2015 Acura MDX Owner's Manual

uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
328Driving
1. Depress the brake pedal and press the ENGINE START/STOP button
simultaneously.
2. Keeping your right foot on the brake pedal, release the parking brake. Check that
the parking brake indicator has gone off.
2 Parking Brake P. 371
3.Put the shift lever in
(D
. Select
(R
when reversing.
4. Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to pull
away.
■Hill start assist system
Hill start assist keeps the brake engaged briefly to help prevent the vehicle from
rolling on inclines as you move your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
Move the shift lever to
(D
or
(S
when facing uphill, or
(R
when facing downhill,
then release the brake pedal.
The brakes remain engaged briefly as you release the brake pedal.
■
Starting to Drive
1 Starting to Drive
The engine stops when the shift lever is moved out of (P before the ENGINE START/STOP button is
pressed. Follow the step 1 when starting to drive.When the engine was started using the two-way keyless
access remote
*
When the engine was started using the two-way keyless access remote
*
When the engine was started in any case
1 Hill start assist system
Hill start assist may not prevent the vehicle from
rolling downhill on a very steep or slippery slope, and
will not operate on small inclines.
Hill start assist is not a replacement for the parking
brake.
* Not available on all models

329
uuWhen Driving uPrecautions While Driving
Driving
Precautions While DrivingUtility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
To prevent rollovers or loss of control:
• Take corners at slower speeds than you would with a passenger vehicle.
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers whenever possible.
• Do not modify your vehicle in any way that you would raise the center of gravity.
• Do not carry heavy cargo on the roof.
Never carry more than 165 lbs (75 kg) of cargo on the roof rack (Acura accessory).
Avoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine,
driveline, or cause electrical component failure.
If there is a strong impact with something under th e vehicle, stop in a safe location.
Check the underside of the vehicle for damage or any fluid leaks.■
Driving Guidelines for Your Utility Vehicle
■
In Rain
■
Other Precautions
1 Precautions While DrivingNOTICEDo not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.NOTICEIf you repeatedly turn the steering wheel at an
extremely low speed, or hold the steering wheel on
the full left or right position for a while, the system
heats up. The system goes into a protective mode,
and limits its performance. The steering wheel
becomes harder and harder to operate. Once the
system cools down, the EPS system is restored.
Repeated operation under these conditions can
eventually damage the system.
If the power mode is set to ACCESSORY or VEHICLE
OFF (LOCK) while driving, the engine will shut down
and all steering and brake power assist functions will
stop, making it difficult to control the vehicle.
Do not put the shift lever in
(N, as you will lose
engine braking (and acceleration) performance.
During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as not to damage the engine or powertrain.
Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
You should also follow this when the brake pads are
replaced.

330
uuWhen Driving uAutomatic Transmission
Driving
Automatic TransmissionThe engine runs at a higher idle speed and creeping increases.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.
Quickly depressing the accelerator pedal while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower gear, unexpectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especially on slippery roads and curves.■
Creeping
■
Kickdown
1Driving Guidelines for Your Utility Vehicle
Failure to op erate your vehicle correctly might result
in a crash or a rollover. 2 Important Handling Information P. 28
2 Precautions While Driving P. 329

331
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
ShiftingChange the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.■Shift lever positions
1Shifting
You cannot change the power mode from ON to
VEHICLE OFF (LOCK) unless the shift lever is in
(P.
The vehicle may move forward very slightly even in
( N while the engine is cold.
Depress the brake pedal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.
When shifting gears in extremely low temperatures
(-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short delay before the
shift indicated in the display. Always confirm you are
in the correct ge ar before driving.
Park
Used when parking or starting the
engine
Reverse
Used when reversing
Neutral
Used when idling
Drive
Used:●For normal driving (gears change
between 1st and 6th automatically)●When temporarily driving in the
sequential mode
Drive (S)
Used for:●Automatically changing gears
between 1st and 5th (5th gear is
used only at high speed)●Driving in the sequential mode
Release Button

