When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I've owned my 2005 Acura TL for a just over three years now and have been an active member on here ever since. However, I rarely talk about my wife's 2007 RDX, so I figured I'd start a progress thread. We live in the Grand Rapids, MI area and there aren't a on of Acuras on the road. Despite there being a dealership on the east side of town, the population base for used Acuras is rather slim. Therefore, we took the plunge and drove to Brookfield, WI last fall to pick up this very well maintained piece of 4 cylinder. The individuals at Acura of Brookfield were extremely professional and we received a fairly reasonable deal. When we purchased the RDX, it had approximately 99,000 miles registered on the odometer.
After a loooong Michigan winter, I finally gave it the thorough cleaning it deserved. I will be doing a full paint correction sometime this summer, but I have just too many things I want to do to my TL first lol. Personally, I've always owned black or navy vehicles, so paint correcting WDP paint will involve a few additional steps. She has quite a few rail rust spots in her clear-coat that I will need to remove. I've heard great things about CarPro Iron X, so I will be giving that a shot.
Here are a few snap shots that I took this past weekend.
I am still looking for a front WDP underbody spoiler. It's been an ongoing search. At this point, I may have to buy one in a different color and have a shop paint match. This will give it more of an "aggressive" look.
She used to mock me for having a Grand Valley State University vanity plate. Well, look at what she decided to do. She went to Ferris State University for her undergraduate degree, so she had to give the Bulldogs some love.
The leather on the driver's side seat has actually held up quite nicely. The interior is a 9/10. The previous owner used WeatherTech floor liners, which helped immensely.
It did not come with the rear WeatherTech floor liner as the previous owner did not have it, so I purchased this after we got home. Again, it hardly looks like anyone has ever sat in the back seats. No complaints here...
I just finished waxing my lovely TL and used my wife's RDX today due to some dicey weather. After leaving a client lunch, the caliper appears to have ceased up. Great...
I guess this a good time to replace the brake pads and rotors. On to come Centric blanks!
I found my RDX (2007) handled kinda weird in the snow... I'm in southern Mississippi, and we had 8" that didn't stick, but later, we had 2" that did, and boy, my rear end went sideways twice... I'm from New Orleans, so I've never driven in snow until then...
I have Bridgestone Duhler Alanza A/S tires...
I have a Kia Optima with Michelin Pilots, hope they are better... But that RDX was scary to drive... I was noticeably struggling to drive where other people weren't...
Not it looking for snow tires, that would be dumb when I live south of I-20, but did y'all have this to happen last winter...
I love how clean she is!!!
My engine and transmission are perfect dispstite many other issues, but you already have an Acura, so I guess you know what goes on...
I think RDX truly does the impossible, this is a bit of a drift car!!! Super tight suspension, lots of torque, never hit over 3-4K rpm in normal driving, that's moving pretty fast too!!!
Suspension stiffness is perfect in my opinion, basically no float under any circumstances!!!
Oh wow, that's crazy! I wouldn't say I'm a veteran, but I've been driving through Michigan winters for 11 years now. My wife drove it all last winter and whenever I drove it, I didn't notice any noticeable fish tails. We both tend to drive overly cautious though, so maybe that's why? Maybe I'll have to get on it a bit more next winter and see what she can do. Under normal circumstances, I have to agree with you. The suspension is extremely tight and it gets up and going. I do think that the turbo noise is a bit obnoxious though. It's not a "cool" sounding whine like I originally hoped for.
And yes, finding a WDP with ebony interior was a huge pain! It took forever to find what I was looking for. I think in the Midwest there were maybe 3 for sale within my price range? Once I saw this one for sale in Wisconsin, I pretty much new I was going to buy it.
I just finished a lot of maintenance on my TL, so now it's time to work on the RDX. I will be performing an oil change, 3x3 tranny drain/refill, power steering fluid replacement, brakes/rotors, and probably a brake fluid replacement as well. The RDX just clocked 106,000 miles.
