2015 Acura RDX ESP

A Few Words About Safety
Your safety, and the safety of others, is very important. And
operating this vehicle safely is an important responsibility.
To help you make informed decisions about safety, we have
provided operating procedures and other information on labels and
in this manual. This information al erts you to potential hazards that
could hurt you or others.
Of course, it is not practical or possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or maintaining your vehicle. You
must use your own good judgement. You will find this impo
rtant safety information in a variety of forms,
including:
● Safety Labels - on the vehicle.
● Safety Messages - preceded by a safety alert symbol
3 and
one of three signal words: DANGER, WARNING , or CAUTION .
These signal words mean:
● Safety Headings - such as Important Safety Precautions.
● Safety Section - such as Safe Driving.
● Instructions - how to use this vehi cle correctly and safely.
This entire book is filled with im portant safety information - please
read it carefully.
3 DANGERYou WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if
you don't follow instructions.
3 WARNINGYou CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if
you don't follow instructions.
3CAUTIONYou CAN be HURT if you don't follow
instructions.

Contents
Child Safety P. 52Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 64Safety Labels P. 65
Opening and Closing the Tailgate P. 107 Security System P. 113 Opening and Closing the Windows P. 115
Operating the Switches Around the Steering Wheel P. 119 Adjusting the Mirrors P. 133
Interior Lights/Interior Convenience Items P. 143 Climate Control System P. 152
Audio Error Messages P. 187General Information on the Audio System P. 190
Bluetooth ® HandsFreeLink ® P. 196 Compass* P. 225
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines P. 238 When Driving P. 240 Braking P. 257
Refueling P. 263 Fuel Economy P. 265Accessories and Modifications P. 266
Maintenance Under the Hood P. 275 Replacing Light Bulbs P. 287
Checking and Maintaining Tires P. 301 Battery P. 310 Remote Transmitter Care P. 311
Engine Does Not Start P. 327 Jump Starting P. 330 Shift Lever Does Not Move P. 332
Fuses P. 339 Emergency Towing P. 342When You Cannot Open the Tailgate P. 343
Devices that Emit Radio Waves P. 349 Reporting Safety Defects P. 350
Authorized Manuals P. 355 Client Service Information P. 356
Quick Reference GuideP. 4
Safe DrivingP. 23
Instrument PanelP. 67
ControlsP. 95
FeaturesP. 157
DrivingP. 227
MaintenanceP. 267
Handling the UnexpectedP. 319
InformationP. 345
IndexP. 357

24
Safe Driving
For Safe Driving
The following pages explain your vehicle's safety features and how to use them
properly. The safety precauti ons below are ones that we consider to be among the
most important.
Important Safety Precautions
■Always wear your seat belt
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 passe ngers always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly.
■Restrain all children
Children age 12 and under should ride prop erly restrained in a back seat, not the
front seat. Infants and small children shoul d be restrained in a child seat. Larger
children should use a booster seat and a lap/shoulder seat belt until they can use the
belt properly without a booster seat.
■Be aware of airbag hazards
While airbags can save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries to occupants
who sit too close to them, or are not prop erly restrained. Infants, young children,
and short adults are at the greatest risk. Be sure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
■Don't drink and drive
Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even one dr ink can reduce your ability to respond to
changing conditions, and your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink.
So don't drink and drive, and don't let your friends drink and drive, either.
1Important Safety Precautions
Some states, provinces and territories prohibit the use
of cell phones other than hands-free devices by the
driver while driving.

40
uuAirbags uTypes of Airbags
Safe Driving
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with three types of airbags:
• Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver 's and front passenger's seats.
• Side airbags: Airbags in the driver's and front passenger's seat-backs.
• Side curtain airbags: Airbags above the side windows.
Each is discussed in the following pages.
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.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indica tes that the airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the occupant's primary
restraint system.
The front airbags are housed in the center of the steering wheel for the driver, and
in the dashboard for the front pass enger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.
■Housing Locations
1Types of Airbags
The airbags can inflate whenever the power mode is
in ON.
After an airbag inflates in a crash, you may see a
small amount of smoke. This is from the combustion
process of the infl ator material and is not harmful.
People with respiratory pr oblems may experience
some temporary discomfort. If this occurs, get out of
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
1 Front Airbags (SRS)
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags
(SRS)
Your vehicle is equipped wi th dual-stage, multiple-
threshold front airbags (SRS).
During a frontal crash severe enough to cause one or
both front airbags to deploy, the airbags can inflate
at different rates, dependi ng on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the se at belts are latched, and/
or other factors. Frontal airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help reduce the
likelihood of head and chest injuries in frontal
crashes.

