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[51K Miles, Car has been great since I got it in late June, 2018]
So I got the car washed, then got gas and was heading to work. Stopped at a light. All of a sudden, I got a rotating array of warning indicators in the console (See below for screen shots)
Right away I'm thinking RESET needed. I went to pull into a parking lot and noticed that the car had a severe lack of power, almost like there was a huge resistor inline with the motor.
I turned off the car, opened the door, then closed it. Restarted the car and the indicators did not go away. So I figured it was some computer error so I figured I'd take it over to the Acura dealer at some point during the day. However, merging back onto Main Street, I again felt the lack of power and real resistance to moving forward. At that point I knew I had to get to the dealer.
So I went via all back roads, never exceeding 35-40, and hobbled over to the dealership. Told them I had a severe issue. They took the car and I left. This was about 9AM in the morning. Since I did not have an appointment, there were not loaners available, so I got a ride. Later in the day they called and said that the problem had something to do with the fuel pump. FUEL PUMP? I already did the recall last year.
Anyway, I will allegedly get the car back tomorrow, but now I will be weary. Weary that it will happen again. Here we go...........
That almost sounds like the infamous "limp mode." I've never experienced it but I've heard enough stories from Acuras to be aware of it. A fuel pump issue creates all those warnings?!!!
That almost sounds like the infamous "limp mode." I've never experienced it but I've heard enough stories from Acuras to be aware of it. A fuel pump issue creates all those warnings?!!!
Agree, interesting point in the time line was the car wash. As the limp mode was often reported, early on, occurring during rain or high humidity days, as I recall. Maybe some water got in where it wasn't intended to?
So here's the deal. They did a B1236 Service while the car was in there (it was nagging me for the past few days) and they did check the battery and said it was fine. They claim the "High Pressure Fuel Pump" caused the issue. The car is fine now, but I have no idea if this was the problem or not. The car owner now has no idea what's going on with his/her car these days. The old days of doing your plugs, setting the timing, and maybe shoving a screwdriver in the carburetor are long gone. Today? It's a crap shoot.
The HPFP was a big issue on my model of a BMW 535. It also threw a ton of codes. But they were check engine type stuff, with the engine sputtering and heating.
So here's the deal. They did a B1236 Service while the car was in there (it was nagging me for the past few days) and they did check the battery and said it was fine. They claim the "High Pressure Fuel Pump" caused the issue. The car is fine now, but I have no idea if this was the problem or not. The car owner now has no idea what's going on with his/her car these days. The old days of doing your plugs, setting the timing, and maybe shoving a screwdriver in the carburetor are long gone. Today? It's a crap shoot.
What do you experts think?
Here are the details:
if you have a multimeter you can check the voltage of the battery yourself...
this stuff isnt hard...
check out the notes, the notes say " checked fuel rail pressure" which means they hooked up a pressure gauge to the high side and to the low side. again, something you can do yourself.
all this stuff is basic troubleshooting.
what you dont have is the HDS or the Honda Diagnostic Scan Tool. you also dont have the parts to replace for free.
the loss of power does coincide with a faulty high pressure fuel pump.
btw, BMW had went through this already and have already refined their engines..I'm assuming it's gonna take acura a few years/generations to refine this engine
if you watch the video, BMW refined their engine from a twin turbo setup to a single turbo...they've also made changes to their High pressure fuel pump. and have relocated all the heat sensitive items to a cooler spot in the engine.
Last edited by justnspace; 04-09-2021 at 06:58 PM.
if you have a multimeter you can check the voltage of the battery yourself...
this stuff isnt hard...
check out the notes, the notes say " checked fuel rail pressure" which means they hooked up a pressure gauge to the high side and to the low side. again, something you can do yourself.
all this stuff is basic troubleshooting.
what you dont have is the HDS or the Honda Diagnostic Scan Tool. you also dont have the parts to replace for free.
the loss of power does coincide with a faulty high pressure fuel pump.
btw, BMW had went through this already and have already refined their engines..I'm assuming it's gonna take acura a few years/generations to refine this engine
if you watch the video, BMW refined their engine from a twin turbo setup to a single turbo...they've also made changes to their High pressure fuel pump. and have relocated all the heat sensitive items to a cooler spot in the engine.
