2012 Acura RDX paddle shifters

ᤳ1: To use the horn, press the center pad of the steering wheel.
ᤳ 2: On models without navigation system.
ᤳ 3: Only on vehicles equipped with navigation system. Refer to the navigation system manual.HEADLIGHTS/TURN
SIGNAL/FOG LIGHTS
(P. 116/119)
REMOTE AUDIO
CONTROL BUTTONS
(P. 289)VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA) OFF SWITCH
(P. 396)
MIRROR CONTROLS
(P. 146)
VOICE CONTROL
BUTTONS
ᤳ 3
BLUETOOTH HANDSFREELINK
BUTTONS (P. 306)
STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENTS
(P. 122) HORN
ᤳ
1
MULTI-INFORMATION
BUTTONS (P. 74) CRUISE CONTROL
BUTTONS (P. 300)SEAT HEATER SWITCHES
(P. 141)ACCESSORY POWER
SOCKET
(P. 157)
AUXILIARY INPUT JACK
(P. 291) REAR WINDOW
DEFOGGER/
HEATED MIRROR
BUTTON
(P. 121/147)PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR
(P. 33)
NAVIGATION SYSTEM
ᤳ
3/
CENTER DISPLAY
ᤳ 2
(P. 172)
HAZARD WARNING BUTTON
(P. 121)
PADDLE SHIFTERS
(P. 380) WINDSHIELD
WIPERS/WASHERS/
REAR WINDOW
WIPER/WASHER
(P. 114/115) UPPER DISPLAY
ᤳ
3
(P. 173)
Vehicle with navigation system is shown.
Your Vehicle at a Glance411/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

ᤳ1: To use the horn, press the center pad of the steering wheel.
ᤳ 2: On models without navigation system.
ᤳ 3: Only on vehicles equipped with navigation system. Refer to the navigation system manual.BLUETOOTH HANDSFREELINK
BUTTONS (P. 306) HORN
ᤳ
1
STEERING WHEEL
ADJUSTMENTS (P. 122) MULTI-INFORMATION
BUTTONS (P. 74)CRUISE CONTROL
BUTTONS (P. 300)SEAT HEATER SWITCHES
(P. 141)
HEADLIGHTS/TURN
SIGNAL/FOG LIGHTS
(P. 116/119)
REMOTE AUDIO CONTROL
BUTTONS (P. 289) VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA) OFF
SWITCH
(P. 396)MIRROR CONTROLS
(P. 146)
VOICE CONTROL
BUTTONS
ᤳ 3
HAZARD WARNING BUTTON
(P. 121)
PADDLE SHIFTERS
(P. 380)
WINDSHIELD
WIPERS/WASHERS/
REAR WINDOW
WIPER/WASHER
(P. 114/115) NAVIGATION SYSTEM
ᤳ
3/
CENTER DISPLAY
ᤳ 2
(P. 172)
PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR (P. 33)
REAR WINDOW
DEFOGGER/
HEATED MIRROR
BUTTON
(P. 121/147)
AUXILIARY INPUT JACK
(P. 291)
ACCESSORY POWER
SOCKET
(P. 157)
UPPER DISPLAY
ᤳ
3
(P. 173)
Vehicle with navigation system is shown.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
113
Instruments and Controls
11/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

Canceling Cruise ControlYou can cancel cruise control in any
of these ways:●Tap the brake pedal.●Push the CANCEL button on the
steering wheel.●Push the CRUISE button on the
steering wheel.The cruise control will be canceled
when the vehicle speed reaches
about 25 mph (40 km/h) or less.
Tapping either of the paddle shifters
shifts the gear up or down, but the
cruise control will be canceled if you
downshift to first gear.
For more information on driving with
paddle shifters, see page 380.
Resuming the Set Speed
When you push the CANCEL button
or tap the brake pedal, the system
remembers the previously set speed.
To return to that speed, accelerate to
above 25 mph (40 km/h), then press
and release the RES/ACCEL button.
The CRUISE CONTROL indicator
comes on. The vehicle accelerates to
the same speed as before.
Pressing the CRUISE button turns
the system completely off and erases
the previous cruising speed.CRUISE BUTTON
CANCEL BUTTONCruise Control30211/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important information on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the Super Handling-All
Wheel Drive™(SH-AWD
®) system,
the vehicle stability assist (VSA
®)
system, the tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS), and facts you need
if you are planning to tow a trailer or
drive off-highway. Driving Guidelines
......................
372
Preparing to Drive
......................
373
Starting the Engine
.....................
374
Automatic Transmission
.............
376
Driving with the Paddle Shifters
...................................
380
Super Handling-All Wheel Drive ™(SH-AWD
®)
System
................................
384
Parking
.......................................
386
Braking System
..........................
387
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............
388
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)
...................................
390
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
®),
aka Electronic Stability Control (ESC), System
.....................
395
Towing a Trailer
..........................
397
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines
...............................
405
Driving
371
Driving
11/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

