2011 Acura MDX Fuel

Break-in Period
Help assure your vehicle's future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:●
Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
●
Avoid hard braking for the first 200
miles (300 km).
●
Do not change the oil until the
multi-information display indicates
it is needed.
●
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also follow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Fuel Recommendation
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane of 91 or higher. If this
octane grade is unavailable, regular
unleaded gasoline with a pump octane
of 87 or higher may be used
temporarily. The use of regular
unleaded gasoline can cause metallic
knocking noises in the engine and
will result in decreased engine
performance. The long-term use of
regular-grade gasoline can lead to
engine damage.
We recommend quality gasolines
containing detergent additives that
help prevent fuel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
performance, fuel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
fuel additives such as MMT. Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely affect performance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact your
dealer for service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10% ethanol by
volume and up to 15% MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
For further important fuel-related
information for your vehicle, or
information on gasoline that does not
contain MMT, visit My Acura at
owners.acura.com.
In Canada, visit
www.acura.ca
for additional
information on gasoline.
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation41810/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

Refueling1. Park with the driver's side closestto the service station pump.
2. Open the fuel fill door by pressing the button in the driver's door. (To
open the fuel fill door manually,
see page 566.)
3. Remove the fuel fill cap slowly.You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank equalizes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel nozzle automatically clicks off. Do
not try to ‘‘top off ’’the tank. Leave
some room for the fuel to expand
with temperature changes. If the fuel nozzle keeps clicking off
even though the tank is not full,
there may be a problem with your
vehicle's fuel vapor recovery system.
The system helps keep fuel vapor
from going into the atmosphere. Try
filling at another pump. If this does
not fix the problem, consult your
dealer.
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.●
Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flame
away.
●
Handle fuel only outdoors.
●
Wipe up spills immediately.
Push
FUEL FILL CAP
TETHER
HOLDER
CONTINUED
Service Station Procedures
419
Before Driving
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5. Screw the fuel fill cap back on untilit clicks at least once. If you do not
properly tighten the cap, you will
see a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP ’’
message on the multi-information
display (see right column on this
page), and the malfunction
indicator lamp may also come on
(see page 557).
6. Push the fuel fill door closed until it latches. Tighten Fuel Cap Message
Your vehicle's on board diagnostic system
will detect a loose or missing fuel fill cap as
an evaporative system leak. The first time a
leak is detected a
‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP’’
message appears on the multi-information
display. Turn the engine off, and confirm the
fuel fill cap is installed. If it is, loosen it, then
retighten it until it clicks at least once. The
message should go off after several days of
normal driving once you tighten or replace
the fuel fill cap. To scroll to another message,
press the INFO button. The ‘‘TIGHTEN
FUEL CAP’’ message will appear each time
you restart the engine until the system turns
the message off.
If the system still detects a leak in
the vehicle's evaporative emissions
system, the malfunction indicator
lamp (MIL) comes on. If the fuel fill
cap was not already tightened, turn
the engine off, and check or
retighten the fuel fill cap until it
clicks at least once. The MIL should
go off after several days of normal
driving once the cap is tightened or
replaced. If the MIL does not go off,
have your vehicle inspected by a
dealer. For more information, see
page 557.
Service Station Procedures42010/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

