacuum
pump located in the engine
compartment. When you drive in
coldweatherorthinnerairathigh
altitude, the electric vacuum pump
operates more frequently after the
engine is started.
When the electric vacuum pump is in
operation, it makes some mechanical
noises come from the engine
compartment. This is normal.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
128
Starting
theEngine
294
T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page . The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
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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.
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicato r, 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.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
TRANSMISSION’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display (see page ). To shif t f rom Park to any position,
press firmly on the brake pedal and
pressthereleasebuttononthefront
of the shif t lever, then pull the lever.
YoucannotshiftoutofParkwhen
the ignition switch is in the LOCK
(0) or the ACCESSORY (I) position.
85
CONT INUED
On RDX with Technology Package
model
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Automatic Transmission
Driving
295
SHIFT LEVER
RELEASE BUTTON
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If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page . This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal. Press the release
buttononthefrontof theshiftlever
to move it.
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop bef ore shif ting
into Park. You must also press the
release button to shift into Park. The
shif t lever must be in Park bef ore
you can remove the key f rom the
ignition switch. Press the brake
pedal and press the release button
on the f ront of the shif t lever to shif t
f rom Park to reverse. To shif t f rom
reverse to neutral, come to a
completestop,andthenshift.Press
the release button bef ore shif ting
into reverse f rom neutral.
298To shift from: PtoR
RtoP
NtoR DtoS
StoD
DtoN
NtoD RtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
press the shift lever release
button.
Press the shift lever release
button.
Move the shift lever.
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ock Release
Park (P)
Reverse (R)
296
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