alphajack

Hi All,

I am planning to buy a 2014 AWD RDX w/ Tech and have dealer offer or $36,995. I think this is a good price but after reading about RDX's VCM related vibration issues on this forum I am rethinking my choice. I am leaning towards the more expensive Lexus RX.

How widespread and noticeable is the VCM vibration ? Has Acura tried to fix the vibration issues in 2014 model ?

Thanks,
AJ

weather

^^ Good morning AJ.....I don't think you will see Acura acknowledge the issue with the VCM and the faint rumbling/shimmer associated with it. I have read various reports and some seem worst than others. Mine is very very subtle and more noticeable when its very cold and the vehicle going around 50-60 km/h. It feels as if the car would be in a gear too high for the speed and has that slight vibration but as soon as it starts, it seems to downshift and the vibration goes away.

Again, for me, its very subtle and if it wasn't for these forums, I would have never given it any thoughts. These sites are often notorious for making people aware of the slightest little issues with their vehicles because we all talk and compare them.

Best advice is take one for a drive and see if you can notice it, now that you are aware of the issue. The RDX is still an amazing vehicle (as with the Lexus) but the RDX still is significantly cheaper and offers lots for the price.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

mdfree

Very well stated Weather! I don't think I've ever heard/or felt this rumble issue, but boy after these posts I'm sure paranoid of it. Then again I live in southern Arizona so maybe the temperature is saving me. Now if I can just get the wind noise from the left rear passenger window side quieted down I'm golden!

Mike_TX

I personally think the VCM issue is a little overplayed, and it has people scared.

In my car, I can detect no vibration, but at highway speeds I do get an almost-unnoticeable "bass" sound, which I suppose you could call a slight rumble. For me, that 's the price you pay for excellent gas mileage (I routinely get 21-22 around town, and I can do 30 or more on the open highway).

If your RDX has an actual vibration, it probably needs some attention. It could be tire balance, or perhaps even something like motor mounts. The engine in these things is a marvel of smoothness - at idle, mine is so smooth I have to look at the tach to make sure it's running, something I experienced only with my former Lexus LS460. But when it drops 2 or 3 cylinders there is going to be some rotational imbalance. The active motor mounts and other mechanisms in the RDX all but eliminate this, but that subtle rumble may be present.

Like Weather said, drive the vehicle and see for yourself.

FishX

It is kind of like side effect of a medication. Once you read about them, you will think you have them all ...

GarrettinSF

We've driven 10k miles in the last year and have never found this to be an issue.

BLEXV6

No issue on mine. It rides beautifully.

alphajack

Thanks for sharing your experiences with RDX.

I finally bought a black 2014 rdx awd w/ tech. So far I haven't noticed any vibration and it rides well. The only issue I have noticed is some sound on releasing the brake pedal after stopping at a traffic light.

-AJ

Cablerat

My car has this vibration issue in the winter when driving steady at like 50-60kms/hr. Like weather said, its like the car shifted to a high gear and the speed is too late. Anyone who's driven stick would recognize this cuz its like you shifted to 5th gear instead of 3rd gear.

I've driven 3 rdxs and all of them had the same issue. Its not horrible and not noticeable most of the time if you don't try to find the issue.

Mike_TX

I'm wondering if this is worse on AWD models ... maybe the strain in the engine is a little more when in AWD mode - that is, when all four wheels are being driven.

That would make sense, since the load on the engine would be greater.

Just hypothesizing.

hawkeye62

Under enough load for AWD to be active, I doubt that VCM would be active.

I have never, ever, felt or heard anything when VMC activates or deactivates at any speed. And I live in Utah, where we have cold winters. The only way I can tell when VCM is working is by looking at the instantaneous MPG and watching the tach.

Regards, Jim

dcpc08161992

[QUOTE=alphajack;14807164]Hi All,

I am planning to buy a 2014 AWD RDX w/ Tech and have dealer offer or $36,995. I think this is a good price but after reading about RDX's VCM related vibration issues on this forum I am rethinking my choice. I am leaning towards the more expensive Lexus RX.

How widespread and noticeable is the VCM vibration ? Has Acura tried to fix the vibration issues in 2014 model ?

Thanks,
AJ[/QUOTE


**************
If you ever drive a 4 cylinders car then you know how the RDX vibration feels like when you are sitting at the stop light at idle.


So, RDX is not idling smoothly as any of the Toyota V6 cars at idle. I own many Toyota V6 cars and at stop light you can barely tell the engine is running (sometimes you actually have to look at the tachometer to know that the car is running). RDX, on the other hand, will remind you constantly that it is on because you can feel the 'slight' vibration.


Once it is in motion, RDX is smooth.

YeuEmMaiMai

IHO the Acura is better over all and in 2 key areas

1. faster acceleration 6.5 vs 7.1 second to 60 (numbers from edmunds reviews)
2. better fuel ecomony lexus gets 18/25 vs 19/27 AWD or 20/28 FWD

I did not notice any vibrations when I drove one... and Honda v6 are butter smooth

Doug's RDX

I am experiencing the same vibration issues. I have a 2014 AWD, 5,800 miles, I notice the vibration at different speeds, not in AWD. It feel like the transmission is trying to shift to the high test gear it can for I assume fuel economy. It does vibrate in drive at a traffic light too. Not as smooth as I expected from a Honda engine. I will address with the service department set the next oil change.

dcpc08161992

****


I don't know if the RDX and the 2013 Honda Odyssey is a completely two different engines but they both use same technology to shut down the number of cylinders to save gas... the Honda van is butter smooth at idle which is not what I experience with the RDX. Why? I have no idea.

Doug's RDX

While I was searching "propeller shafts", I found a recall from Acura on the 2014 MDX, loose bolts, bad shafts, etc. I wonder how long before they recall the RDX?? They obviously have an issue. Has anyone else seen anything?

tempalan

I am new to this forum but yesterday I got a loaner 2014 RDX while my MDX is in for yet another warranty repair (will post about that under MDX). I had never heard of or researched this issue until today, since I had no reason to look up a car I didn't own. BUT on my way home yesterday I noticed a very obvious vibration at lower speeds (like going over ribbed pavement). I thought this was unusual and then looked out for it over the next mile or so, it was very evident. This morning again I was able to constantly reproduce the issue. It was cold but really no excuse for this. Nice car but this is a real issue.

rjm-1

The service rep told me that "most people that bring them in for vibration issues are people who know a lot about cars. The other people just think it's supposed to be like that".

If your a car guy who's been around and worked on cars all your life, you will notice it. Whether you chose to accept the vibration as "normal" is up to you. Also the vibration is actually a combination of the transmission shifting way too early, the engine (VCM) cutting out cylinders and the balance of the propeller shaft. Hopefully the replacement of my propeller shaft will bring it into bearable levels. Right now it drives me crazy. Should be going in for replacement next week.

BTW, I noticed the vibration long before I had read anything about this issue.

BlackDogRDX

I haven't noticed the vibration in many months but that's largely because I refuse to drive less than 40mph for any extended period. When it happens it did drive me nuts but it also seems to go unnoticed by all my passengers.

Everyone has deal breakers. If I had all the information I have now it wouldn't have changed my mind during the buying process. It's still a great vehicle.