2012 Acura MDX engine

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
....................
550
Changing a Flat Tire
...................
551
If the Engine Won't Start
.............
557
Jump Starting
..............................
558
If the Engine Overheats
..............
560
Low Oil Pressure Indicator
.........
562
Charging System Indicator
.........
562
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
........
563
Brake System Indicator
...............
564
Fuses
..........................................
565
Fuse Locations
............................
569
Opening the Fuel Fill Door
Manually
.................................
572
Emergency Towing
.....................
572
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck
..........
573
Taking Care of the Unexpected
549
Taking Care of the Unexpected

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 Startingon page 558.
●
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 Towingon page 572.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 547). You
can then try jump starting the
vehicle from a booster battery (see
page 558).
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 page 74).
CONTINUED
If the Engine Won't Start
557
Taking Care of the Unexpected

●
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer toStarting the
Engineon page 442.
●
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
page 566).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find the
problem. SeeEmergency Towingon
page 572.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 electrical
accessories: heater, A/C, climate
control, audio system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
If the Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting558

The numbers in the illustration show
you the order to connect the jumper
cables.
3. Connect one jumper cable to the
positive (＋) terminal on your
vehicle's battery. Connect the
other end to the positive (＋)
terminal on the booster battery.
4. 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.5. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start that
vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
6. Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
7. Once the vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable from
your vehicle, then from the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable from your vehicle,
and 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.
BOOSTER BATTERY
Jump Starting
559
Taking Care of the Unexpected

The pointer of your vehicle's
temperature gauge should stay in the
midrange under most conditions. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason (hot day,
driving up a steep hill, etc.).
If the vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or spray
coming from under the hood.Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Park, and
set the parking brake. Turn off all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray
coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
3. 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 the Engine Overheats560

4. If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Look for any obvious coolant
leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (seeEmergency
Towingon page 572).
6. If you do not find an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
7. 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 pointer
reaches the middle of the
temperature gauge, or lower,
before checking the radiator.
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.
8. Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.9. Start the engine and set the
climate control to AUTO at‘‘Hi.’’
Add coolant to the radiator up to
the base of the filler neck. If you
do not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have the
cooling system drained and refilled
with the proper mixture as soon as
you can.
10. Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and check
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (seeEmergency
Towingon page 572).
11. 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.
If the Engine Overheats
561
Taking Care of the Unexpected

Low Oil Pressure Indicator
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action.
You will also see a‘‘CHECK
ENGINE OIL LEVEL’’message on
the multi-information display when
this indicator comes on.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn off
the engine as soon as you can safely get
the vehicle stopped.1. Safely pull off the road, and shut
off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the vehicle sit for a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page 427). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
3. If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page 517).
4. Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn off the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
before you can continue driving
(seeEmergency Towingon page
572).Charging System Indicator
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
You will also see a‘‘CHECK
CHARGING SYSTEM’’message on
the multi-information display (see
page 87).
Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
Low Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator562

If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine's emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may feel no difference in
your vehicle's performance, it can
reduce your fuel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage.
If you have recently refueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
fuel fill cap. Tighten the cap until it
clicks at least once. Tightening the
cap will not turn the indicator off
immediately; it can take several days
of normal driving.If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn off as you
continue driving, have your vehicle
checked by the dealer as soon as
possible.
If you keep driving with the malfunction
indicator lamp on, you can damage
your vehicle's emissions controls and
engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your vehicle's warranties.
You will also see a‘‘CHECK
EMISSION SYSTEM’’message on
the multi-information display (see
page 87).
Readiness Code
Your vehicle has certain‘‘readiness
codes’’that are part of the on-board
diagnostics for the emissions systems. In
some states, part of the emissions testing
is to make sure these codes are set. If
they are not set, the test cannot be
completed.
If the battery in your vehicle has been
disconnected or gone dead, these codes
may be erased. It takes several days of
driving under various conditions to set
the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position, without
starting the engine. The malfunction
indicator lamp will come on for 20
seconds. If it then goes off, the readiness
codes are set. If it blinks five times, the
readiness codes are not set. If possible,
do not take your vehicle for an emissions
test until the readiness codes are set.
Refer toEmissions Testingfor more
information (see page 590).Malfunction Indicator Lamp
563
Taking Care of the Unexpected