service Acura MDX 2009 Owner's Manual

California Proposition 65 Warning
WARNING:This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.Event Data Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with one or more devices commonly referred to as event data recorders. These
devices record front seat belt use, front passenger seat occupancy, airbag deployment data, and the failure of
any airbag system component. This data belongs to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by anyone else
except as legally required or with the permission of the vehicle owner.Service Diagnostic Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record information about powertrain performance. The data
can be used to verify emissions law requirements and/or help technicians diagnose and solve service problems. It
may also be combined with data from other sources for research purposes, but it remains confidential.Introductionii08/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

2009 MDX Online Reference Owner's Manual


Contents


Owner's Identification Form

Introduction
.............................................................................................................................\
............................. i


A Few Words About Safety ......................................................................\
........................................................ iii


Important Handling Information ........................................................................\
............................................ iv

Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) ....................................................\
................................................ 3

Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) ......................\
.............................. 5
Instruments and Controls

(indicators, gauges, multi-information display, dashboard, and steering column)
..... 61
Features
(
climate control,audio,rear entertainment,steering wheel,security,cruise \
control,and other convenience items
)
......... 169
Before Driving
(fuel, vehicle break- in, and cargo loading) ................\
..................................................... 321
Driving
(engine and transmission operation) .........................................\
....................................................... 337
Maintenance
(minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 381
Taking Care of the Unexpected
(flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) ............................... 423
Technical Information
(vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 449
Warranty and C
lient Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) .......... 465

Index ........................................................................\
....................................................... ................\
........................ I


Service Information Summary
( fluid capacities and tire pressures)
\
\

1 00X31-STX-6200

Contents
A convenient reference to the
sections in this manual.
Your Vehicle at a Glance
A quick reference to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important information about the
proper use and care of your vehicle's
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable information on how to
protect children with child restraints.
Instruments and Controls
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and
gauge, and how to use the controls
on the dashboard and steering
column.
Features
How to operate the climate control
system, the audio system, rear
entertainment system, and other
convenience features.Before Driving
What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
Driving
The proper way to start the engine,
shift the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you're
planning to tow a trailer.
Maintenance
The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance
service. There is also a list of things
to check and instructions on how to
check them.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience, and
details how to handle them.
Technical Information
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
Warranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual for detailed
information.
Index
Service Information Summary
A summary of the information you
need when you pull up to the fuel
pump.Overview of Contents208/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

This section gives you important
information about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It shows
you how to use seat belts. It explains
how your airbags work. And it tells you
how to properly restrain infants and
children in your vehicle.
Important Safety Precautions
.............
6
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
..........
7
Seat Belts
.....................................
8
Airbags
........................................
9
Protecting Adults and Teens
...........
11
1. Close and Lock the Doors
.........
11
2. Adjust the Front Seats
..............
12
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs
...............
13
4. Adjust the Head Restraints
.......
14
5. Fasten and Position the Seat
Belts
...................................
15
6. Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position
...............................
17
Advice for Pregnant Women
.........
18
Additional Safety Precautions
.......
19
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
...............................
20
Seat Belt System Components
......
20 Lap/Shoulder Belt
.......................
21
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
..............................
22
Seat Belt Maintenance
.................
23
Additional Information About Your Airbags
..................................
24
Airbag System Components
.........
24
How Your Front Airbags Work
......................................
27
How Your Side Airbags Work
.......
30
How Your Side Curtain Airbags Work
......................................
32
How the SRS Indicator Works
......
33
How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works
.....................................
33
How the Passenger Airbag Off Indicator Works
......................
34
Airbag Service
.............................
35
Additional Safety Precautions
.......
35
Protecting Children －General
Guidelines
..............................
37
All Children Must Be Restrained
...............................
37
All Children Should Sit in a Back Seat
........................................
38
The Passenger's Front Airbag Can Pose Serious Risks
..................
38 If You Must Drive with Several
Children
.................................
40
If a Child Requires Close Attention
.................................
40
Additional Safety Precautions
.......
41
Protecting Infants and Small Children
.................................
42
Protecting Infants
........................
42
Protecting Small Children
............
43
Selecting a Child Seat
.....................
45
Installing a Child Seat
.....................
46
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH
...................................
47
Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/ Shoulder Belt
..........................
50
Installing a Child Seat with a Tether
....................................
51
Protecting Larger Children
.............
54
Checking Seat Belt Fit
.................
54
Using a Booster Seat
....................
55
When Can a Larger Child Sit in
Front
......................................
56
Additional Safety Precautions
.......
57
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
...............
58
Safety Labels
..................................
59
Driver and Passenger Safety
5
Driver and Passenger Saf et y
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2009 MDX

