2012 Acura MDX dashboard

Your Vehicle at a Glance(main controls)
....................................................................................................................
3
Driver and Passenger Safety(seat belts, SRS, and child protection)
...........................................................................
5
Instruments and Controls(indicators, gauges, multi-information display, dashboard, and steering column)
...........
65
Features(
climate control, audio, rear entertainment, steering wheel, security, cruise control, and other convenience items
)..
181
Before Driving(fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading)
.......................................................................................
421
Driving(engine and transmission operation)
...........................................................................................................
439
Maintenance(minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)
...........................................................
505
Taking Care of the Unexpected(flat tire, Jump starting, overheating, and fuses)
...................................................
549
Technical Information(vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls)
........................................................
575
Warranty and Client Relations (U.S. and Canada only)(warranty and contact information)
...............................
593
Index
..............................................................................................................................................................................
I
INDEX
Service Information Summary(fluid capacities and tire pressures)
...............................................................
last page
Contents
1

Contents
A convenient reference to the
sections in this manual.
Your Vehicle at a Glance
A quick reference to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important information about the
proper use and care of your vehicle's
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable information on how to
protect children with child restraints.
Instruments and Controls
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and
gauge, and how to use the controls
on the dashboard and steering
column.
Features
How to operate the climate control
system, the audio system, rear
entertainment system, and other
convenience features.Before Driving
What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
Driving
The proper way to start the engine,
shift the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you're
planning to tow a trailer.
Maintenance
The Maintenance Minder™shows
you when you need to take your
vehicle to the dealer for maintenance
service. There is also a list of things
to check and instructions on how to
check them.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience, and
details how to handle them.Technical Information
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
Warranty and Client Relations
(U.S. and Canada only)
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual for detailed
information.
Index
Service Information Summary
A summary of the information you
need when you pull up to the fuel
pump.Overview of Contents2

The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:●
Airbags do not replace seat belts.They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
●
Airbags offer no protection in rear
impacts, or minor frontal or side
collisions.
●
Airbags can pose serious hazards.To do their job, airbags must
inflate with tremendous force. So
while airbags help save lives, they
can cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly.
What you should do:
Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as far back from the
steering wheel as possible while
allowing full control of the vehicle. A
front passenger should move their
seat as far back from the dashboard
as possible.The rest of this section gives more
detailed information about how you
can maximize your safety.
Remember, however, that no safety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags
deploy.
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
11
Driver and Passenger Safety

2. Adjust the Front SeatsAdjust the driver's seat as far to the
rear as possible while allowing you to
maintain full control of the vehicle.
Have a front passenger adjust their
seat as far to the rear as possible.If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inflating front
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that drivers
allow at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the center of the steering
wheel and the chest. In addition to
adjusting the seat, you can adjust the
steering wheel up and down, and in
and out (see page 134).
If you cannot get far enough away
from the steering wheel and still
reach the controls, we recommend
that you investigate whether some
type of adaptive equipment may help.
Sitting too close to a front
airbag can result in serious
injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
front airbags as possible.
See page 149 for how to adjust the
front seats.
Protecting Adults and Teens14

Your Airbag System (SRS) includes:●
Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) front airbags. The driver's
airbag is stored in the center of the
steering wheel; the front
passenger's airbag is stored in the
dashboard. Both are marked‘‘SRS
AIRBAG’’(see page 30).
●
Two side airbags, one for the
driver and one for a front
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’(see page 33).
●
Two side curtain airbags, one for
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling
above the side windows. The front
and rear pillars are marked‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’(see page 35).
●
On models with CMBS, front seat
belt e-pretensioners (see page 24).
●
Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page 23).
●
Sensors that can detect a moderate
to severe front impact, side impact,
or if your vehicle is about to
rollover.
●
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger's side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag off (see
page 34).
●
Sensors that can detect whether
the driver's seat belt and the front
passenger's seat belt are latched or
unlatched (see page 21).
●
A driver's seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will
inflate with less force (see page
31).
Additional Information About Your Airbags28

●
Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the front passenger's
seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less (the weight of an
infant or small child), the
passenger's front airbag will be
turned off (see page 31).
●
A rollover sensor that can detect if
your vehicle is about to roll over
and signal the control unit to
deploy both side curtain airbags
(see page 35).
●
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records information about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position.
●
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbag system
components (see page 36 and 67).
●
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger's side airbag has been
turned off (see page 36).
●
An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger's
front airbag has been turned off
(see page 37).
●
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle's electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
29
Driver and Passenger Safety

The driver's advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force, regardless of the
severity of the impact.
If there is a problem with the sensor,
the SRS indicator will come on, and
the airbag will inflate in the normal
manner regardless of the driver's
seating position.
The passenger's advanced front
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Acura does
not encourage carrying an infant or
small child in front, if the sensors
detect the weight of an infant or
small child (up to about 65 lbs or 29
kg), the system will automatically
turn the passenger's front airbag off.Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger's seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.
When the passenger airbag gets
turned off by the weight sensors, a
‘‘passenger airbag off’’indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page 37).
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the front seat, the
airbag is automatically turned off.
However, the passenger airbag off
indicator in this situation will not
come on.
DRIVER'S
SEAT
POSITION
SENSOR
PASSENGER'S
SEAT
WEIGHT
SENSOR
Additional Information About Your Airbags32

To remind you of the passenger's
front airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warning labels on the dashboard
(U.S. models) and on the front visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
U.S. Models
SUN VISORSDASHBOARD
Canadian Models
SUN VISORS
Protecting Children－General Guidelines42