2003 Acura MDX ECU

Your vehicle has front passenger’s
weightsensorsaspartof the
advanced airbag system. They are
located under both of the f ront
passenger’s seat rails. These sensors
monitor the weight on the seat at the
seat cushion, seat-back, seat-back
pocket, and seat rails.
If the total weight on the seat is
about65lbs(30kg)orless,the
system shuts of f the f ront passenger’s
airbag and the passenger airbag
cutof f indicator comes on. It reminds
you that the f ront passenger’s airbag
will not inf late during a crash.
If there is no passenger in the f ront
passenger’s seat, the passenger
airbag cutoff indicator does not
come on, however the system shuts
of f the f ront passenger’s airbag.The driver’s and f ront passenger’s
seat sensors may not work properly
if :
For additional information on how
your airbags work, see the booklet
titled
that came with your
owner’s manual.
For additional information on how
your airbags work, ask your dealer
f or a copy of the booklet titled
You do not wear your seat belt
properly.
You do not sit upright and as f ar
back as possible f rom the steering
wheel or the dashboard (see page
).
You do not secure the child seat
properly, and move the f ront seat
as far back as possible.
Be caref ul not to spill any liquids.
Spilled liquids could damage the
sensors under the f ront seats.
If your vehicle sustains a severe
impact, have the driver’s seat
position sensor and the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors
inspected by your Honda dealer. 18
SRS: What You Need to Know
About Airbags
SRS:
What You Need to Know About Airbags
.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Front Passenger’s Weight Sensors
Canadian Owners
U.S. Owners
54

To ensure the f ront passenger’s seat
weight sensors keep the passenger’s
airbag activated when an adult or
large child weighing about 65 lbs/
30 kg or more sits in the front
passenger’s seat, do not allow
anything to decrease the weight on
the seat. This includes, but is not
limited to, these examples:Rear passengers pushing up the
frontpassenger’sseatwiththeir
f eet.
Front passenger’s seat f orcibly
pushed up by luggage or other
items placed under it.
Front passenger’s seat f orcibly
moved backward into luggage or
other items placed behind it. If a passenger is tall enough to use
the seat belt and sit properly, but the
passenger airbag cutof f indicator
comes on and of f repeatedly, we
recommend that the passenger sits
in a rear seat. If the passenger must
sit on the f ront seat, move the seat
as far to the rear as possible, have
the passenger sit upright, and make
sure the seat belt is worn securely.
To ensure the f ront passenger’s seat
weight sensors keep the passenger’s
airbag deactivated when an infant or
small child weighing about 65 lbs/
30 kg or less sits in the f ront
passenger’s seat, do not allow
anything to increase the weight on
the seat. This includes, but is not
limited to, these examples:
Rear passengers pushing or
pulling the f ront passenger’s seat-
back or pushing the seat rails with
their f eet.
Heavy items placed in the f ront
passenger’s seat-back pocket.
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety59

If the passenger airbag cutof f
indicator does not light, or comes on
and of f repeatedly while a child seat
is secured on the f ront passenger’s
seat, remove the child seat, then
secure it on a rear seat.
When you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II), the passenger airbag cutof f
indicator will light brief ly then go out.
This tells you that the system is
working properly.
The indicator may come on or of f a
f ew seconds later if the weight on
the f ront passenger’s seat changes.Your f ront and side airbag systems
are virtually maintenance-f ree, and
there are no parts you can saf ely
service. However, you must have
your vehicle serviced if :
Any
airbag that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit, automatic seat belt
tensioners and other related parts.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an Acura dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop.
Take your vehicle to
an authorized Acura dealer as
soon as possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inf late when you need them.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Airbag Service
Your airbags ever inf late.
T he SRS indicat or light alert s yout o a problem.
60

Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in that position.
Make sure you have securely
locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.
To adjust the steering wheel upward
or downward: Push the lever under the steering
column all the way down.
Move the steering wheel to the
desired position, making sure the
wheel points toward your chest,
not toward your f ace. Make sure
you can see the instrument panel
gauges and the indicator lights.
Make any steering wheel adjustment
bef ore you start driving.
3.
4.
1.
2.
See page f or important saf ety inf ormation about how to properlyposition the steering wheel. 18
Steering Wheel A djustment
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols89
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured
inacrash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.

