Acura dashboard symbols

About acura dashboard symbols

Acura’s owner’s manuals call almost every light on the instrument panel an indicator, whether it reports a fault or shows that a system is working, and the names are the same from model to model: the RDX, MDX and Integra manuals use the ones below. When a problem is detected, the System Message Indicator comes on with a beep, and a message appears on the display at the same time. The 2024 RDX manual gives a few lights their colour in their name: the Parking Brake and Brake System Indicator comes in red and in amber, and the Low Fuel Indicator is amber.

Acura’s names for the lights

The Malfunction Indicator Lamp is the check engine light: the 2024 RDX manual says it comes on for a problem with the emissions control systems and blinks when the engine misfires. The Charging System Indicator is the battery light: the 2019 RDX manual says it comes on when the battery is not charging, the 2024 one when there is a problem with the charging system. The Supplemental Restraint System Indicator is the airbag light and the Electric Power Steering (EPS) System Indicator is the power steering light. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) Indicator, the Low Tire Pressure/TPMS Indicator and the Low Fuel Indicator are the ABS, tire pressure and low fuel lights. The RDX’s low fuel light comes on with about 9.1 litres (2.4 US gallons) left, in the 2019 manual and the 2024 one alike.

Acura’s stability control is Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), which the manuals also call Electronic Stability Control. The VSA System Indicator blinks while VSA is active, as the stability control light does on other makes, and the VSA OFF Indicator comes on when VSA has been partly turned off.

Lights of Acura’s own

Super Handling-All Wheel Drive, SH-AWD, is Acura’s all-wheel drive. On the RDX it has an indicator of its own, which comes on for a problem with the system; while it stays on, the manual says, the engine drives the front wheels only. It blinks when the differential temperature is too high. The 2019 RDX manual marks the indicator as not available on all models. The 2025 MDX shows a message for the same overheating instead: “AWD temperature too hot. Do not drive. Idle engine to allow system to cool.”

The Maintenance Minder Indicator comes on when scheduled maintenance is due soon, and the Maintenance Due Now and Maintenance Past Due messages follow. The display shows codes for the work due, such as A12: a letter for the oil service and numbers for the other items, which differ a little from model to model.

Where Acura sends you

For a light that stays on, the 2024 RDX manual’s advice is most often the same: “Have your vehicle checked by a dealer.”