2012 Acura MDX Owner's Manual

To replace the rear wiper blade:
1. Raise the wiper arm off the rear
window.
2. Slide the blade out of the wiper
arm.
3. Examine the new wiper blades. If
they have no plastic or metal
reinforcement along the back
edge, remove the metal
reinforcement strips from the old
wiper blade, and install them in the
slots along the edge of the new
blade.
WIPER ARM
BLADE
REINFORCEMENT
Wiper Blades538

4. Slide the new blade into the wiper
arm. Make sure it is engaged in
the slot along its full length.
5. Lower the wiper arm.
Wiper Blades
539
Maintenance

To safely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inflated.
The following pages give more
detailed information on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they need to be replaced.
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.Inflation Guidelines
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life, and riding
comfort.
●
Underinflated tires wear unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to
fail from being overheated.
●
Overinflated tires can make your
vehicle ride more harshly, are
more prone to damage from road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
The tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) warns you when a tire
pressure is low. See page 455 for
more information.
Even though your vehicle is
equipped with TPMS, we
recommend that you visually check
your tires every day. If you think a
tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure in each tire at least once a
month. Even tires that are in good
condition may lose 1 to 2 psi (10 to
20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2 kgf/cm
2) per
month. Remember to check the
spare tire at the same time.
Tires540

Check the air pressures when the
tires are cold. This means the vehicle
has been parked for at least 3 hours,
or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Add or release air, if needed, to
match the recommended cold tire
pressures.
If you check air pressures when the
tires are hot [driven for several miles
(kilometers)], you will see readings 4
to 6 psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4
kgf/cm
2) higher than the cold
readings. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the recommended
cold air pressure. The tire will be
underinflated.
While tubeless tires have some
ability to self-seal if they are
punctured, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.You should get your own tire
pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier for you to tell if a
pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.
Recommended Tire Pressures
The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures for
most normal driving conditions.
MDX, Technology Package, and U.S.
Technology Package with Entertainment
models
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
255/55R18 105H Front/Rear:
32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2
kgf/cm
2)
U.S. Advance Package, Advance
Package with Entertainment, and
Canadian Elite Package models
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure
for Normal Driving
P255/50R19 103H Front/Rear:
32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2
kgf/cm
2)
The compact spare tire pressure is:
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm
2)
For convenience, the recommended
tire sizes and cold tire pressures are
on a label on the driver's doorjamb.
For additional information about your
tires, see page 581.
CONTINUED
Tires
541
Maintenance

High Speed Driving
We strongly recommend that you do
not drive faster than the posted
speed limits and conditions allow. If
you ever drive in a sanctioned
competitive event at sustained high
speeds (over 99 mph or 160 km/h),
be sure to adjust the cold tire
pressures as shown below. If you do
not, excessive heat can build up and
cause sudden tire failure.MDX, Technology Package, and U.S.
Technology Package with Entertainment
models
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure for
High Speed Driving
255/55R18 105H Front: 32 psi (220 kPa,
2.2 kgf/cm
2)
Rear: 33 psi (230 kPa,
2.3 kgf/cm2)
U.S. Advance Package, Advance
Package with Entertainment, and
Canadian Elite Package models
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure for
High Speed Driving
P255/50R19 103H Front: 33 psi (230 kPa,
2.3 kgf/cm
2)
Rear: 36 psi (260 kPa,
2.6 kgf/cm2)
Tire Inspection
Every time you check inflation, you
should also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for:●
Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions.
●
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side of
the tire. Replace the tire if you can
see fabric or cord.
●
Excessive tread wear.
Tires542

Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a 1/2
inch (12.7 mm) wide band across the
tread. This shows there is less than
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on
the tire.
A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators.Tire Service Life
The service life of your tires is
dependent on many factors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inflation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).In addition to your regular
inspections and inflation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
performed once the tires reach five
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
The last four digits of the TIN (tire
identification number) are found on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (SeeTire
Labelingon page 583).
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
CONTINUED
Tires
543
Maintenance

Tire Maintenance
In addition to proper inflation, correct
wheel alignment helps to decrease
tire wear. If you find a tire is worn
unevenly, have your dealer check the
wheel alignment.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you feel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed from the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comfort and tire life. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance.Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle's aluminum wheels. Use
only Acura wheel weights for
balancing.Tire Rotation
To help increase tire life and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires according to the
maintenance messages displayed on
the multi-information display. Move
the tires to the positions shown in
the illustration each time they are
rotated. If you purchase directional
tires, rotate only front-to-back.Replacing Tires and Wheels
Replace your tires with radial tires of
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire's sidewall).
Mixing radial and bias-ply tires on
your vehicle can reduce braking
ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Using tires of a different
size or construction can cause the
ABS and vehicle stability assist
system (VSA) to work inconsistently.
The ABS works by comparing the
speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally
supplied with the vehicle. Tire size
and construction can affect wheel
speed and may cause the system to
activate.
Front Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels)(For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
Tires544

It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible
or necessary, replace the two front
tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
affect your vehicle's handling.
If you ever replace a wheel, make
sure that the wheel's specifications
match those of the original wheels.
Also be sure you use only TPMS
specific wheels. If you do not, the tire
pressure monitoring system will not
work.
Replacement wheels are available at
your dealer.
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner's manual.
Wheel and Tire Specifications
Wheel:
MDX, Technology Package, and U.S.
Technology Package with Entertainment
models18 x 8 J (TPMS)U.S. Advance Package, Advance
Package with Entertainment, and
Canadian Elite Package models19ᤲ8ᨨJ (TPMS)Tires:
MDX, Technology Package, and U.S.
Technology Package with Entertainment
models255/55R18 105HU.S. Advance Package, Advance
Package with Entertainment, and
Canadian Elite Package modelsP255/50R19 103H
See page 581 for information about
DOT Tire Quality Grading, and page
583 for tire size and labeling
information.
Winter Driving
Tires marked‘‘M＋S’’or‘‘All
Season’’on the sidewall have an all-
weather tread design suitable for
most winter driving conditions.
For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions.
CONTINUED
Tires
545
Maintenance