2020 Acura MDX Owner's Manual

uuWhen Driving uBlind spot information System*
528
Driving
1Blind spot information System*
Blind spot information sy stem may be adversely
affected when:
•Objects (guard rails, poles, trees, etc,.) are
detected.
•An object that does not re flect radio waves well,
such as a motorcycle, is in the alert zone.
•Driving on a curved road.•A vehicle is moving from a far lane to the adjacent
lane.
•The system picks up external electrical interference.•The rear bumper or the sensors have been
improperly repaired or the rear bumper has been
deformed.
•The orientation of the sensors has been changed.
•In bad weather (Heavy rain, snow, and fog).
For a proper blind spot in formation system operation:
•Always keep the rear bumper corner area clean.
•Do not cover the rear bumper corner area with
labels or stickers of any kind.
•Take your vehicle to a dealer if you need the rear
bumper corner area or th e radar sensors to be
repaired, or the rear bumper corner area is strongly
impacted.
* Not available on all models
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529Continued
Driving
Braking
Brake System
Use the parking brake to keep the vehicle stationary when parked. When the
parking brake is applied, you can manu ally or automatically release it.
■To apply
The electric parking brake can be applied any
time the vehicle has battery, no matter which
position the power mode is in.
Press the electric parking brake switch gently
and securely. u The electric parking brake indicator
comes on.
■Parking Brake1Parking Brake
You may hear the electric parking brake system
motor operating from the re ar wheel area when you
apply or release the parki ng brake. This is normal.
The brake pedal may slightly move due to the electric
parking brake system opera tion when you apply or
release the parking br ake. This is normal.
You cannot apply or release the parking brake if the
battery goes dead.
2 Jump Starting P. 652
If you press and hold the electric parking brake
switch while driving, the brakes on all four
wheels are applied by the VSA ® system until the
vehicle comes to a stop. The electric parking
brake then applies, and the switch should be
released.
Electric Parking
Brake Switch
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uuBraking uBrake System
530
Driving
■To release
The power mode must be in ON in order to
release the electric parking brake.
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Pull the electric parking brake switch up.
u The electric parking brake indicator goes
off.
Manually releasing the parking brake using
the switch helps your ve hicle start slowly and
smoothly when facing down hill on steep hills.1 Parking Brake
In the following situations, the parking brake
automatically operates.
•When the vehicle stops more than 10 minutes
while ACC with Low Speed Follow is activated.
•When the driver’s seat belt is unfastened while
your vehicle is stopped au tomatically by ACC with
Low Speed Follow.
•When the engine is turned off, except by Auto Idle
Stop system, while ACC with Low Speed Follow is
activated.
•When the vehicle stops with the automatic brake
hold system activated for more than 10 minutes.
•When the driver’s seat belt is unfastened while
your vehicle is stopped a nd automatic brake hold is
applied.
•When the engine is turned off, except by Auto Idle
Stop system, while automati c brake hold is applied.
•When there is a problem with the Automatic Brake
Hold System while automatic brake hold is applied.
Electric Parking
Brake Switch
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Continued531
uuBraking uBrake System
Driving
■To release automatically
Depressing the accelerator pedal releases the parking brake.
Use the accelerator pedal to release the brake when you are starting the vehicle
facing uphill, or in a traffic jam.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
When on a hill, it may require more
accelerator input to release.u The electric parking brake indicator goes
off.
You can release the parking brake automatically when:
• You are wearing the driver’s seat belt.
• The engine is running.
• The transmission is not in
(P or (N.
1Parking Brake
If the parking brake cannot be released
automatically, release it manually.
When the vehicle is travel ing uphill, the accelerator
pedal may need to be pressed farther to
automatically release the electric parking brake.
The parking brake cannot be released automatically
while the following indicators are on:
•Malfunction indicator lamp•Transmission system indicator
The parking brake may not be released automatically
while the following indicators are on:
•Electric parking brak e system indicator
•VSA® system indicator•ABS indicator
•Supplemental restraint system indicator
Accelerator Pedal
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uuBraking uBrake System
532
Driving
Your vehicle is equipped with disc brakes at all four wheels. A vacuum power assist
helps reduce the effort needed on the brake pedal. The brake assist system increases
the stopping force when you depress th e brake pedal hard in an emergency
situation. The anti-lock brake system (ABS ) helps you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
2 Brake Assist System P. 536
2 Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) P. 535
■Foot Brake1Foot Brake
Check the brakes after driving through deep water,
or if there is a buildup of road surface water. If
necessary, dry the brakes by lightly depressing the
pedal several times.
If you hear a continuous me tallic friction sound when
applying the brakes, this is caused by the brake wear
indicator rubbing on the brake rotor and indicates
that the brake pads need to be replaced. Have the
vehicle checked by a deal er. If you hear only an
occasional squeak or squeal when you initially apply
the brake pedal, this may be normal and caused by
high frequency vibration of the brake pads against
the rotating brake disc.
Constantly using the brake pedal while going down a
long hill builds up heat, which reduces the brake
effectiveness. Apply engine braking by taking your
foot off the accelerator pe dal and downshifting to a
lower gear.
