max366

I've had my RDX for about a month and it's a great all around vehicle. I love the SHAWD- it really works on hard cornering.

I have an issue on moderate acceleration from about 2000 RPM to 4000 RPM in that the engine power is not smooth- it stumbles momentarily, then has power, then stumbles, etc all the way through the range. Hit 4000 RPM and it takes off. The dealer says this is "normal".

Any ideas on what might be causing this?

wrestrepo

Have you ever had a turbo charged car? if so, you must be familiar with Turbo lag. The RDX has a system that tries to prevent that with a flap that increases the speed of the flow at low rpms and opens to let more air in at higher rpms. My theory is that you are experiencing something that's totally normal....

max366

I've had three turbocharged cars in the past and the power development has always been smooth once the turbo spools up. This is a different issue. also, the demos I drove did not have this non-smooth power delivery.

MMike1981

does the tranny slip? any noises associated with the lack in power delivery? is the tranny stuttering? are u pushing the pedal down fully or are you accelerating to a point then trying to bring ur foot up off the gas?

Azzie

Max, I seem to have the same "issue". Mostly it is "featured" variable flow turbo - http://www.hondanews.com/categories/764/releases/4244

Sometimes I connect it to the bad quality of fuel.

max366

The tranny seems okay- no issues with it - seems nice and smooth at other RPMs. No difference in the noise. This happens with steady pedal pressure.
Stuttering is a good word to describe the effect I'm seeing. Any ideas?

MMike1981

maybe its detecting knock....id try varying amounts of pressure u apply to the pedal to accelerate and see if u get the same situation with different amounts of acceleration/power

sounds odd....but 2k - 4k is the meaty part of the engine and boost...would be pretty bothersome for daily driving coniditions....i dunnnoo...maybe just needs some time getting used to, you could potentionally be describing what we all consider as normal and just dont notice...

good luck

Azzie

AFAIK, Honda limits the motors until the first oil change and t's not good to rev Your car during first several thousands miles.

PS: Try to find another RDX that surely has good service, fuel, some mileage and ask for a try. Hope that person would not suppose You a pervert

happywithmyrdx

I would get a scanner or borrow one and see if it is knock, it will show up quite clearly with our cars. If you lived in my area [Texas], we could take a spin, I have one and use it all the time to check things out.

Maybe you can even rent one nowadays, I don't know.

max366

thanks- I'll see if I can track a scanner down. Would I get a "check engine" light if the knock sensor was changing the timing?

The RDX sat on the lot for 7 months before I bought it so is it possible the lousy fuel has fouled injectors or something else in the fuel system?

mau108

ya i'd wait it out and pump the highest octane fuel you can find (in ontario is sunoco 94 octane, im sure in the US you have sunoco or the likings)

pump it up, also throw in some redline fuel system cleaner (s1 I beleive is what its called) and try.

I have no stutter at all.

kabota

i disagree.

Azzie

You disagree to what? That it's a good idea to find another car & have a try?

mau108

honda doesn't limit anything for a certain mileage, its either limited or its not for life (such as rev limiter, speed limiter)

Azzie

I said AFAIK. And I know this from one of our (honda.org.ua) project cars - Accord 2008 3.5 VCM dyno. Here is the link http://honda.org.ua/forum/about37007.html. Unfortunately it's not possible to cross-link pictures.

The new dyno is scheduled after the first service.

happywithmyrdx

No the RDX will not throw a check engine light if it is retarding the timing. You will want a scanner to watch it while you drive.

If it sat a long time it's possible it's picked up some water in the tank, so some drygas would not hurt to put in it. Without any tools, it's hard to guess at the problem, since it could be anything from:

spark plug misfire
water in the gas
fuel pressure issue
clogged filter
issue with catalytic convertor
something like leaves stuck in the air filter
failing or loose O2 sensor

Each of which can be checked to help figure it out. Of course, this is a new car, so the odds are more likely that something small like water in the gas, but a loose plug installed at the factory could be a culprit. I would think it less likely for something like a clogged filter or clogged air, but it is possible to check it.

I believe that AutoZone will loan a scanner tool out to people, so you can plug it in and drive it around, monitoring things like 02 sensors and timing.

neo1738

im guessing u can rule out water in the gas as he had the car for about a month. are you putting in 91+ octane, even if the engine was retarding timing it is usually not that severe. i would make sure your putting in the right gas and take it to the dealer. even if they tell u its normal just tell them my test drive rdx didnt have that problem. it is not normal for the car to "stutter" even with a turbo. the only thing a turbo does is it takes a second for that power kick. but when it kicks its smooth unitl vtec kicks in then it gets another little kick.

max366

Been to the dealer twice without an answer. New fuel injectors going in on Tuesday. The comments on fuel and possible water in the gas got me thinking but I have used nothing but Shell or Sunoco 93 octane since I got the car. Put in water absorber with no change. The odd thing is that it's intermittent- doesn't do it every time with the same conditions.

Someone mentioned a bad fuel filter? Cold this cause stuttering?

Thanks for all the help offered.

max366

About a week ago, when pulling out onto a highway, the car stumbled, then backfired, and finally got going. Perhaps another piece of info to figure out what's going on....

