Honestly I don't rtfm anymore so I'm pleasantly surprised to find features. Got any to share?

Mine is the front sun visors.when you pull them over to the side, you can extend their range by pulling towards the rear. The shade is on an extender hidden in the mount bar.

 

Hey cool, I didn't know that.. thanks for the tip. Since I've had the car I've thought "man my murano used to have extended sun visors..."...

 

Everything old is new again...my '80 Volvo GT and '88 Merc Sable both had visor extensions.

I didn't know about the windows and roof partially open trick with the remote. DW has the RDX tonight, but I'll check it out tomorrow.

I'll likely be 'discovering' stuff about the Nav and phone until the day I sell the car.

 

You can use the actual key to open and lower the windows+sunroof. Turn either direction and hold it there. I *think* you have to turn it in the direction you need twice before its activated.

 

There's a lock button under the rear hatch area to the right of the license plate frame. helpful to not have to dig in your pocket to lock the car after getting something out of the trunk

 

This isn't so much a feature but a throwback...

It took me 6 months to figure out how to get the interior dome lights to come on when I opened the doors. I was hunting through the steering wheel menu and the center console menu and the manual and it never occured to me to slide the light switch next to the sunroof switch just like every other car I've ever owned haha.

 

This could be a bad thing. With my '08 IS 350, I had come to it one more than one occasion to find the windows all the way down. I'm not sure if something hit the fob in my pocket or what. One time it was after a weekend of heavy rain. The interior was never the same after that.

Anyone know how to get this disabled?

 

Our RX330 was the same; but we never had any problems with it. I can see where this could be an issue if you have things 'bumping' into your remote. That really WOULD take the fun out of the afternoon to find your vehicle filled with the rain from the thundershower earlier in the day.!

 

Probably already known, but I'll mention it again...the paddle shifters are quite useful for climbing hills. In D mode, shift down to get a extra temporary kick. It will shift you back up, but it's usually enough to get a little extra oomph on a short climb. In S mode, it will hold the gear on the full climb so it's a replacement for not having a lower gear (D3, etc.) to shift into.

I'm not sure why people criticize paddle shifters..they're actually a very useful feature.

 

Not to start an argument; but I prefer the shifter where a shifter has been for the past 40+ years of my driving experience. The Volvo shifter was quite nice as was the Lexus...on the center console where I expect it(Not to mention the dozens of manual shifters I've used over the decades).

IF the driver is hanging on for dear life and needs to shift with only his fingertips; the RDX isn't likely the best vehicle for him .

Put me in an F1 car at our new Circuit of the Americas track here in Austin and I'll happily take advantage of paddle shifters. Otherwise, I'll 'one hand' it and stick with a center console location.

 

I love the paddle shifters! Much more convenient then the regular console shifters.

 

Yeah, I love the paddle shifters. I can descend from my local ski mountain, 8,100 ft to 4,700 ft and 12 miles and barely use the brakes or the throttle. A hand full of places where I need a little throttle and a few curves where I need the brakes.

And I realized just last week that when stopped on a hill, the brakes hold after you release them until you press the throttle.

Regards, Jim

 

Here's a feature I found on the tech package..the phone voice tags and gps destination address list which comes up is associated with the current driver...i.e. driver 1 or driver 2. However you can still access the other driver's entries through the menu.

It would be nice if you can display the entries together. Let me know if anyone has found an option for this.

 

The side mirror adjustment slider controls which side mirror goes down when you put your car in reverse. For example, if you leave the slider on the right, the right side mirror will go down when you reverse, perfect for when parking next to the curb. Leaving it in the middle will disable this feature.

 

Not sure I like this one, but when you put the front wipers into intermittent mode the rear wiper will take a couple swipes.

 

not sure if you noticed but if you have your wipers on and your switch your gear to reverse, rear wiper will have a few wipes. Not that you need it when you have the camera but i thougth its a nice feature.

 

On my 08 RDX, when I decend hills in "D" mode, the paddle shifters only allow me to downshift to 3rd (depending on my speed/rpms). When I switch to "S" mode, I can shift to 2nd gear at the same speed to slow down more. Does the 2013 RDX give you more shift control in "S" mode compared to "D" mode with the paddles? I rather downshift than ride the brakes for 5 miles in the mountains.

I also notice with my 08 if I start the vehicle with the parking brake on the DRL don't come on until I release the parking brake (they stay on if you re-engage the parking brake). Is this feature still there on the 2013?

 

I think this is the "feature" i was trying to describe...I think you have it right.

 

Since it has rained only TWO times in the three and a half months we've had the RDX, I haven't had the chance to really test the camera in the rain; however, after entering the vehicle when it's completely soaked, the camera lens is obscured by water 'clinging' onto the lens protector. Haven't had that problem with our Volvos similarly equipped. Perhaps the RDX lens is just more 'exposed' in order to offer the three 'views'.

