2018 Acura MDX maintenance

Event Data Recorders
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 le ss. 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;
3WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning
Operating, servicing and maintaining a
passenger vehicle or off-road vehicle can
expose you to chemicals including engine
exhaust, carbon monoxide, phthalates, and
lead, which are known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. To minimize
exposure, avoid breathing exhaust, do not
idle the engine except as necessary, service
your vehicle in a well-ventilated area and
wear gloves or wash your hands frequently
when servicing your vehicle. For more
information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle
.
• 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. Howeve r, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could co mbine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data rout inely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an ED R, 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 re ad the information if they have
access to the vehicle or the EDR.
The data belongs to the vehicle ow ner and may not be accessed by
anyone else except as legally requir ed or with the permission of the
vehicle owner.
Service Diagnostic Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with se rvice-related devices that record
information about powertrain perfo rmance. The data can be used
to verify emissions law requirem ents and/or help technicians
diagnose and solve service problems. It may also be combined with
data from other sources for res earch purposes, but it remains
confidential. Some diagnostic and maintenance information is
uploaded to Acura upon vehicle start up.
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Contents
This owner’s manual should be considered a permanent part of the
vehicle and should remain with the vehicle when it is sold.
This owner’s manual covers all models of your vehicle. You may find
descriptions of equipment and features that are not on your
particular model.
Images throughout this owner’s manu al (including the front cover)
represent features and equipment that are available on some, but
not all, models. Your particular mo del may not have some of these
features.
This owner’s manual is for vehicles sold in the United States and
Canada.
The information and specifications in cluded in this publication were
in effect at the time of approval for printing. Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
reserves the right, however, to discontinue or change specifications
or design at any time without notice and without incurring any
obligation.2 Safe Driving P. 27
For Safe Driving P. 28 Seat Belts P. 33 Airbags P. 41
2Instrument Panel P. 77
Indicators P. 78 Gauges and Multi-Information Display (MID) P. 119
2Controls P. 137
Clock P. 138 Locking and Unlocking the Doors P. 139
Opening and Closing the Moonroof P. 168
Adjusting the Seats P. 192
2 Features P. 231
Audio System P. 232 Audio System Basic Operation P. 239
Rear Entertainment System (RES)* P. 335 Customized Features P. 358
Compass* P. 443
2 Driving P. 445
Before Driving P. 446 Towing a Trailer P. 452
Parking Your Vehicle P. 545Multi-View Rear Camera* P. 556
Fuel Economy and CO
2 Emissions P. 571
2 Maintenance P. 573
Before Performing Maintenance P. 574 Maintenance MinderTM P. 577
Checking and Maintaining Wiper Blades P. 598
Remote Control and Wireless Headphone Care
* P. 615
2 Handling the Unexpected P. 625
Tools P. 626 If a Tire Goes Flat P. 627
Indicator, Coming On/Blinking P. 653 Fuses P. 658
When You Cannot Open the Tailgate P. 668 Refueling P. 669
2Information P. 671
Specifications P. 672 Identification Numbers P. 674
Emissions Testing P. 678 Warranty Coverages P. 680
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Contents
Child Safety P. 56Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 74Safety Labels P. 75
Opening and Closing the Tailgate P. 155 Security System P. 163 Opening and Closing the Windows P. 166
Operating the Switches Around the Steering Wheel P. 169 Adjusting the Mirrors P. 189
Interior Lights/Interior Convenience It ems P. 206 Climate Control System P. 219
Audio Error Messages P. 308General Information on the Audio System P. 316
HomeLink ® Universal Transceiver P. 390 Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink ® P. 393 AcuraLink ®* P. 435
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines P. 463 When Driving P. 465 Braking P. 528
Surround View Camera System* P. 558 Refueling P. 568
Maintenance Under the Hood P. 581 Replacing Light Bulbs P. 593
Checking and Maintaining Tires P. 602 Battery P. 611 Remote Transmitter Care P. 613
Climate Control System Maintenance P. 617 Cleaning P. 618Accessories and Modifications P. 623
Engine Does Not Start P. 646 Jump Starting P. 649Overheating P. 651
