maintenance Acura ZDX 2012 Owner's Manual

This owner’s manual should be considered a permanent part of the
vehicle and should remain with the vehicle when it is sold.
This owner’s manual covers all models of your vehicle. You may find
descriptions of equipment and features that are not on your
particular model.
Images throughout this owner’s manual (including the front cover)
represent features and equipment that are available on some, but
not all, models. Your particular mo del may not have some of these
features.
This owner’s manual is for vehicles sold in the United States and
Canada.
The information an d specifications included in this publication were
in effect at the time of approval for printing. Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
reserves the right, however, to di scontinue or change specifications
or design at any time without notice and without incurring any
obligation.2 Safe Driving P. 21For Safe Driving P. 22 Seat Belts P. 27 Airbags P. 35
2Instrument Panel P. 67Indicators P. 68 Gauges and Multi-Information Display P. 87
2Controls P. 101Setting the Clock P. 102 Locking and Unlocking the Doors P. 103
Opening and Closing the Panoramic Glass Roof P. 126
Adjusting the Seats P. 143
2Features P. 167Audio System P. 168 Audio System Basic Operation P. 171
General Information on the Audio System P. 191
Bluetooth ® HandsFreeLink ® P. 197
2 Driving P. 209Before Driving P. 210 Towing a Trailer P. 215
Rearview Camera P. 262 Refueling P. 263 Fuel Economy P. 266
2Maintenance P. 269Before Performing Maintenance P. 270 Maintenance MinderTM P. 273
Checking and Maintaining Wiper Blades P. 298
Climate Control System Maintenance P. 312
2 Handling the Unexpected P. 317Tools P. 318 If a Tire Goes Flat P. 319
Overheating P. 332 Indicator, Coming On/Blinking P. 334
When You Cannot Unlock the Fuel Fill Door P. 346
2 Information P. 349Specifications P. 350 Identification Numbers P. 351
Emissions Testing P. 354 Warranty Coverages P. 356

Contents
Child Safety P. 50Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 64 Safety Labels P. 65
Opening and Closing the Tailgate P. 114 Security System P. 120 Opening and Closing the Windows P. 123
Operating the Switches Around the Steering Wheel P. 127 Adjusting the Mirrors P. 141
Interior Lights/Interior Convenience Items P. 151 Climate Control System P. 163
Audio Error Messages P. 188 Audio Remote Controls P. 190
HomeLink ® Universal Transceiver P. 195
When Driving P. 223 Braking P. 253 Parking Your Vehicle P. 261
Accessories and Modifications P. 267
Maintenance Under the Hood P. 277 Replacing Light Bulbs P. 291
Checking and Maintaining Tires P. 300 Battery P. 309 Remote Transmitter Care P. 310
Cleaning P. 313
Engine Does Not Start P. 326 Jump Starting P. 329 Shift Lever Does Not Move P. 331
Fuses P. 338 Emergency Towing P. 344
When You Cannot Open or Close the Tailgate P. 347
Devices that Emit Radio Waves P. 352 Reporting Safety Defects P. 353
Authorized Manuals P. 358 Client Service Information P. 359
Quick Reference GuideP. 2
Safe DrivingP. 21
Instrument PanelP. 67
ControlsP. 101
FeaturesP. 167
DrivingP. 209
MaintenanceP. 269
Handling the UnexpectedP. 317
InformationP. 349
IndexP. 361

Visual Index
6
Quick Reference Guide
❙Fog Lights (P 133, 292)
❙How to Refuel (P 264)
❙Maintenance Under the Hood (P 277)
❙Windshield Wipers (P 134, 298)
❙Power Door Mirrors (P 142)
❙Tires (P 300, 319)
❙Door Lock/Unlock Control (P 106)
❙Headlights (P 131, 291)
❙Front Turn Signal/Parking/Side Marker/Daytime Running
Lights
(P 131, 293)
❙High-Mount Brake Light (P 297)
❙Opening/Closing the Tailgate
(P 114)
❙Tailgate Open Handle (P 115)
❙Stop/Taillights (P 295)
❙Rear Turn Signal Lights (P 295)
❙Rear Side Marker Lights (P 295)
❙Rearview Camera (P 262)
❙Rear License Plate Lights (P 297)
❙Back-Up Lights (P 296)

15
Quick Reference Guide
Maintenance (P 269)
Under the Hood (P 277)
● Check engine oil, engine coolant, and windshield washer
fluid. Add when necessary.
● Check brake fluid.
● Check the battery regularly.
aPull the hood release handle under the corner of the
dashboard.
bLocate the hood latch lever, pull the lever up, and lift up
the hood.
cWhen finished, close the hood and make sure it is firmly
locked in place.
Lights (P 291)
● Inspect all lights regularly.
Wiper Blades (P 298)
● Replace blades if they leave streaks
across the windshield.
Tires (P 300)
● Inspect tires and wheels regularly.
● Check tire pre ssures regularly.
● Install snow tires for winter
driving.

23
uuFor Safe Driving uImportant Safety Precautions
Safe Driving
■Pay appropriate attention to the task of driving safely
Engaging in cell phone conversation or ot her activities that keep you from paying
close attention to the road, other vehicles, and pedestrian s could lead to a crash.
Remember, situations can change quickly, an d only you can decide when it is safe to
divert some attention away from driving.
■Control your speed
Excessive speed is a major fa ctor in crash injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher
the speed, the greater the risk, but serious injuries can also occur at lower speeds.
Never drive faster than is safe for curre nt conditions, regardless of the maximum
speed posted.
■Keep your vehicle in safe condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical failure can be extremely hazardous.
To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire pressures and condition
frequently, and perform all regularly scheduled maintenance.

