ECU Acura RDX 2012 Owner's Manual

Your Vehicle at a Glance(main controls)
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3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection)
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5
Instruments and Controls (indicators, gauges, multi-information display, dashboard, and steering column)
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61
Features (
climate control, audio, steering wheel, security, cruise control, HomeLink
®, and other convenience items
)...
163
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading)
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351
Driving (engine and transmission operation)
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371
Maintenance (minders, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)
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409
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, jump starting, overheating, and fuses)
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453
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls)
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477
Warranty and Client Relations (U.S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information)
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493
Index
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I
INDEX
Service Information Summary (fluid capacities and tire pressures)
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last page
Contents
1
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4. Adjust the Head RestraintsAdjust the driver's head restraint so
the center of the back of your head
rests against the center of the
restraint.
Have passengers adjust their head
restraints properly as well. Taller
persons should adjust their restraint
as high as possible.
Improperly positioning head
restraints reduces their
effectiveness and you can be
seriously injured in a crash.
Make sure head restraints are
in place and positioned properly
before driving.
Properly adjusted head restraints will
help protect occupants from whiplash
and other crash injuries.
See page 135 for how to adjust the
head restraints and how the driver's
and front passenger's active head
restraints work. 5. Fasten and Position the Seat
Belts
Insert the latch plate into the buckle,
then tug on the belt to make sure the
belt is securely latched. Check that
the belt is not twisted, because a
twisted belt can cause serious
injuries in a crash.
CONTINUED
Protecting Adults and Teens
15
Driver and Passenger Safety
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If the indicator comes on or the
beeper sounds when the driver's seat
belt is latched and there is no front
seat passenger and no items on the
front seat, something may be
interfering with the monitoring
system. Look for and remove:●Any items under the front
passenger's seat.●Any object(s) hanging on the seat
or in the seat-back pocket.●Any object(s) touching the rear of
the seat-back.
If no obstructions are found, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer. Lap/Shoulder Belt
The lap/shoulder belt goes over your
shoulder, across your chest, and
across your hips.
To fasten the belt, insert the latch
plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is
latched (see page 15 for how to
properly position the belt).
To unlock the belt, press the red
PRESS button on the buckle. Guide
the belt across your body so that it
retracts completely. After exiting the
vehicle, be sure the belt is out of the
way and will not get closed in the
door.All seat belts have an emergency
locking retractor. In normal driving,
the retractor lets you move freely in
your seat while it keeps some tension
on the belt. During a collision or
sudden stop, the retractor
automatically locks the belt to help
restrain your body.
The seat belts in all positions except
the driver's have a lockable retractor
that must be activated to secure a
child seat (see page 50).
CONTINUED
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
21
Driver and Passenger Safety
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Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions, many adults do not know
how to
properly
protect child
passengers.
If you have children, or ever need to
drive with a child in your vehicle, be
sure to read this section. It begins
with important general guidelines,
then presents special information for
infants, small children, and larger
children. All Children Must Be Restrained
Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In fact, traffic
collisions are the number one cause
of the death of children aged 12 and
under.
To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state,
Canadian province and territory
requires that infants and children be
properly restrained when they ride in
a vehicle.
Infants and small children must be
restrained in an approved child seatthat is properly secured to the vehicle(see pages 41 －52).
Children who are unrestrained
or improperly restrained can be
seriously injured or killed in a
crash.
Any child too small for a seat
belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. A
larger child should be properly
restrained with a seat belt and
use a booster seat if necessary.
Larger children must be restrained
with a lap/shoulder belt and ride on a
booster seat until the seat belt fits
them properly
(see pages 53 －56).
Protecting Children －General Guidelines3611/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

