ECU Acura RDX 2009 Owner's Manual

2009 RDX 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)
.... 59
Features (
climate control, audio, steering wheel, security, cruise control, HomeLink®,and other convenience items
)
......... 159
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break- in, and cargo loading) ..................................................................... 271
Driving (engine and transmission operation) ................................................................................................ 289
Maintenance (minders, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage).......................................... 325
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) ............................. 369
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 393
Warranty and Client Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) .......... 409
Authorized Manuals (U. S. only) (how to order) ......................................................................................... 413
Index ............................................................................................................................... ........................................ I

Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)
1 00X31-STK-6200

Adjust the driver’s head restraint so
the center of the back of your head
rests against the center of the
restraint.Properly adjusted head restraints
will help protect occupants f rom
whiplash and other crash injuries.
Have passengers adjust their head
restraints properly as well. Taller
persons should adjust their restraint
as high as possible. See page f or how to adjust the
head restraints and how the driver’s
and f ront passenger’s active head
restraints work.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.
132
Adjust the Head Restraints Fasten and Position the Seat
Belts
4.
5.
Protecting A dults and Teens
14
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.
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All seat belts have an emergency
locking retractor. In normal driving,
the retractor lets you move f reely 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 ).
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 f or how to
properly position the belt).
If the indicator comes on or the
beeper sounds when the driver’s seat
belt is latched and there is no f ront
seat passenger and no items on the
front seat, something may be
interf ering with the monitoring
system. Look f or and remove:
To unlock the belt, press the red
PRESSbuttononthebuckle.Guide
the belt across your body so that it
retracts completely. Af ter exiting the
vehicle, be sure the belt is out of the
way and will not get closed in the
door.
Any items under the f ront
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 f ound, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer. 14
49
L ap/Shoulder Belt
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
20
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Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions, many adults do not know
how to 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 inf ormation f or
infants, small children, and larger
children.To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state and
Canadian province requires that
inf ants and children be properly
restrained when they ride in a
vehicle.
(see pages ). (see pages ).
Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In f act, vehicle
accidents are the number one cause
of the death of children aged 12 and
under.
40 5255
51
properly
All Children Must Be Restrained
Inf ant s and small children must be
rest rained in an approved child seatt hat is properly secured t o t hevehicle Larger children must be restrained
wit h a lap/shoulder belt and ride ona boost er seat unt il t he seat belt f it st hem properly
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
35
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.
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Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or a small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
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:
Placing a child in the f ront seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
f rontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.
Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
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 a child requires close 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.
52 16
14 131If a Child Requires Close
Attention
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
Protecting Children General Guidelines
38
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We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the f ront.If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating 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 ), a back seat is the saf est
place f or a small child.
If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, and be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
32
Child Seat Placement
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
42
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.
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When buying a child seat, you need
to choose either a conventional child
seat, or one designed f or use with
the lower anchors and tethers for
children (LATCH) system.Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.
Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children.
Bef ore purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend that
you test the seat in the specif ic
vehicle seating position or positions
where the seat will be used.
Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the rear seating
positions.
In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
T he child seat should meet U.S. or
Canadian Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213.
T he child seat should be of theproper type and size to f it the child.
T he child seat should f it thevehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
1.
2.3.
Selecting a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
43
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Af ter selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat: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.
Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as f irmly 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
ef f ectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured.
Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
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 f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A f orward-f acing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same f or rear-
f acing child seats.
Installing a Child Seat
Properly secure t he child seat t o the vehicle.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmlysecured. Secure the child in the child seat.
1.
2. 3.
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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.
Thefiveloweranchorsarelocated
between the seat-back and seat
bottom, and are to be used only with
a child seat designed f or use with
LATCH. The location of each lower anchor isindicated 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.To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat in either of the rear outer seats:
Move the seat belt buckle or
tongue away f rom the lower
anchors.
Make sure there are no objects
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCHUsing t he Out er L A T CH
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
45
LOWER ANCHORS
FOR OUTER LATCH BUTTON LOWER ANCHORS
FOR CENTER LATCH
OUTER LOWER ANCHORS
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Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.
Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat in the rear center seating
position, use the center lower
anchorsasshownabove.
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
cannotusetheseatbeltbehindthe
driver’s seat.
Remove the head restraint (see page
).Make sure the removed head
restraint is secured in the cargo area.
Reinstall the head restraint when the
child seat is removed.
7.
8.
133
CONT INUED
Using t he Cent er L A T CH
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
47
CENTER LOWER ANCHORS
TETHER STRAP HOOK ANCHOR
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