Acura RDX 2008 Owner's Manual

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Examine the new wiper blades. If
they have no plastic or metal
reinf orcement along the back
edge, remove the metal
reinf orcement strips f rom the old
wiper blade, and install them in
the slots along the edge of the new
blade. Install the new blade onto the
blade assembly:
Find two tabs with a ‘‘SET’’ and
‘‘ ’’ mark on the wiper blade
assembly.Thisisthedirectionyou
install.
Slide the blade onto the assembly
until it is locked by the tabs.
Remove the blade from the blade
assembly:
Pull out the blade by grabbing
the end of the blade as shown
above illustration.
Find two tabs with a ‘‘SET’’ and
‘‘ ’’ mark on the wiper blade
assembly. The opposite side of
the ‘‘ ’’ mark is the direction
you pull out the wiper blade. 5.
3. 4.
Wiper Blades
Maint enance
357
REINFORCEMENT BLADE
BLADE TABS
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Slide the wiper blade assembly
onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
Make sure the blade is completely
installed and that its edge is not
bunched up.
Lower the wiper arm down against
the windshield, the passenger’s
side first, then the driver’s side.To replace the rear wiper blade:Raise the wiper arm of f the rear
window. Slidethebladeoutof thewiper
arm.
6.
7.
1.2.
8.
Wiper Blades
358
BLADE
WIPER ARM
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Examine the new wiper blades. If
they have no plastic or metal
reinf orcement along the back
edge, remove the metal
reinf orcement strips f rom the old
wiper blade, and install them in
the slots along the edge of the new
blade.Slide the new blade into the wiper
arm. Make sure it is engaged in
the slot along its f ull length.
Lower the wiper arm.Clean the wheels as you would the
rest of the exterior. Wash them with
thesamesolution,andrinsethem
thoroughly.
Aluminum alloy wheels have a
protective clear-coat that keeps the
aluminum f rom corroding and
tarnishing. Cleaning the wheels with
harsh chemicals (including some
commercial wheel cleaners) or a stif f
brush can damage the clear-coat. To
clean the wheels, use a mild
detergent and a sof t brush or sponge.
5.
3. 4.
Wiper Blades, Wheels
Wheels
Maint enance
359
REINFORCEMENT BLADE
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To saf ely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inf lated.
The f ollowing pages give more
detailed inf ormation on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they need to be replaced.Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort.
Underinf lated tires wear unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to
fail from being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,are
more prone to damage f rom road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
The tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS)willwarnyouwhenatire
pressure is low. See page f or
inf ormation on the TPMS. Even though your vehicle is
equipped with TPMS, we
recommend that you visually check
your tires every day. If you think a
tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure in each tire at least once a
month. Even tires that are in good
condition may lose 1 to 2 psi (10 to
20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per
month. Remember to check the
sparetireatthesametime.
Check the air pressures when the
tires are cold. This means the
vehicle has been parked f or at least 3
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km). Add or release air, if needed, to
match the recommended cold tire
pressures.
307
Tires
Inf lation Guidelines
360
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
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If you check air pressures when the
tires are hot [driven f or several miles
(kilometers)], you will see readings 4
to6psi(30to40kPa,0.3to0.4
kgf /cm ) higher than the cold
readings.Thisisnormal.Donotlet
air out to match the recommended
cold air pressure. The tire will be
underinf lated.Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires for
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:
Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord.
Excessive tread wear.
Youshouldgetyourowntire
pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier f or you to tell if a
pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.
While tubeless tires have some
ability to self -seal if they are
punctured, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure. The following charts show the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions.
Thecompactsparetirepressureis:
For convenience, the recommended
tire sizes and cold tire pressures are
on a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
For additional inf ormation about
your tires, see page .
398
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Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
Front/Rear:
Tires
Recommended Tire Pressures Tire Inspection
Maint enance
361
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
32 psi (220 kPa ,2.2 kgf/cm
)
P235/55R18 99V
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In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you f eel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed f rom the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance.
A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators. The service lif e of your tires is
dependent on many f actors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inf lation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).
In addition to your regular
inspections and inf lation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
perf ormed once the tires reach f ive
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
The last f our digits of the TIN (tire
identif ication number) are f ound on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (See
on page ).
Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a 1/2
inch (12.7 mm) wide band across the
tread. This shows there is less than
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread lef t on
the tire.
400
Tires
T ire Maintenance
Tire Service Lif e
Tire
Labeling
362
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only Acura wheel weights f or balancing.
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Replace your tires with radial tires of
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s sidewall).
Mixing radial and bias-ply tires on
your vehicle can reduce braking
ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Using tires of a dif f erent
size or construction can cause the
ABS and vehicle stability assist
system (VSA) to work inconsistently.It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, replace the two f ront
tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
af f ect your vehicle’s handling.
To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires according to the
maintenance messages displayed on
the multi-information display. Move
the tires to the positions shown in
the illustration each time they are
rotated. If you purchase directional
tires, rotate only front-to-back. The ABS and VSA system work by
comparing the speed of the wheels.
When replacing tires, use the same
size originally supplied with the
vehicle. Tire size and construction
can af f ect wheel speed and may
cause the ABS or VSA system to
activate.If you ever replace a wheel, make
sure that the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheels.
Also be sure you use only TPMS
specif ic wheels. If you do not, the
tire pressure monitoring system will
not work.
Replacement wheels are available at
your dealer.
Tires
T ire Rotation Replacing T ires and Wheels
Maint enance
363
Front Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) (For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
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´
Tires marked ‘‘M S’’ or ‘‘All
Season’’ on the sidewall have an all-
weather tread design suitable for
most winter driving conditions.
For the best perf ormance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions.
Wheels:
Tires:
See page f or inf ormation about
DOT Tire Quality Grading, and page
f or tire size and labeling
inf ormation.
If you mount snow tires on your
vehicle, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all f our wheels. The traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
maybelowerthanyouroriginaltires.
Check with the tire dealer f or
maximum speed recommendations.
398
400 Winter Driving
Wheel and T ire Specif ications
Snow T ires
Tires
364
18x71/2J
P235/55R18 99V(TPMS)
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.
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When installing cables, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions, and
mount them as tight as you can.
Make sure they are not contacting
the brake lines or suspension. Drive
slowly with them installed. If you
hear them coming into contact with
the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Remove them as soon as
youbegindrivingonclearedroads.
Mount tire chains on your tires when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Install them only on the
f ront tires.
Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, Acura strongly
recommends using the chains listed
below, made by Security Chain
Company (SCC).
Cable type: Shur Grip Z
SZ343
Tires
Tire Chains
Maint enance
365
Using the wrong chains, or not
properly installing chains, can
damage the brake lines and
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously injured or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding the
selection and use of tire chains.
Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle’s brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of
the vehicle.
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µ
Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f uture corrosion.
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
366
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.
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