PS - The brake caliper was not seized. The brake dust shield got bent slightly and was rubbing along the inside of the rotor, which caused a horrifying metallic screech. I spent 30 seconds on the side of the road with a screwdriver and the problem was solved. Whew!
I have an 08 RDX Tech with +152,000 miles and she still drives like new. It is my wife's daily driver because she has a tight assigned parking spot a work with two large SUVs on either side. She really loves driving the RDX because of feels like a rocket with turbo TQ and handles like its on rails on curves when you need it. Having a hard time deciding to keep or trade because it is such a perfect around town commuter and weekend errand vehicle for us.
Have you tried calling your local Acura dealership for the exact part you need for the front underbody spoiler in white? My son had a front end accident in my 06 TSX with A-Spec front lip a few years ago. I couldn't find a replacement A-Spec front lip on my own on the internet; but, my local Acura dealership had one in a a part warehouse in the exact color I needed. The only bad part is having to pay regular dealership price for the RDX front spoiler (around $280)
PS - The brake caliper was not seized. The brake dust shield got bent slightly and was rubbing along the inside of the rotor, which caused a horrifying metallic screech. I spent 30 seconds on the side of the road with a screwdriver and the problem was solved. Whew!
I've had a pebble get caught up in there once or twice when driving on a dirt road. Hell of a sound, but at least with pebbles the rotor will turn it to dust relatively quickly.
I've had a pebble get caught up in there once or twice when driving on a dirt road. Hell of a sound, but at least with pebbles the rotor will turn it to dust relatively quickly.
Been there, done that!!!! Thought it was a failed too!!! My dealer knocked a rock out at no charge, was SO relieved!!!
Have you tried calling your local Acura dealership for the exact part you need for the front underbody spoiler in white? My son had a front end accident in my 06 TSX with A-Spec front lip a few years ago. I couldn't find a replacement A-Spec front lip on my own on the internet; but, my local Acura dealership had one in a a part warehouse in the exact color I needed. The only bad part is having to pay regular dealership price for the RDX front spoiler (around $280)
I have tried emailing my local Acura dealership, but maybe I'll give them a call in the near future. Thanks!
Been there, done that!!!! Thought it was a failed too!!! My dealer knocked a rock out at no charge, was SO relieved!!!
It's crazy how similar the sounds are. I thought it was toast.
Originally Posted by Tomtwtwtw
I've had a pebble get caught up in there once or twice when driving on a dirt road. Hell of a sound, but at least with pebbles the rotor will turn it to dust relatively quickly.
I've heard of people getting a rock/pebble caught up in there. I was blown away how loud the grinding from the bent brake dust shield was.
Oh wow, that's crazy! I wouldn't say I'm a veteran, but I've been driving through Michigan winters for 11 years now. My wife drove it all last winter and whenever I drove it, I didn't notice any noticeable fish tails. We both tend to drive overly cautious though, so maybe that's why? Maybe I'll have to get on it a bit more next winter and see what she can do. Under normal circumstances, I have to agree with you. The suspension is extremely tight and it gets up and going. I do think that the turbo noise is a bit obnoxious though. It's not a "cool" sounding whine like I originally hoped for.
And yes, finding a WDP with ebony interior was a huge pain! It took forever to find what I was looking for. I think in the Midwest there were maybe 3 for sale within my price range? Once I saw this one for sale in Wisconsin, I pretty much new I was going to buy it.
I just finished a lot of maintenance on my TL, so now it's time to work on the RDX. I will be performing an oil change, 3x3 tranny drain/refill, power steering fluid replacement, brakes/rotors, and probably a brake fluid replacement as well. The RDX just clocked 106,000 miles.
Wanted to thow in that I was not driving but 10 or 15 mph.... Once was on a slightly banked part of road, the other time was when I slowed using the brake because someone was actually passing me on a rural road... Both times, I recovered from the slide with applying throttle.. A trick my science teacher who was also a driving instructor uses in this scenario!!! Also, AARP mag said to "Aim for the tail" when an animal runs out infront of you, I've saved many deer, raccoons, rabbits, and bumpers with this advice...
