2012 Acura ZDX Owner's Manual

15
Quick Reference Guide
Maintenance (P 269)
Under the Hood (P 277)
● Check engine oil, engine coolant, and windshield washer
fluid. Add when necessary.
● Check brake fluid.
● Check the battery regularly.
aPull the hood release handle under the corner of the
dashboard.
bLocate the hood latch lever, pull the lever up, and lift up
the hood.
cWhen finished, close the hood and make sure it is firmly
locked in place.
Lights (P 291)
● Inspect all lights regularly.
Wiper Blades (P 298)
● Replace blades if they leave streaks
across the windshield.
Tires (P 300)
● Inspect tires and wheels regularly.
● Check tire pre ssures regularly.
● Install snow tires for winter
driving.

16
Quick Reference Guide
Handling the Unexpected (P 317)
Flat Tire (P 319)
● Park in a safe location and replace the
flat tire with the compact spare tire
located under the cargo area.
Indicators Come On (P 334)
● Identify the indicator and consult the
owner’s manual.
Engine Won’t Start (P 326)
● If the battery is dead, jump start using a
booster battery.
Blown Fuse (P 343)
● Check for a blown fuse if an electrical
device does not operate.
Overheating (P 332)
● Park in a safe locati on. If you do not see
steam under the hood, open the hood,
and let the engine cool down.
Emergency Towing (P 344)
● Call a professional towing service if you
need to tow your vehicle.

17
Quick Reference Guide
What to Do If
*1: Models with the keyless access system have an ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.
The ignition switch does
not turn from
0 to q*1.
Why?
●The steering wheel may be locked.●Try to turn the steering wheel left and right
while turning the ignition key.
●Move the steering wheel left and right while
pressing the ENGINE START/STOP button* at
the same time.
The ignition switch does
not turn from
q to 0*1
and I cannot remove the
key. Why?
The shift lever should be moved to P.
Why does the brake pedal
pulsate slightly when
applying the brakes?This can occur when the ABS acti vates, and does not indicate a
problem. Apply firm, steady pre ssure on the brake pedal. Never
pump the brake pedal.
The rear door cannot be
opened from inside the
vehicle. Why?Check if the childproo f lock is in the
LOCK position. If so, open the rear
door with the outside door handle.
To cancel this func tion, push the lever
to the UNLOCK position.
* Not available on all models

18
Quick Reference Guide
Why do the doors lock
after I unlocked the doors
using a remote
transmitter?If you do not open the doors within 30 seconds, the doors are
relocked automatica lly for security.
Why does the beeper
sound when I open the
driver’s door?The beeper sounds when:
●The key is left in the ignition switch.
●The exterior lights are left on.
●The power mode is in ACCESSORY.
Why does the beeper
sound when I start driving?The beeper sounds when:
●Driver and/or front passenger ar e not wearing their seat belts.
●The parking brake lever is not fully released.
Why do I hear a screeching
sound when I apply the
brake pedal?The brake pads may need to be replaced. Have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer.
Is it possible to use
unleaded gasoline with a
Pump Octane Number
(PON) of 87 or higher on
this vehicle?If premium unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is not
available, you can temporarily use the gasoline with a PON of
87 or higher.
This will result in decreased en gine performance, and can cause
occasional metallic knocking noise in the engine.
Unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is required. The
long-term use of a lower PON ga soline can lead to engine
damage.

19
Quick Reference Guide
California Proposition 65 Warning
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder (EDR).
The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding how a vehicle’s
systems performed. The EDR is designed to record data related
to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle is
designed to record such data as:
• How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator
and/or brake pedal; and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data
are recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and
crash location) are recorded. Howeve r, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
WARNING: This product contains or emits
chemicals known to the state of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm.
To read data recorded by an ED R, special equipment is required,
and access to the vehicle or the ED R is needed. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as law enforcement, that
have the special equipment, can read the information if they have
access to the vehicle or the EDR.
The data belongs to the vehicle ow ner and may not be accessed by
anyone else except as legally required or with the permission of the
vehicle owner.
Service Diagnostic Recorders
This vehicle is equipp ed with service-relate d devices that record
information about powertrain perfo rmance. The data can be used
to verify emissions law require ments and/or help technicians
diagnose and solve service problems. It may also be combined with
data from other sources for research purposes, but it remains
confidential.
California Perchlorate Contamination Prevention Act
The airbags, seat belt tensioners, and CR type batteries in this
vehicle may contain perchlorate materials - special handling may
apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate/
As you read this manual, you will find information that is preceded
by a symbol. This information is intended to help you avoid
damage to your vehicle, other property, or the environment.
NOTICE

20
Quick Reference Guide
A Few Words About Safety
Your safety, and the safety of others, is very important. And
operating this vehicle safely is an important responsibility.
To help you make informed decisions about safety, we have
provided operating procedures and other information on labels and
in this manual. This in formation alerts you to potential hazards that
could hurt you or others.
Of course, it is not practical or possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or maintaining your vehicle. You
must use your own good judgement. You will find this important safety information in a variety of forms,
including:
●
Safety Labels - on the vehicle.
● Safety Messages - preceded by a safety alert symbol
3 and
one of three signal words: DANGER, WARNING , or CAUTION .
These signal words mean:
● Safety Headings - such as Important Safety Precautions.
● Safety Section - such as Safe Driving.
● Instructions - how to use this vehi cle correctly and safely.
This entire book is fi lled with important safe ty information - please
read it carefully.
3 DANGERYou WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if
you don't follow instructions.
3WARNINGYou CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if
you don't follow instructions.
3CAUTIONYou CAN be HURT if you don't follow
instructions.

21
Safe Driving
You can find many safety recommendations throughout this chapter, and throughout this manual.
For Safe Driving
Important Safety Precautions ............. 22
Important Handling In formation......... 24
Your Vehicle’s Safety Features............ 25
Seat Belts About Your Seat Belt s ........................ 27
Fastening a Seat Belt .......................... 31
Seat Belt Inspection............................ 34
Airbags Airbag System Components ............... 35
Types of Airbags ................................ 38
Front Airbags (SRS) ............................ 38 Side Airbags ...................................... 42
Side Curtain Airbags .......................... 45
Airbag System Indicators.................... 46
Airbag Care ....................................... 49
Child Safety Protecting Child Passengers ............... 50
Safety of Infants and Small Children ....... 52Safety of Larger Children ................... 62
Exhaust Gas Hazard Carbon Monoxide Gas ....................... 64
Safety Labels Label Locations .................................. 65

22
Safe Driving
For Safe Driving
The following pages explain your vehicle’s safety features and how to use them
properly. The safety precautions below are ones that we consider to be among the
most important.
Important Safety Precautions
■Always wear your seat belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. So even though your vehicle is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and your passe ngers always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly.
■Restrain all children
Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in a back seat, not the
front seat. Infants and small children should be restrained in a child seat. Larger
children should use a booster seat and a lap/shoulder seat belt until they can use the
belt properly without a booster seat.
■Be aware of airbag hazards
While airbags can save lives, they can caus e serious or fatal injuries to occupants
who sit too close to them, or are not pr operly restrained. Infants, young children,
and short adults are at the greatest risk. Be sure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
■Don’t drink and drive
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even one dr ink can reduce your ability to respond to
changing conditions, and your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink.
So don't drink and drive, and don't let your friends drink and drive, either.
1 Important Safety Precautions
Some states, provinces and te rritories prohibit the use
of cell phones other than hands-free devices by the
driver while driving.