Of course, that's a time you might most take advantage of the back-up camera...during inclement weather...hmmm

 

yes you are right

for some reason, my opinion is that they didnt place the camara that 'well'. Visibility gets really poor when it rains or snows, but luckily the side mirrors are wide enough to cover the angels.

 

Totally agree. You have to know what they will do for you, or not, and practice with them.

Also, Acuras and Hondas have "brake assist" so when going downhill you get extra "hold back" via the trans and engine management systems.

When in "D" it is very useful to pull the paddle and do a quick downshift and then let the tranny shift back on it's own when you're off the gas.

I like the ability to start off from a stop in snowy/icy conditions in 2nd gear too. Put it in "S" and shift to 2nd while at a stop and you will start off in 2nd gear...using less torque and gearing to not spin tires so easily.

 

Oh so that's what that does!

 

All, found something today that was surprising.

New google maps for iPhone has turn by turn directions (spoken) and these come over the Bluetooth connection, even if music etc is playing - just like a phone call.

Now I can have the nice google lady tell me where to go!

 

Been doing this with Nexus/Android all along. Welcome to 2012, with thanks to Google. (just picking...I'm an android fan boy.)


Here's a feature that's been present in premium brands for ages but the guys from normal consumer brands might not know about...three flashes for signal lights when you tap the stalk up or down. Prevents you from being "that guy" who drives with the signal on.

 

The paddle shifters in the TL do the same. When I hit a big hill, I like to shift it into sport and then downshift and manually control the up shifts. Then we I get to the top of the hill, I shift back to drive. Weeee!

 

Why do you need to shift into sport mode before using the paddles (as opposed to using the paddles to downshift and not using Sport)? In my GTI, I can use the paddles to go into manual mode or I can bump the shifter from D to manual mode and then start using the paddles. Does it work differently in the RDX?

 

Paddle shifter works in "D" as well, but if conditions are persumed as you're cruising, then it'll go back to D a few seconds later.
Keeping it in "S" mode doesn't override your gear selection.

Does anyone notice if S has a more aggressive shift pattern than D?

 

It does: it tends to upshift later when accelerating, and downshift faster when braking.

 

Just picked up mine last night and looking forward to this expanding.

 

While parking on a fairly steep hill, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the doors stay in place when opened. I was expecting gravity to swing the doors on my legs as I went to grab my stuff but this didn't happen.

Anyone else think the doors on the 2013 RDX are designed particularly well or am I just used to clunkers?

 

Yeah with my iPhone 5, I really use Waze and the alerts come through the bluetooth. But two things bug me:

1) The volume of the sound coming through aren't as loud as I would like and I don't know how to control that and
2) I don't like how the sound is totally cut out from the car's stereo for a bluetooth message. When you do factory navigation directions, it just turns the sound down a little bit

A side note, because I use Waze, that makes the maps in my factory Navi not as important so I can leave the larger Audio Display screen usually on).

Does it auto clean after?

 

Figured out that the auto rear wiper is tied to having the wiper in an auto mode, and then shifting into Reverse.

 

Yea i noticed that tonight with the rain we got. Had my front wipers on then backed up to park and the rear wiper started going. I was wondering what happened because I never turned on the rear wiper.

I also noticed the cup holders have these litte spring like things in them to keep your beverage more secure.

Also on the bottom of the windshield it has a dot matrix which i assume is to help with defogging

 

if you need a cargo organizer/tote, the one from the mdx works and fits perfect in the rdx. it even straps in using the stock latches. dealer gave a deal on it and said they will start offering to the people who purchase the rdx. i guess i was the first there to actually ask about taking it out of the package to see if it fits.

 

I've been following this forum for a while new, but I haven't yet pulled the trigger. I have my sights set on a Forged Silver Metallic AWD w/Tech and Ebony for purchase late next month.

I know the side view mirrors are heated (this is advertised on the sticker), but are they auto-dimming as well?

 

nope, just the rearview mirror inside the car. but if you tint your windows then it shouldnt really matter if the side mirrors are auto-dimming

 

Dot matrix's are for sun deflection...not defogging. They are not wired.

 

If it's in Auto mode then does it matter what gear you are in?? I better read the Manual as they say. And try it myself.

 

Not really a feature, but I was surprised to find that unlocking the doors is working when touching the handle in gloves. This helps in this cold weather

 

OK, I did my homework. With the rear wiper in the OFF position, the front wipers in any position other than OFF....and you put the trans in Rev. the rear wiper will automatically come on and operate based on the setting of the front wiper control.
If the front is on Intermittent...then the rear will operate that way. IF the fronts are at any other position then the rear will operate continuously. The rear has only one speed also.
Not sure what the "Auto" position is..or what you meant by that.