Does the RDX come with one stock? I plan to tow a small trailer with a snowmobile on it and I would like the extra piece of mind with a tranny cooler. Anybody?

 

There is a sensor that will go off when your tranny temperature goes above normal. So if you don't see it going off, there is no point to install a cooler. Honda had transmission issues with 2001-2003 CL/TLs, and its been fixed ever since.

 

also all auto trannys always go through the stock rad as well.

I would just flush your coolant and put in high quality coolant so it can take the abuse from the excess heat.

Also change the tranny fluid before any long hauls.

 

rdx comes stock and recommends only high quality coolant, probably b/c of the turbo. if you havent already might want to get rear diff fluid changed too

 

I understand you are suppose to use high quality coolant and a light will come on when it over heats, but why not add a cooler for added protection?

 

I noticed a little cooler that is visable through the grill. It is drivers side, and sits in front of the rad. Looks like a tranny/oil cooler to me...?

 

I suppose because it's not really necessary....

 

So what your saying is you would rather have it over heat, flash a light on the dash over have a tranny cooler on there with no overheating and no light? Im just trying to figure out your resoning.....

 

No, of course I'd rather have a tranny cooler on there doing that if I had an overheating problem. What I am saying is that an overheating Honda/Acura vehicle isn't very common. A small trailer and one snowmobile shouldn't be a problem for the RDX.

Of course if you're really worried about it then go ahead and put one on for peace of mind if nothing else. I was just offering up an opinion.

 

Yes it does; all RDXs come stock with an ATF cooler. Preacher's guess is correct, the cooler is on the lower driver side in front of the AC condenser (the radiator is behind the condenser).

It is not cooled by coolant though; it is a fluid to air heat exchanger that's dependant on airflow for cooling. So long slow uphill climbs will generate higher trans temps, but at that point those screamin' electric fans should be pulling plenty of air across the heat exchangers.

You are more likely to get an SH-AWD overheat, because it is air-cooled. This will stay on even if you pull over and let the differential cool. You have to switch the ignition off and restart in order to reset the message.

We're rated for 1500 lbs, so a snowmobile should be no problem.

 

^^ Thanks Jock, I thought that was what it is...

Way to go Acura, thinking in advance for the tow minded!

 

More information now: The trans fluid is both air and liquid cooled. Hot fluid is pumped directly from the trans into the small air cooler on the lower driver side. It exits that cooler and is piped to the lower radiator passenger side, where it flows through the bottom of the radiator, exiting on the driver side and is returned to the trans where it enters a filter, then the trans pump.

Looking in the LF wheel well in front of the wheel you can see the two banjo bolts for cooling feed and return lines. The upper bolt is the return line. The 2" round housing it attaches to is the filter. Just below it is the feed line.