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
| 1
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
16 || 17
SAFeTy
SAFeTy
Protecting Infants
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the infant
reaches the seat maker’s weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant is at least one
year old. Many experts recommend use of a rear-facing seat for a child up to two years
old if the child’s height and weight are appropriate for a rear-facing seat.
Child seats must be placed and secured in a rear seating position. Rear-facing child seats
should never be installed in a forward-facing position.
When properly installed, a rear-facing child seat may prevent
the driver or a front passenger from moving their seat all
the way back, or from locking their seat-back in the desired
position. If this occurs, we recommend that you install the
child seat directly behind the front passenger’s seat, move the
seat as far forward as needed, and leave it unoccupied. Or,
you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat. Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or wrap one around their neck can
result in serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat belt and make sure any unused
seat belt a child can reach is buckled, fully retracted, and locked.
Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or
death during a crash.
Always place a rear-facing child seat in the rear seat, not the front.
WArNING
WArNING
Protecting Smaller Children
If a child is at least one year old and within the weight range indicated by the child seat
manufacturer, the child should be properly restrained in a firmly secured forward-facing
child seat.
We strongly recommend placing a forward-facing child seat
in a rear seating position.
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can
be hazardous, even with advanced front airbags that
automatically turn the passenger’s front airbag off. A rear
seat is the safest place for a child.
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious
injury or death if the front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-facing child seat in front, move the vehicle seat
as far back as possible, and properly restrain the child.
Selecting a Child Seat
Most child seats are LATCH-compatible (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren). Some
have a rigid-type connector, while others have a flexible-type connector. Both are equally
easy to use. Some existing and previously owned child seats can only be installed using
the seat belt. Whichever type you choose, follow the child seat manufacturer’s use and
care instructions as well as the instructions in this manual. Proper installation is key to
maximizing your child’s safety.
In seating positions and vehicles not equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-compatible child
seat can be installed using the seat belt and a top tether for added security. This is
because all child seats are required to be designed so that they can be secured with a lap
belt or the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt. In addition, the child seat manufacturer may
advise that a seat belt be used to attach a LATCH-compatible seat once a child reaches
a specified weight. Please read the child seat owner’s manual for proper installation
instructions.
Important considerations when selecting a child seat
Make sure the child seat meets the following three requirements:
• The child seat is the correct type and size for the child.
• The child seat is the correct type for the seating position.
• The child seat is compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
WArNING
24 || 25
INSTrUmeNT P
ANeL
INSTrUmeNT P ANeL
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
There is a problem with the anti-lock brake system. Your vehicle still has normal
braking ability, but no anti-lock function.
Supplemental restraint System (SrS)
There is a problem with one of the airbag systems or seat belt tensioners.
electric Power Steering (ePS)
There is a problem with the electric power steering system. Stop in a safe place and
restart the engine.
Tire Pressure monitoring System (TPmS)
(Blinks and stays on) There is a problem with the tire pressure monitoring system,
or a spare tire* is installed.
Keyless Access system
There is a problem with the keyless access system.
v ehicle Stability Assist (vSA®) system
• There is a problem with the VSA system or the hill start assist system.
• (Blinks) VSA is active.
Brake system
There is a problem with one of the braking systems. Avoid high speeds and sudden
braking. Your vehicle still has normal braking ability.
Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®)*
• There is a problem with the SH-AWD system.
• (Blinks) The differential temperature is too high. Stop in a safe place, shift to Park,
and idle until the indicator goes off.
Collision mitigation Braking System
Tm (CmBSTm)*
There is a problem with the CMBS system.
Blind Spot Information (BSI) system*
There is a problem with the BSI system or the sensor is blocked.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow*
There is a problem with the ACC system.
Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)*
There is a problem with the LKAS.
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system*
There is a problem with the FCW system, the temperature is too high, or the
camera is blocked.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system*
There is a problem with the LDW system, the temperature is too high, or the
camera is blocked.
Ca nada
U.S.
SYSTEM
Condition Indicators
These indicators may require you to perform an action.
Parking brake
Release the parking brake before driving. You will hear a beep if you drive with it not
fully released.
Seat belt reminder
Make sure seat belts are fastened for you and all passengers. The indicator blinks
and beeps sound continuously if you or your front passenger has not fastened your
seat belts when you begin driving. If the indicator remains on after seat belts are
fastened, see your dealer.
Low fuel
Refuel as soon as possible. If the indicator blinks, there is a problem with the fuel
gauge. See your dealer.
Low tire pressure
Stop in a safe place, check tire pressures, and inflate tire(s) if necessary.
System message
When a condition or malfunction indicator comes on, a message also appears on
the multi-information display. Check the display for more information.
Immobilizer
Your remote transmitter cannot be recognized by the vehicle. If the indicator blinks,
you may not be able to start the engine. Turn the vehicle off, and then on again. If it
continues to blink, there may be a problem with the system. See your dealer.
Canada
U.S.
*if equipped
28 || 29
veHICLe CoNTroLS
veHICLe CoNTroLS
Learn about the various controls necessary for operating and driving the vehicle.
Using the remote Transmitter
Lock or unlock the doors and tailgate.
Unlock button: Press once
to unlock the driver’s door.
Press again to unlock all
doors and the tailgate.
release knob (front or back
of key): Slide the knob to
release the built-in key for
valet use.
Power tailgate button:
Press and hold to unlock and
open the power tailgate.
Press again to close it. Lock button: Press to lock
the doors and tailgate. Press
again for verification. LeD indicators*: Check door
lock or engine status (see
page 91).
