2002 Acura MDX brake

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on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your vehicle to veer
into oncoming traffic or off the road. such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed f or the road and
weather conditions. it only helps with steering
control during braking. You should
always maintain a saf e f ollowing
distance f rom other vehicles.
The ABS is self -checking. If anything
goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see
page ). This means the anti-lock
f unction of the braking system has
shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-
lock, providing normal stopping
ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your vehicle as soon as
possible.63
A BS Indicat or
Import ant Saf et y RemindersA vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stop
A BS cannot prevent a loss of
stability. A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly, A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the
vehicle,
The Braking System
Driving222
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If the ABS indicator and the brake
system indicator come on together,
and the parking brake is f ully
released, the front-to-rear braking
distribution system may also shut
down.
Test your brakes as instructed on
page . If the brakes f eel normal,
drive slowly and have your vehicle
repaired by your dealer as soon as
possible. Avoid sudden hard braking
which could cause the rear wheels to
lock up and possibly lead to a loss of
control.331
The Braking System
Driving223
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µµAlways drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your vehicle longer
to react, even in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Rain, f og, and snow conditions re-
quire a dif f erent driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your vehicle well-
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control
should not be used in these condi-
tions. Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more dif f icult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers f requently. Keep the wind-
shield washer reservoir f ull of the
proper f luid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the def rosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
f rom f ogging up on the inside (see
page ). 128
Driving T echnique
Visibility
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving224
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There are two common types of
trailer brakes: surge and electric.
Surge brakes are common f or boat
trailers, since the brakes will get wet.
Electric brakes must be
electronically actuated. Do not
attempt to tap into your vehicle’s
hydraulic system. Any attempt to
attach trailer brakes to your vehicle’s
hydraulic system will lower braking
ef f ectiveness and create a potential
hazard.
See your Acura dealer f or more
inf ormation about powering the
electric brake activation system. Acura requires that any trailer with a
total trailer weight of 1000 lbs (455
kg) or more have its own brakes.
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Trailer Brakes
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Many states and provinces require
special exterior mirrors when towing
a trailer. Even if they don’t, you
should install special mirrors if you
cannot clearly see behind you, or if
the trailer creates a blind spot.
When towing a trailer, we
recommend that you carry a f ull-size
spare wheel and tire f or your vehicle.
Using the compact spare that came
with the MDX may adversely affect
vehicle handling.
We also recommend that you carry a
f ull-size spare wheel and tire f or your
trailer. Ask your trailer sales or
rental agency where and how to
store the spare. See page f or proper tire size,
page f or how to store a f ull-sized
wheel and tire, and page for
inf ormation on changing a f lat tire.
Remember to unhitch the trailer
bef ore changing a f lat.When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:
The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the brakes,
suspension and cooling system are
in good operating condition. If you
tow f requently, f ollow the Severe
Conditions maintenance schedule.
The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Your vehicle tires and spare are in
good condition and properly
inf lated (see page ).
The trailer tires and spare are in
good condition and inf lated as
recommended by the trailer
maker.
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Towing a Trailer
Driving
Trailer Mirrors
Spare TiresPre-T ow Checklist
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The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below.
Avoid towing a trailer during your
vehicle’s f irst 500 miles (800
kilometers) (see page ).Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations. Obey all local
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
To keep the transmission f rom
f requently upshif ting and
downshif ting, drive in D . When
driving with a f ix-sided (e.g, camper,
utility) trailer, do not exceed 55 mph
(88 km/h). At higher speeds, the
trailer may sway or affect vehicle
handling.
Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. When you need
to slow down, slowly lif t your f oot of f
the throttle and gradually apply the
brakes. Do not brake or turn
suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
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Towing a Trailer
Driving
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Break-In Period T owing Speed
Making T urns and Braking
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When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the transmission shif ts f requently
while going up a hill, shif t down one
gear.
If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to D . Do
not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and remember
it will take longer to slow down and
stop when towing a trailer.Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause your trailer
to sway. When being passed by a
truck or other large vehicle, keep a
constant speed and steer straight
ahead. Do not try to make quick
steering or braking corrections.
Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in PARK and f irmly
setting the parking brake when you
have f inished parking.
Donotparkonaninclineunlessitis
unavoidable. If you must park on an
incline, turn the vehicle wheels
toward the curb on a downhill and
awayfromthecurbonanuphill.
After parking, place wheel chocks at
each trailer tire, on the downhill side.
If the vehicle wheels slip when
retrieving a boat f rom the water,
shifttofirstgearandturnonVTM-4
Lock (see page ).
Disengage VTM-4 Lock as soon as
the boat is out of the water to
prevent damage to the VTM-4
system.
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bottom
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Driving on Hills
Handling Crosswinds and
T urbulence
Backing Up Parking
Ret rieving a Boat
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Your MDX can be towed behind a
motorhome at legal highway speeds
up to 65 mph (100 km/h). Do not
exceed 65 mph (100 km/h).
Otherwise, severe transmission
damage will occur. To avoid damage
to the 4WD system, it must be towed
with all f our wheels on the ground
(f lat towing).
When purchasing a tow bar, make
sure you select a reputable
manuf acturer and installer. Follow
the manufacturer’s attachment
instructions caref ully.If you tow more than 8 hours in one
day, you should repeat the above
procedure at least every 8 hours.
(when you stop f or f uel, etc.)
Do the f ollowing to prepare your
MDX f or ‘‘f lat towing.’’ Perf orm this
procedure every day immediately
bef ore you begin towing, and f ollow
this procedure exactly; otherwise,
severe automatic transmission
damage will occur. Check the transmission f luid level
(see page ). Maintaining the correct f luid level
is very important.
Start the engine.
Leave the ignition switch in
ACCESSORY (I) so the steering
wheel does not lock. Make sure
the radio and any items plugged
into the accessory power sockets
are turned of f so you do not run
down the battery. Release the parking brake. ShifttoD ,thentoN.Letthe
engine run f or three minutes, then
turn of f the engine. Press on the brake pedal. Shif t the
lever through all the positions (P,
R,N,D,D,D,2,1)
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Do not overf ill.
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Towing Your Vehicle Behind a Motorhome
Driving
Ext ended T owing
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