I have a 2017 RDX FWD Tech package. Picked it up in 2017 with only 3000 miles in absolutely perfect condition for less than half of sticker. Done a lot of little things to it and it is by far my favorite of my 6 vehicles. It now has 35,000 on it and its time to do what i was going to do in the beginning and convert it to AWD.

*Disclaimer* I have done way more complicated things to vehicles, converted a Mazda Protégé 5 from an auto fwd to a manual awd just for example, and no, I will not sell it and buy an AWD. I will never find one as nice as mine with as low of miles.

Ideally I would like to do it the "full" way and have the ECU reprogrammed so that it can control the AWD. Not super familiar with what all you can do with the Honda software to add that in, on my AMG and Audis' you can simply activate or deactivate those modules in the software.

I also wouldn't be against just having a switch to make it off or on.

I have not got a chance to get under an AWD to compare but scouring online parts blow-ups, it looks like I need the following
Transfer case
Drive shaft
Rear diff
Both rear half shafts
Both rear knuckles
Rear springs

 

There are many possible pieces of advice to give here, but if you're serious about this, I think there are a few things worth further consideration:

This AWD system is likely electrical instead of mechanical. The experience with the mazda may not be comparable if that system was mechanical AWD.

Further, I'm sure you know that this is a pretty limited AWD system. No manual engagement. No hi/low range. Pretty much the only thing the driver can do is enable or disable VSA. This AWD system really is just meant to keep people on the road in bad weather. It is not in the same wheelhouse as the SH-AWD the first generation of RDX has that is more geared towards performance and handling.

To this point, the "basic-ness" of the system may actually make re-flashing the ECU easier. Maybe not, who knows. You will have to have access to i-HDS software and the diagnostic tool/reader.

Additionally, you would need to confirm that the frames are indeed the same, where you will have mounting points for the transfer case, diff, etc.

I'm sorry I can't really provide much good info here but I do hope it works out, it sounds like a hell of a job.

 

Also you will need.
AWD Automatic transmission
ABS module
AWD Version Wire harness
AWD Version Instrument cluster
ACM Unit
AWD Control Unit

I think if you do all the labor, then this project can cost you about $ 5000-7000. It may be easier and cheaper to buy a Total Loss AWD RDX and take it for parts.
I would just sell the car and buy another one with AWD.

 

Reading this again, I have to add - I know you said that you'll never sell it because "you'll never find one as nice as yours" but honestly, you gotta ask yourself is the juice worth the squeeze?

Potentially hacking up your existing RDX to do something that's likely never been done ever before, with no guarantee of everything working properly. You gotta weight in the possibility that you make your current car never drive the same again, maybe even undriveable.

Good cars come and go. I looked at about a dozen RDX's over the span of months before I found the one we bought, and it was worth the wait. Bought and maintained at the same dealer it's entire life, only OEM service and parts, one previous owner who took flawless care of it. Those types of cars are rare, but they do exist and come along every so often.

 

I had the same thought. What's the point of doing it all when you can enjoy the car as it is...

 

Too many debbie downers
what you really need to do is source parts from both the 1st gen RDX and MDX, and make it SH-awd. Might have a few extra steps involved, but well worth it I reckon

 

Most likely you do not understand what you are talking about at all. SH-awd will never work correctly on the 2nd generation. Acura cannot make a normal propeller shaft, which is why they vibrate at high speed on the new TLX, but do you think it's so easy to take the propeller shaft from MDX, cut off an piece from it and weld it correctly without vibration? What you suggest is called a redneck engineering and it will never work correctly.

 

It's not so much being a "debbie-downer" as it is trying to steer somebody away from a job that:
- has almost certainly never been done before on this platform
- has no existing documentation or resources for a job like this
- will likely require custom fabrication work
- will negatively affect the state + value of his original vehicle, which is apparently in amazing condition
- may not even be possible due to an electronically controlled AWD system being retrofitted to a non-AWD system.
- will cost a ton of time and money
- will contain inevitable roadblocks none of us can predict right now

This isn't an automatic to 6MT swap. Hell, even an engine swap could be easier, depending on the platform.

OP would be a god if he could pull the job off and document the process along the way.

I love seeing people try new things, and attempt challenging jobs. That's half of what these forums are about. But there's a fine line between doing something because you can, vs doing something because you should. And the more I think about this, I'd just hate to see this guy compromise a vehicle of his that's already objectively good. All just for one of the most unexciting AWD systems Honda offers.

 

Where do you live that you need an AWD RDX?

If I had the chance, I would have bought a FWD version which is not available in my market, and we get lots of snow.

 

Oh I don't understand what's at play but the rocket scientists at Acura do....just consider yourself a consumer/ monkey of global marketing ploys. Anything is possible...dumb dolts...

 

What? There's no reason to get pissy - maybe you and OP can attempt this conversion and get back to us with how many hours of labor it took, how much money you spent, and how your now-frankensteined vehicle is performing. I'm not arguing that it's not possible. I'm again just asking is the juice worth the squeeze - when you could simply trade your car for an existing one with AWD.

 

Don't pay attention to him, he is one of those who like to turn a car into a Frankinstein monster, these people also like to drive with burning Christmas lights on the dashboard, and some of them tape these lamps with black tape and they think everything is okay. And everyone who says that this is not okay, he calls dumb dolts.

 

Easy fellas, no need to get your panties all tied up in a knot. Recent advents also include tank treads and electric hub assemblies