2005 Acura MDX tires

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 indicator has two f unctions:This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
It is a reminder to check the
parking brake. A beeper sounds if
you try to drive with the parking
brake not fully released. Driving
with the parking brake not fully
released can damage the brakes
and tires. This indicator comes on f or a f ew
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to ON (II). It will go of f if you
have inserted a properly-coded
ignition key. If it is not a properly-
coded key, the indicator will blink
and the engine will not start (see
page ).
This indicator also blinks several
times when you turn the ignition
switch f rom ON (II) to ACCESSORY
(I) or LOCK (0).
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II), and when
the ignition switch is turned to
START (III). If it comes on at any
other time, there is a problem in the
ABS. If this happens, have your
vehicle checked by your dealer. With
the indicator on, your vehicle still
has normal braking ability but no
anti-lock. For more inf ormation, see
page .
If the indicator remains on after
you have f ully released the
parking brake while the engine is
running, or if it comes on while
driving, it can indicate a problem
in the brake system. For complete
inf ormation, see page .
1.
2.
20980
274
Instrument Panel Indicators
Parking Brake and Brake System
Indicator Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator
Immobilizer System
Indicator
Inst rument s and Cont rols
61
U.S. Canada

This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition to ON (II).
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition to ON (II).
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle’s tires are extremely low on
pressure.
If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is saf e, check which tire
has lost the pressure on the Tire
Pressure Monitor, and determine the
cause. If it is because of a f lat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page ), and have the
f lat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinf lated,
call a prof essional towing service
(see page ). Ref er to page
f or more inf ormation. The appropriate tire indicator will
come on along with the Low Tire
Pressure Indicator if a tire is
extremely under inf lated or has
suddenly lost pressure. See Low Tire
Pressure Indicator f or what to do if
this indicator comes on.
If this indicator comes on and stays
on at any other time, or it does not
come on when you turn the ignition
switch to ON (II), there is a problem
with the TPMS. With this indicator
on, the low tire pressure indicator
and the tire pressure monitor will not
come on when a tire loses pressure.
Take the vehicle to your dealer to
have the system checked.
261
274
205
Instrument Panel Indicators
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (T PMS) Indicator
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator Tire Pressure Monitor
66

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. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with
af termarket components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Af termarket wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components and will not be
compatible with the tire Pressure
Monitoring System. Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
safety features can make the
systems inef f ective.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer.
A ccessories and Modif ications
Modif ying Your Vehicle
192

Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:Glove box
Front door and seat-back pockets
Rear cargo area, including the
second and third row seats when
folded flat
Console compartment
Rear compartment
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can af f ect
your vehicle’s handling, stability,
stopping distance, and tires, and
make it unsaf e. Bef ore carrying any
type of cargo, be sure to read the
f ollowing pages. Roof -rack (if equipped)
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
193
CARGO AREA
CONSOLE COMPARTMENT SEAT-BACK POCKETS GLOVE BOX
DOOR POCKETS
REAR COMPARTMENT

Your vehicle has higher ground
clearance that allows you to travel
over bumps, obstacles, and rough
terrain. It also provides good
visibility so you can anticipate
problems earlier.
Because your vehicle rides higher
of f the ground, it has a high center
of gravity that can cause it to roll
over if you make abrupt turns. Utility
vehicles have a signif icantly higher
roll over rate than other types of
vehicles.
To prevent rollovers or loss of
control:Take corners at slower speeds
than you would with a passenger
vehicle.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers whenever possible. Do not modif y your vehicle in any
way that would raise the center of
gravity.
Do not carry heavy cargo on the
roof .
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle. Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice. Make sure the doors and tailgate
are securely closed and locked. Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ). Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ). Check the seat adjustment (see
page ). Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure. Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
95
1659
86
78
See page f or additional guidelinesf or driving of f -highway. 223
Driving Guidelines, Preparing to Drive
Driving Guidelines
Preparing to Drive
198

The Variable Torque Management
4WD System (VTM-4) automatically
transf ers varying amounts of engine
torque to the rear wheels under
lower traction conditions.The vehicle must be stopped with
the engine running.
If more traction is needed when your
vehicle is stuck, or is likely to
become stuck, you can use the
VTM-4 Lock button to increase
torque to the rear wheels. Move the shift lever to First (1),
Second (2), or Reverse (R) gear.
Press the VTM-4 Lock button.
The indicator in the button comes
on.
To get unstuck, apply light pressure
to the accelerator pedal. Do not spin
the f ront tires f or more than a f ew
seconds. Because of the amount of
torque applied to the rear tires, they
should not spin. This is normal. If
you are not able to move the vehicle,
stop and reverse direction. do
one of the f ollowing: Press the VTM-4 Lock button.
Move the shift lever to D , D or
D.
Turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0).
The VTM-4 Lock will temporarily
disengage when the vehicle speed
exceeds 18 mph (30 km/h). It will
automatically engage again as the
speed slows below 18 mph (30
km/h). The indicator in the button
will remain on.
1.
2.
3.
54
3
To Engage the VTM-4 Lock To Disengage the VTM-4 Lock,
VTM-4 System
204
Do not use the VTM-4 Lock button on
dry, paved roads. Driving on dry,
paved roads with VTM-4 Lock ON may
damage the rear dif f erential when
making a turn. Strange noise and
vibration can also result. Do not continuously spin the f ront tires
of your vehicle. Continuously spinning
the f ront tires can cause transmission
or rear dif f erential damage.

Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure indicator and the
appropriate tire on the tire pressure
monitor to come on. Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.When the tire pressure monitoring
system warning light is lit, one or
more of your tires is signif icantly
under-inf lated. You should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible.
If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inf late the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver’s doorjamb.
If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire.Driving on a signif icantly under-
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Although your tire pressure is
monitored, each tire should be
checked monthly, including the
spare.
Check the pressure with the tires
cold, af ter the vehicle has been
parked f or at least 2 hours.
Set to the recommended inf lation
pressure as specif ied on the vehicle
placard and in the owner’s manual
(see page ).
252
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
Driving
205