Panic button: Press and
hold to sound the alarm for
30 seconds. Press again to
cancel.
veHICLe CoNTroLS
Leaving the remote transmitter in the vehicle can result in theft or accidental
movement of the vehicle. Always take it with you whenever you leave the vehicle
unattended.
eNGINe button*: After
pressing the Lock button
once, press and hold to
remotely start the engine.
*if equipped
Unlocking/Locking the Tailgate
To unlock: Press and hold the tailgate release button under
the tailgate handle to unlock the tailgate and all doors. The
vehicle can be on or off.
If there is not enough clearance for the tailgate to fully
open, press and hold the tailgate release button until you
hear two beeps. The tailgate unlatches, and you can open it
manually.
To lock: Press the tailgate lock button to lock the tailgate
and all doors. If the remote transmitter is inside the vehicle,
the tailgate and doors will not lock.
Tailgate release
button
Lock button
Keyless Access System
When you carry the remote transmitter (for example, in a pocket or purse) and it is outside
the vehicle and within range (about 32 inches or 80 cm), you can lock or unlock the doors
and tailgate without handling the transmitter.
Unlocking/Locking the Doors
To unlock: Grab the driver’s door handle when the vehicle
is off to unlock the driver’s door. Grab the front passenger’s
(or rear*) door handle to unlock all doors and the tailgate.
To lock: Press the door lock button on any front (or
rear*) door handle when the vehicle is off. If the remote
transmitter is inside the vehicle, the doors will not lock.
Door lock
button
*Some models include rear door keyless access.
NoTICe
66 || 67
Learn how to operate the vehicle’s hands-free calling system.
Basic HFL operation
Make and receive phone calls using the vehicle’s audio system, without handling your
phone. Visit www.acura.com/handsfreelink (U.S.) or www.handsfreelink.ca (Canada) to
check phone compatibility.
To reduce the potential for driver distraction, certain manual functions may be
inoperable or grayed out while the vehicle is moving. voice commands are always
available.
HFL Displays and Controls
Use the controls to enter information and make selections.
Bluetooth® HANDSFreeLINK ®
HFL display
PHoNe button: Go
to the phone screen.
BACK button: Go
back to the previous
display. Interface dial
(from the Phone
screen): Move up, down, left,
and right. Rotate and press
ENTER to make selections in
the upper display.
Pick-Up button: Answer an incoming call, or
display speed dial and call history in the MID.
Selector wheel: Scroll through speed dial and
call history in the MID. Press to make a selection.
Adjust volume during a call.
Hang-Up/Back button: End or decline a call, or
clear HFL information in the MID.
Talk button: Make a call using a stored voice tag,
phonebook name, or phone number.
v oice Command Tips
On vehicles with navigation, you can say voice commands to operate system functions.
Below are some helpful tips:
• When using the Talk button, wait for a beep before saying a command.
• To bypass the system prompts, simply press the Talk button again to say your
command.
• When the Talk button is pressed, all available voice commands are highlighted in
yellow.
• Speak in a clear, natural voice.
• Reduce all background noise.
• Adjust the dashboard and side vents away from the microphone in the ceiling.
• Close the windows and moonroof.
on-Demand multi-Use Display (oDmD) Screens
When there is an
incoming call, select
the green Pick-Up or
red Hang-Up icon. When a number
keypad is
displayed, select
numbers to enter.When an alphabet
keyboard is
displayed, select
letters to enter.
oDmD display
Select Shortcuts (Phone
tab) to access Speed Dial
and Call History.
meNU button:
Choose phone
options.
SeTTINGS button:
Choose Phone
Settings.
BLUeTooTH® HANDSFREELINK®
BLUeTooTH® HANDSFREELINK®
90 || 91
DrIvING
DrIvING
Pre-Tow Checklist
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the following:
• Avoid towing a trailer during your vehicle’s first 600 miles (1,000 km).
• The vehicle and trailer have been properly serviced and are in good condition. Lights
and brakes work properly, and the tires are properly inflated.
• All weights and loads are within limits. Never exceed the gross weight ratings.
• When towing more than 3,500 lbs (1,590 kg), use of gasoline with an octane rating of
91 or higher is recommended.
• Check if all loads are within limits at a public scale (see page 89). If a public scale is
not available, add the estimated weight of your cargo load to the weight of the trailer
(as quoted by the manufacturer) and the tongue load.
• The hitch, safety chains, and any other attachments are secure.
• All items in or on the trailer are properly secured and cannot shift while you drive.
Exceeding any load limit or improperly loading your vehicle and trailer can
cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Check the loading of your vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to
drive.
WArNING
remote engine Start*
Start your vehicle’s engine using the two-way remote transmitter before you enter the
vehicle.
Green indicator:
Confirms doors are
locked or engine is
running.Amber indicator:
Remote is
communicating with
vehicle.
red indicator:
Remote is out of
range or cannot
communicate with
the vehicle, or engine
is stopped.eNGINe button: After
pressing the LOCK
button, press and hold
to start the engine.
L oCK button
Operating range:
approximately 328 feet (100 m)
Make sure the vehicle is in a safe location when using remote engine start (i.e., a well
ventilated area, away from any flammable materials).
Starting the engine
Press LOCK, then press and hold ENGINE.
The engine runs for up to 10 minutes. To extend the run time for another
10 minutes, repeat the procedure during the initial 10 minutes.
While the engine is running, the climate control system adjusts the cabin temperature, the
security system remains on, and lights and accessories remain off.
Stopping the engine
Press and hold ENGINE.
The engine will also stop if it has been running for more than 10 minutes, or if any door is
opened without using the remote or keyless access.
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic and can rapidly accumulate in closed or even
partly enclosed areas. Breathing it can cause unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Never use the remote engine starter with the vehicle in a garage or other areas
with limited ventilation.
WArNING
*if equipped