If You Must Drive with Several
Children
Your vehicle has a back seat where
children can be properly restrained.
If you ever have to carry a group of
children, and a child must ride in
front:●Place the largest child in the front
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page 53).●Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page 134).●Have the child sit upright and well
back in the seat (see page 17).●Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page
15).If a Child Requires Close
Attention
Many parents say they prefer to put
an infant or a small child in the front
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Placing a child in the front seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
frontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.
If a child requires close physical
attention or frequent visual contact,
we strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in a back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.
Protecting Children
－General Guidelines
39
Driver and Passenger Safety
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Child Seat PlacementWe strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the front.Placing a forward-facing child seat inthe front seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger's airbag can be
hazardous.
If the vehicle seat is too
far forward, or the child's head is
thrown forward during a collision, an
inflating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to cause very
serious or fatal injuries. Even with advanced front airbags
that automatically turn the
passenger's front airbag off (see page
33), a back seat is the safest place for
a small child.
If it is necessary to put a forward-
facing child seat in the front, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, and be sure the child seat is
firmly secured to the vehicle and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.
Protecting Infants and Small Children
43
Driver and Passenger Safety
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Most child seats are LATCH-
compatible (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren). Some have a
rigid-type connector, while others
have a flexible-type connector. Both
are equally easy to use. Some
existing and previously owned child
seats can only be installed using the
seat belt. Whichever type you
choose, follow the child seat
manufacturer's use and care
instructions as well as the
instructions in this manual. Proper
installation is key to maximizing your
child's safety.In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH
compatible child seat can be installed
using the seat belt and a top tether
for added security. This is because
all child seats are required to be
designed so that they can be secured
with a lap belt or the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.
In addition, the child seat
manufacturer may advise that a seat
belt be used to attach a LATCH-
compatible seat once a child reaches
a specified weight. Please read the
child seat owner's manual for proper
installation instructions.Important considerations when
selecting a child seat
Make sure the child seat meets the
following three requirements:
●The child seat is the correct type
and size for the child.●The child seat is the correct type
for the seating position.●The child seat is compliant with
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 or Canadian Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
Selecting a Child Seat4411/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

After selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:1.Properly secure the child seat to the vehicle.
All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
2.
Make sure the child seat is firmly secured.
After installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as firmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be
‘‘rock solid. ’’Some side-to-side
movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat's
effectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a different seating
position, or use a different style of
child seat that can be firmly secured. 3.
Secure the child in the child seat.Make sure the child is properly
strapped in the child seat
according to the child seat maker's
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash.
The following pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A forward-facing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same for rear-
facing child seats.
Installing a Child Seat
45
Driver and Passenger Safety
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Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH
Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers
for CHildren) at the rear seats to
secure a child seat in any seating
position: one in each outer seating
position, or one in the center.
The five lower anchors are located
between the seat-back and seat
bottom, and are to be used only with
a child seat designed for use with
LATCH.
The location of each lower anchor is
indicated by a small button above the
anchor point.
When you install a child seat in the
rear center seating position, use the
center LATCH as shown in the
illustration. To install a child seat in
the outer seating position, use either
LATCH. You can install up to two
child seat at a time with outer
LATCH.
Using the Outer LATCHTo install a LATCH-compatible child
seat in either of the rear outer seats:
1. Move the seat belt buckle ortongue away from the lower
anchors.
2. Make sure there are no objects near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors.
BUTTON LOWER ANCHORS
FOR CENTER LATCH
LOWER ANCHORS
FOR OUTER LATCH
OUTER LOWER ANCHORS
Installing a Child Seat4611/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

7. Attach the tether strap hook to thetether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.
8. Push and pull the child seat forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.
Using the Center LATCHTo install a LATCH-compatible child
seat in the rear center seating
position, use the center lower
anchors as shown above.
Remove the head restraint (see page
136). Make sure the removed head
restraint is secured in the cargo area.
Reinstall the head restraint when the
child seat is removed.
Follow step 1 through 8 as described
previously to secure the child seat.
When you install the child seat in the
rear center seating position, you
cannot use the seat belt behind the
driver's seat.
TETHER STRAP HOOK ANCHOR
CENTER LOWER ANCHORS
Installing a Child Seat4811/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu