I recently traded my 2017 MDX Elite in on a 2022 MDX A Spec. So far, I am pretty happy with the new vehicle. I have a small utility trailer(<1000 lbs.) that I use for transporting stuff 6-10 times a year. I installed an aftermarket hitch receiver on the 2017 and at the time it cost me less that $300.00 for receiver and custom plug in wiring harness. When I traded, the dealer asked if I wanted a receiver on the new 2022. I said, “how much?” I was quoted $2500.00 for a 3500 lb receiver and $3500.00 for the 5000 lb version. With the memory of the hitch for the 2017 MDX still in my mind, I declined the dealers offer.
Then I started doing my research. I guess Acura is doing a little to discourage the aftermarket hitch folks because they are pretty hard to find in Canada. The hands free feature for the rear hatch really complicates the aftermarket hitch installation. For that matter, it complicates the Acura hitch installation too...hence the heavy price tag. I did find an aftermarket hitch receiver for $240.00 Cdn manufactured by Curt. I managed the install in about two hours but I’m no spring chicken so a young fella with some basic tools and a good torque wrench could probably do it in half that time. I also found a zero contact wiring harness to get around the messy logistic of The Acura wiring. If anyone else is considering going down this road, I can share some of my learnings.

 

we spring chickens love learning!
would love to hear more of your thoughts and details on the install

 

I'm looking at buying a 22 Advance and would like to install a hitch as well. My use case will mostly be bike rack and the occasional small trailer from uhaul/home depot.

Open to cheaper ideas as well but would like to keep the HFA feature working.

Looking at the accessory installation times document, looks like I would need all the following parts: (prices gathered online, not through the dealer):

Trailer Hitch
08L92-TYA-200
$201.84

Hitch Cover
08L92-TYA-200B
$88.50

ATF cooler (optional)
06255-61D-305
$272.34

Trailer Hitch Harness
08L91-TYA-200
$139.20

HFA Sensor Unit
08L91-TYA-200B
$156.60

Parts alone are $858.48 but the $3k-ish that the dealer is asking is a bit much.

 

Thank you Justnspace
I should say right up front that the aftermarket Curt hitch does not play well with the factory installed hands free lift gate. I understand that Acura has a relocation kit for the sensor package to address the hitch issue but I have absolutely no use for the foot actuated hands free feature. If you need or want it, best to stay with the OEM setup. The factory OEM sensor package for the hands free lift gate does not allow sufficient clearance for the Curt hitch receiver behind the bumper. I am pretty sure that this is also the case with the OEM hitch, but I cannot state this with certainty. One of their accessory installation bulletins available elsewhere on this site seems to suggest a sensor relocation is required.

So on to the install. The Curt hitch is a pretty heavy piece of kit and is rated at 6000 lbs. This is far beyond my needs and also beyond the rated towing capacity of the MDX, even with the transmission cooler. It is the only one I could find. The shipping weight was 50 pounds so it would be great to have a helper to position the hitch for the install. I did it myself but only because I have no friends not because it is the best way.

The first thing that I did was put the vehicle rear wheels up on ramps so I had a little more room to work and I found the extra 7 inches of clearance gave me just about the right room to work from laying on my back. I disconnected the power as I knew that I would be messing with the wiring and I didn’t want any unpredictable reactions to my actions. I lowered the spare tire and moved it out of the way. I believe this is necessary and even if it isn’t, it sure makes moving the hitch into position a whole lot easier. Then I removed the hands free assembly from the bottom inside of the rear bumper. There were four sheet metal type screws and two pop out connectors holding it in place. Then I disconnected the control module and the sensor rods from the assembly. There was one screw holding the module in place and the rods just snapped into clips on the back of the panel.
I left all the wiring connected and tried not to put any stress on any connections. I used a tie wrap to secure the module to the top of the bumper frame member and reattached the sensor rods to the inside or the remaining panel at the bottom of the bumper.

To put the hitch into position, i used piece of thin rope to support the passenger side of the hitch assembly from the tailpipe hanger assembly. I left just enough slack to allow free movement at the driver’s side. Then I lifted the driver’s side into position and supported its weight on my bent knee while I started the first bolt to the frame. There are three bolts on each side and Curt says they need to be torqued to 135 lb-feet. That is a significant pull laying on your back under the vehicle, at my age. After the first bolt was installed I then installed one on the passenger side. Amazingly, all six bolts lined up to perfection. Torque everything up. Replace the spare tire and it is time to start with the trailer wiring. For another day. Oh yeah, forgot to reconnect the battery.
To my knowledge, if I or someone else decide to remove the hitch in the future, I have preserved all the electrical connections and the mounting assembly and it would only be a five minute job to restore the hands free lift gate to original.
The Curt Hitch extends under the rear bumper rather than through the bottom panel like the OEM does. This is actually a better height for my utility trailer and there is still lots of clearance.
Hope this is of some assistance to anyone considering this option.

 

Hello amshah97:
I do not know where you are located but if you are in the US, your prices are pretty much guaranteed lower than here in Canada. The dealer quoted me $2500 installed for a 3500 lb rated hitch. (No transmission cooler). I bought the hitch aftermarket for $240.00 and a contactless wiring package for $220 Cdn. Freight incl.
I have preserved the ability to restore hands free functionality by removing the hitch. I don’t use it as I cannot stand on one foot. I just could not justify $2500 to tow a $1000 utility trailer for a few miles 6-10 times a year.

 

grahambw - I'm in the same boat as you. Getting a new 22 MDX to replace my 18 MDX and need a new hitch for my bike rack. The old Curt hitch I have on the 18 doesn't fit the new 22.

Can you tell me the ground clearance for your Curt hitch? From the ground to the bottom of the 2" hitch receiver?

I assume you got the Curt class III with 2" opening.

 

Excellent! I was looking at that hitch too but with the Advance model I was worried about the kick to open trunk feature. Did you have to relocate the sensor or did it still work?

Can you post a link to the wire harness you used and the hitch model number?

Thanks.

 

I just went out and measured. It is 11.25” from ground to the lowest point on the hitch receiver. The lowest point is the safety chain attachment loops. It has been on there since May/21 and hasn’t bottomed out (there are no marks on the underside). The height is actually perfect for my utility trailer.

 

Hello usmarinedelta:
As I posted earlier, I had to relocate the sensors to gain adequate clearance for the Curt receiver install. The kick to open is no longer functional but I secured the sensors so they can be replaced if I remove the hitch receiver. I did not use or plan to use the kick to open function. I purchased the wiring harness unit at a Canadian Tire outlet right off the shelf but identical units are available on Amazon. It is a Tekonsha ZCI modulite. Model 119251. They are about $200.00 and require no splicing or damage to the factory wiring. The Curt Receiver itself was purchased on-line from HitchWeb.com. You will probably not be able to find the fitment listed on their website but I just clicked on the “chat” function and their guy gave me the ordering information. Delivery was quick and the price was great. Other than relocation of the sensors for the rear hatch opening, the fit was perfect. Hope this is of some assistance.

 

Thanks for checking. My concern is with the bike rack in the lowered position. In my 18 MDX, when the bike rack is lowered, due to the relatively low clearance, the end tip of the bike rack could scrap the ground when going up inclines. I hope it's at least not worse than before with the 22 model.

 

I just measure the clearance on my 18. It's about 10.5". So hopefully this will make my clearance issues go away.

 

Do these aftermarket units work ok with the onboard electronics, stability control, etc? I know on the X5 you can't really add an aftermarket tow hitch if you want electronics like stability control to work correctly.

 

Did not like the way the optional hitch cover looks so went this route instead. OEM hitch using the stock valance. Just made a cutout for it. $236 shipped to my house and installed myself. Will add harness next.

 

If you get an after market hitch you may still need to buy the trim cover piece and a new kick sensor from Acura. The new kick sensor is on back order until December. If you get an after market hitch that does not need a new trim panel, it would have less ground clearance than the OEM hitch. Parts attached for your file.

 

The aftermarket hitches do not work with the OEM accessory trim piece. They hang lower than the OEM hitches.

 

Nice! I did this to my 19 aspec and am going to do it on my 22 aspec as well. I mainly do it because I don’t like the wording on the valance replacement 😂 makes it look like an ad

 

Did you end up relocating the kick sensor or are you living without it's functionality? I'm curious if you need the "hitch valence" to make the sensor relocation kit work. I agree that your solution looks much, much better but am interested to know that if I use the stock modified part, I'd still be able to use the sensor relocation kit to retain functionality of my kick sensor. Thanks.

 

Had the kick sensor on another Honda and never used it so I didn’t bother to hook it up.

 

I just picked this up from dealer. Here is the non ATF cooler hitch I stalled as a dealer accessory for $729.00. Paid MSRP for car.

Color on trim matches very well, although photo makes it look different.

 

I installed 5,000lb version from Acura dealer $2,536. Hitch, wiring, ATF Cooler and sensor...(Canada)

 

Just to clarify, did you purchase the parts from the dealer and install it yourself ?

 

No it was part of purchase deal and dealer installed it.

 

Like a boss!!

 

Got a quote from the dealer $2400 for just ATF cooler installed

 

I have a $1331 quote for 3500 lb hitch - no trans cooler.

 

Just for information. I installed a Curt hitch yesterday on my 2022 A-Spec. The Hands Free Gate still works. The panel itself that holds the sensor rods needs to be removed, trimmed in the middle where the hitch sits and re-installed. Trimming the middle section out still allows for all the panel fasteners and rods to be reconnected. The actual control box and wiring I wire tied to the hitch frame. The kick sensor works if I kick just beside the hitch receiver on the passenger side. I always found it worked better kicking there even before the hitch install.

Anyway, all that said, the answer is Yes it still works.

 

Looks great! Was it hard to cut out? Did you ever complete harness installation? Any pictures of that?

 

Can you tell me a bit more about "the panel itself that holds the sensor rods needs to be removed, trimmed in the middle where the hitch sits and re-installed." I am going to buy the CURT hitch and install on my 2022 MDX Tech pkg that has the hands free sensor.

 

If you watch this Youtube video, he shows how to remove the OEM Hands Free Sensor (HFS) from the original trim cover, cut out the opening for the ball mount, and then mount it on the new trim cover. starting at around 3:40.
​​​​​​​

For those of us that already have the HFS on our MDX's, this would negate the need to buy the (08L91-TYA-200B) HFA Sensor Kit, which is around $200.
This is assuming you use the OEM Acura parts and not a Curt or Draw-Tite hitch.
These are the OEM parts needed:
Part Numbers:
08L91-TYA-200 (Wiring Harness, 7-Pin)
08L92-TYA-200B (Trailer Hitch Cover)
08L92-TYA-200 (Trailer Hitch)
08L92-TYA-200A (Ball Mount Kit)

Optional Transmission Cooler to raise towing limit from 3,500lbs to 5,000lbs
06255-61D-305 (ATF Cooler Kit For AWD Models)

A couple of notes:
At least Acura was nice enough to have a power connector in the back of the vehicle to connect the wiring harness, you don't have to run a cable from the battery to the back of the vehicle like in some other setups. All you have to do is disconnect the negative cable on the battery before you install the wiring harness. Acura's kit also includes the four fuses that are needed.

The OEM hitch sits about 2" higher than the Curt or Draw-Tite hitches, which is good for ground clearance and looks way better when used with the new trailer hitch cover. It also has the mount on the left side for the included 7-pin connecter, instead of trying to figure out where to mount the 4-pin connector or leaving it in the trunk and hanging it down when you want to tow. You can see from the picture above that Cabot attached how nice it looks. A&HSince90 also has a nice setup using the original trim cover and just cutting it to fit the ball mount. Saves about $100.

Finally, some advice for anyone planning to get a hitch and wiring harness but add the HFS kit later, or for anyone planning to remove their original HFS sensor and add the kit later.
The (08L91-TYA-200B - HFA Sensor Kit) will not work with the (08L91-TYA-200) wiring kit listed above. You would have to replace that wiring kit with the (08L91-TYA-200A - Hitch Wiring Harness + HFA Button and Harness), which is over $200. Unless there's a work-around that I don't know about, you might want to get the more expensive wiring kit to start so you're ready for the HFS kit.

 

just a cut out and works? what about the auto tailgate works also or did u order the harness?

 

I purchased and received all the Acura parts to install the trailer hitch on my MDX. I plan to install it this weekend so I'll let you guys know how it goes.

As far as the Hands Free Sensor, I have an MDX Advance so the sensor and wiring for it are already there. I didn't have to buy the aftermarket sensor kit.
I already installed the wire harness kit for the hitch and it was ridiculously easy. I didn't even have to lower the spare tire to do it, but I did disconnect the negative battery terminal per the instructions.

The actual hitch installation look fairly easy, it's just 6 bolts. The hitch cover looks like the trickiest part, I have to pull off the original cover, take off the HFS sensor and cut it, then connect it to the new cover and install that. Removing and installing the covers doesn't look easy.
One nice thing is the MDX has enough room under the back that you don't have to lift it up to do the work. That helps a lot.

 

As an update to my last post, I went through the process of installing the trailer hitch on my 2022 MDX Advance.
I'm just about finished but I wanted to make some comments here since a lot of people are wondering about the installation with the Hands Free Sensor.

This image shows the original trim panel (top) with the HFS module attached compared to the new trim panel (bottom).


In this image the HFS module is removed for the original trim panel. The (red sections) show where the screw holes are to mount the module, and the (yellow sections) are where the plastic tabs are used to mount the module.


This is the HFS module flipped over. You can see the actual sensors (yellow sections) are just two long rubber tubes that run along the top and bottom of the plastic.


This shows the HFS module mounted in the new trim panel. As you can see, part of the plastic covers the hole where the trailer hitch comes through. Also, you can see the (red section) is the only place the HFS module can be attached. The (yellow section) on the left has nowhere to mount, and the one on the right is too far from the hole to use the plastic tab. I'll probably use a plastic zip-tie there.


These are the trim panels flipped over, and you can see on the new one (bottom) that the HFS module blocks the hole for the hitch.
[img alt="These are the trim panels flipped over, and you can see on the new one (bottom) that the HFS module blocks the hole for the hitch.
"]https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazine.com-vbulletin/2000x1124/img_4085_bd07cc766c39cd4676cb69d8f79e6d6767a76026. jpg[/img]

Closer image of the one above.


This is the actual HFS sensor electronics board part number if you're interested.
[img alt="This is the actual HFS sensor electronics board part number if youre interested.
"]https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazine.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_4088_0df9ec6a721800a57d8016c04a5bdafbf309353f. jpg[/img]

This is a shot of the three-prong power connector for the picture above.

This was my original plastic cut on the HFS module. You can see the sensor module on the bottom just hangs there without the plastic support.


This is a view of the module flipped over.


After I initially cut the plastic from the HFS module, it was so flimsy that I just decided to cut off everything after the electronics board (yellow section). I used black tape to connect the actual sensor rods (red sections) to the new trim cover. The (green section) shows the only place where you can mount the HFS module to the new trim cover using the original screw. Finally, the (orange section) shows the electronics and where the power connector would be plugged into. It looks like the same power connector as the after-market HFS sensor, so if someone with an MDX Advance didn't want to do all this cutting, you could buy the 08L91-TYA-200B - HFA Sensor and use the original power plug.


This is a close up of the HFS module mounted to the new trim panel. You can see it's only connected by one screw (red section) and I'll probably put a plastic zip-tie for the (blue section) just for a little extra support.


You can see where I put some black tape to hold down the rubber sensors to the trim. I'm sure I'll end up changing that to something better.
[img alt="You can see where I put some black tape to hold down the rubber sensors to the trim.
Im sure Ill end up changing that to something better. "]https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazine.com-vbulletin/2000x1093/img_4094_50badea9104d614bdedfc32d5b244ed6eeee3634. jpg[/img]

BTW, I semi-mounted the new trim piece on the MDX and the HFS sensor works fine. Of course now I have all these warning lights popping up so I have to see what that's about.
I'm trying to mount the new trim panel but it is very difficult. I'm gonna take a break and retry later.

Honestly, if I had to do it over, I think I'd just leave the original trim panel, mount a Curt trailer hitch under there, and use the Acura wiring harness. Either that or hire someone else to do the work. My 60 year old body isn't too thrilled about any of this.

 

OK, another progress report.
I ran into a couple of problems, namely the hitch wouldn't fit with the HFS module mounted where I put it. I had to do some improvising.

With the HFS module mounted like in this picture, the trailer hitch was blocked by the sensor and needed about 1" more room to fit properly. I had to improvise.


In this closer shot, you can see where the HFS module mounts with the philips screw.
I'm guessing the after-market HFS module fits in the same place, so it must be much slimmer to allow the hitch to fit, or maybe it's mounted further to the left.


I ended cutting even more plastic off the HFS module, including the area where the screw hole was (red section). You can cut the crap out of the HFS module as long as you don't cut the two sensor bars or the control panel.


This is the HFS module mounted to allow the hitch to fit properly. I pushed it over about 3" to the left, so the end of the plastic (yellow line) now lines up with the screw hole. There's nowhere to mount it, so I'll probably use a zip-tie and attach it to that metal bar on the left. I might also use some two-sided sticky tape on the back. I taped the sensor bars to the trim piece as before.


