I work in IT as well as a manager and if my QA staff were to release this buggy software without proper testing, they would be fixing these issues quickly.

 

 

The Mazda infotainment systems seem to have had their issues as well. I was looking at the CX-9 for a while. A vertical screen a lot like the one in the RDX & using a controller knob.

Goring through https://www.carcomplaints.com I saw that the infotainment system is often the bulk of complaints on a particular model from various manufacturers.

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Not a surprise at all, in the past infotainment systems simply had a handful of functions and it was fairly straightforward. Now they are incredibly complex and expected to do so much more than they ever have. You have 3D maps and built in hot spots and connectivity to smart phones and on top of all that they are built with very high grade (at least we hope so) components to withstand thousands of hours of use in temperatures as low as -50 degrees to plus 45.

That doesn't give them excuses to be buggy, but just saying we expect a lot from them these days.

 

Curious, have you driven the BMW with HUD? I like the simple clean look of the RDX, but the turn by turn display was kind of lame, it showed my next turn at the major intersection but I was in a parking lot and I turned the the way the arrow in the HUD showed to exit the parking lot but that was the wrong way to get to the actual turn. This has probably more to do with the general badness of the nav system itself, from reading some of the criticisms here. The BMW had more color but it has this horizontal divider line which looked weird and unnecessary. I didn't get to try out the BMW X3 HUD for too long, but I saw a video where when drivng on the xpressway, the BMW HUD will show lane guidance like my Garmin will (arrows will show which lane is optimal, for example if the xpressway splits and your exit is actually the second right, the arrow will show you to not be in the rightmost exit only lane until the 2nd right exit, or the arrows will tell you to stay in the middle lanes to proceed thru the interchange).

I drove an Audi Q5 last year and Waze worked perfectly on Android Auto. The Audi also had the virtual cockpit and it was cool to have the dashboard display Audi's nav map and the infotainment screen showed Waze. I know that it is probably information overload for some, but I like Waze for the crowd sourced traffic, and like the built in nav for the HUD turn by turn. And being a nerd, I love having too much information vs not enough.

 

Yes, I test drove BMW x3 with the HUD. I felt the HUD on Acura is larger, more visible and less distracting. I can't validate the Nav accuracy tho. BMW has a lot more things going on when using the HUD with Navi, definitely more colorful with graphics. I always prefer to names and road information (paired with my own visual verification on the road) vs graphics so I think those graphical lanes are an unnecessary distraction to me.

I only hope that the Acura HUD will show Google Maps or Waze directions, I prefer Waze over any in-car systems.

 

I do not think the OP is nit picking. It appears that his RDX has serious issues. However, I am not sure how the various lemon laws will be applied to entertainment/software issues. In any event, it sounds like Acura has agreed to give him a different new RDX, so at least they are trying to take care of their customers.

 

Well, the OP probably has an extreme case, but if you read all of the threads on this board and elsewhere, there are LOTS of people having issues with their new RDXs, not just limited to the infotainment system. The early buyers are essentially functioning as beta testers. Acura gets an F on their report card for not doing more testing first; however, they seemed hell-bent to get this new model out on the market. As a result, the amount of wasted time on the part of early buyers and their dealers, trying to fix these problems, is excessive. Yes, it is not uncommon for first year models to have some issues, but this is a black eye for Acura. They should have done more testing before releasing this vehicle.

 

So after sending photos, videos and demonstrations of issues in the system, the big wigs from Acura flew into Kansas City today to get up close and personal with my vehicle. I dropped it off this morning and they were very serious while I explained and demonstrated some of the issues. They have made it a top priority to get these issues resolved and this not only includes the infotainment system, but also includes issues with the climate control system as well. I will keep everyone updated as they inform me what is going on.

 

Way to go. We all thank you.

 

I thought I saw a post from you saying that your dealer had agreed to replace your car. Did that not happen?

 

Not yet as I have volunteered to work with Acura concerning the issues in my current vehicle to hopefully help others with theirs. I am in a 2018 loaner for a few more days while they look at it, but they have already committed to putting me in a new one.

 

Then you know that vendors release intial versions with bugs in it all the time. Sometimes some vendors will resolve quickly but automotive doesnt move as fast.
The really good news is that you have a commitment to put you in a new RDX and hope you are able to post good news when you get that one.

 

As stated before, this is not about a few bugs in the system as it isn't just the infotainment system that is a problem. When you pay prices such as these for a vehicle that boasted this system along with other specific features that drew you away from a competitor, then you had better have a team ready to address the issues right away. This is not happening after owning the vehicle nearly 4 months now and I am forcing the issue as a good IT manager should to help everyone and not just myself.

 

Something to keep in mind about the time it takes to get updates to automotive systems out is regulatory compliance.

Since much of the software either controls or affects the vehicle safety, emission, or operating characteristics it can't be modified willy-nilly whenever someone feels like it. Anything that could even remotely affect mileage or compliance (auto high beam?) would have to get approval before being rolled out. Even something that's totally removed from those functions (navigation zoom in/out for example) - if the code for that function is embedded in the same program/control unit as emission or safety functions it's subject to the same oversight rules.