49
uuAirbags uAirbag Care
Safe Driving
Airbag Care
You do not need to, and should not, perform any maintenance on or replace any
airbag system components yourself. Ho wever, you should have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer in the following situations:
■When the airbags have deployed
If an airbag has inflated, the control unit and other related parts must be replaced.
Similarly, once an automatic seat belt te nsioner has been activated, it must be
replaced.
■When the vehicle has been in a moderate-to-severe collision
Even if the airbags did not inflate, have yo ur dealer inspect the following: the driver’s
seat position sensor, weight sensors in the passenger’s seat, front seat belt
tensioners, and each seat belt th at was worn during the crash.
■Do not remove or modify a front seat without consulting a dealer
This would likely disable the driver’s seat position sensor or the passenger’s weight
sensors. If it is necessary to remove or modify a front seat to accommodate a person
with disabilities, contact an Acura dealer . For U.S. vehicles you can also contact
Acura Client Service at 800-382-2238. For Canadian vehicles you can also contact
Canadian Acura Client Service at 888-9-ACURA-9.
1 Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, includi ng the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.

81
uuIndicators uMulti-Information Display Warning and Information Messages
Continued
Instrument Panel
*1: Models with the keyless access system have an ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.
MessageConditionExplanation
●Appears when the scheduled maintenance is due soon.●Consequently, SERVICE DUE NOW and SERVICE
PAST DUE follow.2Maintenance Minder Messages on the Multi-
Information Display P. 274
●Appears when you open the driver’s door while the
ignition key is in LOCK (0.
●Remove the key from the ignition switch.
●Appears when the engine coolant temperature gets
abnormally high.
2 Overheating P. 332
●Appears when there is a problem with the power
tailgate system.●Manually open or close the power tailgate.●Have the vehicle ch ecked by a dealer.
●Appears when the starting system has a problem.●As a temporary measure, hold the ignition switch to
START (e*1 for up to 15 seconds and start the engine.
Have the vehicle ch ecked by a dealer.
Models without
keyless access remote

Continued91
uuGauges and Multi-Information Display uMulti-Information Display
Instrument Panel
Shows the total number of miles (U.S.) or kilometers (Canada) driven since the last
reset. Meters A and B can be used to measure two separate trips.
■Resetting a trip meter
To reset a trip meter, display it, then press and hold the SEL/RESET button. The trip
meter is reset to 0.0.
Shows the outside temperature in Fahr enheit (U.S.) or Celsius (Canada).
■Adjusting the outside temperature display
Adjust the temperature reading up to ±5°F or ±3°C if the temperature reading
seems incorrect.
Shows the remaining oil life and Maintenance Minder
TM.2 Maintenance MinderTM P. 273
Shows the estimated average fuel economy of each trip meter in mpg (U.S.) or l/
100 km (Canada). The display is updated at set intervals. When a trip meter is reset,
the average fuel econ omy is also reset.
■Trip Meter
■Outside Temperature
■Engine Oil Life
■Average Fuel Economy
1Trip Meter
Switch between trip meter A and trip meter B by
pressing the SEL/RESET button.
1Outside Temperature
The temperature sensor is in the front bumper.
Road heat and exhaust fr om another vehicle can
affect the temperature reading when your vehicle
speed is less than 19 mph (30 km/h).
It may take several minutes for the display to be
updated after the temperature reading has stabilized.
Use the multi-information display’s customized
features to correct the temperature. 2 Customized Features P. 94
1Average Fuel Economy
You can choose to reset Trip A information when you
refuel.
2 Customized Features P. 94

221
uuOff-Highway Driving Guidelines uAvoiding Trouble
Continued
Driving
Avoiding Trouble
• Check Out Your Vehicle before you leave the paveme nt and make sure that all
scheduled maintenance has been comple ted. Pay special attention to the
condition of the tires, an d check the tire pressures.
• Remember the route you choose presents limits (too steep or bumpy), you have
limits (driving skill and comfort), and your vehicle has limits (traction, stability, and
power). Failing to recognize these limits will likely put you and your passengers in
a hazardous situation.
• Accelerating and Braking should be done slowly and gradually. Trying to start
or stop too fast can cause a loss of traction and you could lose control.
• Avoiding Obstacles and Debris in the road reduces the likelihood of a rollover
or damage to your suspension or other components.
• Driving on Slopes increases your risk of a rollov er, particularly if you attempt to
drive across a slope that is too steep. Going straight or down a slope is usually the
safest. If you can’t clearly see all conditions or obstacles on a slope, walk it before
you drive it. If there is any doubt whethe r you can safely pass, don’t try it. Find
another route. If you get stuck when climbing, do not try to turn around. Back
down slowly following the same route you took up the hill.

251
uuWhen Driving uTire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - Required Federal Explanation
Driving
Please note that the TPMS is no t a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driv er’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressure, even if u nder-inflation has not reached the
level to trigger illumination of th e TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equi pped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale. When the syst em detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately one minute and then remain
continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including
the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction te lltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tire s and wheels allow the TPMS to
continue to function properly.