There were a lot of issues with the HPFP in my E60 on the BMW boards, but I never had any. While I didn’t baby the thing, I did double the oil change from the 15000 mile MM, about, to around 7500 miles. IIRC, it took a lot of oil, and I always went with full syn. Too, I lived about 4 miles off the highway on 30mph roads, so the turbos had a chance to cool. On very hot days I would leave the car in the driveway, and the cooling fan would keep running for a while after the car shut down.
This is the first case of an HPFP problem I have heard, and by this time with my engine (also in the 335i) there were many complaints.
So here's the deal. They did a B1236 Service while the car was in there (it was nagging me for the past few days) and they did check the battery and said it was fine. They claim the "High Pressure Fuel Pump" caused the issue. The car is fine now, but I have no idea if this was the problem or not. The car owner now has no idea what's going on with his/her car these days. The old days of doing your plugs, setting the timing, and maybe shoving a screwdriver in the carburetor are long gone. Today? It's a crap shoot.
So true oblio98. Sorry you had to deal with this, and now - who knows what will happen again and where will it happen? I mean, we are now at the mercy of algorithms and codes. It makes me leery of taking long trips at the expense of worrying when the next algorithmic and coded shoe is gonna drop, but then life is uncertain too. Gotta live life.
Anyway, I'm glad the dealer "figured" it out. At least if this happens to any of us, we do have some sort of "explanation."
That almost sounds like the infamous "limp mode." I've never experienced it but I've heard enough stories from Acuras to be aware of it. A fuel pump issue creates all those warnings?!!!
Originally Posted by markm929
Agree, interesting point in the time line was the car wash. As the limp mode was often reported, early on, occurring during rain or high humidity days, as I recall. Maybe some water got in where it wasn't intended to?
I was thinking of "limp mode" as I limped to the dealership. The car was moving but the power was barely there. I took back roads on purpose and tried to go as slow as I could go without pissing off people behind me.
The only thing that made me think it wasn't limp mode was that it did not clear itself on restarts, and of course the messages. Still, this could be a relative of "limp mode"
So true oblio98. Sorry you had to deal with this, and now - who knows what will happen again and where will it happen? I mean, we are now at the mercy of algorithms and codes. It makes me leery of taking long trips at the expense of worrying when the next algorithmic and coded shoe is gonna drop, but then life is uncertain too. Gotta live life.
Anyway, I'm glad the dealer "figured" it out. At least if this happens to any of us, we do have some sort of "explanation."
Yeah. I am expecting the worst of course. So far it's been fine, but I am watching that dash warning area like a hawk now. Fingers crossed of course.
If it was one thing we loved to do, it was sticking a screwdriver in the carb, pouring Gumout down there, seeing the blue clouds billow out the exhaust, and saying ‘lookit that shit’.
If it was one thing we loved to do, it was sticking a screwdriver in the carb, pouring Gumout down there, seeing the blue clouds billow out the exhaust, and saying ‘lookit that shit’.
...and the car was equipped with a...
Barefoot gas pedal
Orange foam 76' Antenna Ball
Probably a CB radio...
Yup. Many friends in the mid-70's, their first car was a 60's hand-me-down from their parents. I miss those days in the driveway with the hood up, an RC Cola or if someone's older brother, a PBR... but now, I don't think I popped the hood on my RDX until 3 or 4 months in, and really don't feel I have any need to. It's weird. The biggest thing was the connections that were made between kids and parents, friends coming over and discovering on your own without youtube on how cars work.