Sometimes the the Acura TL takes a back seat and the wife’s Acura RDX gets some much needed attention. Two weeks ago, I completed the following:
-I Installed Centric Plain 120 Series rotors.
-I installed Akebono Proact Ceramic Pads.
-I installed all new OEM Honda brake retainer clips and springs.
-I retrofit 2013 Acura RDX Brake Caliper Covers using Permatex 82189 Ultra Black RTV Silicone. I got the idea from many of our other Acura TL 3g family members: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-p...talled-861739/
-I used a wire brush drill bit and 3M Pro Grade 100 and 220 grit sandpaper to remove all rust, grime, and debris in order to properly prepare the brake calipers for painting.
-I painted the brake calipers, rotor hats, rotor edges, and excess Permatex silicone with Dupli-Color EDE161307 Ceramic Gloss Black Engine Paint. The rotors were already coated with black paint, but I added an additional layer of coating. Also, there is usually a strip just outside of the hub that is unprotected, so this insured to cover the unprotected area as well. I also made a make-shift drying rack from an old shelf, "S-Shaped" hoods, and some string.
-I added a dab of Permatex Anti-Seize Lubricant between rim and new rotor hubs.
-I replaced all brake fluid with Honda Genuine Fluid 08798-9008 DOT 3 Brake Fluid. With the help of my wife, we used 1/4'' inner diameter clear tubing and a pop bottle to change out the fluid the old fashioned way.
Driver Side Front (Before)
Driver Side Front Test Fit
Driver Side Front Test Fit
Driver Side Rear
Driver Side Rear
Driver Side Rear
Passenger Side Rear
Passenger Side Rear
Passenger Side Rear
Passenger Side Front (There almost wasn't enough clearance!)
Passenger Side Front (There almost wasn't enough clearance!)
Passenger Side Front (There almost wasn't enough clearance!)
Those brake caliper covers look 👀 great 👍🏻, so does your landscaping 😆. That lawn and retaining wall are on point. Very good engineering on the painting setup.
Those brake caliper covers look 👀 great 👍🏻, so does your landscaping 😆. That lawn and retaining wall are on point. Very good engineering on the painting setup.
Thanks for the kind words. And I wish I could take credit for the landscaping lol. I live in a condo, so the association handles that. I thought my "engineering" was pretty good as well. It allowed me to hold each piece by a string in the air instead of laying them flat on the ground. It made the job a lot easier.
Originally Posted by bluetroll
Wow. Looks great.
How long does it take the paint to dry?
Per the instructions on the can, I believe I waited 10-15 minutes between each coat and applied 4 coats. It does dry pretty quickly. I let the paint cure for about an hour and then applied 4 coats of clear coat as well. After an hour, they can be touched, but I usually let high temp heat cure for a full 12 hours before I drive.
My association fees per month are $167,so it's actually not bad at all. It includes water/sewer, garbage pickup, insurance (for anything outside of the drywall), lawn maintenance, snow removal, access to a workout facility, and access to an outdoor pool/hot tub area with a park.
I used the following tutorial video as a reference, and the results turned out great. I love Todd's demos.He used to work for Detailed Image and he always has great advice.
The leather wasn't in bad condition, but I wanted to perform this process as preventative maintenance in order to fight against cracking and dried out leather. The seats don't look much different, but the restoration process definitely removed a decent amount of dirt and grime and the seats feel much softer as a result. It's always crazy to see how much worn leather seats can absorb. I probably completed three full applications of the rejuvenating oil to the driver's side front seat.
Leatherique is probably one of the most expensive kits out there, but you get what you pay for.
Also, please excuse the slight "shine" to the leather. I inadvertently wiped off some water with a micro fiber cloth that had a bit of Aero 303 Protestant on it, so I decided to finish off wiping down remainder of the leather seats with it.
After completing the Leatherique process, the leather shows a true factory-looking matte finish, which is awesome! Maybe I can try wiping down the seats this weekend and post some updated pictures.