BTW, I used a Crescent Wiss 8-1/2" EZ Utility Snip I bought off Amazon for $11 to cut the plastic, nothing fancy needed.

I got everything installed and it all worked, including the HFS sensor. Then I realized I didn't connect the 7-pin power plug to the hitch, and it can't be done with the trim panel in place. So now I need to remove the hitch, plug in the power connector, and then reinstall the hitch. What a PITA.

I just wanted to document my progress and shed light on adding a hitch with the HFS module. I hope this helps somebody.

 

OK, my final post on this matter.

I pulled off the hitch to be able to mount the 7-pin connector from the wiring harness to the hitch. That was very difficult since I had already installed all the wiring and that left me very little slack on the wire. Looking back, I realize I did things in the wrong order which really made it a long process. My advice on the order to do things, especially if you do it alone:
1. Remove the original trim piece.
2. Install the hitch.
3. Install the wiring and connect the 7-pin connector to the hitch.
4. (For Advance owners) Cut down the HFS module and have it ready for the new trim piece. You can pre-mount it to the new trim piece and tape the sensors.
5. Install the new trim piece and have some zip-ties ready.

I have some pictures of the final setup. I used a cheap rechargeable COB230 LED headlamp I bought on Amazon which is a lifesaver when you're doing work under a vehicle.

I had to cut down the HFS module even more to make it fit snugly. I did it after this image was taken, but the two (red sections) are where I made cuts, including taking off a big chunk of the top left corner. The two (yellow sections) are where I ran the zip-ties through to mount it to the metal frame.


This is a closeup of the HFS module mounted. The (red section) shows where I cut even more plastic off to leave some clearance for the bolt that attaches the trim piece. The (green section) shows where the original HFS module was attached and where the after-market version would attach. I had to move the HFS module a few inches to the left to allow room for the hitch. The (yellow sections) show the two zip-ties I used to connect the module to the frame. It's in there really tight.


A wider angle shot of the above picture.


A shot of the upper sensor and how I taped it to the trim piece with strong black tape. I did something similar to the lower sensor after I installed the hitch.


A shot of the HFS module with the power plugged in.


In closing, I did this to remove any mystery people had about the HFS module and installing a new hitch. For MDX Advance owners, you CAN use the original HFS module with some modifications.

Also, I said in my previous post I had a bunch of warning lights after I first started the car. I read in other forums that it's usually a low battery problem. I took it for a nice drive and sure enough, all the warnings went away once the battery was charged back up. Everything seems to work fine, and now I just need to borrow a trailer to see if all the lights work.

 

Thanks so much for the very detailed info. I will be attempting this tomorrow. The HFA sensor is on national back order with no release date. I have the hitch and gloss black panel for the type s. I will also be installing the spare tire kit right after hitch along with an oil change

 

Good luck! It's hard to believe a Type-S wouldn't come with a spare tire or HFA module.

One interesting thing I found out is the HFA module Acura sells is different than the one that comes on MDX Advance models like mine. It's actually about the same size as mine after I did all that cutting. However, it has very short sensors built in so the HFA feature only works on the side of the MDX where it's mounted, which is way over on the passenger side.

One other note, I purchased the 08L91-TYA-200 - (hitch wiring harness) which doesn't include the extra connector for the HFA kit, since I already had that connector on my Advance. I believe you would need to get the 08L91-TYA-200A - (hitch wiring harness + HFA button and harness) which has the extra wires to connect to the HFA on/off button and the HFA module.

This video might help a bit, he did the same thing on an MDX Type-S which didn't include the HFA sensor. You can see the sensor module right at the 14:25 mark and how much smaller it is. At 8:33, you can see his wiring harness kit and how it has the extra connector for the HFA module. I think he may have put the wrong part number and should have put 08L91-TYA-200A.

 

Hey,

New person here. I just installed an aftermarket hitch with the factory harness. The harness I used is for the HFA, which I have. The harness comes with a switch to turn HFA on and off and a new plug for the HFA sensor. I got it all to fit, everything is fine that way. Only problem I have is when I connect the new plug to the HFA sensor it doesn't work. Old plug works. Old plug has voltage and ground, new plug only has a good ground no voltage on any of the pins.

I checked all my connections, everything is as it should be. Is there a step I am missing? Do I need to activate the new plug through a scan tool or a setting? Before I go and buy the scan tool software package and wiring diagrams....

(Canadian MDX Type S advanced)