2009 Acura MDX fold seats

5. Fasten and Position the SeatBelts
Insert the latch plate into the buckle,
then tug on the belt to make sure the
belt is securely latched. Check that
the belt is not twisted, because a
twisted belt can cause serious
injuries in a crash.
The second row center seat, and
both third row seats, have a
detachable shoulder belt that can be
unlatched and retracted, to allow the
seats to be folded down. See page
146for how to unlatch and relatch
the seat belts.
Position the lap part of the belt as low
as possible across your hips, then
pull up on the shoulder part of the
belt so the lap part fits snugly. This
lets your strong pelvic bones take the
force of a crash and reduces the
chance of internal injuries. If necessary, pull up on the belt again
to remove any slack, then check that
the belt rests across the center of
your chest and over your shoulder.
This spreads the forces of a crash
over the strongest bones in your
upper body.
Improperly positioning the seat
belts can cause serious injury
or death in a crash.
Make sure all seat belts are
properly positioned before
driving.
CONTINUED
Protecting Adults and Teens
15
Driver and Passenger Saf et y
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2009 MDX

Additional Safety Precautions●Never let passengers ride in thecargo area or on top of a folded-
down back seat.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
●Passengers should not stand up or change seats while the vehicle is
moving.
A passenger who is not
wearing a seat belt during a crash
or emergency stop can be thrown
against the inside of the vehicle,
against other occupants, or out of
the vehicle.
●Two people should never use the
same seat belt.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
●Do not put any accessories on seat
belts.
Devices intended to improve
occupant comfort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt can
reduce the protective capability of
the belt and increase the chance of
serious injury in a crash.
●Do not place hard or sharp objects between yourself and a front
airbag.
Carrying hard or sharp
objects on your lap, or driving with
a pipe or other sharp object in your
mouth, can result in injuries if your
front airbag inflates.
●Keep your hands and arms away
from the airbag covers.
If your
hands or arms are close to an
airbag cover, they could be injured
if the airbag inflates.
●Do not attach or place objects on
the front airbag covers.
Objects on
the covers marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG ’’
could interfere with the proper
operation of the airbags or be
propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone if the airbags inflate.
●Do not attach hard objects on or
near a door.
If a side airbag or a
side curtain airbag inflates, a cup
holder or other hard object
attached on or near the door could
be propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone.
Protecting Adults and Teens
19
Driver and Passenger Saf et y
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2009 MDX

Adjusting the Second Row SeatsTo change the seat-back angle of the
seats in the second row, pull up on
the handle on the outside of the seat-
back, and push the seat-back.
Overall, the seat-back has six
different positions.Folding the Second Row Seats
The left and right halves can be
folded separately.
1. To unlatch the detachable anchor
before folding the seat-back, insert
the latch plate into the slot on the
side of the anchor buckle (see
page146)and allow the seat belt to
retract. Store the detachable
anchor and seat belt latch plates in
the retractor housing.
2. Lower the head restraints to their lowest positions.
3. Pull up the handle on the outside of the seat-back.
4. Fold the seat-back forward.
Reverse this procedure to return the
seat to the upright position. Make
sure the seat is locked securely
before driving. Make sure that the folded seat-back
does not press against the front
passenger's seat, as this could cause
the weight sensors to work
improperly.
HANDLE
Seats14408/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Third Row AccessTo get into the third row seats, pull
up the lever on the side of the
passenger's side second row seat-
back. The seat-back will tilt forward,
and then can be slid forward.
After you return the seat-back to the
upright position, push the whole seat
backwards until it latches. Make sure
the seat is fully latched before sitting
in it.Folding the Third Row Seat
1. Use the latch plate to release the
seat belt from the detachable
anchor (see page146).
2. Lower the head restraints to their lowest positions.
NOTE: To fold the third row seat, the
second row seat-back must be folded
down or in the full up right position.
3. Unlock the seat-back by pulling the handle. Push the seat-back
forward.
Make sure the outer shoulder belts
are positioned on each hook on the
side panel whenever the third seat is
folded.
RELEASE LEVER
THIRD SEAT HANDLE
CONTINUED
Seats
145
Inst rument s and Cont rols
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2009 MDX

Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:●Glove box●Door and seat-back pockets●Rear cargo area, including the
second and third row seats when
folded flat●Console compartment●Storage compartment●Rear compartment●Roof-rack (if equipped)
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can affect
your vehicle's handling, stability,
stopping distance, and tires, and
make it unsafe. Before carrying any
type of cargo, be sure to read the
following pages.
STORAGE COMPARTMENT SEAT-BACK POCKETS
CARGO AREA
REAR COMPARTMENT
DOOR POCKETS
CONSOLE COMPARTMENT
GLOVE BOX
Carrying Cargo33208/06/06 16:58:07 09 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX620 enu
2009 MDX

