Joe Las Vegas

It rained today, nothing but wheel spin from the front, I even tested off the line a few times where there was nobody around, I went half throttle, 3/4, WOT, and it did nothing but spin the front wheels like a FWD car, and I didn't feel any help from the rear wheels.
Isn't the AWD light supposed to come on when the front wheels spin?, Is my TC shot? Is there a TC control unit?

Joe Las Vegas

Went to brakemasters, lifted it up and put it in D and the rear wheels turned too, so it works, doesn't do shit in the real world, but it works. They kept the sh-awd on the MDX and kept the mpg good, they should have done the same for the RDX.

Skidoor

Joe, you really need to go for a drive into the mountains where there is some deep snow, and get this out of your system.

Joe Las Vegas

How would that help, considering it can't even handle some wet roads, if I wanted 2WD, I would have bought a RWD car with LSD, like a Cadillac ATS.
I bought AWD to avoid front wheel spin and that's all I get, great job Acura for getting rid of the sh-awd, I test drove a used 2009 RDX back in 2012, didn't buy it because we only had one income at the time, but damn, that sh-awd would push you in your seat and and you could feel the rear wheels gripping like hell, it just took off like a rocket, but this new RDX is nothing but a CRV with a V6.

thoiboi

Sell it and buy an MDX!

Joe Las Vegas

I'll wait until the 2018 model comes out and if it doesn't have sh-awd and Android auto I'll get another brand.
I have loan to pay and don't feel like losing money, but if I lived in a rainy/snowy area I would get something with a real awd.

Carbon2008RDX

Joe, I don’t know what year your RDX is, but if it’s a 2013 – 2015 the AWD can only send a maximum 25% engine torque to the rear. Acura radically improved the AWD for 2016 model year to send up to 40% and also improved the logic board controlling the whole thing.

I have a 2016 and finally got to test it in some real snow recently and the AWD seriously impressed me. I purposely drove on some unpaved roads and found some nice snowy hills to climb and to be honest it tackled all with ease.

My previous ride was a 2008 RDX which had the SH-AWD. Yes, that is an awesome system and I was skeptical of my 2016 with the lack of the “SH” part of AWD but now after some real testing I must say the “AWD with Intelligent Control” works quite well in the 2016 RDX.

RDX10

I got into an ultra muddy debate with some knuckle heads about this a year ago. The system in the 2G RDX is complete garbage and an absolute joke. What system in 2013 only sends 25% to the rear? Also I love those people talking about how the 2016 can send 40% to the back...big fricken whoop. Mainstream brands have been sending at least 50% to the back since like 2000. So don't try and act like oh, it is for fuel savings. What a bunch of bullshit Acura.

Did you know Kia currently has a system capable of sending more than 50% to the rear during cornering? Did you know nissan has a system on the juke that can send 100% of the rearward power to each individual rear wheel during cornering, up to a maximum of 50% of total power? Did you know there are systems in certain ford models capable of sending 70% of power to the rear and of that 70%, 100% can go to each individual wheel (sound familiar? It should because that is SH-AWD)?

My whole point is that it's absolutely ridiculous for Acura to spend all this time and money to create what is honestly one of the best (if not the best AWD system) and then install it on all their AWD cars, then turn around and remove it. Then, they don't put at least a system equivalent to other mainstream models, they put in the shittiest AWD system on the market. If I was not such an AWD junkie, I would not be as offended as I am. The RDX goes from 42k-50k in Canada, I expect an actual AWD system for that much money, especially when I can get a much superior system for less than half of that.

Joe Las Vegas

Agree 100℅
I like the 2G RDX for it's look and V6, but the new AWD system sucks, especially 2013-2015, the more the front wheels spin the less it works it seems, 2016+ is better, but still not 50/50 and no lock button, kia/hyundai awd have a awd lock button when you know you need constant awd 50/50. What gets me fuming, like you said, is that they ditched the sh-awd for better mpg, but they kept it on the MDX and mpg there is still good, go figure. Still like the RDX but they definitely need to use sh-awd in the 3G RDX.

Working on this, just a thought. https://acurazine.com/forums/second-...2013-a-953941/

RDX10

I like that it has a V6 (as much of a dinosaur as it is, it still does a very good job moving the RDX around) but I would like to see a turbo engine in the lineup in the future. It is funny you mention that lock button, I actually brought that exact point up in my argument a year ago. If you are going to down grade to a slip and grip system, then at least give people the power to lock it for situations where they may want that power distribution. I.e being stuck in snow or mud, or driving in situations with excessive slip like icy roads or during a rain storm. Crossovers with slip and grip systems have had the ability to lock the transfer case since they were invented in the early 2000's. so why no oppertunity to offer it here?

Go on youtube and search CRV AWD fail, you will see how the system is an absolute joke. Apparently Honda did it this way in order to "save wear on the parts". You can't save much more wear on the parts except if you were to take them off and put them on a shelf since they are never active.

I highly doubt that it will be as simple as switching the module because the previous AWD clutch is incapable of sending more than 25% to the rear by design. See the system is an on-off system. What I mean by that is that it can go from off to on, but there is no way to be turned on more than the maximum 25%. But it can do anything between 0% to 25%. The one way to 100% know if you can simply pop that module in would be to look at the part numbers online. If they match, then I am wrong, if they do not, then I am right.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I'll put this as tactfully as I can.....

why did you buy this vehicle?

Skidoor

Because these are not street legal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGFQ__CZY_A

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I want one!!!!!!

Skidoor

Ya, I binge-watched at least 2 hours worth of those hill climbing and rock climbing videos a few days back....would be a BLAST!

mlody

When i was dealing with TLX vibration in the past, I had 2016 RDX AWD as a loaner several times and I can correlate regarding the AWD system. On wet/damp road small right turn and half throttle and RDX was spinning right wheel as bad if not worse than my 2006 TL 6 speed. Could be the shitty tires, or AWD or both, but the AWD didn't impress me at all. TLX or TL or MDX on the other hand have an impressive SH-AWD system, but even here, I find the TL SH-AWD more engaging and eager to send power to rear than MDX or TLX - go figure.

YeuEmMaiMai

RDX is slip and grip as a cost saving/ fuel economy measure. The RDX will allow for a certain amount of wheel slip before activating the AWD. In the winter time you will notice some sliding around before it engages (torque steer) but once it does it will take care of getting you going.