IDS Mode Suspension changes?
 

I have not been able to find definitive confirmation of the IDS settings changing the suspension tuning (stiffness/travel) though it does seem that the ride becomes 'softer' going from Sport -> Drive -> Comfort mode on my 2018 MDX Adv SHAWD. I prefer either the Sport or the Comfort mode as the shifting in regular drive mode is a bit 'notchy' even when warmed up. Sport mode seems to be best in terms of the transmission setup in that there is barely any jerkiness even on cold, just that the ride seems to become a bit too firm unless I'm just imagining it since I've many people post here that the setting has no impact on the suspension just the transmission shift points and steering weight.

Thoughts?

here you go

https://www.acura.com/mdx/modals/active-damper-system

Sadly that is only in the Hybrid and 2019 Advanced models, 2018 and below Advance models have the same passive dampers as the rest of the MDXs. So the question remains , does the IDS setting influence the suspension on the non active damper models in anyway?

ah - I read your post too quickly. Thought you had Hybrid

The Active Dampers on the MDX Sport Hybrid alone is worth the $1500 premium over regular SH-AWD gas model. It really works well to soak up bumps on the road when in Normal or Comfort mode. I prefer to drive in Sport mode 99% of the time for the tiniest amount of stiffness that it offers. Sport+ is annoying how it pump all that fake engine noise into the cabin, I almost never use it.

Agree but the real world difference between the hybrid and non hybrid is closer to $6k since dealers discount the gas model way more esp out here in the west. When I got my 2018 Advance AWD, it was 52k for the gas or 58k for the hybrid at which point the gas won out. Anyways back to the original question does the IDS setting change the suspension tuning on the gas model?

I don't think the Hybrid is pumping in any fake engine noise. Its all real, I enjoy the noise. The dual clutch downshifting in sport + mode is a thing of beauty.

Your 2018 doesn't come with the adaptive suspension. Only the Hybrids and 2019+ Advance models come standard with the adaptive suspension.

I purchased my 2018 Hybrid for $48,500 here in SoCal.

Still back to the original question, why does the comfort mode ride softer on the 2018 advance if the IDS makes no difference on the suspension tuning ? That's what the original point of the post was, not how the adaptive damping is better or not.

So no one else notices a change in the ride firmness between IDS modes in their non-active damper equipped SH-AWD MDXs (2017/2018/non-advance 2019) ?

Nobody knows for sure?

Yup, you may be feeling the change in SH=AWD torque management, and ascribing it to suspension damping. The most obvious change in my '14 between Normal and Sport is the steering, but I can feel some other subtle changes also.

Production of the Hybrid is limited so dealers do not discount as much. That being said if one can be obtained for a "good" discount-snag it, it is a pleasure to drive !!

it's because the electrical current going through the tiny magnetic materials in the shocks. check out this video.

I have a 19 Advance with active dampers but I can't tell if there's a difference in suspension stiffness between the 3 ids modes. The link earlier only mentions sport +, it doesn't specifically mention changing stiffness for normal, sport or comfort ids modes.

If ids only changes active damper stiffness in sport + mode then the 19 Advance won't see a difference as it doesn't have sport + mode.

I would also be interested in confirmation whether comfort, normal or regular sport (not sport +) modes adjust stiffness and ride of active dampers

It only works in the Comfort mode. Sport modes are not when you want your suspension to give you a softer ride. You want a stiffer, more controlled overall. Acura has said in all of it's printed info....only in Comfort Mode.

Does this mean that for Normal and Sport IDS modes the active dampers essentially are the same (Sport isn't more stiff than Normal) and then for Comfort mode the dampers are softened a bit for a smoother softer ride?

Can you link to where Acura references this? Thanks

I found this in the Sport Hybrid owners manual, it appears the Active Dampers do adjust settings across the 3 IDS Modes: Normal (normal stiffness), Comfort (less stiff for softer ride), Sport (more stiff for better handling/cornering). While this is from Sport Hybrid I'd assume 19 Advance would function the same. Acura isn't very good about updating documentation and they didn't bother updating the IDS section of the owners manual for the 19 Advance even though it now has Active Dampers like Sport Hybrid. My Advance owners manual makes no reference to Active Damper settings for IDS.

http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/p...BTRX1919OM.PDF
Page 474:

When Driving Integrated Dynamics System Modifies the dynamic character of the vehicle.
There are four modes to select from: Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+. -- Sport+ isn't on Advance, only Sport Hybrid
Normal - Balanced driving performance for most driving situations.
Sport - Enhances vehicle response feel through decreased steering assist, increased SPORT HYBRID SH-AWD® torque bias, modified Active Sound Control, and a more firm Active Damper setting.
Comfort - Maximizes driver comfort through increased steering assist and a softer Active Damper setting.

