roof Acura MDX 2002 Owner's Manual

Using this f eature will
prevent children f rom opening the
doors and accidentally f alling out
(see page ).
Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Your vehicle has two rows of back
seats where children can be properly
restrained.
Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear a seat belt
properly (see page ).
Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page ).
Have the child sit upright and well
backintheseat(seepage ).
Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page ).
If you ever have to carry a group of
children (when carpooling f or
example), and a child must ride in
front:
Using
this f eature will prevent children
f rom playing with the windows,
which could expose them to
hazards or distract the driver (see
page ).
Placing a child in the f ront seat
exposes the child to hazards f rom
the passenger’s f ront airbag, and
paying close attention to a child
distracts the driver f rom the
important tasks of driving, placing
both of you at risk.
If a child requires physical attention
or f requent 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.
12
15 38
18 88
100
CONT INUED
Additional Saf ety Precautions
If a Child Requires Close
Attention
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
Use childproof door locks t o
prevent children f rom opening t hedoors.
Use t he main power windowswit ch t o prevent children f romopening t he rear windows.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety25
01/09/07 11:59:44 31S3V610_030

This section gives inf ormation about
the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your Acura. All the essential controls
are within easy reach............................
Control Locations .60
...............................
Indicator Lights .61
.............................................
Gauges .67
Controls Near the Steering
.......................................
Wheel .71
...................................
Headlights .72 Automatic Lighting Off
.....................................
Feature .73
............
Daytime Running Lights .73
....
Instrument Panel Brightness .73
................................
Turn Signals .74
.....................
Windshield Wipers .74
..................
Windshield Washers .76
Rear Window Wiper and
.....................................
Washer .76
..........................
Hazard Warning .76
.............
Rear Window Def ogger .77
.....................................
Fog Light .77
......
Steering Wheel Adjustment .78
...............................
Keys and Locks .79
..............................................
Keys .79
....................
Immobilizer System .80
............................
Ignition Switch .81
......................
Power Door Locks .82
...................
Remote Transmitter .84
..............
Childproof Door Locks .88
........................................
Tailgate .88
....................................
Glove Box .89
.................................................
Seats .90
............
Power Seat Adjustments .90
...........
Driver’s Lumbar Support .91
..........
Manual Seat Adjustments .92 Second and Third Row seat
............................
Adjustments .93
..........................
Head Restraints .94
........................
Rear Seat Access .95
............
Folding the Second Seat .95
...............
Folding the Third Seat .96
...................
Detachable Anchors .98
....................................
Seat Heaters .99
............................
Power Windows .100
.......................................
Moonroof .103
...........................................
Mirrors .104
...............................
Parking Brake .106
Driving Position Memory
........................................
System .107
...........................
Beverage Holder .110
.................
Console Compartment .112
.......................
Rear Compartment .112
.................................
Cargo Hooks .112
........................
Sunglasses Holder .113
........................................
Sun Visor .114
................................
Vanity Mirror .114
............
Accessory Power Sockets .115
........................................
Coin Box .116
......................................
Coat Hook .116
...............................
Interior Lights .117
Instruments and Controls
Inst rument s and Cont rols59
01/09/07 12:04:59 31S3V610_064

Î
Î
Î
Thetwoleversonthesteering
column contain controls f or driving
f eatures you use most of ten. The lef t
lever controls the turn signals,
headlights, and high beams. The
right lever controls the windshield
washers and wipers.
The switches for the hazard warning
lights and rear window def ogger are
located to the right of the steering
column.
The controls under the lef t air vent
areforthecruisecontrol,the
moonroof and the f og lights.
The tilt adjustment lever on the
underside of the steering column
allows you to tilt the steering wheel.To use the horn, press the pad
around the ‘‘A’’ logo.
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
71
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01/09/07 12:07:05 31S3V610_076

See page for information on
cargo loading. Keep the tailgate
closed at all times while driving to
avoid damaging the tailgate, and to
prevent exhaust gas f rom getting
into the interior. Seeon page .
To open the tailgate, pull the handle,
then lif t up the tailgate.
The childproof door locks are
designed to prevent children seated
in the rear f rom accidentally opening
the rear doors. Each rear door has a
lock lever near the edge. With the
lever in the LOCK position, the door
cannot be opened f rom the inside
regardless of the position of the lock
tab. To open the door, pull the lock
tab up and use the outside door
handle. To close the tailgate, use the inner
handle to pull the tailgate down, then
press down on the back edge.
203
56
Carbon
Monoxide Hazard
Childproof Door L ocks T ailgate
Keys and Locks
Inst rument s and Cont rols88
L LO
OC CKK L
LEE V
V E
ER
R H
HA
AN
ND DL
LEE
01/09/07 12:09:50 31S3V610_093

To get into the third row seats, pull
upontheleveronthesideof the
passenger’s side second row seat-
back. The seat-back will tilt f orward,
and the seat will slide f orward.
After you return the seat-back to the
upright position, push the whole seat
backwards until it latches. Make
sure the seat is f ully latched bef ore
sitting in it.The lef t and right halves of the
second seat can be f olded up
separately to create more cargo
space.
If you are f olding the lef t half of
the seat, use the ignition key to
release the seat belt from the
detachable anchor. Allow the seat
belt to retract into the roof . Insert
the latch plate into the roof holder.
Lower the head restraint to its
lowest position.
Pull up on the handle on the
outside of the seat-back. Fold the seat-back forward.
Reverse this procedure to return the
seat to the upright position. Make
sure the seat is locked securely
bef ore driving.
(Lef t half ) Remove the seat belt
f rom its holder in the roof , and
connect it to the detachable anchor
(see page ).
2.
3. 1.
4.
98
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Rear Seat A ccess Folding the Second Seat
95
R REEL
LEE A
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SEE L
LEE V
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LEE
01/09/07 12:10:55 31S3V610_100

