2005 MDX Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................... i
A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
........................................ ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
........................................... 4
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
.................................... 7
Seat belts, SRS, and child protection.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
......................................... 57
Indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column.
Features ........................................................................\
..................................................................... 105
Climate, audio, rear entertainment, steering wheel, secruity, cruise con\
trol, HomeLink and Onstar
Before Driving........................................................................\
.......................................................... 185
Fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... . 197
Engine and transmission operation.
Maintenance........................................................................\
............................................................. 227
Schedules, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.............................. 259
Flat tire, dead battery, overheating, fuses.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ . 281
Vehicle specifications, tires, fuels, and emissions controls.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................ 295
Warranty and contact information.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.............................. 299
How to order.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
..... I
Service Information Summary
Fluid capacities and tire pressures.
Important Handling Information. ........................................................................\
................... iii
This meter shows the number of
miles (U.S.) or kilometers (Canada)
driven since you last reset it.This shows the temperature of the
engine’s coolant. During normal
operation, the pointer should rise to
about the middle of the gauge. In
severe driving conditions, the pointer
mayrisetotheupperwhitemark.If
it reaches the red (Hot) mark, pull
safely to the side of the road. Turn to
page f or instructions and
precautions on checking the engine’s
cooling system.
To reset a trip meter, display it, and
then press and hold the Reset button
until the number resets to ‘‘0.0’’.
Both trip meters will reset if the
vehicle’s battery goes dead or is
disconnected. There are two trip meters: Trip A
and Trip B. Switch between these
displays by pressing the Select
button repeatedly. Each trip meter
works independently, so you can
keep track of two dif f erent distances.
When you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II), what you last selected is
displayed.
270
Gauges
Trip Meter Temperature Gauge
Inst rument s and Cont rols
69
SELECT BUTTON
RESET BUTTON
µIf the driver’s
window senses any obstacle while it
is closing automatically, it will
reverse direction and then stop. To
close the window, remove the
obstacle, then use the window switch
again.
Auto reverse stops sensing when the
window is almost closed. You should
always check that all passengers and
objects are away from the window
bef ore closing it. If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, or the
driver’s window f use is removed, the
AUTO f unction will be disabled. The
power window system needs to be
reset af ter reconnecting the battery
or installing the f use.
Start the engine. Push down and
hold the driver’s window switch
until the window is f ully open.
Pull and hold the driver’s window
switch to close the window
completely, then hold the switch
f or a second or two more.
If the power windows do not operate
properly af ter resetting, have your
vehicle checked by your dealer. To open the moonroof , pull back the
moonroof switch f irmly.
To close the moonroof f ully, push
the switch forward.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
A UT O REVERSE
Moonroof
Power Windows, Moonroof
Inst rument s and Cont rols
93
MOONROOF SWITCH
µµ
The SCAN f unction gives
you a sampling of all channels while
in the channel mode. In the category
mode, only the stations within that
category are scanned. To activate
SCAN, press the SCAN button or
touch the SCAN icon on the audio
display (models with navigation
system). The system plays each
channel in numerical order f or a f ew
seconds, then selects the next
channel. When you hear a channel
you want to continue listening to,
press the button or touch the icon
again. To store a channel:
To store a channel:
Pick the preset button (icon) you
want f or that channel. Press and
hold the button (icon) until you
hear a beep.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to store the
f irst six channels.
Once a channel is stored, simply
press and release the proper preset
button (icon) to tune to it.
The presets will be lost if your
vehicle’s battery goes dead, is
disconnected, or the radio f use is
removed.
Youcanstoreupto12
preset channels using the six preset
buttons or preset icons (on models
with navigation system). Each button
stores one channel f rom the XM1
band and one channel f rom the XM2
band.
Press the XM button. Either XM1
or XM2 will show in the display. Press the XM button again. The
other XM band will show. Store
the next six channels using steps 2
and 3.
Use the TUNE knob, or the
CATEGORY or SCAN buttons to
tune to a desired channel.
In the category mode, only channels
within that category can be selected.
In the channel mode, all channels
can be selected. 3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
Playing t he XMSatellite Radio (U.S. Models)
SCAN Preset
120
Your vehicle’s audio system will
disable itself if it is disconnected
f rom electrical power f or any reason.
To make it work again, you must
enter a specif ic f ive-digit code with
the Preset buttons. Because there
are hundreds of number
combinations possible f rom the f ive
digits, making the system work
without knowing the exact code is
nearly impossible.
