2003 Acura MDX engine

Always use Honda Power Steering
Fluid. If it is not available, you may
use another power steering f luid as
an emergency replacement.
However, continued use can cause
increased wear and poor steering in
cold weather. Have the power
steering system f lushed and ref illed
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
Check the level when the engine is
cold. Look at the side of the
reservoir. The f luid should be
between the UPPER LEVEL and
LOWER LEVEL. If it is below the
LOWER LEVEL, add power steering
f luid to the UPPER LEVEL. A low power steering f luid level can
indicate a leak in the system. Check
the f luid level f requently and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.
Power Steering
Maint enance320
LOWER LEVELUPPER LEVEL
T urning the steering wheel to f ull lef t
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.

The air cleaner element should be
replaced according to the time and
distance recommendations in the
maintenance schedule.The air cleaner element is inside the
air cleaner housing on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment.
To replace it:
Loosen the f our bolts with a
Phillips-head screwdriver.
1.
CONT INUED
Replacement
A ir Cleaner Element
Maint enance321
BOLTS

Torque the spark plug. (If you do
not have a torque wrench, tighten
the spark plug two-thirds of a turn
af ter it contacts the cylinder head.)
Tightening torque:Install the ignition coil. Reinstall
the hexagon socket head cap bolt.
Push the wire connector onto the
ignition coil. Make sure it locks in
place.
Repeat this procedure f or the
other f ive spark plugs.
Reinstall the cover on the front
cylinder bank while putting its
mounting clip in the hole on the
passenger’s side. Secure the cover
by turning the heads of the two
holding clips one-quarter turn
clockwise with a f lat-tipped
screwdriver.NGK:
DENSO:
8. 9.
11.
12.
10. Specif ications:
Spark Plugs
Maint enance325
13 lbf·ft (18 N·m , 1.8 kgf·m) SKJ16DR-M11 IZFR5K-11
Tighten the spark plugs caref ully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine.
Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads in the cylinder head.

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Your vehicle’s air conditioning is a
sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be
done by a qualif ied mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to make
sure the air conditioning works
ef f iciently.
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them. 390
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance330
AIR CONDITIONING
CONDENSER
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.

If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Park. Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield. Disconnect the battery.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals.Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Acura
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months/30,000 miles
(48,000 km) maintenance schedule
(Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page ).
The replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the vehicle has
actually reached that time or mileage.
309
298
St oring Your Vehicle
Maint enance349

This section covers the more-
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .360
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .361
..........
If Your Engine Won’t Start . 368
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates ........................
Very Slowly .368
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally .368
................................
Jump Starting .369
............
If Your Engine Overheats . 371
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 373
..........
Charging System Indicator . 374
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 375
...............
Brake System Indicator . 377
..................
Closing the Moonroof . 378
..............................................
Fuses .379
..........
Checking and Replacing . 380
......................
Emergency Towing .385
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed359

Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things: Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
orNeutralorthestarterwillnot
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See on page .)If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run. Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
369
385 326
369
252
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Jump Starting
Emergency T owingT he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Won’t Start
368

To jump start your vehicle, f ollow
these directions closely:
If your vehicle’s battery has run
down,youmaybeabletostartthe
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake. Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
You cannot start your Acura by
pushing or pulling it.
Your vehicle has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . 1.
2.
91
380 252 326
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed369
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.