After an extremely busy and stressful 10/15 tax season, us CPAs need a break. So naturally, I completed some general maintenance today during my PTO. My wife's 2007 Acura RDX is right at the 110,000 mile mark, so here is a list of what I completed today.
1) Air Filter Replaced
Part #: Honda 80292-SDA-407
2) Cabin Filter Replaced
Part #: Honda 17220-RWC-A00
3) Power Steering Fluid Replaced
Part #: Honda 08206-9002
For this process, I used a turkey baster and removed as much power steering fluid as I could from the reservoir. Then I connected my outlet hose to a 7/8in OD by 5/8in ID 10foot clear vinyl tube. With the vehicle turned on on, I turned the steering wheel a few times times until no more power steering fluid was being pumped through.
4) Power Steering Reservoir Replaced
Part #: Honda 53701-SDA-A01
While I was at it, I also replaced the reservoir. The original OEM reservoir was full of debris and I didn't want it contaminating the new power steering fluid. As you can see, there was quite a difference.
New reservoirs do not come with a cap. Therefore, I reused the old cap, but cleaned it up before reinstalling.
5) Power Steering Outlet O-Ring Replaced (Upper)
Part #: Honda 91370-SV4-000
Even though there weren't any whining noises (meaning air is not getting into the power steering system), I figured I might as well go forth with some additional preventative maintenance while everything was already apart.
The new o-rings are on the left and the old o-rings are on the right. They don't look much different, but the old o-rings were very hard and no longer elastic. I guess it was a good time to replace them after all.
6) Power Steering Inlet O-Ring Replaced (Lower)
Part #: Honda 91345-RDA-A01
As I continue with my pre-winter preparation, I performed some additional maintenance this past week:
1) Oil Replaced
Part #: Mobil 1 5W-30 Full Synthetic High Mileage
2) Oil Drain Crush Washer Replaced
Part #: Honda 94109-14000
3) Oil Filter Replaced
Part #: Mobil 1 M1-110A Extended Performance Oil Filter
4) Headlight Lenses Restored
Part #: Meguiar's G2980 Heavy Duty Headlight Restoration Kit
I didn't think that the lenses weren't in terrible shape, but I plan to complete a full detail within the next month, so I figured I'd get a jump start on this process. After the lenses were restored, I saw an extreme difference, so I was glad that I took the time to complete this. Here are some close ups of how the lenses looked before:
After I restored the lenses, I used Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze Ultra-Cut Compound (Meg's 105) to remove the fine scratches created by the abrasive restoration PlastX compound. Please reference my post in the 3g TL forumn, where I address the reason for this step: https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g.../#post16277166
6) Headlight Lens Protective Film Installed
Part #: 3M Scotchgard Clear Paint Protection Film
I purchased a fluid pump since the fill hole points horizontally, where I could not use a funnel. This little took worked great and was fairly inexpensive:
It has been quite some time since I've updated this thread, so I thought I'd share what I've been working on over the past six weeks. I continued with my fall maintenance and completed the following:
1) Differential Fluid Replaced
Part #: Acura 08200-9007A
*Please note that there have been several discussions as to which fluid should be used in the differential. Historically, ATF-Z1 fluid (old transmission fluid formula) was used, but this has since been replaced with All-Wheel Drive Fluid, also known as DPSF fluid. Here is a thread that discusses this topic and I've also included a picture of the back of my bottle as well for reference: https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-rdx-...change-776568/
As you can see in the below picture, the fluid being drained from the differential was cherry red and smelled like transmission fluid. I reviewed the maintenance logs from the Acura dealership from when I bought the vehicle last year. After further review, the log states that the service department actually used transmission fluid instead of the DPSF fluid. Most fluids are petroleum-based, so I"m not too worried, but I did find it interesting that even the dealership didn't follow instructions correctly.
2) Differential Fluid Fill Crush Washer Replaced
Part #: Honda 94109-20000
A few weeks ago, I replaced all interior bulbs with some high quality Vleds LEDs. My personal preference for light output is "pure white." I'm not a fan of the OEM yellow color temperature nor am I a fan of LEDs that emit a blue color temperature, typically above 6,000K.
