Mungo

Hi folks. First post. Just got a 2020 hybrid sport tech and it is a bit overwhelming coming from BMWs that were a bit older with less gadgetry. This car has front and rear parking sensors but I cannot figure out how to activate them. Any tip would be appreciated. Thanks!

mrgold35

Welcome to the family! I have a 19 MDX Adv hybrid since March/19 with a little under 12,000 miles.

There is a button on bottom left hand side on the lower dash with a large "P" with 3 lines pointing towards a cone to turn on the front parking sensors (green light for on). I don't know if the tech has the same button like the Adv models? I haven't found (or looked) for an on/off button for the rear parking sensors? I could turn turn the sound up/down and turn off my rear parking sensors on my 11 MDX.

Mungo

Thanks. I did find the comprehensive manual online, and can confirm that light (lower left dash) is definitely activated. But I am not getting any sensing going on.

mkhadi1

When the car is parked, press the settings button next to the knob, then scroll to vehicle settings, there's an option in there for parking sensor notification. The notification will show up in the dashboard with sound.

mkhadi1

What gas mileage are you getting on the hybrid?

mrgold35

I keep my 19 MDX Adv in Sport mode and live/travel at 5000-7500 feet in NM with hwy speeds up to 75-80 mph. I have a little over 12,000 miles and overall average of 24 mpg. My best was 27.1 mpg for 344 miles and my worst was 20.5 for 168 miles (very cold and stiff headwind on the hwy). I lean more towards sports than hybrid.

Mungo

I don’t have a parking sensor setting in the vehicle (or any other menu) settings.

Just got the car yesterday so no feel yet for real world mileage. I did find the engine shutdown on idle to be distracting....hoping that Sport setting tends to eliminate that.

RLX-Sport Hybrid

Real world mpg in the winter is about 26 mpg +/- 1mpg and in the summer 28 mph +/- 1 mpg. There are the standard of deviations where we have seen 24 mpg and other times on long trips we have seen 30-31 mpg.

bmoua15

After the first few weeks you'll get use to it

Your first mod should be getting rid of the 245s and mounting 255s. Makes a huge difference during cornering

mrgold35

No control of when the engine shuts off for EV mode in Comfort, Normal, or Sport IDS modes. The only way I can keep the engine running at a stop is to hit the gear shift button and go from "D" to "S" mode for manual paddle shift mode or change the IDS setting to Sport+. I've noticed if I slowly press the gas pedal to accelerate, the gas engine will engage and it can be hardly felt. If I press the gas pedal to hard/fast, the EV to gas engine engagement can be a tiny bit rough and jerky. My goal is to drive never knowing if I'm using EV only, gas engine only, or a combo of both.

moose66

If you have sensors, and they are not working, you need to make a trip back to the dealer. If not a setting, something is amiss.

Master Apex

I also have BMW, the fun part about this car is having 321 HP while maintaining decent mpg, so not about having high mpg (if so I would be buying Prius or Tesla).
I always drive in D but with dynamic mode set to Sport+ so it will disable the EV-only mode (engine off).

On certain occasion/terrain , I switch from D to S , to experience the higher RPM gear shift point so the car is always near the peak of power band.

Mungo

They “reset” the parking sensors, whatever that means. Works now. Am finding the car very comfortable. Tried to voice command an address....not sure I will endure that again.

mkhadi1

​​​​​​Same here for voice commands, it seems clunky to activate. I just use android auto & Google voice for navigation. Works much easier for putting in addresses.

mrgold35

Same experience with Acura voice commands and frustration level. Unbelievably easy with carplay for address searches, responding to texts, and music options compared to Acura voice system. The only advantage Acura Navi has is can be a little faster to respond when driving compared to carplay depending on your type of smartphone, IOS update, data plan (data throttling), signal strength, and location with 3G/4G service.

Mungo

Update after a couple weeks. Installed the cargo net, cargo liner, ordered the spare tire kit, full size spare and tire. Really very happy with this car. I didn’t realize it would be so comfortable, and I am coming from some pretty nice bmws. Feels like I am riding on air, and yet I feel it handles great too.

mkhadi1

Yeah definitely, the car rides quite smoothly. I've been going back & forth between normal & sports mode. I may stick with sports for the tighter handling over ride smoothness.

Which full size spare did you purchase?

mrgold35

My MDX hybrid handles better than my RLX hybrid. The RLX has the same 2 stage dampers like the base/tech MDXs; but, the RLX suspension is tuned more for extra comfort (way more body roll and bounce in any maneuver).

I did the same accessories along with cargo cover, all weather mats on all three rows, splash guards, and side steps. The paint is very thin on the hood and doesn't take much to chip the paint. I ended up getting three good chips waiting for my PPF appointment. The chips really stood out with gray primer showing with the Fathom Blue Pearl paint. Now would be the time for PPF if you do a lot of hwy driving.

