Page 411 of 517

Check Out Your Vehicle
Before you leave the pavement, be
sure to do all scheduled maintenance
and service, and inspect your vehicle
for any problems. Pay special
attention to the condition of the tires,
and check the tire pressures.
After you return to the pavement,
carefully inspect your vehicle to
make sure there is no damage that
could make driving it unsafe.
Recheck the condition of the tires
and the tire pressures.
Remember
The route presents limits (too steep
or bumpy roads). You have limits
(driving skill and comfort). And your
vehicle has limits (traction, stability,
and power).
Driving off-highway can be
hazardous if you fail to recognize
limits and take the proper
precautions.Accelerating and Braking
For better traction on all surfaces,
accelerate slowly and gradually build
up speed. If you try to start too fast
on wet soil, mud, snow, or ice, you
might not have enough traction to
get underway, and you may dig
yourself a hole. Starting with the shift
lever in the D position will help you
have a smoother start on snow or ice.
Keep in mind that you will usually
need more time and distance to
brake to a stop on unpaved surfaces.
Avoid hard braking. Do not
‘‘pump ’’
the brakes; let the anti-lock braking
system pump them for you. Avoiding Obstacles
Debris in the road can damage your
suspension or other components.
Because your vehicle has a high
center of gravity, driving over a large
obstacle, or allowing a wheel to drop
into a deep hole can cause your
vehicle to tip or roll over.
Driving on Slopes
If you can't clearly see all conditions
or obstacles on a slope, walk the
slope before you drive on it. If you
have any doubt whether or not you
can safely drive on the slope, don't
do it. Find another route.
If you are driving up a hill and find
that you cannot continue,
do not try to
turn around.
Your vehicle could roll
over. Slowly back down the hill,
following the same route you took up
the hill.
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines40610/06/08 17:42:32 11 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK640 enu
Page 412 of 517

Crossing a Stream
Avoid driving through deep water. If
you encounter water in your route (a
small stream or large puddle, for
example), evaluate it carefully before
going ahead. Make sure it is shallow,
flowing slowly, and has firm ground
underneath. If you are not sure of the
depth or the ground, turn around and
find another route.
Driving through deep water can also
damage your vehicle. The water can
get into the transmission and
differential, diluting the lubricant and
causing an eventual failure. It can
also wash the grease out of the wheel
bearings.If You Get Stuck
Avoid driving on soft sand, deep
mud, or other surfaces where you
could get stuck. If you do happen to
get stuck because of inclement
weather or other conditions, choose
a safe and appropriate course of
action.
You should never use a jack to try
getting unstuck. A jack only works
on firm, level ground. Also, your
vehicle could easily slip off the jack
and hurt you or someone else.
If you spin the wheels excessively
trying to get unstuck, you may
overheat the components of the
SH-AWD system. The SH-AWD
indicator on the instrument panel will
blink to indicate the rear differential
temperature is too high.
You will also see an
‘‘SH-AWD DIFF
TEMP. HIGH ’’message on the multi-
information display (see page 385).
If this happens, stop and allow
everything to cool down. The
SH-AWD indicator goes off after the
rear differential temperature drops.
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines
407
Driving
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Page 414 of 517

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance minder messages on
the multi-information display, and
instructions for simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to
perform more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page 497 for information on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer.U.S. Vehicles:
Maintenance,
replacement, or repair of
emissions control devices and
systems may be done by any
automotive repair establishment
or individual using parts that are
‘‘certified’’ to EPA standards. Maintenance Safety
.....................
410
Maintenance Minder ™
................
411
Fluid Locations
...........................
419
Adding Engine Oil
......................
420
Required Engine Oil
...............
420
Changing the Engine Oil and
Filter
.......................................
422
Engine Coolant
...........................
424
Windshield Washers
...................
426
Automatic Transmission Fluid
....
427
Brake Fluid
.................................
429
Power Steering Fluid
..................
430
Lights
..........................................
431
Cleaning the Seat Belts
...............
438
Floor Mats
..................................
438
Audio Antenna
............................
439
Intercooler
..................................
439
Dust and Pollen Filter
.................
439
Wiper Blades
..............................
440
Wheels
........................................
443
Tires
...........................................
444
Checking the Battery
..................
450
Vehicle Storage
...........................
451
Interior Care
...............................
452
Maintenance
409
Maintenance
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Page 416 of 517