This thread was for majority of us without active dampers, any info on how the modes affect suspension at all between the three modes? Subjectively there seems to be a difference but haven't been able to find a single document confirming this.

Without active dampers the IDS modes have no impact or control over suspension settings. The suspension is just like older vehicles, its just another part that's not linked to or controlled by software.

Active dampers essentially means that the suspension is dynamic and constantly changing and controlled by software so it can vary between soft and firm. This is also sometimes referred to as adaptive suspension.

Without the active dampers the suspension doesn't dynamically adjust. The suspension is tuned a certain way from the factory and this tuning is static it doesn't change dynamically

So the change in ride stiffness on my 18 advance between the settings in all in my head? :)
Some reviews seem to suggest otherwise: https://www.jsonline.com/story/money...-awd/94681260/ but nothing official from Acura on it hence the thread.

The point i was simply trying to make is in order for there to be a change in ride stiffness on a vehicle based on IDS setting that would require the suspension to be electronic and able to dynamically change it's tuning based on sensors and by being linked electronically with the IDS in the car and controlled dynamically by software. In essence this would mean the suspension was "smart" and able to change based on software control.

If the suspension is just regular dampers, then it is "dumb" for lack of a better term, with no ability to change their tuning on the fly and isn't linked to IDS, then how would it even be possible for IDS setting to alter ride characteristics? If they did then what would the difference be between them and "Active Dampers"? There wouldn't be a difference. "Active" in this instance means "adjustable" or "adaptive".

If not active dampers, they are your basic suspension system (shocks/springs with no electronic interface) and thus it isn't possible for them to change ride characteristics based on IDS setting. It isn't possible, and thus the perceived change in ride stiffness has to be in your head as it's not possible for software to control a "dumb" part

Reviewers are often not familiar enough with the details to actually provide correct info. OP, you have the regular ol' spring and strut system with no damper rate control (it's not active dampers) so no, there are no changes in the suspension with IDS mode changes. People have been trying to tell you this multiple times in the thread now.

I want to believe that but the car is definitely a tad 'bouncier' over bumps in sport mode meaning a stiffened suspension, though how it's possible is a mystery that this thread was about. Unless my very late model 2018 advance somehow got the active dampers (very unlikely and I am not sure if there is a way to confirm visually) .

The problem most of you have is not purchasing the Hybrid. It's the best version of the MDX so far

Thy hybrid is definitely interesting option, unless you ever may want to tow anything, drive a lot of highway miles (over 70 mph), live in a very cold climate (which drastically reduces fuel economy in winter), want the entertainment package (not available on hybrid), or like the look of the new 19 advance wheels better (hybrid advance gets same wheels as 18 advance). Not to mention the hybrid has only been out 3 years, so is still relatively "new" technology which has slightly higher risk of issues compared to the traditional powertrain.

Not arguing that the hybrid isn't a strong vehicle with it's benefits, it definitely is and there are pros/cons to each. If the hybrid supported light towing (up to 3,500 lb) i would have seriously considered it given it's better gas mileage (except the drop in winter would bring it more in line with the 3.5), but in the end without entertainment package (which i wanted for our new born) i'd probably have still chosen the 19 3.5 AWD Advance with Entertainment.

People would probably buy them more if they could actually produce more tech versions. Instead it's like finding a needle in the haystack so then there is no significant discount on them like we get on the gas versions ($5k off msrp). As a result, the price difference makes them not as much of a value product as they could be. But I'm sure Honda has some good reason for this...

Good point, I never considered the availability of the hybrids as a whole, especially in a specific combination of package and color. Not to mention as you said that with limited availability they charge a premium and don't discount very much from MSRP compared to gas versions (even rare gas versions still get 5k+ off MSRP). So while MSRP isn't much different between hybrid and gas, which makes it a good deal, compared to a gas version you'll pay much more which makes it much less of a value. If it's going to cost you a $5k+ premium for hybrid then that radically alters the value equation compared to gas

I doubt it's a supply issue, it's likely trying to balance demand, and i'd imagine there isn't quite the level of demand that would necessitate them boosting production by quite a bit. Plus the more exclusive/rare means they don't have to offer much in way of discounts. When looking at demand for MDX as a whole they have to balance across all the variants and dedicate factory time to each variation (FWD, AWD, Hybrid, Base, Tech, A-Spec, Advance, Entertainment, etc). If they dedicate more time to Hybrid production that's less of the 3.5L they're able to make, and I imagine that's still where the vast majority of the demand is. If people want hybrids bad enough they'll always special order them from the factory anyway.

