2015 Acura MDX window

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
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*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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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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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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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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Side Airbags
The side airbags help protect the upper torso and pelvis of the driver or a front passenger
during a moderate-to-severe side impact. They are housed in the outside edge of the
driver’s and front passenger’s seat-backs. Both are marked SIDe AIrBAG.
Side Curtain Airbags
Side curtain airbags help protect the head and torso of the driver and passengers in outer
seating positions during a moderate-to-severe side impact. The side curtain airbags
equipped in this vehicle are also designed to help reduce the likelihood of partial and
complete ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in crashes, particularly
rollover crashes.
The side curtain airbags are located in the ceiling above the
side windows on both sides of the vehicle.
The side curtain airbags are designed to deploy in a rollover
or moderate-to-severe side impact. If the SRS control unit
senses that your vehicle is about to roll over, it immediately
deploys both side curtain airbags and activates both front
seat belt tensioners. If the impact is on the passenger’s side,
the passenger’s side curtain airbag will inflate even if there
are no occupants on that side of the vehicle.
To get the best protection from the side curtain airbags,
occupants should wear their seat belts properly and sit
upright and well back in their seats.
Do not attach any objects to the side windows or roof pillars, as they can interfere with
the proper operation of the side curtain airbags.
When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain airbags may inflate in a moderate-to-severe angled frontal
collision. In this case, the side curtain airbags will deploy slightly after the front airbags.
Side curtain airbag storage
Deployed side curtain airbags
Important Facts About your Airbags
Always wear your seat belt properly, and sit upright and as far back from the steering
wheel as possible while allowing full control of the vehicle. A front passenger should
move their seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.
Do not place hard or sharp objects between yourself and a front airbag. Carrying hard
or sharp objects on your lap, or driving with a pipe or other sharp object in your mouth,
can result in injuries if your front airbag inflates.
Do not attach or place objects on the front and driver’s knee airbag covers. Objects on
the covers marked SRS AIRBAG could interfere with the proper operation of the airbags
or be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone if the airbags inflate.
Do not attach accessories on or near the side airbags. They can interfere with the
proper operation of the airbags, or hurt someone if an airbag inflates.
Do not attach any objects to the side windows or roof pillars. They can interfere with
the proper operation of the side curtain airbags.
Do not cover or replace the front seat-back covers. This can prevent your side airbags
from properly deploying during a side impact.
Ignoring the SRS indicator can result in serious injury or death if the airbag
systems or tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a dealer as soon as possible if the SRS indicator
alerts you to a possible problem.
Airbag System
(SRS) Problem
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Airbag System Indicators
If a problem occurs in the airbag system, the SRS indicator comes on and a message
appears on the multi-information display.
SrS (Supplemental r estraint System) Indicator
If the indicator comes on at any other time besides vehicle
start-up, or does not come on at all, have the system
checked by a dealer as soon as possible. If you don’t, your
airbags and seat belt tensioners may not work properly
when they are needed. An open glove box can cause serious injury to your passenger in a crash, even
if the passenger is wearing the seat belt.
Always keep the glove box closed while driving.
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Passenger Airbag off Indicator
The indicator comes on to alert you that the front
passenger’s front airbag has been turned off. This occurs
when the front passenger’s weight sensors detect 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less, the weight of an infant or small child, on the
seat.
Infants and small children should always ride properly
restrained in a back seat.
Objects placed on the seat can also cause the indicator to come on.
If the front passenger’s seat is empty, the passenger’s front airbag will not deploy and the
indicator will not come on.
If the indicator comes on with no occupant or objects in the front passenger’s seat,
something may be interfering with the weight sensors, such as:
•  An object hanging on the seat or in the seat-back pocket.
•  A child seat or other object pressing against the rear of the seat-back.
•  A rear passenger pushing or pulling on the back of the front passenger’s seat.
•  The front seat or seat-back is forced against an object on the seat or floor behind it.
•  An object placed under the front passenger’s seat.
If none of these conditions exist, have your vehicle checked by a dealer as soon as
possible.
The passenger airbag off indicator may go on and off repeatedly if the total weight on the
seat is near the airbag cutoff threshold.
U.S. Canada
Airbag System Components
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1 Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) front airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the front
passenger’s airbag is stored in the
dashboard. Both are marked SrS
AIrBAG.
2 Driver’s knee airbag. The knee airbag is stored under the steering
column. It is marked SrS AIrBAG.
3 Two side airbags, one for the driver and one for the front passenger.
The airbags are stored in the outer
edges of the seatbacks. Both are
marked SIDe AIrBAG.
4 Two side curtain airbags, one for each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling,
above the side windows. The front
and rear pillars are marked SIDe
CUr TAIN AIrBAG.
5 An electronic control unit that
continually monitors and can
record information about the
sensors, the airbag activators, the
seat belt tensioners, and driver
and front passenger seat belt use
when the vehicle is on.
