Hi, new member here. I was checking out my driver's side fuse box prior to upgrading the interior lighting of my 2016 Advance AWD. I noticed that there were these two knobs with a + and - located above the OBD2 port. I experimented with them a little bit but I could not find what their purpose is. Doing a few quick searches online and no one seems to have any info on this. Does anyone on here know what these knobs adjust?

 

I don't know what it adjust, but that is some sort of aftermarket box wired in there.
You may have some sort of tracking device, depending on where you purchased the vehicle.
Do you have a hitch on the back, may be a type of brake controller.
Mike

 

Do you have aftermarket equipment?

 

It looks like a motion detector for a car alarm system. A better photo might make the ID a lot easier, especially if we can see the markings on the casing.

For example does it say "Interior" and "Exterior" on the adjustments? If so, I suspect it is a motion detector control box.

 

No, the car is 100% stock

 

Then you need to get rid of this battery drainer as soon as possible.

 

I don't have a hitch on my RDX. I bought the car used at a dealership but the previous owner never did modifications and always had maintenance done at the Acura dealer.

 

I'll go get another picture. It doesn't seem to do anything when the car is off that I can tell. I thought originally it might have been an adjuster for the volume of the car alarm based on things I had found out about similar knobs from other manufacturers. After testing that theory, it did nothing.

 

I can't tell where the device in question is wired in to yet. I haven't had any battery issues from it and I've had the car for over a year so I don't think it's putting a lot of stress on the battery.

Here's a better picture of the device in question. I can't see any markings on it and haven't found it listed anywhere in the manual or parts diagram for the car.

I added this because I'm pretty sure this is a part of the dealer installed alarm system which they tried to sell me when I bought the car but they told me they removed it when I refused to pay for it. As far as I can tell it's not connected in any way to the other device, but it's small blue LED turns on sometimes and the button on it seems to do nothing.

 

Why not cut the tye-wrap and see if there are any markings on the back of the case.

Next, trace the wires to where they connect on the RDX. Record the wiring colours on the RDX and then look them up.

 

 

aftermarket alarm module, remove that crap

 

Can confirm that is an aftermarket alarm. A lot of dealers install them on every car on their lots. It is for the convenience of the salesmen.
They have a universal fob that will open any car. Or, as I noted when we were looking at my wife's RDX, they bang on the window to activate the
shock sensor. As long as they have the dealer fob in their pocket, the car opens without setting off the alarm. There is also a gps component to track
any stolen vehicles. In finance they try to sell you the alarm for over $1000. If you decline, they deactivate and leave the guts in there. The warning
about a battery drain is because there have been versions of these that have that issue as they age. They are set up to cut the ignition, another failure mode.
I luckily had some issue with the horn chirping as you started the RDX and was able to get them to remove it after the sale. The service dept wanted hundreds.
I had a little talk with the sales manager...

 

So pretty much if I don't remove it they could just open my car without issue? Great. I refused to pay for the alarm originally but I guess I should have made sure they removed it if I had known there were issues with it. Must be the Rockledge alarm system then that they sell at the dealer. I'll see if I can figure out how to remove it but at least I know those knobs probably only adjust the alarm system and nothing else. But thanks for the ID on what that box was.

 

Reminds me of the other big dollar crap they sell you after dealing with sales, that totally useless electronic rust module that they sell for over $600. At least there is a flashing LED on it to give you "hope". LOL