Youshouldhavereceivedacardthat
lists your audio system code number
and serial number. It is best to store
this card in a saf e place at home. In
addition, you should write the audio
system’s serial number in this owner’s
manual.If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the audio
system will disable itself . If this
happens, you will see ‘‘Code’’ in the
frequencydisplaythenexttimeyou
turn on the system. Use the Preset
buttons to enter the five-digit code.
The code is located on the radio code
card included in your Owner’s
Manual kit. When it is entered
correctly, the radio will start playing.
If you make a mistake entering the
code, do not start over; complete the
f ive-digit sequence, then enter the
correct code. You have ten tries to
enter the correct code. If you are
unsuccessful in ten attempts, you
must then leave the system on for
one hour bef ore trying again.If thecodecardislost,anAcura
dealer can access your code with
your radio’s serial number. To
access the serial number, turn the
radio on. It must display ‘‘COdE’’,
then turn the radio off. Push the
preset 1, preset 6, and power buttons
at the same time, then quickly
release.
You will have to store your favorite
stations in the preset buttons after
the system begins working. Your
original settings were lost when the
power was disconnected.
If youshouldhappentolosethecard,
you must obtain the code number
f rom your dealer. To do this, you will
need the system’s serial number.
Radio T hef t Prot ect ion
Features
131
µ
The HomeLink Universal
Transceiver built into your vehicle
canbeprogrammedtooperateupto
three remotely controlled devices
around your home, such as garage
doors, lighting, or home security
systems.
If you are training HomeLink to
operate a garage door or gate, you
should unplug the motor f or that
device during training. Repeatedly
pressing the remote control button
could burn out the motor.
HomeLink stores the code in a
permanent memory. There should
be no need to retrain HomeLink if
your vehicle’s battery goes dead or is
disconnected. If your garage door
opener was manuf actured bef ore
April 1982, you may not be able to
program HomeLink to operate it.
They do not have the saf ety f eature
that causes the motor to stop and reverse if an obstacle is detected
during closing, increasing the risk of
injury.
Always ref er to the opening
instructions and saf ety inf ormation
that came with your garage door
opener or other equipment you
intend to operate with HomeLink. If
you do not have this inf ormation,
contact the manuf acturer of the
equipment.
If you are training the second or
third buttons, go directly to step 1.If you just
received your vehicle and have not
trained any of the buttons in
HomeLink bef ore, you should erase
any previously learned codes bef ore
training the first button. To do this,
press and hold the two outside
buttons on the HomeLink
Transceiver for about 20 seconds,
until the red indicator f lashes.
Release the buttons, then proceed to
step 1.
General Inf ormation T raining HomeL ink
Important Saf ety Precautions
HomeL ink Universal T ransceiver
Bef ore you begin
156
µµµµµ µ
CONT INUED
This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop bef ore shif ting
into Park. The shif t lever must be in
Park bef ore you can remove the key
from the ignition switch. Press the brake
pedal, making sure to keep your f oot
of f the accelerator pedal, then shif t
f rom Park to Reverse. To shif t f rom
Neutral to Reverse, come to a
completestopandthenshift. Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press the
brake pedal, making sure to keep
your f oot of f the accelerator pedal,
when you are moving the shif t lever
f rom Neutral to another gear.
Your vehicle has a reverse lockout so
you cannot accidentally shif t to
Reverse from Neutral or any other
driving position when the vehicle
speed exceeds 7 9 mph (12 14
km/h).
If you cannot shif t to Reverse when
the vehicle is stopped, press the
brake pedal and slowly shift to
Neutral, and then to Reverse.
If there is a problem in the reverse
lockout system, or your vehicle’s
battery is disconnected or goes dead,
you cannot shif t to Reverse. (Ref er
to
on page ). Use this position f or
normal driving. The transmission
automatically selects a suitable gear
f or your speed and acceleration. You
may notice the transmission shif ting
up at higher speeds when the engine
is cold. This helps the engine warm
up f aster.
203
203
Automatic Transmission
Park (P)Shif t L ock Release Reverse (R)
Neutral (N)
Shif t L ock Release Drive (D )
5Driving
201
If your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition to ON (II), without starting
the engine. The Malf unction
Indicator Lamp will come on f or 20
seconds. If it then goes of f , the
readiness codes are set. If it blinks 5
times, the readiness codes are not
set. If possible, do not take your
vehicle f or a state emissions test
until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to
f or more inf ormation (see page ).
If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator could come on
because of a loose or missing f uel f ill
cap. Tighten the cap until it clicks at
least three times. Tightening the cap
will not turn the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving. If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn of f as you
continue driving, have the vehicle
checked by your dealer as soon as
possible.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.
294
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Malf unction Indicator L amp
State Emissions T esting
Readiness Code
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
273
If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and the engine. Those repairs
may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.