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This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If
not, you will also find instructions on
getting your vehicle towed.Compact Spare Tire
....................
424
Changing a Flat Tire
...................
425
If the Engine Won't Start
.............
431
Jump Starting
..............................
432
If the Engine Overheats
..............
434
Low Oil Pressure Indicator
.........
436
Charging System Indicator
.........
436
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
........
437
Brake System Indicator
...............
438
Fuses
..........................................
439
Fuse Locations
............................
443
Opening the Fuel Fill Door Manually
.................................
446
Emergency Towing
.....................
446
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck
..........
447
Taking Care of the Unexpected
423
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Diagnosing why the engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:●You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.●You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
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. Check these things:
●Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
or neutral or the starter will not
operate.●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
Jump Starting
on page432.●Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the fuses. If the fuses
are OK, there is probably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. See
Emergency Towing on page446.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 page421).You
can then try jump starting the
vehicle from a booster battery (see
page432).
The Starter Operates Normally
In this case, the starter motor's speed
sounds normal, or even faster than
normal, when you turn the ignition
switch to the START (III) position,
but the engine does not run.
●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 page70).
CONTINUED
If the Engine Won't Start
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●Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer toStarting the
Engine on page339.●Do you have fuel? Check the fuel
gauge; the warning indicator may
not be working.●There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see
page440).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find the
problem. See Emergency Towing on
page446. Jump Starting
Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
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.
You cannot start your vehicle by
pushing or pulling it.
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:1. 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 frozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze. Attempting
to jump start with a frozen battery can
cause it to rupture.
2. Turn off all the electricalaccessories: heater, A/C, climate
control, audio system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
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The vehicle's fuses are located in
four fuse boxes.
The interior fuse box is underneath
the dashboard on the driver's side.
To remove the fuse box lid, put your
finger in the notch on the lid, pull it
toward you, and take it out of its
hinges.
The rear fuse box is located at the
left side of cargo area.
The primary under-hood fuse box is
located next to the battery. The
secondary fuse box is on the
passenger's side.
To open it, push the tabs as shown.
INTERIORLID
REAR LID
UNDER-HOOD (PRIMARY)
TABUNDER-HOOD (SECONDARY)
TAB
CONTINUED
Fuses
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Checking and Replacing Fuses
If something electrical in your
vehicle stops working, the first thing
you should check for is a blown fuse.
Determine from the chart on pages
443,444,and445, or the diagram on
the fuse box lid, which fuse or fuses
control that device. Check those
fuses first, but check all the fuses
before deciding that a blown fuse is
the cause. Replace any blown fuses,
and check if the device works.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK (0) position. Make sure the
headlights and all other
accessories are off.
2. Remove the cover from the fuse box.
3. Check each of the large fuses inthe under-hood fuse boxes by
looking through the top at the wire
inside. Removing these fuses
requires a Phillips-head
screwdriver.FUSE BLOWN
BLOWN
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4. Check the smaller fuses in theunder-hood fuse boxes and rear
fuse box, and all the fuses in the
interior and rear fuse boxes by
pulling out each one with the fuse
puller provided in the primary
under-hood fuse box.
5. Look for a burned wire inside thefuse. If it is burned out, replace it
with one of the spare fuses of the
same rating or lower. If you cannot drive the vehicle
without fixing the problem, and you
do not have a spare fuse, take a fuse
of the same rating or a lower rating
from one of the other circuits. Make
sure you can do without that circuit
temporarily (such as the accessory
power socket or radio).
If you replace the blown fuse with a
spare fuse that has a lower rating, it
might blow out again. This does not
indicate anything wrong. Replace the
fuse with one of the correct rating as
soon as you can.
FUSE PULLER
BLOWN
CONTINUED
Fuses
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Replacing a fuse with one that has a
higher rating greatly increases the
chances of damaging the electrical
system. If you do not have a
replacement fuse with the proper rating
for the circuit, install one with a lower
rating.6. If the replacement fuse of the same rating blows in a short time, there
is probably a serious electrical
problem with your vehicle. Leave
the blown fuse in that circuit, and
have your vehicle checked by a
qualified technician. If the radio fuse is removed, the
audio system will disable itself. The
next time you turn on the radio you
will see
‘‘ENTER CODE ’’in the
frequency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the digit code (see
page235).Fuses44208/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
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PRIMARY UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOX
No. Amps. Circuits Protected1 120 A Main fuse - Not Used
2 - 1 - Not Used
2 - 2 - Not Used
2 - 3 30 A Rear Blower Motor
2 - 4 40 A ABS VSA
2 - 5 40 A Trailer Main
2 - 6 40 A Power Seats, Driver's Position
Memory System, Subwoofer
2 - 7 40 A Front Heated Seat, TPMS,
Moonroof, Driver's Lumbar
Support
2 - 8 - Not Used
3 - 1 60 A Fog Lights, Front Blower
Motor
3 - 2 40 A Headlights, Daytime Running
Lights
3 - 3 60 A Cooling Fan, Condenser Fan,
MG Clutch, Headlight
Washer
ꭧ
3- 4 50 A Ignition Switch Main
ꭧ : Canadian model No. Amps. Circuits Protected
3 - 5 50 A Power Window
3 - 6 60 A SH-AWD, Power Tailgate
Open/Closer, Rear ACC
Socket, Cargo Area Light,
Rear Defroster
3 - 7 30 A ECU (PCM)
3 - 8 - Not Used
4 40 A Audio, Door Lock, Interior Lights
5 - Not Used
6 - Not Used
7 30 A Active Damper Control Unit
8 30 A Audio Amplifier
9 7.5 A Rear Entertainment System
10 15 A Hazard
11 15 A Horn, Stop
12 20 A ABS VSA
13 20 A Trailer (Brake)
14 20 A Rear Heated Seat
15 20 A A/C Inverter
CONTINUED
Fuse Locations
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