Just bought 2 MDXs, Base and Tech. $13k off msrp . Is there a way to....
Permanently disable Auto Idle Stop?
Make headlights turn ON when you Unlock the car at night while walk to it? I park in a very very dark area.

 

-There WAS a mod going on Piloteers, but it only worked on 2016s. 2017+ changed the wiring and then the folks making the mod went off a cliff somewhere in the discussion. RIP.
-On my 2016, the car does indeed turn on the headlights when I unlock it at night, so I would assume they kept that setting in the 2020 MDXes. It was under vehicle settings. I had to ability to change it so that for me, it does NOT turn on the headlights when unlocked, while my wife's key does.

 

No way to permanently disable.

If its dark outside and headlights are left in auto position and not touched as you press unlock on key fob they will turn on. They won't turn on just walking up to it, you have to press the key fob

 

While there is no way to disable the auto off/on feature for the engine, you can shut it off everytime you start the car, you can also when you press the brake, if you don't press hard when stopped, it will give you the option to press harder and thus the shut off and if you don't, the car will continue to run. I hated it when I first got it, but now I like it, and I am sure it saves fuel.

 

Auto start/stop is terrible. The only beneficiary of the technology is the OEM because it's a cheap way for them to meet efficiency standards. The improvements in mpg are negligible unless you own the car for 15 years and drive almost exclusively in scenarios where ASS (haha) is constantly in use...but then you're savings are erased when related system components fail from all the use.

 

With my wife’s 2016 there is a setting to permanently disable auto start/stop. In my 2020 RDX there isn’t.

 

Found this on the TLX forum and it works for MDXs as well. http://www.idlestopper.com

 

This may not be appropriate in all areas but when I keep my HVAC temp setting on “Lo” that prevents the auto-stop function from engaging. I have also learned to modulate it with brake pedal force too, as mentioned previously.

 

It's automatic for me... after I hit the start button, the next button I hit is the Auto Start-Stop disable button... then I don't have to worry about it... I don't like it either but I try to keep up with traffic at stop lights when it turns green and I hate that delay.

 

The headlights will turn on when you press the unlock button on the key fob when the headlights are in the Auto (if it is dark enough) or On position. They will only turn on once after the vehicle is locked. They will only stay on for however long you have set the timer in the vehicle settings for Headlight Auto Off Timer: 15, 30, 60 seconds, or off. Read the manual for more information.