Drive (D)－Use this position for
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically adjusts to
keep the engine at the best speed for
the driving conditions.
S Position (S) －To shift into the S
position, press the release button on
the front of the shift lever, and move
the lever to S. This position is similar
to D, except only gears from first to
fourth are selected. The S position
keeps the transmission from cycling
between fourth and fifth gears in
stop-and-go driving. With the shift lever in D or S, you
can also use the paddle shifters to
shift the transmission up or down.
Once you begin to use the paddle
shifters in S, the transmission will no
longer upshift or downshift
automatically. For more information
of driving with the paddle shifters,
see page 380.
Engine Speed Limiter
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. If this occurs,
you may feel the engine cut in and
out. This is caused by a limiter in the
engine's computer controls. The
engine will run normally when you
reduce the rpm below the red zone.Automatic Transmission37811/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

Using the Paddle Shifters in the D
position (D-Paddle Shift Mode)
When you are driving in the D
position, pulling either paddle shifter
switches from D-normal drive mode,
to D-paddle shift mode. You can shift
the transmission up or down
manually with the paddle shifters.
Downshifting gives you more power
when climbing, and provides engine
braking when going down a steep
hill.
To shift up or down, use the＋
(right) or －(left) paddle shifter on
either side of the steering wheel.
Each time you pull ＋(right), the
transmission shifts to a higher gear.
Pull －(left) to downshift. You will
see the selected gear number on the
instrument panel.
When you pull either paddle shifter,
the gear position indicator shows you
the selected gear number.
GEAR POSITION INDICATOR
Driving with the Paddle Shifters38011/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

The transmission control system
monitors the accelerator pedal use
and your driving conditions. When
you press the accelerator pedal as in
normal driving, the system judges
that you are driving at a constant
cruising speed without using the
paddle shifters. Under these
conditions, D-paddle shift mode is
canceled, and the transmission
automatically returns to drive mode
(D).
When the transmission returns to
drive mode (D), the displayed gear
number disappears.
The transmission remains in the
selected gear if you do not
accelerate.
Each time you pull either paddle
shifter, the transmission shifts one
gear up or down. If you want to shift
up or down more than two gears, pull
the paddle shifter twice, pause, and
then pull it again.The automatic transmission will not
allow you to shift up or down if:
●You downshift before the engine
speed reaches the highest
threshold of the lower gear.
If you try to do this, the gear
position indicator will flash the
number of the lower gear several
times, then return to a higher gear.●You upshift before the engine
speed reaches the lowest
threshold of the higher gear.●You pull both paddle shifters at the
same time.●You pull one of the two paddle
shifters while continuously pulling
on the other one.
The transmission downshifts to first
gear and returns to drive mode (D)
when the vehicle comes to a
complete stop or the vehicle speed is
about 6 mph (10 km/h).
If there is a problem in the
transmission while you are driving
with the paddle shifters, the D
indicator flashes, the D-paddle shift
mode is canceled, and the
transmission returns to drive mode
(D).
CONTINUED
Driving with the Paddle Shifters
381
Driving
11/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu

Using the Paddle Shifters in the S
position (Sequential Shift Mode)
With the shift lever in the S position,
you can select the sequential shift
mode to shift gears; much like a
manual transmission using the
paddle shifters, but without a clutch
pedal.
To enter the sequential shift mode,
press the release button on the front
of the shift lever, move the lever to
the S position, then pull either paddle
shifter. To cancel the sequential shift
mode and return to the ordinary
automatic transmission, move the
shift lever from the S position. When
moving the shift lever, be careful not
to operate incorrectly. While you are
driving in the sequential shift mode,
the transmission will not
automatically return to ordinary
automatic transmission.
When you move the shift lever from
‘‘D ’’to ‘‘S ’’ and pull either paddle
shifter, the gear position indicator
displays ‘‘M’’ along with the selected
gear number.
To upshift, pull the ＋(right) paddle
shifter. To downshift, pull the －
(left) paddle shifter. When you accelerate from a stop, the
transmission starts in first gear, and
you must manually upshift between
first and fifth gears. Make sure you
upshift before the engine speed
reaches the tachometer's red zone.
The transmission remains in the
selected gear (5, 4, 3, 2, or 1). There
is no automatic downshift when you
push the accelerator pedal to the
floor.
When you are driving in 4th or 5th
gear, the transmission downshifts to
the lower gear under the following
conditions:
●The vehicle slows down to a
certain speed.●You press the brake pedal.
GEAR POSITION INDICATOR
‘‘ M’’ INDICATOR
Driving with the Paddle Shifters38211/06/16 17:42:51 12 ACURA RDX MMC North America Owner's M 50 31STK650 enu