Carrying Cargo in the Passenger
Compartment●Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.●Be sure items placed on the floor
behind the front seats cannot roll
underneath and interfere with the
proper operation of the seats, the
sensors under the seats, or the
driver's ability to operate the
pedals.
Also, keep all cargo below the
bottom of the windows. If it is
higher, it could interfere with the
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.●Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop.Carrying Cargo in the Cargo Area
or on a Roof Rack
●Distribute cargo evenly on the
floor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.●If you fold down the second or
third row seats, tie down items that
could be thrown about the vehicle
during a crash or sudden stop.
●If you carry large items that
prevent you from closing the
tailgate, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of
carbon monoxide
poisoning, follow the instructions
on page58.●If you carry any items on a roof
rack, be sure the total weight of
the rack and the items does not
exceed 165 lbs (75 kg).
If you use an accessory roof rack,
the roof rack weight limit may be
lower. Refer to the information that
came with your roof rack.
CONTINUED
Carrying Cargo
335
Bef ore Driving
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Optional Separation Net
The separation net can be used to
hold back soft, lightweight items
stored in the cargo area. Heavy items
should be tied down, as the net may
not prevent them from being thrown
about the vehicle in a crash or a
sudden stop.
Optional Cargo Cover
The cargo cover can be used to cover
the cargo area behind the third row
seats. When the third row seats are
folded down, the cargo cover can be
extended over the larger area. Do not
install the cover over the larger area
if the third row seats are not folded
down.Cargo Hooks
The four hooks on the side panels
can be used to install a net for
securing items. Each hook is
designed to hold up to 50 lbs (23 kg)
of weight.
Your vehicle also has a grocery hook
on each side panel in the cargo area.
They are designed to hold light
items. Heavy objects may damage
the hook. Make sure any items put
on each hook weigh less than 6.5 lbs
(3 kg).
CARGO
HOOKS
GROCERY HOOKS
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2009 MDX

Door Locks
..............................
11
Head Restraints
........................
14
Seat Belts
.................... ..........
8,15
Seats & Seat-Backs
..............
12, 13
Safety Labels, Location of
.............
59
Safety Messages
...........................
iii
Satellite Radio, XM
®............
185, 210
Seat Belts
.................................
8, 15
Additional Information
.............
20
Advice for Pregnant Women
....
18
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
.............. .............
22
Cleaning
...................... ............
409
Lap/Shoulder Belt
..............
15, 21
Maintenance
............................
23
Reminder Indicator and Beeper
.............................
20, 64
System Components
................
20
Use During Pregnancy
.............
18
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt
.......................... .............
21
Seats
..........................................
140
Adjusting the Second Seat
.......
144
Folding the Second Seat
..........
144
Folding the Third Seat
............
145
Head Restraints
.......................
141 Heaters
...................................
148
Position Memory
....................
157
Third Row Access
...................
145
Seats, Adjusting the
...................
140
Security System
.........................
269
Sensors Driver's Seat Position Sensor
..................................
29
Front Passenger's Weight Sensors
............ ....................
29
Impact Sensors
...................
24, 25
Sequential SportShift Mode
........
343
Serial Number
............................
450
Service Intervals
.........................
383
Service Manual (U.S. only)
........
469
Service Station Procedures
........
323
SH-AWD
®
Indicator
...................................
69
Shifting the Automatic Transmission
..........................
341
Shift Lever Position
Indicators
...............................
341
Shift Lock Release
......................
346
Side Airbags
.................................
30
How the Side Airbag Off Indicator Works
...................
33 How Your Side Airbags
Work
....................................
30
Off Indicator
.............................
33
Side Curtain Airbags
....................
32
How Your Side Curtain Airbags Work
....................................
32
Side Marker Lights, Bulb Replacement in
.......................
404
Signaling Turns
........ ....................
67
Snow Tires
.................................
419
Sound System
.....................
180, 200
Spare Tire
................ ..................
424
Inflating
...........................
415, 424
Specifications
..........................
453
Spark Plugs
................................
453
Specifications
.............................
452
Speed Control
............................
270
Speed Limiter
.............................
346
Speedometer
................................
72
CONTINUED
Index
IX
INDEX
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2009 MDX