Airbag Service
Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance free, and there are no
parts you can safely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:●An airbag ever inflates.
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
any airbag by yourself. This must
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
●The SRS indicator alerts you to a
problem.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
●If your vehicle has a moderate to
severe impact.
Even if your airbags
do not inflate, your dealer should
inspect the driver's seat position
sensor, the front passenger's
weight sensors, the front seat belt
tensioners, and all seat belts and
their anchors worn during a crash
to make sure they are operating
properly. Additional Safety Precautions
●Do not attempt to deactivate your
airbags.
Together, airbags and seat
belts provide the best protection.
●Do not tamper with airbag components or wiring for any
reason.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
●Do not expose the front
passenger's seat-back to liquid.
If
water or another liquid soaks into
a seat-back, it can prevent the side
airbag cutoff system from working
properly.
CONTINUED
Additional Information About Your Airbags
35
Driver and Passenger Saf et y
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2009 MDX

●Do not remove or modify a frontseat without consulting your
dealer.
This could make the
driver's seat position sensor or the
front passenger's weight sensors
ineffective. If it is necessary to
remove or modify a front seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, first contact Acura
Client Services at 800-382-2238.
●Do not cover or replace front seat- back covers without consulting
your dealer.
Improperly replacing
or covering front seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags from
inflating during a side impact.
Additional Information About Your Airbags3608/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
This indicator has two functions:
1. If it comes on while driving, it indicates that one or more of your
vehicle's tires are significantly low
on pressure.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE ’’message on the multi-
information display (see page82).
Check the tire pressure monitor on
the multi-information display and
determine the cause (see page352). If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is safe, check which tire
has lost pressure on the multi-
information display, and determine
the cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
have the flat tire repaired as soon as
possible. If two or more tires are
underinflated, call a professional
towing service. For more
information, see page446.
2. If this indicator begins to flash,
there is a problem with the tire
pressure monitoring system
(TPMS). You will also see a
‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-information
display. The indicator continues to
flash for a while (approximately 1
minute), then stays on. If this
happens, have your dealer check
the system as soon as possible.
For more information, see page
354.
A/T Temperature
Indicator
This indicator monitors the
temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid. It should come on
for a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it comes on while driving,
it means the transmission fluid
temperature is too high. Pull to the
side of the road when it is safe, shift
to Park, and let the engine idle until
the indicator goes out.
You will also see an ‘‘A/T TEMP
HIGH ’’message on the multi-
information display (see page82).
Continuing to drive with the A/T
temperature indicator on may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
Instrument Panel Indicators6808/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Depending on where you drive, you
may experience reception problems.
Interference can be caused by any of
these conditions:●Driving on the north side of an
east/west mountain road.●Driving on the north side of a large
commercial truck on an east/west
road.●Driving in tunnels.●Driving on a road beside a vertical
wall, steep cliff, or hill to the south
of you.●Driving on the lower level of a
multi-tiered road.●Driving on a single lane road
alongside dense trees taller than
50 ft. (15 m) to the south of you.●Large items carried on a roof rack.
There may be other geographic
situations that could affect XM radio
reception.
As required by the FCC: Changes or modifications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user'sauthority to operate the equipment.Receiving Satellite Radio ServiceIf your XM Radio service has expired or
you purchased your vehicle from a
previous owner, you can listen to a
sampling of the broadcasts available on
XM Satellite Radio. With the ignition
switch in the ACCESSORY (I) or the ON
(II) position, push the power/volume
knob to turn on the audio system, and
press the
button. A variety of
music types and styles will play.
If you decide to purchase XM satellite
radio service, contact XM Radio at
www.
xmradio.com,
or at 1-800-852-9696. In
Canada, contact XM Canada at
www.
xmradio.ca,
or at 1-877-438-9677. You
will need to give them your radio I.D.
number and your credit card number.
To get your radio I.D. number, turn the
TUNE knob until ‘‘0’’ appears in the
display. Your I.D. will appear in the
display. After you've registered with XM Radio,
keep your audio system in the Satellite
Radio mode while you wait for
activation. This should take about 30
minutes.
While waiting for activation, make sure
your vehicle remains in an open area
with good reception. Once your audio
system is activated,
‘‘CATEGORY’’ or
‘‘ CH ’’will appear in the display, and
you'll be able to listen to XM Radio
broadcasts. XM Radio will continue to
send an activation signal to your vehicle
for at least 12 hours from the activation
request. If the service has not been
activated after 36 hours, contact XM
Radio.
Playing the XM
®Satellite Radio (Models without navigation system)
189
Feat ures
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2009 MDX