The moonroof has two positions: it
can be tilted up in the back f or
ventilation, or it can be slid back into
the roof . Use the switch under the
lef t dashboard vent to operate the
moonroof . The ignition switch must
be ON (II).To tilt up the back of the moonroof ,
press and hold the center button
( ). To close the moonroof ,
press and hold the top of the switch
( ). To open the moonroof ,
press and hold the bottom of the
switch ( ). Release the switch
when the moonroof gets to the
desired position. Make sure
everyone’s hands are away f rom the
moonroof bef ore opening or closing
it.
The moonroof has a key-of f delay.
You can still open and close the
moonroof f or up to ten minutes af ter
you turn of f the ignition. The key-of f
delay cancels as soon as you open
either f ront door. You must then
turn the ignition ON (II) for the
moonroof to operate.
Moonroof
Inst rument s and Cont rols103
M M
O
OOONNRROOO OFF S
SWWI ITT C
CH H
Opening or closing the
moonroof on someone’s hands
or fingers can cause serious
injury.
Make sure all hands and fingers
are clear of the moonroof
before opening or closing it. If you try to open the moonroof in
below-f reezing temperatures, or when
it is covered with snow or ice, you can
damage the moonroof panel or motor.
01/09/07 12:12:03 31S3V610_108

µµ
You can also quickly set the time to
the nearest hour. Press the CLOCK
button, then press the RESET button.
If the displayed time is before the
half hour, it will reset back to the
previous hour. If the displayed time
is af ter the half hour, it will reset
f orward to the next hour.
For example:
1:06 will reset to 1:00
1:52 will reset to 2:00
The compass shows your direction
of travel. It indicates eight directions.
Compass operation can be af f ected
by driving near power lines or
stations, across bridges, through
tunnels, over railroad crossings, past
large vehicles, or driving near large
objects that can cause a magnetic
disturbance.
It can also be af f ected by accessories
such as antennas and roof racks that
are mounted by magnets.The compass may need to be
manually calibrated af ter exposure to
a strong magnetic field. If the
compassseemstobecontinually
showing the wrong direction and is
not self -calibrating, do the f ollowing.
NOTE: You should do this procedure
in an open area, away from buildings,
power lines, and other vehicles.
The compass is self -calibrating. If
you see ‘‘ ’’ in the direction
display and ‘‘Calibrate’’ is blinking,
the compass is self -calibrating.
CONT INUED
Trip Computer
Compass Operation
Compass Calibration
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures179
01/09/07 12:23:38 31S3V610_184

Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.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.If you can carry any items on a
roof rack,besurethetotalweight
of the rack and the items on it
does not exceed 165 lb (75 kg).
Theseparationnetcanbeusedto
hold back sof t, lightweight items
stored in the cargo area. Heavy
items should be properly secured on
the f loor of the cargo area. The net
may not prevent heavy items f rom
being thrown f orward in a crash or a
sudden stop.
The cargo cover can be used to
cover the cargo area behind the third
row seats. When the third row seats
are folded down, the cargo cover can
be installed in a f orward position and
extended over the larger cargo area.
Do not install the cargo cover in the
f orward position if the third row
seats are not f olded down.
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 carbon monoxide
poisoning, f ollow the instructions
on page .
56
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
or on a Roof Rack
Optional Separation Net
Optional Cargo Cover
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving205
01/09/07 12:27:52 31S3V610_210

Your MDX has higher ground
clearance than a passenger vehicle
designed f or use only on pavement.
Higher ground clearance has many
advantages for off-highway driving.
It allows you to travel over bumps,
obstacles, and rough terrain. It also
provides good visibility so you can
anticipate problems earlier.
Theseadvantagescomeatsomecost.
Because your vehicle is taller and
rides higher of f the ground, it has a
high center of gravity. This means
that your vehicle can tip or roll over
if you make abrupt turns. Utility
vehicles have a signif icantly higher
rollover rate than other types of
vehicles.
To prevent the risk of rollover 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 modif y your vehicle in any
way that would raise the center of
gravity.
Do not carry heavy cargo on the
roof .
See page f or additional guidelines
f or driving of f -highway. 240
Driving
Driving Guidelines
208
01/09/07 12:28:09 31S3V610_213

µ
Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. The indicator
on the instrument panel shows that
the parking brake is not f ully
released; it does not indicate that the
parking brake is f irmly set. Make
sure the parking brake is set f irmly
or your vehicle may roll if it is
parked on an incline.
Set the parking brake bef ore you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the vehicle from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanism
in the transmission making it
easier to move the shif t lever out of
Park when you want to drive away. If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the f ront wheels away f rom the curb.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill, turn
the f ront wheels toward the curb.
Make sure the parking brake is f ully
released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes.
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire. Lockthedoorswiththekeyorthe
remote transmitter. Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the cargo area or take them
with you. Turn of f the lights.
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving219
01/09/07 12:30:00 31S3V610_224