r0m8470

Hi, we have an MDX that we bought as a pre-owned. It is a 2016, SH-AWD with almost all options (nav, rear DVD etc). The only thing it does not have I think is the heated steering wheel.

Here are what's happening w the car:
1. Diesel-like drone at idle
I am not sure if I am allowed to post video link but I can do it if I were given permission.

2. Cylinder de-activation
It's been non working for a few months. We have not taken it to a dealer yet. We did have a few work under warranty by the dealer, but since warranty expired, we have not brought that in. We turned it on/off - usually that does the trick but it's been non-working from last Fall at least.

Where should we start looking?

Thank you in advance.

thoiboi

wonder if someone installed a VCMmuzzler and deleted a cat or resonator

Michael2NB

Are you talking about the VCM? How do you know it is not working?

Lalin

How can you tell that the cylinder deactivation is not working? There is no dashboard indication for it.
In my RDX I could never sense when the cylinders got deactivated/reactivated. My only clue that they were deactivated was very good fuel mileage

BLEXV6

Yes,the deactivation is seemless. You just don't know when it happens.

Bluepill

Yes, the Direct Injection engine used since 2014 on the MDX is noisier than earlier port-injected versions. There are some failures that will make it even louder.

r0m8470

I stand corrected. It is not the cylinder de-activation, it is the auto idle start stop feature. My bad.

That feature worked before - but now it does not. Has not for the last few months. I know that there are lots of parameters to make it work, batt temp, not on incline, temperature etc. But we have not run on those combinations in Seattle area. The feature may/may not be worthless, but if it is there, the expectation is to have it working, no?

BLEXV6

There was just a thread on this. It could be a battery that needs replacement, weather or the button off. I would think the battery is the most likely culprit.

nv269

My two cents, i have a 2016 advance and it does have auto idle start stop feature and it works sometimes but most of the time it doesn't, i don't know why Acura has the feature when most of the time it doesn't work, took it to dealer and they said it was fixed, a month later stopped working again. We have about four years now with this and we are not satisfied at all, the infotainment system sucks so much, specially the navigation so slow, i know people are going to say use your phone, but i always wanted a backup and it is more convenient, we are looking into the navtool but it is expensive. So, sorry about that but don't get your hopes up, it is junk.

r0m8470

I will have the battery tested. I did read the list on the manual for conditions that make the stop/start not working - too many caveats and too many 'soft' requirements. If it's too cold, or if it is too low .... attributes that are totally not quantifiable.

I also agree with nv269 - the Nav system is garbage. My one-time Acadia rental has a much better system.

nv269

The dealer never mentioned to me that it is the battery. It is, to me, technology that is not well engineer, no wonder acura sales have decline and their reputation too.