uuWhen Driving uShifting
332Driving
■
Shift Lever Operation
1Shift Lever OperationNOTICEWhen you change the shift lever from
(D to
(R and
vice versa, come to a complete stop and keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Operating the shift lever before the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever posit ion indicator to check the
lever position before pulling away.
Whichever position the shift lever is in when driving,
a blinking transmission indicator indicates a
transmission problem.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.
The fuel supply may be cut off if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tachometer’s red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happens, you may experience a
slight jolt.
It may not be possible to operate the shift lever if the
brake pedal is applied while the shift lever release
button is held down.
Depress the brake pedal first.
Tachometer’s red zone
Shift Lever Position Indicator
Depress the brake pedal and press
the shift lever release button to shift.
Shift without pressing the shift lever
release button.
Press the shift lever release button
and shift.M (Sequential Shift mode) Indicator/
Gear Position Indicator

333
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
Use the paddle shifters to change between 1st and 6th gears without removing your
hands from the steering wheel. The transmission will switch to the sequential shift
mode.■When the shift lever is in
(D
:
The vehicle will go into the sequential shift mode momentarily, and the gear position
indicator will come on.
Once you start traveling at a constant speed, the sequential shift mode will
automatically switch off, and the gear position indicator will go off.
Hold the
(+
paddle shifter for two seconds to return to normal drive.
■When the shift lever is in
(S
:
The vehicle will go into the sequential shift mode, and the M (sequential shift mode)
indicator and gear position indicator will come on. At speeds of 6 mph (10 km/h) or
less, the vehicle automatically shifts down into 1st gear. If you do not operate the
paddle shifters while in 1st gear, the transmission automatically shifts up to 2nd
gear.
You can only pull away in 1st or 2nd gear.
When switching out of the sequential shift mode, move the shift lever from
(S
to
(D
. When the sequential shift mode is canceled, the M indicator and gear position
indicator go off.
■
Sequential Shift Mode

uuWhen Driving uShifting
334Driving
■Second gear lock mode
If you pull the
(+
paddle shifter while stopped or driving at 6 mph (10 km/h) or less,
the gear position will be locked in 2nd gear. This makes it easier to pull away on
slippery surfaces such as snow covered roads.
To cancel the 2nd gear lock mode, pull the
(-
paddle shifter, or move the shift lever
from
(S
to
(D
.
■
Sequential Shift Mode Operation
1 Sequential Shift Mode Operation
Each paddle shift operation makes a single gear
change.
To change gears continuously, release the paddle
shifter before pulling it again for the next gear.
Recommended Shift Points
Use this table as a guideline for efficient fuel
economy and effective emission control.
The gear position indicator blinks when you cannot
shift up or down. It indicates that your vehicle speed
is not in its allowable gear shifting range.
Slightly accelerate to shift up and decelerate to shift
down while the indicator is blinking. Shift Up Normal Acceleration1st to 2nd
15 mph (24 km/h)
2nd to 3rd 25 mph (40 km/h)
3rd to 4th
40 mph (64 km/h)
4th to 5th 45 mph (72 km/h)
5th to 6th
50 mph (80 km/h)
Paddle Shifter (Shift down)
Downshifting when pulling
the
( - paddle shifter.
(Changes to a lower gear.) Upshifting when pulling
the
(
+ paddle shifter.
(Changes to a higher gear.)
( - (+
Paddle Shifter (Shift up)

335
uuWhen Driving uIntegrated Dynamics System (IDS)
Driving
Integrated Dynamics System (IDS)Modifies the dynamic character of the vehicle. There are three IDS modes to select
from: Comfort, Normal , and Sport .
Press the IDS button to select a mode. The mode you have selected appears on the
MID.
You can customize the IDS mode default setting using the MID.2 Customized Features P. 104
Normal
Balanced driving
performance for most
driving situations.
Sport
Enhances vehicle response
feel through decreased
steering assist, heightened
throttle response, increased
SH-AWD
* torque bias, and
modified active sound
control. Comfort
Maximizes driver comfort
through increased steering
assist.
IDS Button
* Not available on all models