jump start Acura MDX 2002 Owner's Manual

This section covers the more-
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .314
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .315
..........
If Your Engine Won’t Start .322
Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor Operates ........................
Very Slowly .322
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally .322
................................
Jump Starting .323
............
If Your Engine Overheats .325
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .327
..........
Charging System Indicator .328
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .329
...............
Brake System Indicator .331
..............................................
Fuses .332
..........
Checking and Replacing .333
......................
Emergency Towing .338
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed313
01/09/07 12:45:03 31S3V610_318

Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things: Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
orNeutralorthestarterwillnot
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See on page .)If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run. Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
338 280
323
210
323
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Jump Starting
Emergency T owingT he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Won’t Start
322
01/09/07 12:46:30 31S3V610_327

To jump start your vehicle, f ollow
these directions closely:
If your vehicle’s battery has run
down,youmaybeabletostartthe
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake. Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
You cannot start your Acura by
pushing or pulling it.
Your vehicle has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . 1.
2.
338 80
336 280
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed323
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
01/09/07 12:46:44 31S3V610_328

´´
µ
Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
the jumper cable connections to
make sure they have good metal-
to-metal contact.
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
then the booster battery.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
Acura’s battery. Connect the other
end to the positive ( ) terminal
on the booster battery.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine. The numbers in the illustration show
you the order to connect the jumper
cables.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
5.
7.
3.
4.
6.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting
324
B BO
OO OSSTTE
ER
R B
BAA T
TT
TE
ER
RY Y
01/09/07 12:46:56 31S3V610_329

If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine.
If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading
(climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for
example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately.
If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving. Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn of f the heating and cooling/
climate control system and all
otheraccessories.Turnonthe
hazard warning indicators.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until all are
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
Itmaygohigherif youaredrivingup
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason. Your vehicle can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
1.
2. 3.
CONT INUED
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting, If Your Engine Overheats
If Your Engine Overheats
325
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.
01/09/07 12:47:08 31S3V610_330

CONT INUED
...
Accessories and Modif ications .201
................................
Accessories .201
...
Additional Safety Precaution .202
............................
Modif ications .202
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) .82
............
Accessory Power Sockets .115
....................
Additives, Engine Oil .262
...............................
Airbag (SRS) .9,50
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .275
..............
Air Conditioning System .124
..............................
Maintenance .284
.....................
Rear A/C Control .130
.........................................
Usage .124
.......................
Air Outlets (Vents) .122
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .286
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline .346
.......
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning .307
......................................
Antif reeze .265
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
....................
Indicator Light .63,222
...................................
Operation .221
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System .170
.
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock .81 ..........................
Appearance Care .305
........................
Audio System .133,151
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners .48
...
Automatic Lighting Off Feature .73
.............
Automatic Speed Control .172
..............
Automatic Transmission .211
..........................
Capacity, Fluid .342
...............
Checking Fluid Level .271
.......................................
Shif ting .212
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator .211
................
Shif t Lever Positions .212
....................
Shif t Lock Release .215
Battery Charging System ...........................
Indicator .62,328
............................
Jump Starting .323
..............................
Maintenance .280
............................
Specif ications .343
..............................
Bef ore Driving .193
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,46
.........................
Beverage Holders .110
...................................
Body Repair .312 Brakes
...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) .221
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 194
...........................................
Fluid .273
....................
Bulb Replacement .298
.......................................
Parking .106
.................
System Indicator . 63,331
........................
Wear Indicators .220
.............................
Braking System .220
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle . 194
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 73
........................
Brights, Headlights .72
Bulb Replacement ..........................
Back-up Lights .298
..............................
Brake Lights .298
......................
Cargo Area Light .301
................
Front Parking Lights . 296
........
Front Side Marker Lights . 296
.................................
Headlights .295
.........
High-mount Brake Light . 299
..............
Individual Map Lights . 300
...................
License Plate Light . 300
.................................
Rear Bulbs .298
............................
Specif ications .343
............
Turn Signal Lights . 296,298
Index
A
B
I
01/09/07 12:52:14 31S3V610_364