You can lock and unlock your vehicle
with the remote transmitter. When
you push the LOCK button, all doors
and the tailgate lock. The parking
lights, side marker lights, taillights
and instrument panel lights f lash
once.When you push the LOCK button a
second time within 5 seconds after
you have locked the doors, you will
hear a beep to verify that the
security system has set.
When you push the UNLOCK button
once, only the driver’s door unlocks.
The remaining doors and the tailgate
unlock when you push the button a
second time. The parking lights, side
marker lights, taillights and
instrument panel lights f lash twice
when you push the button.
If you unlock the doors and the
tailgate with the remote transmitter,
but do not open any door or the
tailgate within 30 seconds, all doors
and the tailgate automatically relock.
You cannot lock the doors and the
tailgate with the remote transmitter
if any door or the tailgate is not f ully
closed. You cannot lock or unlock
thedoorsandthetailgatewiththe
key in the ignition switch.
When you press the UNLOCK
button, the f ront and rear individual
map lights and the cargo area light,
depending on their switch positions,
will come on (see page ). If you
do not open any door or the tailgate,
the lights stay on for about 30
seconds, then go out. If you relock
thedoorsandthetailgatewiththe
remote transmitter before 30
seconds have elapsed, the lights will go of f immediately.
128
CONT INUED
Remote Transmitter
Keys and Locks
Inst rument s and Cont rols95
LED
UNLOCK
BUTTON PANIC
BUTTON LOCK
BUTTON

To get into the third row seats, pull
uptheleveronthesideof 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 center seat belt from
the detachable anchor. Allow the
seat belt to retract into the roof.
Insert the latch plate into the roof
holder. 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 center seat
belt f rom its holder in the roof , and
connect it to the detachable anchor
(see page ).
Pull up the handle on the outside
of the seat-back. Lower the head restraint to its
lowest position.
2.
3.
1.
4.
109
Rear Seat A ccess
Folding the Second Seat
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols106
RELEASE LEVER HANDLE

Make sure the outer shoulder belts
are positioned on each hook
whenever the third seat is f olded.
Unlock the seat-back by pulling
the handle. Push the seat-back
forward. Reinstall the head restraints.
Reconnect the seat belts to the
detachable anchors.
Make sure all items in the cargo area
are secured. Loose items can f ly
f orward and cause injury if you have
to brake hard. See
on page . Reverse this procedure to return the
seat to the upright position. Make
sure the seat is locked securely
bef ore driving.
4. 245Carrying Cargo
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols108
HANDLE

The seat belts in the center seat of
thesecondrowandinbothof the
third row seats are equipped with a
detachable seat belt anchor that
allows the seat belt to be unlatched
when the seats are f olded down.When the seat-back is returned to its
upright position, be sure to latch the
detachable anchor by lining up the
triangle marks on the small latch
plate and buckle and inserting the
plate into the buckle. Tug on the seat
belt to make sure the detachable
anchor is securely attached.
To unlatch the detachable anchor
before folding down a seat-back,
insert a key into the slot on the side
of the small buckle and allow the
seat belt to retract.
Once the seat belt has completely
retracted, secure the latch plates. In
the second row, the latch plates
should be placed into their holding
slots in the ceiling. In the third row,
the small latch plate should be
clipped to the seat belt webbing.
Detachable A nchors
Seats
Inst rument s and Cont rols109
SMALL LATCH PLATE
TRIANGULAR MARK
Using a seat belt with the
detachable anchor unlatched
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash.
Before using the seat belt,
make sure the detachable
anchor is correctly latched.