2008 Acura MDX dashboard

2008 MDX Online Reference Owner's Manual
Contents

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... i A Few Words About Safety .............................................................................................................................. iii Important Handling Information .................................................................................................................... iv
Your Vehicle at a Glance (main controls) .................................................................................................... 3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection) .................................................... 5
Instruments and Controls
(indicators, gauges, multi-information display, dashboard, and steering column)
..... 61
Features (
climate control,audio,rear entertainment,steering wheel,security,cruise control,and other convenience items
)
......... 169
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break- in, and cargo loading) ..................................................................... 321
Driving (engine and transmission operation) ................................................................................................ 337
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)........................................... 381
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, dead battery, overheating, and fuses) ............................... 423
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls) ....................................... 449
Warranty and Customer Relations (U. S. and Canada only) (warranty and contact information) ... 465
Authorized Manuals (U. S. only) (how to order) ......................................................................................... 469
Index ............................................................................................................................... ........................................ I

Service Information Summary ( fluid capacities and tire pressures)
1 00X31-STX-6102

A convenient ref erence to the
sections in this manual.
A quick ref erence to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and gauge,
and how to use the controls on the
dashboard and steering column.What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
The proper way to start the engine,
shif t the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you’re
planning to tow a trailer.
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
Important inf ormation about the
proper use and care of your vehicle’s
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable inf ormation on how to
protect children with child restraints.
How to operate the climate control
system, the audio system, rear
entertainment system, and other
convenience f eatures. The maintenance minder shows you
when you need to take your vehicle
to the dealer for maintenance service.
There is also a list of things to check
and instructions on how to check
them.
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience,
and details how to handle them.A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual f or detailed
inf ormation.
How to order manuals and other
technical literature.
A summary of the inf ormation you
need when you pull up to the f uel
pump.
Contents
Your Vehicle at a Glance
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Instruments and Controls
Features Bef ore Driving
Driving
Maintenance
T echnical Inf ormation
T aking Care of the Unexpected Warranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
Authorized Manuals
(U.S. only)
Index
Service Inf ormation Summary
Overview of Contents
2
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The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
To do their job, airbags must
inf late with tremendous f orce. So
while airbags help save lives, they
can cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly. Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as f ar back f rom the
steering wheel as possible while
allowing f ull control of the vehicle. A
f ront passenger should move their
seat as far back from the dashboard
as possible. The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your saf ety.
Remember, however, that no saf ety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
Your Vehicle’sSaf ety Features
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rearimpact s, or minor f ront al or sidecollisions.
Airbags can pose serious hazards. What you should do:
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If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a
comf ortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel.
Passengers with adjustable seat-
backs should also adjust their seat-
back to a comf ortable, upright
position.
If you cannot get f ar enough away
f rom the steering wheel and still
reach the controls, we recommend
that you investigate whether some
type of adaptive equipment may help.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that drivers
allow at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the center of the steering
wheel and the chest. In addition to
adjusting the seat, you can adjust the
steering wheel up and down, and in
and out (see page ).
See page f or how to adjust the
f ront seats.
124 140
CONT INUED
Adjust the Seat-Backs
3.
Protecting A dults and Teens
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
13
Sitting too close to a front
airbag can result in serious
injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
front airbags as possible.
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Your Airbag System (SRS) includes:Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two side airbags, one f or the
driver and one f or a f ront
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the roof
above the side windows. The f ront
and rear pillars are marked ‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see page ). 27
30
32
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
25
(12)
(13)
(16)
(15) (14)
(17)
(12) Front Impact Sensors
(13) Side Curtain Airbags
(14) Side Impact Sensors (First)
(15) Side Impact Sensors (Second)
(16) Roll Rate Sensor
(17) Safing Sensor
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Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ).
An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
f ront airbag has been turned of f
(see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the f ront passenger’s
seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less (the weight of an
inf ant or small child), the
passenger’s f ront airbag will be
turned of f (see page ).
A rollover sensor that can detect if
your vehicle is about to roll over
and signal the control unit to
deploy both side curtain airbags
and f ront seat belt tensioners (see
page ).
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and f ront
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position.
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact,
side impact, or if your vehicle is
about to rollover.
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag of f (see
page ).
Sensors that can detect whether
the driver’s seat belt and the f ront
passenger’s seat belt are latched
or unlatched (see page ).
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too f ar f orward, the airbag will
inf late with less f orce (see page
). 22
29 29
33
31 32 33
34
20
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
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Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger’s seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.
When the airbag is turned of f , a
‘‘passenger airbag of f ’’ indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page ).
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the f ront seat, the
airbag will be off. However, the
passenger airbag of f indicator will
not come on.If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid acceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag and activate the seat belt
tensioner on the af f ected side.
To ensure that the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
This includes:
A second-row passenger pushing
or pulling on the back of the f ront
passenger’s seat. Moving the f ront seat f orcibly
back against cargo on the seat or
f loor behind it.
Hanging heavy items on the f ront
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.
Moving the f ront passenger’s seat
or seat-back forcibly back against
the f olded right-side second-row
seat.
Also,makesurethefloormatbehind
the f ront passenger’s seat is hooked
to the floor mat anchor (see page ). If it is not, the mat may
interf ere with the proper operation
of the sensors and operation of the
seat.
34
410 How Your Side A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
do not do anyt hing
t hat would increase or decrease t he weight on the f ront passenger’sseat.
30
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µ
To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.U.S. ModelsCanadian Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
39
DASHBOARD
SUN VISORS
SUN VISORS
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