Diffeence between 2018 and 2019 Models
 

The 2018 MDX Hybrid models have Active Dampers. In 2019 Models, that feature was added to the Advance model. Put in Comfort mode and that's where they work. Only there. It was one of the few changes made to the 2019 Model.

In the 2019 Advance model....when put in Comfort mode, that is the ONLY place where the dampers become.."Active." All this info. is in the MDX Manual...you can download or order all manuals in paper print at no cost to you by going through the Acura Owner's Site. I do that for every Acura or Honda I buy. Printed by Helm Publishing. Sent to your house...no costs at all.

Maybe in another thread I responded that in the Sport Hybrid manual it specifically states for Comfort IDS mode the dampers are adjusted for a softer ride, and stiffened for Sport (which would imply in Normal they are somewhere in between). They just never bothered to update this section of the owners manual for non-hybrid to account for the fact in 19 that non-hybrid Advance models got Active Dampers

The active dampers in our 17 MDX Hybrid makes it the best riding car/suv we’ve owned. I normally drive around in comfort, but when I hit the twisties, sport is dialed up and it does make a difference.

If you have non-active dampers, the IDS mode does not change any suspension parameters as there are no changes that can be made. However, it may not be totally placebo as I'm willing to bet the valving in the factory conventional dampers are likely tuned on a digressive rate instead of linear as well as the springs being progressive rated instead of a linear rate spring.

In layman's english, a digressive rated damper will have high resistance at lower shaft speeds (smaller road undulations, hard cornering, etc.) and the rate of force tapers off as shaft speed increases (speed bumps, pot holes, dips, etc.). This is done to give good driving characteristics and body motion control while maintaining comfort. See the chart below for shock dyno plot differences between a linear and digressive damper.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...1c606e4bb3.jpg
Digressive rate is all around a great compromise for a street car to have decent motion control. On race cars and off road, linear rate is preferred as comfort isn't as high of a priority as having consistent rising rate of force as to not unbalance the vehicle.

Now with spring rates, a linear rate spring is just that. The spring rate is linear (usually measured in kg/mm or lbs/in). So, if I have a 250lb/in spring, in order to compress that spring 1", I would have to apply 250lbs to that spring. To compress that spring another inch, I would have to apply another 250lbs to the spring, at which we have 500lbs to compress the spring 2". This will continue until the spring bottoms out (when the coils touch each other), at which time, your effective spring rate is now infinity. With a progressive rate spring, you have effectively have multiple spring rates wound into 1 spring. You have have an initial softer rate which will then lead to a stiffer rate spring. I'll use a dual rated spring for example. Lets say on this dual rated spring, we have an initial section of 3" rated at 100lb/in and then it progresses into a 500lb/in for a section of 5" spring. Taking what we've learned on weight and spring compression. On the initial 3" section, we know the spring is rated at 300lbs/in, so it would take 300lbs to compress 3". To get to compress 4", we have now come to the stiffer section of spring rated at 500lbs/in. So, at this point, we have 900lbs of total weight applied to the spring to compress it 3". To compress it the next inch, instead of another 300lbs, we now need an extra 500lbs to compress the spring the next inch and brings our total weight or force applied at 1400lbs. And it will continue this rate until the spring has bottomed out.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...6614bd19fc.jpg
So, what does this mean in practical application? It means that you can have an initial softer rated section of spring that promotes good ride comfort, but as the suspension load increases and the spring compresses, the spring rate can now become stiffer to promote better stability, less weight transfer, and a reduced likelihood of bottoming out your damper.

So, in a conventional suspended MDX, the reason why you may think the ride has firmed up in sport mode is simply because you're driving the car harder.

Now, with active dampers, everything we learned about with the springs remain the same, but we have changed the technology within the damper. Most active damper setups are going to be some variation of a magnetic ride control (developed by GM back in the 90's). So, now inside the damper's fluid, we have added flakes of ferrous metals. When a magnetic force is applied to it, it changes the viscosity of the fluid, and thus the damping rate (which in turns changes the total spring rate of the suspension assembly). And this damping rate can be infinitely adjusted based upon how much voltage is sent to an electromagnet that's integral within the damper. Most active dampers I've seen have simple 2 wire connections (1 positive and 1 ground). So, how do you vary up the supposed voltage being sent to the electromagnet to change the viscosity of the damping fluid? One way would be to use a variable resistor (like on many potentiometers like those found in the TPS or the throttle peddle). The downside would be low response rate and not having good control with sudden voltage changes. What is more likely being used is pulse width modulation. You send full voltage, but in control pulses. If we were to see the wave forms on an oscilloscope, a potentiometer would have a sweeping wave whereas on pulse width modulation, you'll see steps and the ability to snap from 0 to max baud rate and anywhere in between with no relative delay.