One of the most convenient and
important features of the multi-
information display on your vehicle is
the Maintenance Minder
TM.
Based on engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil life and displays it as a
percentage.
The system also displays the code for
other scheduled maintenance items
needing service. Engine Oil Life
To see the current engine oil life
displayed on the multi-information
display, turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, and press the
SEL/RESET button on the steering
wheel repeatedly until the engine oil
life is displayed.The remaining engine oil life is
shown on the display according to
this table:
Calculated Engine
Oil Life (%) Displayed
Engine Oil Life (%)
100% -91% 100%
90% -81% 90%
80% -71% 80%
70% -61% 70%
60% -51% 60%
50% -41% 50%
40% -31% 40%
30% -21% 30%
20% -16% 20%
15% -11% 15%
10% -6% 10%
5% -1% 5%
0% 0%
INFO
BUTTONS
SEL/RESET BUTTON
ENGINE OIL
LIFE DISPLAY
CONTINUED
Maintenance Minder™
411
Maintenance
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When the remaining engine oil life is
15 to 6 percent, the multi-information
display shows a‘‘SERVICE DUE
SOON ’’message along with the
maintenance schedule code
indicating the main and sub items
required at the time of the oil
change. Refer to page 418 for a
complete list of the maintenance
main items and sub items.
When the remaining oil life is 5 to 1
percent, the multi-information display
shows a ‘‘SERVICE DUE NOW ’’
message with the same maintenance
items ‘‘SERVICE DUE SOON’’ was
displayed with. When you see this
message have the indicated
maintenance performed as soon as
possible.
Press the SEL/RESET button on the
steering wheel repeatedly to select
the engine oil life. The message
‘‘ SERVICE ’’, along with ‘‘5% ’’, and the
maintenance item code are displayed
on the lower part of the multi-
information display when the
calculated engine oil life is 1- 5
percent (see page 411).
MAINTENANCE ITEM CODE(S)
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Page 418 of 517

If the indicated maintenance service
is not done and the remaining engine
oil life reaches 0%, the multi-
information display will show the
message‘‘SERVICE PAST DUE ’’and
the maintenance item code(s). This
message is displayed when the total
distance traveled is less than 10
miles (for U.S. models) or 10 km (for
Canadian models) after the engine
oil life became 0%. These messages will come on every
time you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position.
Immediately have the service
performed, and make sure to reset
the oil life minder as previously
described.
The message will be canceled if the
or
button on the steering wheel
is pressed. Press the
or
button
to see the message again.
Press the SEL/RESET button on the
steering wheel repeatedly to select
the engine oil life. The message
‘‘ SERVICE ’’, along with ‘‘0% ’’, and the
maintenance item code are displayed
on the lower part of the multi-
information display when the
calculated engine oil life is 0- 1%.
CONTINUED
Maintenance Minder™
413
Maintenance
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Page 419 of 517

If the indicated required service is
not done and the remaining engine
oil life becomes 0%, the multi-
information display will show a
‘‘SERVICE PAST DUE ’’message, the
total distance traveled after the
remaining oil life became 0%, and the
maintenance item code(s). This message is displayed again
when you drive over 10 miles (for
U.S. models) or 10 km (for Canadian
models) after seeing the 0% message.
Immediately have the service
performed, and make sure to reset
the display as previously described.
The message will be canceled if the
or
button on the steering wheel
is pressed. Press the
or
button
to see the message again.
When you press the SEL/RESET
button to select the engine oil life,
the message ‘‘SERVICE ’’, along with
the maintenance item code and the
total negative distance traveled after
the oil life became 0%, will be
displayed on the lower part of the
multi-information display.
TOTAL PAST DUE
DISTANCE TRAVELED
CANADA MAINTENANCE CODE
U.S.
U.S.
CANADA
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Page 420 of 517

Maintenance Main Items and Sub
ItemsAll the maintenance items displayed
on the multi-information display are
in code.
For an explanation of the
maintenance codes, see page 418.Resetting the Engine Oil Life
Display
Your dealer will reset the display
after completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘
OIL LIFE 100% ’’on the display the
next time you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the Maintenance Minder as
follows:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON (II) position.
2. Press the SEL/RESET button on the steering wheel until you see
the engine oil life display.
3. Press and hold the SEL/RESETbutton on the steering wheel for
more than 10 seconds. The
remaining engine oil life reset
mode will be shown on the multi-
information display.
MAINTENANCE SUB ITEMS
MAINTENANCE MAIN ITEM
CONTINUED
Maintenance Minder™
415
Maintenance
10/06/08 17:42:32 11 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK640 enu