53
uuChild Safety uProtecting Child Passengers
Safe Driving
• 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.1Protecting Child Passengers
To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
To remind you of the pa ssenger's front airbag
hazards and child safety, y our vehicle warning came
with a label on the dashboard (U.S. models) and has
labels on the front visors. Pl ease read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
2 Safety Labels P. 65
3WARNING
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.

Continued101
uuLocking and Unlocking the Doors uLocking/Unlocking the Doors from the Outside
Controls
When you carry the keyless access remote,
you can lock/unlock the doors and the
tailgate.
You can lock/unlock the doors within a radius
of about 32 inches (80 cm) of the outside door
handle. You can open the tailgate within
about 32 inches (80 cm) radius from the
tailgate release button.
■Locking the doors and tailgate
Press the door lock button on the front door
or the tailgate. u Some exterior lights flash; the beeper
sounds; all the doors and tailgate lock;
and the security system sets.
■Using the Keyless Access System1Using the Keyless Access System
•The driver must carry the keyless access remote and
not leave it in the ve hicle when you get out.
•A person who is not carryi ng the keyless access
remote can lock/unlock the doors if a person who
is carrying it is within range.
•The door may be unlocked if the door handle is
covered with water in heavy rain or in a car wash if
the keyless access remote is within range.
•If you grip a front door handle wearing gloves, the
door sensor may be slow to respond or may not
respond by unlocking the doors.
•The door might not open if you pull it immediately
after gripping the door handle. Grip the handle
again and confirm that th e door is unlocked before
pulling the handle.
•The driver must carry the keyless access remote and
not leave it in the ve hicle when you get out.
•A person who is not carryi ng the keyless access
remote can unlock the tail gate if a person who is
carrying it is within range.
Door Lock
Button
Lock Button

107
Controls
Opening and Closing the Tailgate
Precautions for Opening/Closing the Tailgate
Always make sure individuals and objects are clear of the tailgate before opening or
closing it.
■Opening the tailgate
• Open the tailgate all the way.
u If it is not fully opened, the tailgate may come down accidentally by its own
weight.
• Be careful when it is windy. The wi nd may cause the tailgate to close.
■Closing the tailgate
Keep the tailgate closed while driving to: u Avoid possible damage.
u Prevent exhaust gas from leaking into the vehicle.
2 Carbon Monoxide Gas P. 64
1Precautions for Opening/Closing the Tailgate
Be careful not to hit your head on the tailgate or to
put your hands between th e tailgate and the cargo
area when closing the gate.
When operating the power tailgate, make sure there
is enough space around your ve hicle. People near the
tailgate may be se riously hurt if the tailgate hits or
closes on their heads. Be especially cautious if
children are around.
When you are storing or pi cking up luggage from the
cargo area while the engine is idling, do not stand in
front of the exhaust pipe. You may get burned.
Do not allow any passenger in the cargo space. They
may get hurt during hard braking, a sudden
acceleration, or a crash.

197
uuBluetooth ® HandsFreeLink ®u Using HFL
Features
The audio/information screen notifies you
when there is an incoming call.
Certain manual functions are disabled or
inoperable while the vehicle is in motion. You
cannot select a grayed-out option until the
vehicle is stopped.
Only previously stored speed dial entries with
voice tags can be called using the talk button
while the vehicle is in motion.
2 Speed Dial P. 213
■HFL Status Display1Bluetooth ® HandsFreeLink ®
Bluetooth ® Wireless Technology
The Bluetooth ® word mark and logos are registered
trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any
use of such marks by Honda Motors Co., Ltd., is
under license. Other tradem arks and trade names are
those of their respective owners.
HFL Limitations
An incoming call on HFL will interrupt the audio
system when it is playing. It will resume when the call
is ended.
Signal Strength
HFL Mode Battery Level Status Roam Status
Call Name
Bluetooth IndicatorComes on when your
phone is connected to HFL.
■Limitations for Manual Operation
1HFL Status Display
The information that appears on the audio/
information screen vari es between phone models.
You can change the system language to English,
French, or Spanish. 2 Language Selection P. 164
Disabled Option