2012 Acura RDX Owner's Manual

ENGINE OIL
DIPSTICK
(Orange loop)
WASHER FLUID
(Blue cap)
POWER STEERING
FLUID
(Red cap)ENGINE
COOLANT
RESERVOIR
RADIATOR CAP BRAKE FLUID
(Black cap)
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK
(Yellow loop)
ENGINE OIL
FILL CAP
Fluid Locations
419
Maintenance
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Unscrew and remove the engine oil
fill cap on top of the valve cover. Pour
in the oil slowly and carefully so you
do not spill any. Clean up any spills
immediately. Spilled oil could
damage components in the engine
compartment.Reinstall the engine oil fill cap, and
tighten it securely. Wait a few
minutes, and recheck the oil level on
the engine oil dipstick. Do not fill
above the upper mark; you could
damage the engine.
Required Engine Oil
Oil is a major contributor to your
engine's performance and longevity.
Your vehicle is equipped with a high-
performance turbocharged engine
that requires the use of synthetic
motor oil. Always use Mobil 1
®
5W-30 or an equivalent oil that meets
the Acura HTO-06 standard. Not all
synthetic oils will meet this standard.
Only use oils that display the HTO-06
standard on the label.
Failure to use Mobil 1
®or an
equivalent oil that meets the HTO-06
standard can lead to a reduction in
engine performance or durability,
and can cause engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
ENGINE OIL FILL CAPAdding Engine Oil42011/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

The oil viscosity or weight is
provided on the container's label.
5W-30 oil is formulated for year-
round protection of your vehicle to
improve cold weather starting and
fuel economy.Engine Oil Additives
Your vehicle does not require any oil
additives. Additives may adversely
affect the engine or transmission
performance and durability.
Ambient Temperature
Adding Engine Oil
421
Maintenance
11/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

Always change the oil and filter
according to the maintenance
messages shown on the multi-
information display. The oil and filter
collect contaminants that can
damage your engine if they are not
removed regularly.
Changing the oil and filter requires
special tools and access from
underneath the vehicle. The vehicle
should be raised on a service station-
type hydraulic lift for this service.
Unless you have the knowledge and
proper equipment, you should have
this maintenance done by a skilled
technician.
1. Run the engine until it reachesnormal operating temperature,
then shut it off.
2. Open the hood, and remove the engine oil fill cap. Remove the oil
drain bolt and washer from the
bottom of the engine. Drain the oil
into an appropriate container. 3. Remove the oil filter, and let the
remaining oil drain. A special
wrench (available from your
dealer) is required.
4. Check the oil filter to make sure its gasket did not stick to the filter
base. A stuck gasket could cause
an oil leak.
5. Install a new oil filter according to the instructions that come with it.
OIL
FILTER
OIL DRAIN
BOLT WASHER
Changing the Engine Oil and Filter42211/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

6. Put a new washer on the drainbolt, then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten the drain bolt to:
29 lbf·ft (39 N·m , 4.0 kgf·m)
7. Refill the engine with the recommended oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including filter):
5.0 US qt (4.7 L) 8. Reinstall the engine oil fill cap.
Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator should go out within 5
seconds. If it does not, turn off the
engine, and check your work.
9. Let the engine run for several minutes, then check the drain bolt
and oil filter for leaks.
10. Turn off the engine and let it sit for several minutes, then check the oil
level on the dipstick. If necessary,
add more oil.
Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmful to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose of
the used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling
center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.
Changing the Engine Oil and Filter
423
Maintenance
11/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

Adding Engine CoolantIf the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX
line. Inspect the cooling system for
leaks.Always use Honda Long-life Anti-
freeze/Coolant Type 2. This coolant
is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antifreeze and 50 percent water.
Never add straight antifreeze or plain
water.
If Honda antifreeze/coolant is not
available, you may use another
major-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporary replacement. Make sure it
is a high-quality coolant
recommended for aluminum
engines. Continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result in
corrosion, causing the cooling
system to malfunction or fail. Have
the cooling system flushed and
refilled with Honda antifreeze/
coolant as soon as possible.If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in 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.
RESERVE TANK
MAX
MINEngine Coolant42411/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

1. Make sure the engine and radiatorare cool.
2. Relieve any pressure in the cooling system by turning the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without
pressing down.
3. Remove the radiator cap by pushing down and turning
counterclockwise.
4. The coolant level should be up tothe base of the filler neck. Add
coolant if it is low.
Pour the coolant slowly and
carefully so you do not spill any.
Clean up any spills immediately; it
could damage components in the
engine compartment. 5. Put the radiator cap back on, and
tighten it fully.
6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank. Fill it halfway between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.
Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your vehicle's
cooling system. They may not be
compatible with the coolant or
engine components.
RADIATOR CAP
RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
Engine Coolant
425
Maintenance
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Check the fluid level in the
windshield washer reservoir at least
monthly during normal use.
On U.S. models:
To check the
windshield washer fluid level, open
the hood and look at the windshield
washer reservoir located behind the
left headlight. You will see a ‘‘1/2 ’’
mark on the reservoir.
On Canadian modelsIf the washer fluid is low, a
‘‘ WASHER FLUID LOW ’’message
appears on the multi-information
display.
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer fluid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents freezing in cold weather.
When you refill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer fluid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
WINDSHIELD WASHER RESERVOIR Front
Fill up to here
Windshield Washers42611/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu