2015 Acura MDX Owner's Guide

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Cover
Cover
owners.acura.com (U.S.)
myacura.ca (Canada)

31TZ5G01 2015 Acura MDX Owner’s Guide
00X31-TZ5-G010 ©2014 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. — All Rights Reserved Printed in U.S.A.2015
oWNer’S GUIDe

DISCLoSUreS
California Proposition 65 Warning
WARNING: This product contains or emits chemicals known to the state of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
California Perchlorate Contamination Prevention ActThe 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/ for more information.
Devices That emit radio Waves
The following products and systems on your vehicle emit radio waves when in operation:
•  AcuraLink®
•  Audio system
•  Blind Spot Information (BSI) system
•  Bluetooth® Audio
•  Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®
•  Collision Mitigation Braking
System
TM (CMBSTM) • 
HomeLink® Universal Transceiver
•  Immobilizer system
•  Remote transmitter
•  Keyless Access System
•  Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Each of the above complies with the appropriate requirements or the required standards
of FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and Industry Canada, described below:
As required by  the FCC:
This  device complies  with Part 15 of the FCC rules.  Operation is subject  to the following 
two conditions:  (1) This  device may not cause harmful interference,  and (2)  this device 
must  accept  any interference received,  including interference that may cause undesired 
operation.
Changes  or modifications not expressly  approved by the party responsible for compliance 
could  void the user’s  authority to operate  the equipment.
As required by Industry  Canada:
This  device complies  with Industry Canada Standard RSS-Gen/210/310.  Operation is subject 
to  the following  two conditions:  (1) this  device may not cause interference,  and (2)  this 
device must  accept any interference,  including interference  that may cause undesired 
operation  of the  device.  
event Data r ecorders
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. However,
other parties, such as law enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is required, and access to the vehicle
or the EDR 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 belong to the vehicle owner and may not be accessed by anyone else except as
legally required or with the permission of the vehicle owner.
Service Diagnostic r ecorders
This vehicle is equipped with service-related devices that record information about
powertrain performance. The data can be used to verify emissions law requirements 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.

This Owner’s Guide is intended to help you quickly get acquainted with your 2015 Acura
MDX. It provides basic information and instructions on technology and convenience
features, as well as emergency procedures and how to get assistance.
This guide is for vehicles sold in the United States and Canada. It covers all MDX models, so
you may find descriptions of features and equipment that are not in your vehicle. Images
throughout this guide are from U.S. vehicles and represent features and equipment that are
available on some, but not all, models.
This guide is not intended to be a substitute for the Owner’s Manual. The Owner
Information CD enclosed in your glove box kit includes the Owner’s Manual, Navigation
Manual, and vehicle and tire warranties in electronic format. This information can be viewed
on a computer (PC or Mac platform) and saved or printed for your reference. You can
also visit owners.acura.com (U.S.) or myacura.ca (Canada) to view the complete and most
current information.
If you are the first registered owner of your vehicle, you may request a complimentary
printed copy of the Owner’s Manual, Navigation Manual, or Vehicle Warranty up to six
months after vehicle purchase. To request a copy, visit owners.acura.com (U.S.) or myacura.
ca (Canada) and create or log in to your account. In Canada, please request a copy from
your Acura dealer.
American Honda Motor Company strives to be proactive in protecting our environment and
natural resources. By using electronic delivery for a considerable portion of the information
typically found in a vehicle owner’s manual, we are further reducing our impact on the
environment.
Acura Total Luxury Care r oadside Assistance
Your Acura TLC Roadside Assistance representative is here to help you
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Under your 4-year/50,000-mile (80,000 km) warranty, the
following benefits are available:
- Towing services — full cost of towing to the closest Acura dealer
- Roadside assistance — jump starting, fuel delivery, lockout, and flat tire
- Trip planning — detailed trip routing, emergency services, and more
Call (800) 594-8500 (U.S.) or (800) 565-7587 (Canada)
Acura Client relations
Your authorized Acura dealer should be able to answer any questions you have about your
vehicle. However, if you are dissatisfied with the information you receive, you can call Acura
Client Relations (see page 140).
Call (800) 382-2238 (U.S.) or (888) 922-8729 (Canada)
INTroDUCTIoN TABLe oF CoNTeNTS
*if equipped
vISUAL INDex ...................................1
Steering Wheel and Nearby Controls
1
Dashboard and Ceiling Controls ..... 2
SAFeTy INFormATIoN .................. 3
Important Safety Information ....... 3
Seat Belts ........................................... 5
Airbags ............................................... 9
Child Safety ..................................... 15
Safety Label Locations ................... 21
r eporting Safety Defects .............. 22
INSTrUmeNT P ANeL .................... 23
malfunction Indicators .................. 23
Condition Indicators ...................... 25
on/off Indicators .......................... 26
multi-Information Display ........... 27
veHICLe CoNTroLS ..................... 28
Using the remote Transmitter ..... 28
Keyless Access System .................. 29
Power Tailgate operation ............. 30
Door operation from Inside the v ehicle
31
Power Window operation ............ 32
Power moonroof operation ........33
Interior and exterior Lights ...........34
one-Touch Turn Signal .................. 36
Wiper operation ............................ 36
Adjusting the Seats ........................ 38
Adjusting the mirrors..................... 41
Adjusting the Steering Wheel ...... 42
Driving Position memory System ... 42
r ear Seats ........................................ 43
HomeLink® Garage opener .......... 45Climate Control System
................46
Seat Heaters and ventilation* ..... 49
Customized Features ..................... 50
AUDIo AND CoNNeCTIvITy ....... 51
Basic Audio operation .................... 51
Fm/Am radio .................................. 54
Siriusxm® radio ............................. 55
Compact Disc .................................. 56
Hard Disc Drive (HDD) Audio* .... 57
iPod® or USB Flash Drive .............. 58
Bluetooth® Audio ........................... 59
Pandora® ......................................... 60
AcuraLink featuring Aha™ ............. 61
r ear entertainment System* ....... 62
Bluetooth® HANDSFreeLINK ®.... 66
Basic HFL operation ...................... 66
Pairing a Phone ............................... 68
making a Call .................................. 69
SmS Text messaging and e-mail .... 72
A CUrALINK
®* ................................. 73
AcuraLink messages ....................... 73
Subscription Features .................... 74
NA vIGATIoN* ............................... 76
Basic Navigation operation ......... 76
entering a Destination .................. 79
r outing ............................................ 81
DrIvING .......................................... 83
Before Driving ................................. 83
maximum Load Limit ..................... 85
Towing a Trailer .............................. 87
r emote engine Start* ..................... 91
Starting to Drive ............................. 92
Integrated Dynamics System ....... 94

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vISUAL INDex
Quickly locate items in the vehicle’s interior.
Steering Wheel and Nearby Controls
1 Lights/turn signals p. 34, 36
2 Wipers/washers p. 36
3 Cruise control/Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow*
buttons p. 96, 96
4 Voice recognition/Bluetooth®
HandsFreeLink® buttons p. 66
5 Horn
6 Audio controls p. 52
7 Instrument panel p. 23
Multi-information display p. 27
8 Right selector wheel p. 27
TRIP button p. 27
9 Paddle shifters p. 93
10 Distance (ACC) button* p. 97
11 Lane Keeping Assist System
(LKAS) button* p. 101
12 ENGINE START/STOP button p. 92
13 Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®)
button p. 94
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
button* p. 100
Parking sensor button* p. 104
Collision Mitgation Braking
System
TM (CMBSTM) button* p. 103
Heated windshield button* p. 48
Headlight washer button* p. 34
14 Heated steering wheel button* p. 48
vISUAL INDex
1
45
9
61011
7283
131412
*if equipped*if equipped
v ehicle Stability Assist (vSA®), aka
electronic Stability Control (eSC)
System ............................................. 94
Braking ............................................. 95
Cruise Control ................................ 96
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
with Low Speed Follow* ............... 97
Forward Collision Warning
(FCW)* ............................................. 99
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW)* .......................................... 100
Lane Keeping Assist System
(LKAS)* ........................................... 101
Blind Spot Information (BSI)
System* ......................................... 102
Collision mitigation Braking
System™ (CmBS™)* ................... 103
Parking Sensor System* .............. 104
multi- view rear Camera ............. 105
Surround view Camera* ............. 106
r efueling ....................................... 107
HANDLING THe UNexPeCTeD ...108
Keyless Access r emote Battery
Strength ......................................... 108
Jump Starting ................................ 108
Shift Lever Does Not move ........ 109
overheating ................................... 110
emergency engine Stop ................ 111
Tire Pressure monitoring System
(TPmS) ............................................ 111
Changing a Flat Tire ...................... 112Tire r
epair Kit* .............................. 116
Fuse Locations ............................... 117
emergency Towing ....................... 120
mAINTeNANCe ............................. 121
Safety Precautions ........................ 121
maintenance minder™ ................ 122
Under the Hood ............................ 124
engine oil ...................................... 125
engine Coolant .............................. 127
Window Washer Fluid ................. 128
Checking the Battery ................... 128
Changing Wiper Blades ............... 129
Tire Information ........................... 130
Tire Labeling .................................. 133
Do T Tire Quality Grading ........... 134
Tire Pressure monitoring System
(TPmS) - r equired Federal
explanation ................................... 136
Testing of readiness Codes ........ 137
SPeCIFICATIoNS ......................... 138
CLIeNT INFormATIoN .............. 139
Frequently Asked Questions/
Troubleshooting ........................... 139
Contact Us .................................... 140
Acura Total Luxury Care r oadside
Assistance ...................................... 141
Warranty Coverages ..................... 141
v oICe CommAND INDex ......... 142
INDex ............................................ 148

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SAFeTy
vISUAL INDex
Dashboard and Ceiling Controls
1 Color information display
2 On-Demand Multi-Use Display (ODMD)
p. 53
3 Hazard warning button
4 Climate control buttons p. 46
5 Moonroof switch p. 33
Map lights p. 35
HomeLink® buttons p. 45
AcuraLink® buttons* p. 73
6 Power window switches p. 32
Door lock switches p. 31
Door mirror controls p. 41
Power folding mirror button* p. 41
7 Power tailgate button* p. 30
Fuel fill door handle p. 107
8 Hood release handle p. 124
9 Driving Position Memory System
buttons p. 42
10 Integrated Dynamics System
(IDS) button p. 94
11 Parking brake p. 95
12 Audio/phone/navigation/Surround
View Camera* buttons p. 50, 65,
75, 105
13 Rear entertainment system* p. 62
14 USB port p. 51
Auxiliary input jack p. 51
Accessory power socket p. 51
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5
67
9
1012
Your safety—and the safety of others—is very important, and operating this vehicle safely
is an important responsibility. While we strive to help you make informed decisions about
safety, it is not practical or possible to warn you about all the hazards associated with
operating or maintaining your vehicle. Therefore, you must use your own good judgment.
Important Safety Information
This guide explains many of your vehicle’s safety features and how to use them. Please read
this information carefully. Following the instructions below will also help to keep you and
your passengers safe.
Important Safety Precautions
•  Always wear your seat belt.
•  Secure all children in the proper restraint system.
•  Be aware of airbag hazards.
•  Don’t drink and drive.
•  Pay appropriate attention to the task of driving safely.
•  Control your speed.
•  Keep your vehicle in safe condition.
Engaging in cell phone conversation or other activities that keep you from paying close
attention to the road, other vehicles, and pedestrians could lead to a crash. Remember,
situations can change quickly, and only you can decide when it is safe to divert some
attention away from driving.
Important Handling Information Your vehicle has a higher ground clearance than a passenger vehicle designed for use only
on pavement. Higher ground clearance has many advantages for off-highway driving.
It allows you to travel over bumps, obstacles, and rough terrain. It also provides good
visibility so you can anticipate problems earlier.
These advantages come at some cost. Because your vehicle is taller and rides higher off
the ground, it has a higher center of gravity, making it more susceptible to tripping or
rollover if you make abrupt turns. Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more
likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt. As a reminder, make sure you and your
passengers always wear seat belts.
SAFeTy INFormATIoN
13
*if equipped
14

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SAFeTy
SAFeTy
Carbon monoxide Gas
The engine exhaust from this vehicle contains carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless, and
highly toxic gas. As long as you properly maintain your vehicle and follow the instructions
set forth below, you will not accumulate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide gas in the
vehicle interior.
Have the exhaust system inspected for leaks whenever:
•  The exhaust system is making an unusual noise.
•  The exhaust system may have been damaged.
•  The vehicle is raised for an oil change.
When you operate a vehicle with the tailgate open, airflow can pull exhaust gas into the
interior and create a hazardous condition. If you must drive with the tailgate open, open
all the windows and set the climate control system as shown below.
1. Select the fresh air mode.
2. Select the (
) mode.
3. Set the fan speed to high.
4. Set the temperature control to a comfortable setting.
Adjust the climate control system in the same manner if you sit in your parked vehicle
with the engine running. Improperly operating this vehicle on or off pavement can cause a crash or
rollover in which you and your passengers can be seriously injured or killed.
• Follow all instructions and guidelines in 
this guide.
• Keep  your speed low, and  don’t drive faster  than conditions permit.
WArNING
Safety messages
When you see the following messages throughout this guide, pay close attention.
You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t
follow instructions.
You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t
follow instructions.
You CAN be HURT if you don’t follow instructions.
This information is intended to help you avoid damage to your
vehicle, other property, or the environment.
WArNING
CAUTIoN
NoTICe
DANGer
An enclosed area such as a garage can quickly fill up with carbon monoxide gas. Do not
run the engine with the garage door closed. Even when the garage door is open, drive out
of the garage immediately after starting the engine. Carbon monoxide gas is toxic. Breathing it can cause unconsciousness and
even kill you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or activities that expose you to carbon monoxide.
WArNING
Seat Belts
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 passengers always wear your seat belts and wear them
properly.
Lap/Shoulder Seat Belts
All seven seating positions are equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts with emergency
locking retractors. In normal driving, the retractor lets you move freely while keeping
some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop, the retractor locks to restrain
your body. The front passenger’s, second-row, and third-row seat belts also have a
lockable retractor for use with child seats.
The front seats are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners to enhance safety. The
tensioners automatically tighten the front seat belts during a moderate-to-severe front
collision, sometimes even if the collision is not severe enough to inflate the front airbags
or the driver’s knee airbag.
Proper Use of Seat BeltsFollow these guidelines for proper use:
•  All occupants should sit upright, well back in the seat, and remain in that position for
the duration of the trip. Slouching and leaning reduces the effectiveness of the belt and
can increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.
•  Never place the shoulder part of a lap/shoulder seat belt under your arm or behind your
back. This could cause very serious injuries in a crash.
•  Two people should never use the same seat belt. If they do, they could be very seriously
injured in a crash.
•  Do not put any accessories on the seat belts. Devices intended to improve comfort
or reposition the shoulder part of a seat belt can reduce the protective capability and
increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.
•  No one should sit in a seat with an inoperative seat belt or one that does not appear to
be working correctly. Using a seat belt that is not working properly may not protect the
occupant in a crash. Have a dealer check the belt as soon as possible.