6 Automatic front seat belt tensioners. The driver’s and front
passenger’s seat belts incorporate
sensors that detect whether or not
they are fastened.
On models with CMBS
TM, the front
seat belt tensioners also include
the e-pretensioners.
7 A driver’s seat position sensor. If the seat is too far forward, the
airbag will inflate with less force.
8 Weight sensors in the front passenger’s seat. The front
passenger’s airbag will be turned
off if the weight on the seat is 65
lbs (29 kg) or less (the weight of
an infant or small child).

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9 Impact sensors that can detect a
moderate-to-severe front or side
impact.
10 An indicator on the dashboard that alerts you that the front
passenger’s front airbag has been
turned off.
11 An indicator on the instrument panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with the airbag system or
seat belt tensioners.
12 Safing sensor
13 A rollover sensor that detects whether the vehicle is about to roll
over.
Airbag Care
You do not need to, and should not, perform any maintenance on or replace any airbag
system components yourself. However, you should have your vehicle inspected by a
dealer in the following situations:
When the airbags have deployed
If an airbag has inflated, the control unit and other related parts must be replaced.
Similarly, once an automatic seat belt tensioner has been activated, it must be replaced.
When the vehicle has been in a moderate-to-severe collision
Even if the airbags did not inflate, have your dealer inspect the following: the driver’s seat
position sensor, weight sensors in the passenger’s seat, front seat belt tensioners, and
each seat belt that was worn during the crash.
Do not remove or modify a front seat without first consulting a dealer
This would likely disable the driver’s seat position sensor or the weight sensors in the
passenger’s seat. If it is necessary to remove or modify a front seat to accommodate
a person with disabilities, contact an Acura dealer. For U.S. vehicles, call Acura Client
Relations at (800) 382-2238. For Canadian vehicles, call Acura Client Services at (888)
922-8729.
Child Safety
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are either
unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle collisions are the number one cause
of death of children ages 12 and under.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada recommend
that all children ages 12 and under be properly restrained in a rear seat. Some states or
provinces/territories have laws restricting where children may ride.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province, and
territory requires that infants and children be properly restrained when they ride in a
vehicle.
Protecting Child Passengers—Important Considerations •  An inflating front or side airbag can injure or kill a child sitting in the front seat.
•  A child in the front seat is more likely to interfere with the driver’s ability to safely
control the vehicle.
•  Statistics show that children of all sizes and ages are safer when they are properly
restrained in a rear seat.
•  Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an
approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using either the lap belt
portion of the lap/shoulder belt or the lower anchors of the LATCH system.
•  Never hold a child on your lap because it is impossible to protect them in the event of a
collision.
•  Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would likely
press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.
•  Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be very seriously
injured in a crash.
•  Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows, or seat adjustments.
•  Do not leave children in the vehicle unattended, especially in hot weather when the
inside of the vehicle can get hot enough to kill them. They could also activate vehicle
controls, causing it to move unexpectedly.
Children who are unrestrained or improperly restrained can be seriously
injured or killed in a crash.
Any child too small for a seat belt should be properly restrained in a child
seat. A larger child should be properly restrained with a seat belt, using a
booster seat if necessary.
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veHICLe CoNTroLS
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Power Window operation
The power windows can be opened and closed when the vehicle is on by using the switches
on the doors. The switches on the driver’s side can be used to open and close all the
windows.
Automatic operation
To open: Push the switch down firmly.
To close: Pull the switch up firmly.
The window opens or closes completely. To stop the
window at any time, push or pull the switch again briefly.
manual operation
To open: Push the switch down lightly.
To close: Pull the switch up lightly.
Release the switch when the windows reach the desired
position.
Power Window Lock Push in the power window lock button so only the driver’s
window can be operated.
Closing a power window on someone’s hands or fingers can cause serious
injury.
Make sure your passengers are away from the windows before closing them.
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Close
Power moonroof operation
The moonroof can be opened and closed when the vehicle is on by using the switch on the
ceiling.
Automatic operation
To open: Push the switch back firmly to the second detent,
then release.
To close: Push the switch forward firmly to the second
detent, then release.
The moonroof opens or closes completely. To stop the
moonroof at any time, push the switch briefly.
manual operation
To open: Push and hold the switch back to the first detent until the desired position is
reached.
To close: Push and hold the switch forward to the first detent until the desired position is
reached.
moonroof Tilt
To tilt: Push the center of the switch.
To close: Push the switch forward firmly, then release.
Closing the moonroof on someone’s hands or fingers can cause serious injury.
Make sure your passengers are away from the moonroof before closing it.
Opening the moonroof in below freezing temperatures or when it is covered with snow or
ice can damage the moonroof panel or motor.
Open
CloseTilt
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On
Off
Power window
lock button
Open
No TICe