I know most people are in search for a way to turn OFF the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature, but this article is about how to reactivate it if it stops working. I’m sorry if you stumble here looking for a way to permanently disable it. I’m not sold on the feature myself, but went searching for a fix because I didn’t like that it wasn’t working properly.



With that said, I will start by giving credit to BadWolfOdyssey for posting the fix 2 years ago, at: https://www.odyclub.com/threads/auto...cedure.337977/ (even though they will likely never read this.)



After getting my 2019 Acura RDX back from the dealer this past visit, I noticed my AIS stopped engaging. Took a while to realize it was malfunctioned, as it was winter and I know it has multiple conditions that need to be met in order to engage, including it being an “acceptable” temperature. Thought about bringing it back to the dealer, but knew that would only result in another “software update” that never actually existed and then me still having to reset all my personalized settings (rant for a different post).



Okay, enough talk, here are the steps to get AIS to start functioning again.

1. Take your vehicle out for a quick trip to fully warm it up.
2. Park somewhere and shutoff the vehicle.
3. Open the door and pop the hood (you should not need to open the hood fully.)
4. Start the car, close the door, and confirm the message center says hood open.
5. Turn off the vehicle, get out, and shut the hood.
6. Get in, close the door, and start normally.
7. AIS should now be working again, assuming all conditions are met.

After one attempt, I was back in business. Also, I will mention that multiple people in the above link also tried to reverse the fix in order to “break” the feature, but none had any luck. I’m sure there’s a way...



Let’s hope that Honda/Acura will get a fix in a software upda...meh there are more important things to fix in their software.



Hope this helps!



-K

 

Covered in many forms, including verbatim, here:
https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g...o-stop-986238/

I was a proponent of this theory, but I'm now more likely to believe it's a function of battery charge and engine/transmission temps. I went weeks without AIS working and I believe it was the lack of regular extended use more than anything. YMMV.

Welcome, nonetheless.

 

Shittttt it worked for my RDX. Mine did not work 2 days after changing ATF oil. Thanks God it works again🤣

 

I was driving my RDX and when stop the AIS never activated. I was driving in a city environment and not going fast. No AC just the radio and seat cooler was on and the outside temperature was in the 50’s. I disabled and enabled it and never worked when I used the vehicle today. Any thoughts? I appreciate it!

 

Just follow the steps it will work again. After I change my transmission oil I forgot to plug the air sensor in the air filter box, all engines lights was on an AIS did not work but I followed the steps and it is working now

 

I barely drive the vehicle, it has been in the driveway for about two weeks I have <2K miles. Update I drove to LI no AIS. On the way back it began working. There are no errors with the vehicle. Am I missing something with how this is suppose to work?

 

I think it was most likely not working because of a slightly low battery charge.
We weren't driving our car much when Covid first hit and our idle stop also stopped working. Even though the car was starting fine, it wasn't until we went on a 3 hour drive one day that idle stop kicked in again. I don't think that the charging system on the RDX is all that aggressive in topping off the battery.

 

Think about it. When does your vehicle use the most gasoline?
When you accelerate.
Next is cruising at a constant speed, give or take.
The amount of gas consumed at idle is so low, it is inconsequential to your MPG. If you have found differently, I would like to see the empirical data.
I would only assume the reason why the idle-stop function is on every vehicle is for emissions. Lower the carbon footprint.
Globally, don't waste your time. if the US suddenly disappeared, this would save about 1% of the global carbon footprint.
"The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that in 2019, the United States emitted 5,130 million metric tons of energy-related carbon dioxide, while the global emissions of energy-related carbon dioxide totaled 33,621.5 million metric tons."

So personally, I turned my idle off permanently. Save the car, save the battery. Think of the battery waste that occurs...
This also just shows that they cannot get any more efficiency out of these piston engines.

 

Save $1 with AIS and then buy $2000 starter in 10 years, no thank you.

 

To be fair, the starter is only ~$500, but yeah after I had the battery replaced under warranty , I now only use AIS when I know the car will sit idling for a few minutes.

 

Part only or includes labor costs? Some of those are difficult to replace and labor cost is very high

 

Like sonyfever said, it's not just the starter that costs more, but it seems it kills batteries pretty quickly as well. And from the looks of it, AGM batteries run about twice as much as standard ones.

I just replaced the battery in my daily beater and it cost me $100 at Costco. A battery for the RDX from Costco runs $190.

 

Not sure if the Acura is the same, but my VW requires coding if you replace the battery with anything other than the exact same one. The battery life will be decreased if you are, for example, charging an AGM battery with a profile for a standard wet plate battery, or batteries of different capacities. This is done with a scanner, either dealer or after market for the car make. You either manually enter a code from the battery, or scan the QR code on it.