2015 Acura RDX Owner's Manual

240
Driving
When Driving
Starting the Engine
1.Make sure the parking brake is applied.
2. Check that the shift lever is in
(P, then
depress the brake pedal.
u Although it is possible to start the vehicle
in
(N, it is safer to start it in (P.
3. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
without depressing the accelerator pedal.
1 Starting the Engine
The engine is harder to start in cold weather and in thinner
air found at altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters).
When starting the engine in cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories such as the lights, climate
control system, and rear de fogger in order to reduce
battery drain.
If you live in a region where winter is extremely cold,
an engine block heater will improve starting and
warming of the engine. If temperatures consistently
below -22°F (-30°C) are expected, the coolant
mixture should be changed to a higher concentration
to prevent freezing. Cons ult a dealer for details.
If the exhaust system sounds abnormal or you can
smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle, have your vehicle
checked by a dealer. There may be a problem with
the engine or exhaust system.
Bring the keyless access remote close to the ENGINE
START/STOP button if the batte ry in the keyless
access remote is weak.
2 If the Keyless Access Remote Battery is
Weak P. 328
The engine may not start if the keyless access remote
is subjected to strong radio waves.
You do not need to hold the ENGINE START/STOP
button to start the engine.
If the engine does not start, wait at least 10 seconds
before trying again.
Brake Pedal

241
uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
Driving
You can turn the engine off when the vehicle is completely stopped.
1. Shift to
(P.
2. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button with your foot on the brake pedal.
1. 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. 257
2.Put the shift lever in (D. Select (R when reversing.
3. 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 br iefly 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.
■Stopping the Engine
■Starting to Drive
1 Starting the Engine
The immobilizer system pr otects your vehicle from
theft. If an improperly code d key (or other device) is
used, the engine's fuel system is disabled.
2 Immobilizer System P. 113
1Hill start assist system
Hill start assist may not prevent the vehicle from
rolling downhill on a very st eep or slippery slope, and
will not operate on small inclines.
Hill start assist is not a replacement for the parking
brake.

242
uuWhen Driving uPrecautions While Driving
Driving
Precautions While Driving
Utility 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 yo u 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.
• Never carry more than 165 lbs (75 kg) of ca rgo 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 the 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 Driving Guidelines for Your Utility Vehicle
Failure to operate your vehicle correctly might result
in a crash or a rollover. 2 Important Handling Information P. 26
2 Precautions While Driving P. 242
1Precautions While Driving
NOTICE
Do not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the transmission.
NOTICE
If 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 electric power
steering (EPS) 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 while
driving, the engine will shut down and all steering
and brake power assist functi ons will stop, making it
difficult to control the vehicle.
Do not put the shift lever in
( N, as you will lose
engine braking (and acce leration) 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.

243
uuWhen Driving uAutomatic Transmission
Driving
Automatic Transmission
The engine runs at a higher id le speed and creeping increases.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.
Quickly depressing the accelerator peda l while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower gear, unex pectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especi ally on slippery roads and curves.
■Creeping
■Kickdown

244
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
Shifting
Change the shift positi on 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 pe dal 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 gear before driving.
Park
Used when parking or starting the
engine
Reverse
Used when reversing
Neutral
Used when idling
Drive
Used:
●For normal driving (gear change
between 1st and 6th automatically)
●When temporally driving in the
sequential mode
Drive (S)
Used:
●For automatically changing gears
between 1st and 5th (5th gear is used
only at high speed)
●When driving in the sequential mode
Release Button

Continued245
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
■Shift Lever Operation1Shift Lever Operation
NOTICE
When 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 be fore the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever position indicator to check the
lever position befo re 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 of f if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tac hometer’s red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happe ns, 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

246
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
Use the paddle shifters to change between 1st and 6th gears without removing your
hands from the steering wheel. The transmissio n will switch to the sequential shift
mode.
■When the shift lever is in (D:
The vehicle will go into the sequential shi ft 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. It will not automatically shift
up, even if vehicle speed increases.
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 shif t mode is canceled, the M indicator and gear position
indicator go off.
■Sequential Shift Mode

247
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
■Second gear lock mode
If you pull the
(+ paddle shifter while stopped or dr iving 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 Operation1 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 effectiv e emission control.
The gear position indicato r blinks when you cannot
shift up or down. It indicate s that your vehicle speed
is not in its allowabl e gear shifting range.
Slightly accelerate to shift up and decelerate to shift
down while the indi cator is blinking.
Shift Up Normal Acceleration
1st to 2nd15 mph (24 km/h)
2nd to 3rd 25 mph (40 km/h)
3rd to 4th40 mph (64 km/h)
4th to 5th 45 mph (72 km/h)
5th to 6th50 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)