 

The code development/test process for the RDX is flawed at best. From a distance it looks like the developers had little experience or were forced into a very compressed development cycle. Having some experience in this area I would consider this a embarrassment to say the least.

 

Apparently, this doesn't apply to Tesla, they release minor fixes and major releases all the time. This probably has more to do with agile vs waterfall development. Acura obviously being the latter (well, as with the majority of the car manufacturers)

 

Corporate structure will obviously have an impact and Tesla has, or should have, an advantage in that arena. But if the releases affect any aspect of the vehicle subject to regulation (safety, fuel economy, yada, yada, yada) the review/certification/approval processes apply to Tesla to the same degree as any other manufacturer.

CAFE and emissions are two areas where Tesla is, by virtue of their power train, going to have 'free rein' versus most other makers. Hypothetically, if Tesla were to make changes to improve the 0-60 ET it will have zero impact on their CAFE or emission ratings, but if Acura were to modify the transmission shift point logic it could affect both areas so a different review process comes into play. It's all a matter of what specifically is being modified and how it may impact something subject to regulation.

Lastly, and possibly most significantly, Musk doesn't seem the least bit interested in profiting from Tesla at this point, regardless of what he says. He's doing things that have, historically, done nothing but bleed money versus what most companies try to do which is make money. This in spite of revenues exceeding $800 million from 2015-2017 from selling CAFE credits to other manufacturers.

Source: https://www.planetizen.com/news/2018...tesla-time-epa

 

I agree that they should have a team to look into issues for new vehicles. when a customer has an issue like yours they should have someone to look into what needs ot be done to correct the issue.Follow through is the most important part of implementation to ensure customers are delighted.

 

As a follow-up to this discussion, it is now day three since I turned in my vehicle and have had zero updates from the Acura team that came in to do an evaluation. They did call me yesterday to ask me questions that I already had provided the answers to concerning the USB drive I use, phone cable.... etc etc... Like I'm an idiot...

Not happy right now, so I texted my rep to find out what is going on

 

 

Received the vehicle back today and they have fixed the issue with the climate control and the shifting in comfort mode. They were able to replicate many of the issues concerning the infotainment system I reported and ones they could not replicate, I provided photos and videos so they know what happened. After discussing the situation at length with the district service manager, I have agreed to keep my vehicle with the promise of a system update as soon as possible and a complete refund of my extended warranty and other add-ons I paid for. I still will have the full extended warranty, but in light of the issues I have had, they are just giving me my money back. I really didn't want to go through the re-titling process on a new vehicle.

 

As someone who has now experienced the infotainment freeze firsthand, thank you Meto for being so proactive with Acura to make this right. I know what a PITA it is to give up your brand new vehicle for this long of a stretch!

 

So I would guess that your vehicle is now behaving in a "manageble" manner that you can live with it until they issue an update. I was thinking that you would surely have taken the new vehicle base don how you seemed so dissatified wiht that vehicle. I am glad you are finding your way to start driving hte vehicle.

 

So you were 'promised' something that everyone will get at the same time. Sounds like you wasted a huge amount of time.

 

I disagree. I think he did us all a great service for hanging in there with Acura til they understood the problems. Even when a company wants to fix problems it is sometimes very difficult because the problems are difficult to reproduce. Without a clear understanding of the problems the end result is the problems are not fixed or they take an unnecessarily long time to do so. The RDX system is classic in this regard. What was the exact system setup to produce the problem, nav in use, USB drive in use, phone in use, what software level is the iPhone using, what controls were used prior to the problem and in what order. Fixing some of these problems will not be easy.

Thank you Meto.

 

the thought of them ripping out your dash or entertainment systems makes me sick.....it will never be tight from the factory...… keep an ear out for cabin rattles....

 

The hope is that the fixes will all be updates of the code, no hardware involved.

 

They merely replaced parts and didnt repair or update anything. Meto was teed off and now seems to be OK even after all the complaints about how Acura failed. Now he is willing to keep the same vehicle after they replaced parts like the dealer would have done anyway. All in all, still no actuall or update and the same car.

 

Exactly. Maybe I just can't buy into the mentality...

 

Well... In a nutshell I will put it to you this way.. They fixed two very important issues and that was the transmission shifting and climate control issues that to me were extremely serious in my opinion. The infotainment system issues I brought to light to make them AWARE that they needed to address the situation as soon as possible without just sitting on it. That was my goal and I succeeded in making them escalate the system fixes. As far as keeping the vehicle goes, the thought of making another trip to the DMV and the headaches involved with that right now was not something I was really looking forward to and when they said that they would extend my warranty and also refund my full purchase price for all warranties, to me it was a very easy decision to make. If something catastrophic goes on in the next few months in the current vehicle, I have a record now with the dealer and Acura concerning my vehicle and I could then request replacement.

 

 

 

You would have a stroke if you looked at what they do to install accessories such as the heated steering wheel ( for vehicles not so equipped ). Car interiors are designed to be disassembled and reassembled upon demand. The last time I checked, factory assembly isn't necessarily perfect.

Full disclosure: I have done a few DIY audio installs in my day. Most of the time the car got put back together with a minimum of "spare parts", and no more squeaks or rattles than it started out with. YMMV