2004 Acura MDX Owner's Manual

Bef ore you begin driving your Acura,
youshouldknowwhatgasolineto
use, and how to check the levels of
important f luids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage
or packages. The inf ormation in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the inf ormation in this
section f irst..............................
Break-in Period .158
...............................
Gasoline Type .158
.........
Service Station Procedures . 159
...............................
Fuel Economy .162
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 163
.............................
Carrying Cargo .165
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving157

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time. Your Acura is designed to operate on
premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause occasional metallic knocking
noises in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance.
You should also f ollow these same
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
We recommended using a gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits. Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT. Use of
gasoline with these additives may
adversely affect performance, and
cause the Malf unction Indicator
Lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact your
authorized Acura dealer f or service.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
Quick Start Guide.
Break-in Period, Gasoline T ype
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period
Gasoline Type
158

Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.even
though the tank is not full, there may
be a problem with your vehicle’s f uel
vapor recovery system. The system
helps keep f uel vapors f rom going
into the atmosphere. Consult your
dealer.
Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat. Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.
1.
2. 3.
4.
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
CONT INUED
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
Fueling
159
Pull
FUEL FILL CAP
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.Stop the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and flames
away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.

Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least three times.
If you do not properly tighten the
cap, the Malf unction Indicator
Lampmaycomeon(seepage).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.Put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood to the left of
center. Slide your hand to the lef t
until you f eel the hood latch
handle. Push this handle up until it
releases the hood. Lif t the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves stif f ly,
or if you can open the hood without
lifting the handle, the mechanism
should be cleaned and lubricated
(see page ).
1.
5.
6.
2.
243
214
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
Opening the Hood
160
HOOD RELEASE HANDLELATCH

Lif t the hood up most of the way.
The hydraulic supports will lif t it
uptherestof thewayandholdit
up.Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its tube. Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
Lower the hood to about a f oot (30
cm) above the f ender, then press
down f irmly with your hands. Make
sure it is securely latched.
1.
3.
3. 2.4.
205
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
A dding Oil
Oil Check
T o Close the Hood
161
DIPSTICK UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK

Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, seeon page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant. Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. See
(see page
). Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
fuel.Usethecruisecontrolwhen
appropriate.
Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
Refer to on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
Acura. The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering and
hard braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible.an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel.
208 198
198
For example,
Service Station Procedures, Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
Engine Coolant Check A dding
Engine Coolant Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
162
RESERVE TANK
MAX MIN

Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Acura accessories, can
make your vehicle unsaf e. Bef ore
you make any modif ications or add
anyaccessories,besuretoreadthe
f ollowing inf ormation.Bef ore installing any accessory:
Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as the SRS, TPMS, and anti-lock
brake system.
Although aftermarket accessories
may f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability. (See
‘‘Modif ying Your Vehicle’’ on page
f or additional inf ormation.)
Your dealer has Acura accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved f or your
vehicle.
Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
proper operation of your vehicle.
Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows as these may interf ere
with proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.
Have the installer contact your
Acura dealer f or assistance bef ore
installing any electronic accessory.
If possible, have your dealer
inspect the f inal installation.246
164
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
A ccessories
163
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.

Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with non-
Acura (aftermarket) components
could seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Some examples are:Lowering your vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Raising your vehicle with an
af termarket suspension kit can
af f ect handling and stability.
Af termarket wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Do not modif y your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modif ications could make the
system inef f ective. See the saf ety
precautions on page .
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your Acura dealer. Any object
attached to or placed on the covers
marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’ in the
center of the steering wheel and
on top of the dashboard, could
interf ere with the proper operation
of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inf late, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone.
This could prevent the
airbag from inflating properly. If a side airbag
inflates,acupholderorotherhard
object attached on or near the
door could be propelled inside the
vehicle and hurt someone.
32
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
Modif ying Your Vehicle
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Do not at t ach or place object s on
the f ront airbag covers.
Do not place any object s over orreplacetheoutsideedgeof afrontseat -back.
Do not at t ach hard object s on or
near a f ront door.
164