MMike1981

Sounds quite similar to problems that the CX-7 has....has anyone checked out the turbo unit in the car yet? Bad fuel only goes so far...but it would have to be pretty bad to cause detonation.....when everything else is ruled out (fuel injectors, pumps, cats) it could come down to the turbo unit (maybe). If not, sounds like u got a possible electrical problem....maybe they should swap out ur ECU and see if that does it, if not, you may never know. However, detonation can be very serious...depending on how bad it is and how fast you are going...just remember the computer is driving you you arent driving the computer....my past mazda cx-7, after detonation the computer shut the car off to prevent damage to the engine, even tho it knew i was going 65mph... just becareful, and consider some different things other than it just being a result of gas. dealer likes to say its the gas...its the easy way out.

pdphill

I've had my RDX for 9 months and have same problem. Almost 10k on vehicle. Along with the inconsistent acceleration, I also notice a sound from the engine intake that sounds like a sucking or large vacuum leak when using light acceleration and while it gets up to speed. I had assumed that was part of the variable gate Acura is using to combat turbo lag, but maybe there is a problem. No check engine light or trouble codes with my scanner plugged in. This vehicle is almost impossible to drive smoothly. Acura would be better off with a small V6, especially given the relatively poor gas mileage of the turbo 4.

max366

While I agree a V6 would be better, this engine should be smooth throughout its range. I drove test units before I bought and they did not have this problem, so it shows it can have smooth acceleration.

Anyway, I now have new injectors and it's just slightly better - not as noticeable with mild acceleration but still pretty bad on moderate acceleration. It's driving me nuts! I'm getting close to pursuing our lemon law.

The backfire I had is another indication that something's amiss- it's just that the dealer can't figure it out.

Patton

I have an 08 RDX and have the same acceleration problem you describe. Been to the dealer half a dozen times to try and get them to figure it out, but every time I go they can't reproduce it since it only happens one a week or so. Very frustrating....I have them recheck every time I take the car in for service as well....I want it well documented as something is definitely wrong...

Would love it if someone can figure out what this problem is.

Patton

chipmunk

This happened to me today at the dealership. I took a car for a test drive and mid way through, it had trouble accelerating after each red light. I would floor the car and the engine would rev, but I was not going anywhere until it hit a high RPM and then it felt like something "grabbed" and it launched itself forward. I had it in D and the salesman kept on looking at the shifter to make sure that I did not have it in S mode. After we got back to the lot, we got in another RDX and went on another drive on the same route. This time, there was not any acceleration problem and the vehicle drove like it should have.

The salesman was dumbfounded about the first go-around and was I. I am glad that I found this thread. It seems that this could be a potential issue to have Acura look further into.

LittleC982

I think I'm having this same "sucking or large vacuum leak" sound. Mine only happens on light acceleration as well. My car is only about 5 months old with about 5500 miles on it. Had my A1 service done at the dealership about two weeks ago. Didn't notice this sound prior to the service. No check engine light or anything. Any idea what it could be? I just don't want to think it's nothing and have it become something later on down the road.

IntegraVT

iTrader: (1)

Has anyone figured this one out yet?

I just had this happen on a WOT highway merge on our RDX. Man it is a weird feeling; like stutter step. This cannot be normal.

jbeano

I have a 2009 RDX that has 1200 miles on it and have the same problem. I just got it back from the dealer after being there for 5 days. They said they couldn't find a problem. I took it out for a test drive and sure enough it happened to me on the highway. The engine shut off and I had to coast over to the shoulder and restart it. This time the dash all lit up. The VSA, SHAWD and check emissions lights all came on. It's going back to the dealer tomorrow. Hopefully they will have a solution this time.

wspy

Any solutions to these problems guys?

mrgold35

I haven't experience this problem yet on my 08 tech. I'm just wanted to know if you had the Hondata ECU reflash did you also experienced the acceleration problem also?

pickler

that sucking vacuum sound you hear, is it more of a whistle? what i mean is that if the sound is not deep as a vaccum cleaner and its closer to sound of a whistling then that's the turbo working. when you accelerate the turbo kicks in by sucking oxygen into the engine. that's how turbos work... also try not to get your gas tank empty this will force the engine to use all the crap at the bottom of the tank and even worst all the condensed water in the empty tank. also use a fuel injector cleaner every 4-5 fillups. only use 91 octane gas, most 93 octane or higher once contain too much ethanol for a turbo engine's liking. shells 91 has 0% ethanol here in canada.

stoxxsp500

quick question: at around >60mph, the rdx has "stuttered" twice in the last two days which did not happen since i got the vehicle in february. as well, i noticed that a whistling sound has developed before i turned off the engine last night (Eg. i opened my door and could hear the slight whistle). i never heard this whistle before nor did i feel these "stutters" at high speed. granted it's only happened two times in the last two days and may have been the turbo kicking in. any idea if this could be a potential fuel pump issue given the symptoms? my "new" rdx 2010 has 3000 miles so far on it. thanks

twinkieB25

has any1 figure this out yet??? i had this happen to my 2009, it started to stuttering when i drove to the store, and now every morining when i go start the rdx, it get a rough idle. not smooth like when i got it new??? no check engine light....

240sx acura tech

sounds like the cat converter is bad . remove the 2nd cat and inspect both

thelastaspec

I know it is sort of a long shot...
Believe it or not, I have had a similar problem on a 1988 300zx Turbo. If I let off the throttle while the car traveling up a hill/highway and coast, it loses all power (goes to a low idle) until it gets into boost. Also powering off the car and restarting brings it back completely - as if nothing has happened. An old Nissan tech told me it may be the O2 sensor near the cats... I think sometimes they will not give codes if they fail in the range of normal operation ect. (say reg. operation is between 5-6 ohms, it sometimes sticks at 5.7 ohms)...

I thought I would share the restart trick in case someone ever gets stuck.

A family member owns a '08 RDX Tech.
I maintain it...