E92Vancouver

One of the features I love about the 9 speed is that it puts itself in park automatically when you open the door. I use it all the time.

Today I got my MDX serviced. The dealer gave m a brand new 2017 RDX as a courtesy car. I needed to grab my garage remote out of a bag in the trunk. I open the door and hop out. Walk to the back of the RDX and it is not there. It is driving down the road by itself.. I run after it like a mad man. Open the door, jump in and wrestle control of the car just before it was going to take out a Subaru. Talk about close.

I told the Acura Service Manager my story. He told me it has happened to him too.

Then on the way home. I was stopped waiting to merge into traffic. I had a small opening. Just as I went to punch it, auto start stop turns the engine off. Luckily the start up time was pretty fast when I hit the gas.

I hate Friday the 13ths. Geez.

I still love the 9 speed transmission.

One thing I noticed on the RDX is that pause exists in the transmission too on downshifts.

Curious3GTL

I wish this was on video. hahaha.

VinceCL

I wonder if the collision avoidance system would have hit the brakes to stop the car (assuming it was equipped )?

csmeance

doesn't the car need to be over 5MPH or something to work?

E92Vancouver

To be clear, the RDX has a 6 speed transmission. The 2016 MDX has a 9 speed which puts itself in park when you open the door. I messed up. I assumed the RDX had auto park and just stepped out of the car while it was running and in drive causing the RDX to drive away by itself. I was being a doofus and was damn lucky. It is too easy to depend on technology making your brain useless.

E92Vancouver

Excellent point!

mdkxtreme

This has got to be the most misinformed thread title ever. It has nothing to do with a transmission being a 9 speed.

akat

Did the RDX move despite the OP applying the parking brake, or does the OP just rely on transmission going to P and never apply parking brake?

Both our current vehicles go to P when we shut off the engine, so we may have started relying on that and have to be careful with loaners and rentals. But at least applying the physical parking brake gives you a second level of safety.

Speaking of physical parking brake, how would the ebrake in the 2017s work? Can you actually shut off the engine and walk out, and the transmission automatically goes to P and the parking brake automatically applies itself? If so, those owners will have a serious problem switching vehicles.

E92Vancouver

The RDX has a 6 speed with a gear shifter. I walked out of the car with it in drive because if you do this in the MDX, it goes into park automatically.

VinceCL

A more accurate title would be "Careless driver almost causes horrific accident".