2008 Acura MDX tire pressure

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.
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. Accessories installed in
theseareasmayinterferewith
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.
Your dealer has Acura accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved f or your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.
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 your airbags, anti-lock brakes, and
tire pressure monitoring system. If possible, have your dealer
inspect the f inal installation.
Although non-Acura 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.
Bef ore installing any electronic
accessory, have the installer
contact your dealer for assistance.
If possible, have your dealer
inspect the f inal installation.440
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
330
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.
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Some examples are: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. 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.
Lowering your vehicle with a
non-Acura 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 a non-
Acura suspension kit can af f ect
the handling and stability.
Non-Acura 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 (TPMS).
Modif ying Your Vehicle
A ccessories and Modif ications
331
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BeforeDriving
2008 MDX

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the super handling-all wheel
stability assist (VSA) system, active
damper system, the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS), and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer or drive off-high way.........................
Driving Guidelines .338
........................
Preparing to Drive .338
.......................
Starting the Engine .339
Check Starting System .................................
Message .340
..............
Automatic Transmission .341
Super Handling-All Wheel Drive
...........................................
Parking .350
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
......................................
(TPMS) .351
.............................
Braking System .356
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .357
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
........................................
System .359
................
Active Damper System .361
...........................
Towing a Trailer .363
..................
Trailer Stability Assist .375
Of f -Highway Driving
..................................
Guidelines .377
Driving
Driving
337
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drive(SH-AWD®) system, the vehicle(SH-AWD®) System ....................348
2008 MDX

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 .
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. 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.
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.
Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
140
See page f or of f -highway driving
guidelines. 377
Driving Guidelines, Preparing to Drive
Driving Guidelines Preparing to Drive
338
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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.
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/TPMS indicator in the
instrument panel to come on. If this
happens, you will see which tire is
losing pressure on the multi-
inf ormation display along with a
‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE’’
message.If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly to the station, then
inflate the tire to the recommended
pressure.
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 (see page ).
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.
Becausetirepressurevariesby
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator may come on unexpectedly.
When the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator is on, one or more of your
tires is signif icantly underinf lated.
Youshouldstopandcheckyourtires
as soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure as indicated
on the vehicle’s tire inf ormation
placard.
It is possible that the pressures
shown on the multi-inf ormation
display and the pressures you
manually measure are slightly
dif f erent.
If the dif f erence is signif icant or you
cannot make the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator and message on the
multi-inf ormation display go out af ter
inf lating the tires to the specif ied
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible.
425
CONT INUED
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Low Tire Pressure/
TPMS Indicator
Driving
351
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2008 MDX

Although your tire pressure is
monitored, you must manually check
thetirepressuresmonthly.
Each tire, including the spare, should
be checked monthly when the
vehicle is cold, and set to the
recommended inf lation pressure as
specif ied on the vehicle placard and
intheowner’smanual(seepage).
Toselectthetirepressuremonitor,
press the INFO button several times
with the ignition switch in the ON
(II) position.
You will see the above display on the
multi-inf ormation display when all
tire pressures are normal.
For example, if you check and f ill
your tires in a warm area, then drive
in extremely cold weather, the tire
pressure will be lower than
measured and could be underinf lated
and cause the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator to come on. Or, if
youcheckandadjustyourtire
pressure in cooler conditions, and
drive into extremely hot conditions,
the tire may become overinf lated.
However, the low tire pressure/
TPMS indicator will not come on if
thetiresareoverinflated.
Refer to page for tire inflation
guidelines.
If there is a problem with the TPMS,
this indicator begins to f lash. It stops
flashing after approximately 1
minute, then stays on. You will also
see a ‘‘CHECK TPMS SYSTEM’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display (see page ).
415
82 416
Tire Pressure Monitor
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
352
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2008 MDX

CONT INUED
To see the inf lation pressures of all
f our tires, press the SEL/RESET
button. The display changes as
shown above.Each tire pressure is shown in PSI
(U.S. models) or in kPa (Canadian
models).
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/TPMS indicator in the
instrument panel to come on. If this
happens, you will see which tire is
losing pressure on the multi-
inf ormation display along with a
‘‘CHECK TIRE PRESSURE’’
message.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Driving
353
U.S. model Canadian model
This shows that front left tire is
losing pressure.
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2008 MDX

If any of the tires has low pressure,
thetirepressuremonitoralsoshows
above message to warn you about
the low tire pressure when you select
the display by pressing the INFO
button several times. Following this
display, press the SEL/RESET
button to see each tire pressure.
When you continue driving af ter
installing the spare tire, you will also
see this message on the multi-
inf ormation display.If there is a problem with the TPMS,
thetirepressuremonitorshowsa
‘‘SYSTEM FUNCTION ERROR’’
message and the tire pressure
readings are not displayed. If this
happens, you will f irst see a system
warning message ‘‘CHECK TPMS
SYSTEM’’ on the multi-inf ormation
display.
If there is a problem with the TPMS,
you will see the above message on
the multi-information display.
If you see this message, the system
is of f and is not monitoring the tire
pressures. Have the system checked
by your dealer as soon as possible.
Also, the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator begins to f lash, then stays
on (see page ).
352
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
TPMS System Failure
354
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2008 MDX