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, as it will lightly apply the brakes and cause
them to lose effectiveness over time and reduce pad
life. It will also conf use drivers behind you.
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Continued533
uuBraking uBrake System
Driving
Keeps the brake applied after releasing the brake pedal until the accelerator pedal is
pressed. You can use this system while th e vehicle is temporarily stopped, like at
traffic lights and in heavy traffic.
■Automatic Brake Hold1 Automatic Brake Hold
3WARNING
Activating the automatic brake hold system
on steep hills or slippery roads may still
allow the vehicle to move if you remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
If a vehicle unexpectedly moves, it may
cause a crash resulting in serious injury or
death.
Never activate the automatic brake hold
system or rely on it to keep a vehicle from
moving when stopped on a steep hill or
slippery roads.
3WARNING
Using the automatic brake hold system to
park the vehicle may result in the vehicle
unexpectedly moving.
If a vehicle moves unexpectedly, it may
cause a crash, resulting in serious injury or
death.
Never leave the vehicle when braking is
temporarily kept by automatic brake hold
and always park the vehicle by putting the
transmission in
( P and applying the parking
brake.
■Turning on the system
Fasten your seat belt
properly, then start the
engine. Press the
automatic brake hold
button.
●The automatic brake
hold system indicator
comes on. The system
is turned on.
■Activating the system
Depress the brake pedal
to come to a complete
stop. The transmission
must be in
( D, (S or (N.●The automatic brake
hold indicator comes
on. Braking is kept for
up to 10 minutes.
●Release the brake
pedal after the
automatic brake hold
indicator comes on.
■Canceling the system
Depress the accelerator
pedal while the
transmission is in
( D or (S. The system is
canceled and the vehicle
starts to move.
●The automatic brake
hold indicator goes
off. The system
continues to be on.
Accelerator PedalBrake PedalAutomatic Brake
Hold Button
Goes
Off
Comes
OnOn On
Comes
On
Comes
On
U.S.
Canada
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uuBraking uBrake System
534
Driving
■The system automatically cancels when:
• You depress the brake pedal and change to
(P or (R.
• You engage the parking brake.
■The system automatically cancels and the parking brake is applied when:
• Braking is kept for more than 10 minutes.
• The driver’s seat belt is unfastened.
• The engine is turned off.
• Brake Hold System Problem appears on the MID.
■Turning off the automatic brake hold system
While the system is on, press the automatic
brake hold button again.
u The automatic brake hold system
indicator goes off.
If you want to turn off automatic brake hold
while the system is in operation, press the
automatic brake hold button with the brake
pedal depressed.
1 Automatic Brake Hold
While the system is activated, you can turn off the
engine or park the ve hicle through the same
procedure as you normally do. 2 When Stopped P. 546
Whether the system is on, or the system is activated,
the automatic brake hold turn s off once the engine is
off.
1 Turning off the automatic brake hold system
Make sure to turn off the automatic brake hold
system before using an automated car wash.
You may hear an operating noi se if the vehicle moves
while the automatic brake hold system is in
operation.
Automatic Brake
Hold Button
Goes
Off
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535
uuBraking uAnti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Driving
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Helps prevent the wheels from locking up, and helps you retain steering control by
pumping the brakes rapidly, much faster than you.
The electronic brake distribu tion (EBD) system, which is part of the ABS, also
balances the front-to-rear braking distribution according to vehicle loading.
You should never pu mp the brake pedal. Let the ABS work for you by always
keeping firm, steady pressure on the brake pe dal. This is sometimes referred to as
“stomp and steer.”
■ABS operation
The brake pedal may pulsate slightly when the ABS is working. Depress the brake
pedal and keep holding the pedal firmly do wn. On dry pavement, you will need to
press on the brake pedal very hard before th e ABS activates. However, you may feel
the ABS activate immediately if you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
ABS may activate when you depres s the brake pedal when driving on:
• Wet or snow covered roads.
• Roads paved with stone.
• Roads with uneven surf aces, such as potholes, cracks, manholes, etc.
When the vehicle speed goes unde r 6 mph (10 km/h), the ABS stops.
■ABS1Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
NOTICE
The ABS may not function correctly if you use a tire of
the wrong size or type.
If the ABS indicator comes on while driving, there
may be a problem with the system.
While normal braking will not be affected, there is a
possibility that the ABS wi ll not be operating. Have
your vehicle checked by a dealer immediately.
The ABS is not designed for the purpose of reducing
the time or distance it takes for a vehicle to stop: It is
designed to limit brake lockup which can lead to
skidding and loss of steering control.
In the following cases, yo ur vehicle may need more
distance to stop than a vehicle without the ABS:
•You are driving on rough or uneven road surfaces,
such as gravel or snow.
•The tires are equipped with tire chains.
The following may be observed with the ABS system:
•Motor sounds coming from the engine
compartment when the brakes are applied, or
when system checks are being performed after the
engine has been started and while the vehicle
accelerates.
•Brake pedal and/or the vehicle body vibration when
ABS activates.
These vibrations and sou nds are normal to ABS
systems and are no cause for concern.
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