What about rolling the car down a hill and popping the clutch to get it started? Did that many a time. And don't forget having a physical key to unlock the door, or a crank to roll down the window, or a foot stomper to hit the brights on or off. Many things us old guys can remember that don't seen to be that long ago but really have been. Shift on the column, shift on the floor, cigarette lighter in the dash, bench seat in the front so your girl could slide over next to you. Getting a "dollars worth". Oh well, I could go on forever, but I won't. And I won't
What about rolling the car down a hill and popping the clutch to get it started? Did that many a time. And don't forget having a physical key to unlock the door, or a crank to roll down the window, or a foot stomper to hit the brights on or off. Many things us old guys can remember that don't seen to be that long ago but really have been. Shift on the column, shift on the floor, cigarette lighter in the dash, bench seat in the front so your girl could slide over next to you. Getting a "dollars worth". Oh well, I could go on forever, but I won't. And I won't
the foot stomper...ok that one got to me. So essentially - we've gone from watching the oil pressure and battery gauges on our dashboard to a MID where we (hopefully) do not see it light up like a Las Vegas blackjack machine which will electronically and algorithmically shut down your car.
Anyway, here's toasting you'll never have to experience another B1236 service again.
Yup. Many friends in the mid-70's, their first car was a 60's hand-me-down from their parents. I miss those days in the driveway with the hood up, an RC Cola or if someone's older brother, a PBR... but now, I don't think I popped the hood on my RDX until 3 or 4 months in, and really don't feel I have any need to. It's weird. The biggest thing was the connections that were made between kids and parents, friends coming over and discovering on your own without youtube on how cars work.
First car was my father's hand-me-down '71 Chevy Nova. Years later, I'd be out there working on it almost every Saturday. Sometimes by choice but mostly by necessity. A lonely old neighbor with nothing much to do used to come out to watch and "advise". He once asked me "Chris, why don't you just buy a new car?" I said "I am."
I threw out my all old copies of Chiltons with greasy fingerprints yeas ago.
First car was my father's hand-me-down '71 Chevy Nova. Years later, I'd be out there working on it almost every Saturday. Sometimes by choice but mostly by necessity. A lonely old neighbor with nothing much to do used to come out to watch and "advise". He once asked me "Chris, why don't you just buy a new car?" I said "I am."
I threw out my all old copies of Chiltons with greasy fingerprints yeas ago.
My aunt, who lived in Lynbrook, gave me my first car, a ‘61 Galaxy with a great backseat. But the windshield wipers stopped working when you had to floor it to go uphill. Uphill like ‘up’ on a segment of the LIE, where there are no actual hills.
UPDATE: Car's been fine since the HPFP was changed, so I guess that was the issue. Kinda scary going forward. I am wondering what people will do years from now if they buy a used RDX with say, 100K miles on it, and this happens! Yikes.
I had to sign the warranty worksheet and saw that the total cost they billed Acura was over $1500. That's a few car payments for sure
@oblio98 Looks like I'm having the same issue with the High pressure fuel pump. Can I ask how you got it taken care of at no charge? Did they do it under the powertrain warranty or as part of the recall of the other fuel pump?
Originally Posted by oblio98
So here's the deal. They did a B1236 Service while the car was in there (it was nagging me for the past few days) and they did check the battery and said it was fine. They claim the "High Pressure Fuel Pump" caused the issue. The car is fine now, but I have no idea if this was the problem or not. The car owner now has no idea what's going on with his/her car these days. The old days of doing your plugs, setting the timing, and maybe shoving a screwdriver in the carburetor are long gone. Today? It's a crap shoot.
@oblio98 Looks like I'm having the same issue with the High pressure fuel pump. Can I ask how you got it taken care of at no charge? Did they do it under the powertrain warranty or as part of the recall of the other fuel pump?
Looks like they worked it in under TSB 16-008, though, if you look at the actual service bulletin (attached) it does not reflect the RDX?
04-08-2021, 05:08 PM
2019 A-SPEC: Major Malfunction
the foot stomper...ok that one got to me. So essentially - we've gone from watching the oil pressure and battery gauges on our dashboard to a MID where we (hopefully) do not see it light up like a Las Vegas blackjack machine which will electronically and algorithmically shut down your car.
you'll never have to experience another B1236 service again.