Vleds provides three different color temperature options (5,000K, 5,500K, or 6,000K), which I found very accommodating. After some testing, I concluded that the 6,000K color temperature fit my personal preference well.
OEM vs. 6,000K (This looks more blue-ish than it actually is)
I agree, it does seem silly that there is not a trunk light on the passenger side as well. It can be pretty hard to see in the cargo area at nighttime. Currently, the RDX has approximately 111,000 miles.
As part of my ongoing maintenance, I also replaced the automatic transmission fluid a few weeks ago. I'm a bit behind on posting pictures, so I'm doing the best I can to catch up.
1) Automatic Transmission Fluid Level Reading
For anyone who has changed the automatic transmission fluid on a Honda/Acura, they can likely attest to the difficulties with reading the fluid level. I won't go into great detail about it here, because dcmodels did such an excellent job explaining how to read cold and hot levels. Making sure the fluid level is as accurate as possible is extremely important and should be adhered to during the entire 3x3 drain and refill process. https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-rdx-...mments-801122/
Original cold reading (This looked a tad low for my liking)
Original hot reading (This level was actually pretty good, so maybe the cold reading was okay)
l completed a 3x3 drain and refill since I didn't know the last time the transmission fluid was replaced (if ever). We purchased the RDX in November 2017 with approximately 99,000 miles. The odometer now reads approximately 111,000 miles. I plan to complete a 1x3 drain and refill every other oil change (or approximately every 10,000 miles) going forward.
Accessing the transmission fill plug on a 1st generation Acura RDX can be quite difficult as it is under the air box. Here is a DIY that explains this further. https://acurazine.com/how-tos/a/acur...n-fluid-426742
Due to this, I decided to refill the automatic transmission fluid via the dipstick method. For this, I purchased a siphon hand pump, which worked perfectly:
2) Automatic Transmission Fluid Replaced
Part #: Honda 08200-9008
To my surprise, I was actually able to remove the automatic transmission drain bolt without having to jack up the vehicle. This saved quite a bit of time. For each drain and refill, I let the automatic transmission fluid flow into an oil drain pain first and then I carefully poured the fluid from the oil drain pain into a 1 Quart measuring cup. This really helped me accurately determine how much fluid was drained and how much fluid I needed to add back into the transmission.
1st Drain and Refill: 15.75 cups or 3.94 Quarts
2nd Drain and Refill: 15.75 cups or 3.94 Quarts
3rd Drain and Refill: 16.25 cups or 4.06 Quarts
When refilling, I used the measuring cup for the last quart to make sure I added the correct amount of automatic transmission fluid. Luckily, I didn't spill much during this process
3) Automatic Transmission Fill Crush Washer Replaced
Part #: Honda 90441-PK4-000
*I did not replace this washer since I refilled the automatic transmission fluid via the dipstick method, but I thought I'd list it here in case anyone was curious.
5) Automatic Transmission Drain Plug Cleaned
As you can see in the below images, the plug was filthy. The fluid actually wasn't too dirty, but there was a lot of sludge on the drain plug, so I'm glad that I decided to complete this process. I cleaned the plug with Gumout Carb/Choke & Parts cleaner and it looked much better.
6) Automatic Transmission Fluid Level Reading
Once everything was completed, I wanted to make sure that the automatic transmission fluid was at the appropriate level. I drove the car for about 15 minutes, making sure to run through each gear, and let the vehicle sit for about 24 hours. The next day after church, I took a true cold reading. This was the end result. The level might be a little high, but it's nothing I'm actually too concerned about. If the fluid level was too low, that would be a different story.
Great write-up. I may do the interior led bulb swap on my 2011. Doesn't seem too expensive and could be fun. Definitely have to do my headlights. Being in Florida, we try and do all this stuff in the winter as opposed to summer/fall. Thanks for the writeups. Have 54,500 miles on mine now. Have driven an average of 4K miles per year over the past five years. Still breaking her in
05-02-2018, 11:00 PM