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SAFeTy
SAFeTy
Not wearing a seat belt properly increases the chance of a serious injury or
death in a crash, even though your vehicle has airbags.
Be sure you and your passengers always wear seat belts and wear them
properly.
WArNING
Seat Belt Inspection
Regularly check the condition of your seat belts as follows:
•  Pull each belt out fully, and look for frays, cuts, burns, and wear.
•  Check that the latches work smoothly and the belts retract easily. If a belt does not
retract easily, cleaning the belt may correct the problem. Only use a mild soap and
warm water. Do not use bleach or cleaning solvents. Make sure the belt is completely
dry before allowing it to retract.
Any belt that is not in good condition or working properly will not provide proper
protection and should be replaced as soon as possible.
A belt that has been worn during a crash may not provide the same level of protection in
a subsequent crash. Have your seat belts inspected by a dealer after any collision.
Not checking or maintaining seat belts can result in serious injury or death if
the seat belts do not work properly when needed.
Check your seat belts regularly and have any problem corrected as soon as
possible.
WArNING
Fastening a Seat BeltAdjust your seat to the proper position (see page 38), and then follow the below steps.
1. Pull the seat belt out slowly.
2. Insert the latch plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is secure. Make sure that
the belt is not twisted or caught on anything.
On models with CMBS
TM, the front seat belts retract
automatically.
3. Position the lap part of the belt as low as possible across
your hips, then pull up on the shoulder part of the belt
so the lap part fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic
bones take the force of a crash and reduces the chance
of internal injuries.
4. If necessary, pull up on the belt again to remove any
slack, then make sure that the belt rests across the
center of your chest and over your shoulder. This spreads
the forces of a crash over the strongest bones in your
upper body.
To release the belt, push the red PRESS button
then guide the belt by hand until it has
retracted completely.
Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor
The front seats have adjustable shoulder anchors to accommodate taller and shorter
occupants.
1. Move the anchor up and down while holding the release
button.
2. Position the anchor so that the belt rests across the
center of your chest and over your shoulder. Improperly positioning the seat belts can cause serious injury or death in a
crash.
Make sure all seat belts are properly positioned before driving.
Pull
out
slowl y.
Lap belt
as low as
possible
Latch
plate
Buckle
Pull out
slowl y.
Lap belt
as low as
possible
Latch
plate
Buckle
Pull out
slowl y.
Lap belt
as low as
possible
Latch
plate
Buckle
Push
WArNING

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SAFeTy
SAFeTy
Seat Belt with Detachable Anchor
The seat belt for the second-row center seat is located in the ceiling.
1. Pull out the seat belt’s small latch plate and the latch
plate from each holding slot in the ceiling.
2. Line up the triangle marks on the small latch plate and
anchor buckle. Make sure the seat belt is not twisted.
Attach the belt to the anchor buckle.
3. Insert the latch plate into the buckle. Properly fasten the
seat belt the same way you fasten the lap/shoulder seat
belt.
To unlatch the detachable anchor, insert the
latch plate into the slot on the side of the
anchor buckle.
Using the seat belt with the detachable anchor unlatched increases the
chance of serious injury or death in a crash.
Before using the seat belt, make sure the detachable anchor is correctly
latched.
Small latch plate Latch plate
Small latch plate
Anchor buckle
Latch
plate
Buckle Latch plate
Small latch plate
WArNING
Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with several types of airbags: front airbags, driver’s knee airbag,
side airbags, and side curtain airbags.
Front Airbags (SrS) The front SRS airbags inflate in a moderate-to-severe frontal collision to help protect the
head and chest of the driver and/or front passenger. They are housed in the center of the
steering wheel for the driver, and in the dashboard for the front passenger. Both airbags
are marked SrS AIrBAG.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indicates that the airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the occupant’s primary restraint
system.
Driver’s Knee Airbag The driver’s knee SRS airbag inflates with the driver’s front airbag in a moderate-to-severe
frontal collision to help keep the driver in the proper position and to help maximize the
benefit provided by the vehicle’s other safety features.
Advanced Airbags
Your front airbags have advanced features to help reduce the likelihood of airbag-related
injuries to smaller occupants.
The driver’s advanced front airbag system includes a seat
position sensor. If the seat is too far forward, the airbag
inflates with less force, regardless of the severity of the
impact.
If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position sensor,
the SRS indicator will come on and the airbag will inflate
with full (normal) force, regardless of the driver’s seating
position.
The passenger’s advanced front airbag system has weight
sensors. Although Acura recommends against carrying
an infant or small child in front, if the sensors detect the
weight of a child (up to 65 lbs or 29 kg), the system will
automatically turn off the passenger’s front airbag.
For both advanced front airbags to work properly:
•  Do not spill any liquid on or under the seats.
•  Do not put any object under the passenger’s seat.
•  Make sure any objects are positioned properly on the floor. Improperly positioned
objects can interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.
•  All occupants should sit upright and wear their seat belts properly.
•  Do not place any cover over any part of the passenger side dashboard.
Driver’s
seat
position
sensor
Passenger’s
seat weight
sensors