Mungo

Went with this rim and a gently used Continental tire http://www.ebay.com/itm/113994063263

Mungo

Also, will say that the transition between engine on and off is something that I got used to, whereas I could not on other cars. It just doesn’t bother me...maybe because the vehicle’s mass makes it less jarring?

mrgold35

It could also be the instant tq of the 3 electric motors and the 7DCT helping to smooth out the EV to I.C.E. transition. I only notice the transition if I press the gas pedal a little harder at a stop for faster than normal acceleration. Hardly notice it at all during normal cruising in town cruising speeds.

Mungo

Is there an easy way to mute all navigation instructions?

mkhadi1

https://owners.acura.com/ has guides & how to.

Robert Zanzerkia

I have 19 MDX Sport Hybrid Tech and love it so far.
Hybrid is tuned more for performance than gas mileage but I do get decent 25-26 in winter (I only have 2200 miles).
I also have 17 Prius Prime (commuter car) and I get 90-100 MPG (if I charge it every night). Torque in that car in electric mode is fantastic from a dead stop.
11 gallon tank refill required on average every 1000 miles :-)

One of the best feature of 19 MDX is the voice integration with messaging and Apple Car play.
I can reply to text message by speaking and it perfectly converts to text message (impressive considering my accent).

mrgold35

I really like my 19 MDX hybrid also; but, I would trade it in if the 4th Gen MDX hybrid has a plug-in option with extended EV range like the Prius.

Robert Zanzerkia

Absolutely right. I would do the same.
I am spoiled by Plug-n Prius (it's got only 35 mile range on pure electric, 23 in winter).

Imagine 50-100 mile electric range with plug-in MDX ?
You have to experience the smooth acceleration from dead stop on electric only mode (Even MDX Sport Hybrid can't match that).

On the other hand if you want to reduce all mechanical components (ICE etc.) just go for Tesla if you can live with range anxiety.
That's why I like Hybrid/Plug-in solution till they improve the battery range.

mrgold35

We travel about +20,000 miles a year and most cities that "might" have Tesla quick chargers are 2-5 hours apart leaving from ABQ. I got the MDX/RLX hybrids because I hated paying the CA gas prices in my 11 MDX/08 RDX AND it only got 14-16 mpg because of traffic. It would cost me sometimes $85 or more to fill up on 91 octane in 11 MDX in CA. Looking forward to see how the hybrids performs in the same So. Cal. traffic this spring. I was around 23-25 mpg combined with city driving in San Antonio last summer/fall in the 19 MDX hybrid compared to 15-16 mpg in my 11 MDX.

Another reason for plug-in option is all the prime parking spots downtown are usually empty plug-in spot.

Mungo

My 2020 had an oil leak which has been going on for a while (duh....oil spots on garage floor). Written up by the dealer as “crank shaft end pully seal leaking prominently...poor assembly”.

In other news, got an iPhone and really impressed by how much better the infotainment is via CarPlay.

bmoua15

Keep us updated with the outcome please.
​
​​​Im getting a loud click right when i shift into reverse. Its coming from the front driver side suspension, looks and sounds like my axle. Taking her in soon to Acura before my warranty runs out.

LienCongTu

I just purchased 2020 MDX hybrid last Saturday and noticed the same issue with loud click when I shift into reverse. Can you please keep us updates on the issue?

rka4570

iTrader: (1)

Do it clunk every time or only when you park on an incline.

LienCongTu

clunk every time but I can hear the noise louder from incline.

rka4570

iTrader: (1)

This works for me and you may want to try it out. Once stopped on an incline while still in drive apply the parking brake and then put it into park and shut off the engine.

mrgold35

I use the same procedure when I park on an incline to eliminate the "clunk".

MCRacer

yup. at least part of the problem is the way acura goes into park if you don't do it manually. One should always apply the parking brake THEN go to park. The default with the acura if you just turn off the car is it goes into park THEN applies the parking brake, or if you go into park then turn of the car, same problem, parking brake gets set AFTER going into park. So you are relying on the parking pawl to stop the car from moving and it puts pressure on the parking pawl if your on an incline. So get in the habit of engaging the parking brake, wait till the car stops moving (only a few inches) then shift to park.

LienCongTu

Thanks guys for this great tip and it works!

Ravi Venkatraman

I was looking for accessories for my 2020 MDX Sport Hybrid! Can you share where you purchased the cargo net and cargo liner from? I mean is it worth buying these from the Acura store!?

Mungo

I bought some of the parts like the net from an online OEM parts dealer. I think the liner was a third party product off Amazon. Sunshade was OEM from Amazon. Pieces together a full size spare by buying the donut OEM kit, then adding a wheel and tire off eBay as others have done. Local dealer parts would have been more, and I don’t haggle....not over parts at least.

Ravi Venkatraman

Thanks a lot for the info. I will look into it pronto!

moose66

You can just do search on OEM Acura parts. You will find multiple sellers of OEM parts there. Just be warned, although the prices of the parts might be appealing, the shipping usually gets you. I'd suggest you get an out the door quote from your local dealer. Then start your online search. I've found it is hit or miss depending on what you are buying. My local dealer beats the online guys occasionally, when they run specials. Now with most online folks charging tax and occasionally outrageous shipping, you may do better locally.