2008 Acura RDX Owner's Manual

CONT INUED
Use the extension and the wheel
nut wrench as shown to raise the
vehicle until the f lat tire is of f the
ground.
Remove the wheel nuts, then
remove the f lat tire. Handle the
wheel nuts caref ully; they may be
hot from driving. Place the flat tire
on the ground with the outside
surface facing up.Bef ore mounting the spare tire,
wipeanydirtoff themounting
surface of the wheel and hub with
a clean cloth. Wipe the hub
carefully;itmaybehotfrom
driving.Put on the spare tire. Put the
wheel nuts back on f inger-tight,
then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel nut wrench
until the wheel is f irmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten the
wheel nuts f ully.
Lower the vehicle to the ground,
and remove the jack.
8.
9. 10. 11.
12.
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
373
BRAKE HUB
WHEEL NUT WRENCH EXTENSION
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Tighten the wheel nuts securely in
the same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
f acility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:
Store the jack in its holder. Turn
the jack’s end bracket to lock it in
place. Store the tools.Remove the center cap from the
f lat tire, and store it in the cargo
area.
Place the flat tire face up in the
cargo area.
Securetheflattirebyscrewing
the wing bolt back into its hole.Reinstall the cargo area f loor, and
close the tailgate.
Your vehicle’s original tire has a
tire pressure monitoring system
sensor. To replace a tire, ref er to
(see
page ).
13.
14. 15.
16.
17.18.
19.
311
Changing a Flat Tire
Changing a T ire with T PMS
374
For normal
tire
For spare
tire
80 lbf·ft (108 N·m , 11 kgf·m) Loose items can fly around the
interiorinacrashandcould
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
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Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ).
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
or neutral or the starter will not
operate.
Check these things:
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page . Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied mechanic to
determine the problem (see
on page ).
377 391
366 377
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
375
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Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
121
292 386
391
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
If theEngineWon’tStart
376
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.Open the hood, and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
The numbers in the illustration show
you the order to connect the jumper
cables.
You cannot start your vehicle by
pushing or pulling it. Turn of f all electrical accessories:
heater, A/C, climate control, audio
system, lights, etc. Put the
transmission in Park, and set the
parking brake.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
377
BOOSTER
BATTERY
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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´´
µ
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding point
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine. Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
then from the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
Jump Starting
378
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CONT INUED
If the temperature gauge reading
stays at the H (Hot) mark, turn of f
the engine.
If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Park, and
set the parking brake. Turn of f all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning lights.
The reading of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge on the multi-
inf ormation display should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the H
(Hot) mark, you should determine
the reason (hot day, driving up a
steep hill, etc.).
If the coolant temperature rises to
224°F (118°C) or more, the
temperature gauge will appear on
the display and blink for several
times. At the same time, the beeper
will sound once.
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to the H (Hot) mark.
Or you may see steam or spray
coming f rom under the hood.
1.2.
3.
4.
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
379
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
reading at the H (Hot) mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.
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Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (seeon page ).
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the reading
reaches the middle of the
temperature gauge or lower
bef ore checking the radiator. Start the engine, and set the
temperature to maximum heat
(climate control to AUTO at
‘‘ ’’). Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the H mark, the engine
needs repair (see
on page ).
If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark. 9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
10.
11.
391
391
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
380
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
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