Depending on where you drive, you
may experience reception problems.
Interference can be caused by any of
these conditions:●Driving on the north side of an
east/west mountain road.●Driving on the north side of a large
commercial truck on an east/west
road.●Driving in tunnels.●Driving on a road beside a vertical
wall, steep cliff, or hill to the south
of you.●Driving on the lower level of a
multi-tiered road.●Driving on a single lane road
alongside dense trees taller than
50 ft. (15 m) to the south of you.
There may be other geographic
situations that could affect satellite
radio reception.
As required by the FCC: Changes or modifications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user'sauthority to operate the equipment.Receiving XM Satellite Radio Service
If your XM Radio service has expired or
you purchased your vehicle from a
previous owner, you can listen to a
sampling of the broadcasts available on
XM Satellite Radio. With the ignition
switch in the ACCESSORY (I) or the ON
(II) position, push the power/volume
knob to turn on the audio system, and
press the
button. A variety of
music types and styles will play.
If you decide to purchase XM satellite
radio service, contact XM Radio at
www.
xmradio.com,
or at 1-800-852-9696. In
Canada, contact XM Canada at
www.
xmradio.ca,
or at 1-877-438-9677. You will
need to give them your radio I.D.
number and your credit card number. To
get your radio I.D. number, turn the
TUNE knob until ‘‘0 ’’ appears in the
display. Your I.D. will appear in the
display. After you've registered with XM Radio,
keep your audio system in the Satellite
Radio mode while you wait for activation.
This should take about 30 minutes.
While waiting for activation, make sure
your vehicle remains in an open area
with good reception. Once your audio
system is activated,
‘‘category ’’or ‘‘CH ’’
will appear in the display, and you'll be
able to listen to XM Radio broadcasts.
XM Radio will continue to send an
activation signal to your vehicle for at
least 12 hours from the activation
request. If the service has not been
activated after 36 hours, contact XM
Radio.
Playing the XM
®Satellite Radio (Models with navigation system)
217
Feat ures
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2009 MDX

Delete－Select this button to delete
the current message.
Voice －Select this button to hear a
voice read the entire message. This
gives you more information than the
screen can display at one time. When
you select the Voice button, it
changes to a Stop Reading button.
Select the button again to stop the
voice.
Call －Select this button to call a
phone number embedded in the
message. When you select Call,the
Bluetooth
®HandsFreeLink
®(HFL)
dials the number for you.
To make a call, your
Bluetooth
®compatible phone must be
paired to the vehicle's
HandsFreeLink system, powered on,
and located within the vehicle (see
page278). Find Nearest Acura Dealer
－
Select this button to find the nearest
Acura dealer using the navigation
system.
Call Your Acura Dealer －Select
this button to call the Acura dealer
you purchased your vehicle from.
AcuraLink also directs you to this
dealer so you can schedule a
maintenance appointment or receive
information about a message. If your
assigned servicing dealer changes,
AcuraLink will reset to call that
dealer. Diagnostic Info
－Select this
button to get more information about
the current diagnostic message. To
use this option, your cellphone must
be paired with the HFL. In addition,
the paired phone must have a
compatible data service and be set up
with the AcuraLink system to make a
data connection. Access the
handsfreelink.com website to find
out which data services are currently
compatible with AcuraLink.
Message Preferences
To set your AcuraLink preferences
(the types of messages you want to
receive, if any), visit the My Acura
website at
www.owners.acura.com,
and
choose what you would like to
receive. If you do not have internet
access, call Acura Client Services at
(800) 382-2238; they can set your
message preferences for you.
AcuraLink
®(U.S. models only)
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2009 MDX