CONT INUED
............................
Fabric, Cleaning .309
...................................
Fan, Interior .126 Features, Comfort and
..............................
Convenience .121
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank .195
Filters
...............................................
Air .275
.......................
Air Conditioning .285
...............................................
Oil .263
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning . 76
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a . 315
Fluids ..........
Automatic Transmission . 271
..........................................
Brake .273
..........................
Power Steering .274
..................
Windshield Washer . 270
FM Stereo Radio ...................................
Reception .157
........................................
Fog Lights .77
...................
Folding the Third Seat . 96
.....
Foreign Countries, Driving in . 347
..........................
Four-way Flashers .76
..............................
Economy, Fuel .200
............
Emergencies on the Road . 313
.............
Battery, Jump Starting . 323
...........
Brake System Indicator . 331
................
Changing a Flat Tire . 315
.....
Charging System Indicator . 328
..................
Checking the Fuses . 333
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 327
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 329
..................
Overheated Engine . 325
.........................
Emergency Brake .106
......................
Emergency Flashers .76
......................
Emergency Towing .338 .......................
Emissions Controls .348
Engine ....
Coolant Temperature Gauge . 68
.................................
Drive Belts .285
Malf unction Indicator ................................
Lamp .62, 329
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 62,327
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use . 261
...............................
Overheating .325
............................
Specif ications .343
............................
Speed Limiter .215
.......................................
Starting .210
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline .346
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls . 348
...............................
Exhaust Fumes .56
Exhaust Gas Recirculation ........................................
System .349
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat ........................................
Belts by .19
..................
Exterior, Cleaning the . 306
....................
Lockout Prevention . 83
......................
Power Door Locks .82
..........
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 344
.....................................
Drive Belts .285
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety . 5
...........................................
Driving .207
....................................
Economy .200
.........................
In Bad Weather .224
................
In Foreign Countries . 347
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 285
Index
E
F
III
01/09/07 12:52:26 31S3V610_366

CONT INUED
...................
Neutral Gear Position .213
..................
New Vehicle Break-in .194
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of .i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication .340
.................
Jacking up the Vehicle .318
.......................................
Jack, Tire .315
................................
Jump Starting .323 ...........................
Interior Cleaning .308
...............................
Interior Lights .117
........................................
Introduction .i
..................................................
Keys .79
.......................
Label, Certif ication .340
.................
Lane Change, Signaling .74
..................
Lap/Shoulder Belts .15,46
....................
Light Control Switch .117
.............................................
Lights .293
....................
Bulb Replacement .295
.......................................
Indicator .61
.......................................
Interior .117
.........................................
Parking .72
..................................
Turn Signal .74 ....................................
Load Limits .204
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) . 81
Locks .......
Anti-thef t Steering Column . 81
............................
Fuel Fill Door .195
....................................
Glove Box .89
....................
Lockout Prevention . 83
.................................
Power Door .82
......................
2Low Coolant Level .199
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator .65
...
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 62,327
...
Lubricant Specif ications Chart . 342
.........................................
Luggage .203 ...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline . 194
.........................................
Odometer .67
...............................
Odometer, Trip .67
Oil ........................
Change, How to .263
......................
Change, When to .252
......................
Checking Engine .198
..............
Pressure Indicator . 62,327
Selecting Proper Viscosity ......................................
Chart .262
...........
ON (Ignition Key Position) . 82
..
Operation in Foreign Countries . 347
............................
Outside Mirrors .104
..................................
Maintenance .247
...
Owner Maintenance Checks . 259
.................................
Record .257-258
......................
Required Indicator .69
..........................................
Saf ety .248
.............................
Schedule .252-256
.
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 62,329
..............
Manual Seat Adjustments . 92
...............................
Meters, Gauges .61
...................
Methanol in Gasoline . 346........................
Mirrors, Adjusting .105
Index
J
L K N
M O
V
01/09/07 12:52:42 31S3V610_368