Emergency Towing P. 666 When You Cannot Unlock the Fuel Fill Door P. 667
Devices that Emit Radio Waves P. 675 Reporting Safety Defects P. 677
Authorized Manuals P. 682 Client Service Information P. 683
Quick Reference GuideP. 4
Safe DrivingP. 27
Instrument PanelP. 77
ControlsP. 137
FeaturesP. 231
DrivingP. 445
MaintenanceP. 573
Handling the UnexpectedP. 625
InformationP. 671
IndexP. 687
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Visual Index
8
Quick Reference Guide
❙How to Refuel (P569)
❙High-Mount Brake Light (P597)
❙Opening/Closing the Tailgate (P162)
❙Back-Up Lights (P596)
❙Multi-View Rear Camera* (P556)
❙Tailgate Outer Handle (P162)
❙Rear Side Marker Lights (P595)
❙Taillights (P595)
❙Brake Light and Rear Turn Signal Lights
(P594)
❙Rear Wiper (P182)
❙Maintenance Under the Hood (P581)
❙Windshield Wipers (P180, 598)
❙Tires (P602, 627)
❙Power Door Mirrors (P190)
❙Headlights (P173, 593)
❙Side Marker Lights (P173, 593)
❙Front Turn Signal/Parking Lights (P172, 593)
❙Fog Lights* (P176, 593)
❙Door Lock/Unlock Control (P142)
❙Side Turn Signal Lights (P172, 593)
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22
Quick Reference Guide
Maintenance (P573)
Under the Hood (P581)
● Check engine oil, engine coolant, and windshield washer
fluid. Add when necessary.
● Check brake fluid.
● Check the battery condition monthly.
aPull the hood release handle under the corner of the
dashboard.
bLocate the hood latch lever, push it to the side, and then
raise the hood. Once you have raised the hood slightly, you
can release the lever.
cWhen finished, close the hood and make sure it is firmly
locked in place.
Lights (P593)
● Inspect all lights regularly.
Wiper Blades (P598)
● Replace blades if they leave streaks
across the windshield.
Tires (P602)
● Inspect tires and wheels regularly.
● Check tire pressures regularly.
● Install snow tires for winter
driving.
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29
uuFor Safe Driving uImportant Safety Precautions
Safe Driving
■Pay appropriate attention to the task of driving safely
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.
■Control your speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher
the speed, the greater the risk, but serious injuries can also occur at lower speeds.
Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the maximum
speed posted.
■Keep your vehicle in safe condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical failure can be extremely hazardous.
To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire pressures and condition
frequently, and perform all re gularly scheduled maintenance.
■Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle
Children left unattended in the vehicle may be injured if they activate one or more
of the vehicle controls. They may also cause the vehicle to move, resulting in a crash
in which the children and/or another pers on(s) can be injured or killed. Also,
depending on the ambient temperature, th e temperature of the interior may reach
extreme levels, which can re sult in injury or death.
Even if the climate control system is on, never leave children in the vehicle
unattended as the climate control system can shut off at any time.
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55
uuAirbags uAirbag Care
Safe Driving
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, th e control unit and other related parts must be replaced.
Similarly, once an automatic seat belt te nsioner has been activated, it must be
replaced.
■When the vehicle has been in a moderate-to-severe collision
Even if the airbags did not infl ate, 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 fron t seat without consulting a dealer
This would likely disable or affect the proper operation of the driver’s seat position
sensor or the weight sensors in the passenge r’s seat. If it is necessary to remove or
modify a front seat to accommodate a pers on with disabilities, contact an Acura
dealer, or for U.S. vehicles, Acura Clie nt Relations at 1-800-382-2238 and for
Canadian vehicles, Acura Client Services at 1-888-9-ACURA-9.
1Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, including the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.
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102
uuIndicators uMulti-Information Display (MID) Warning and Information Messages
Instrument Panel
MessageConditionExplanation
●Appears when the scheduled maintenance is due soon.●Consequently, Maintenance Due Now and
Maintenance Past Due follow.2Maintenance Minder Messages on the Multi-
Information Display (MID) P. 578
●Appears when the engine coolant temperature gets
abnormally high.
2Overheating P. 651
●Appears when there is a problem with the power
tailgate system.●Manually open or close the power tailgate.●Have your vehicle ch ecked by a dealer.U.S.
Canada
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