Actual Mileage and EPA Fuel
Economy Estimates Comparison.
Fuel economy is not a fixed number.
It varies based on driving conditions,
driving habits and vehicle condition.
Therefore, it is not possible for one
set of estimates to predict fuel
economy precisely for all drivers in
all environments.
The EPA fuel economy estimates
shown in the example to the right are
a useful tool for comparison when
buying a vehicle. EPA estimates
include:
City MPG－Represents urban
driving in a vehicle in light traffic. A
range of miles per gallon achieved is
also provided.
Highway MPG －Represents a
mixture of rural and interstate
driving, in a warmed-up vehicle,
typical of longer trips in free-flowing
traffic. A range of miles per gallon
achieved is also provided.
Combined Fuel Economy －
Represents a combination of city and
highway driving. The scale
represents the range of combined
fuel economy for other vehicles in
the class.
Estimated Annual Fuel Cost －
Provides an estimated annual fuel
cost, based on 15,000 miles in the
U.S. or 20,000 km in Canada per year
multiplied by the cost per gallon
(based on EPA fuel cost data) divided
by the combined fuel economy.
For more information on fuel
economy ratings and factors that
affect fuel economy, visit
www.
fueleconomy.gov
(Canada: Visit
www.vehicles.gc.ca
)
City MPG
Combined Fuel
Economy
(Sample U.S. EPA label shown) Highway MPG
Estimated Annual
Fuel Cost
CONTINUED
Fuel Economy
423
Before Driving
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Fuel Economy Factors
The following factors can lower your
vehicle's fuel economy:●
Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
●
Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traffic
●
Cold engine operation (engines
are more efficient when warmed
up)
●
Driving with a heavy load or the air
conditioner running
●
Improperly inflated tires
Improving Fuel EconomyVehicle MaintenanceA properly maintained vehicle
maximizes fuel economy. Poor
maintenance can significantly reduce
fuel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the multi-
information display (seeOwner's
Maintenance Checks on page 507).For example:
●
Use the recommended viscosity
motor oil, displaying the API
Certification Seal (see page 511).
●
Maintain proper tire inflation
－
An underinflated tire increases
‘‘ rolling resistance, ’’which reduces
fuel economy.
●
Avoid carrying excess weight in
your vehicle －It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing fuel
consumption.
●
Keep your vehicle clean －In
particular, a build-up of snow or mud
on your vehicle's underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your fuel
economy.
Drive Efficiently●
Drive moderately －Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering, and
hard braking increase fuel
consumption.
●
Observe the speed limit －
Aerodynamic drag has a big effect
on fuel economy at speeds above
45 mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
●
Always drive in the highest gear
possible －If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your fuel economy by up
shifting as early as possible.
●
Avoid excessive idling －Idling
results in 0 miles per gallon (0 kms
per liter).
Fuel Economy42410/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

●
Minimize the use of the air
conditioning system－The A/C
puts an extra load on the engine
which makes it use more fuel. Use
the fresh-air ventilation when
possible.
●
Plan and combine trips －
Combine several short trips into
one. A warmed-up engine is more
fuel efficient than a cold one.
Calculating Fuel Economy
Measuring TechniquesDirect calculation is the
recommended source of information
about your actual fuel economy.
Using frequency of fill-ups or taking
fuel gauge readings are NOT
accurate measures of fuel economy.
Fuel economy may improve over the
first several thousand miles
(kilometers).
Checking Your Fuel Economy1)Fill the fuel tank until the nozzle automatically clicks off.
2)Reset trip counter to zero.
3)Record the total gallons (liters) needed to refill.
4)Follow one of the simple calculations above.
Miles driven
100 Gallons of
fuel Miles per
Gallon
L per 100 km
Kilometers
Liter
Fuel Economy
425
Before Driving
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Your vehicle's starting system has an
auto control mode. When you turn
the ignition switch to the START (III)
position, this feature keeps the
engine's starter motor running until
the engine starts. Follow these
instructions to start the engine:1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off all electrical accessories to reduce the
drain on the battery.
3. Make sure the shift lever is in Park. Press on the brake pedal. 4. Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, then
release the ignition switch. You do
not need to hold the ignition
switch in the START (III) position
to start the engine. Depending on
the outside temperature, the
starter motor runs for about 6 to 9
seconds until the engine starts.
If you hold the ignition switch in
the START (III) position for more
than 7 seconds, the starter motor,
depending on the outside
temperature, runs for about 10 to
25 seconds until the engine starts.
If the engine does not start, wait at
least 10 seconds before trying
again.
The immobilizer system protects your
vehicle from theft. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine's fuel system is disabled. For
more information, see page 137.
The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air found at
altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
Starting the Engine43610/06/29 11:59:04 11 ACURA MDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STX640 enu

Starting in Second GearWhen you are in sequential shift
mode, and the vehicle is stopped,
pull the＋(right) paddle shifter to
shift to second gear. You will see ‘‘2’’
in the display. Starting in second
gear helps to reduce wheelspin in
deep snow or on a slippery surface. Recommended Shift Points
Drive in the highest gear that lets the
engine run and accelerate smoothly.
This will give you good fuel economy
and effective emissions control. The
following shift points are
recommended:
Shift Up Normal acceleration
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd
3rd to 4th4th to 5th
5th to 6th 15 mph (24 km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
40 mph (64 km/h)
45 mph (72 km/h)
50 mph (80 km/h)
Driving with the Paddle Shifters
445
Driving
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