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I'm sorry I didn't start this tread sooner but was hoping for something GOOD to say, but that didn't happen. I took my ZDX in on 9/18/25 for a state inspection and talked the service tech into performing the recently spoken about updates to the firmware. As I know I'm going to create more questions than I answer here, suffice to say the update process went well ... until it didn't. Apparently, a couple of the updates went okay, but one bricked the infotainment module. The dealership, the largest in the US as they advertise, has since been waiting for a fix from Honda. I believe the symptom is the reload at the end of the process fails sometime before finishing, causing a catastrophic termination, rendering the unit inoperable. I've been told that this issue is being seen system-wide, and the dealer has repeatedly been told by Honda to "call us in 2 days" to see if we have a fix. One thought by the dealer was to install new hardware but they are certain that performing the update won't work or might fry the new hardware.
I can only recommend that you make sure your dealer has a clear path to succeed in any updates they attempt before you agree to them, and/or they make sure the issue I'm speaking of has been resolved!
I will provide an update as soon as i have one!
John
Chiming in from Southern California to share that I'm living with a bricked Infotainment system right now as well. Dealer was able to do Vehicle-Wide Programming update and the K73 Telematics update, but the A11 Radio update kept failing. Sent me home with the car until Acura HQ gets it fixed on their end.
Sorry to hear this, so is the infotainment completely dead and not even showing the Acura animation? Or is it stuck in the recovery mode page (the one that shows up during rebooting by holding the hang-up switch on the steering wheel)?
I suspect the root cause is a recent change on GM server that delivers different infotainment software based on infotainment part numbers. On the AC Delco TDS website, there is now a drop-down list when selecting infotainment update. From what I can see, MY24-25 have SQBR5/April 2024 security update, but MY26 has something else, either SQBR6 or the latest UQBM.
I don't know if technicians need to manually pick the infotainment part number when updating through SPS2. If the answer is yes, it is highly likely that someone chose an incorrect part because there are quite a few choices in the drop-down list, at least on the AC Delco website. MY24-25 seem to be 85xxxxxx.
Last edited by sonyfever; Oct 1, 2025 at 12:30 AM.
Chiming in from Southern California to share that I'm living with a bricked Infotainment system right now as well. Dealer was able to do Vehicle-Wide Programming update and the K73 Telematics update, but the A11 Radio update kept failing. Sent me home with the car until Acura HQ gets it fixed on their end.
Sounds to me your infotainment still works, just that the update couldn't go through, right? I hope your service department has contacted Tech Connect for help. Usually they start by ruling out simple things. For example, make sure the USB drive is formatted into NTFS. Other formats don't work.
The Infotainment is stuck in the recovery mode screen. Tapping Factory Reset doesn't do anything but the other functions on the screen still work. Rear camera still works, although at times it gets washed out and colors distorted pink. Not sure if related. Wireless phone charger doesn't work at the moment as I imagine it's tied to the Infotainment system.
The service department had my car for 8 business days and supposedly spent numerous hours with Acura HQ to try to resolve. I mentioned Job Aid 26913 that was updated recently. Technician said something wasn't working on the Techline Connect side. They gave my car back because the dealer was relocating. Waiting for them to reopen to take it back.
I'm sorry I didn't start this tread sooner but was hoping for something GOOD to say, but that didn't happen. I took my ZDX in on 9/18/25 for a state inspection and talked the service tech into performing the recently spoken about updates to the firmware. As I know I'm going to create more questions than I answer here, suffice to say the update process went well ... until it didn't. Apparently, a couple of the updates went okay, but one bricked the infotainment module. The dealership, the largest in the US as they advertise, has since been waiting for a fix from Honda. I believe the symptom is the reload at the end of the process fails sometime before finishing, causing a catastrophic termination, rendering the unit inoperable. I've been told that this issue is being seen system-wide, and the dealer has repeatedly been told by Honda to "call us in 2 days" to see if we have a fix. One thought by the dealer was to install new hardware but they are certain that performing the update won't work or might fry the new hardware.
I can only recommend that you make sure your dealer has a clear path to succeed in any updates they attempt before you agree to them, and/or they make sure the issue I'm speaking of has been resolved!
I will provide an update as soon as i have one!
John
Update - 3 weeks + 1 day and my ZDX is still at the dealer waiting for someone at Honda America to grow a pair and get software from GM to fix the update issue! Obviously, no chance of seeing my car before sometime next week. This should be a real blemish on both companies, but I'm mostly disappointed in the Honda people for not doing whatever it takes to fix it! I'm still driving a 2025 MDX Advance as a loaner - nice car, but not MINE.
John
Update - 3 weeks + 1 day and my ZDX is still at the dealer waiting for someone at Honda America to grow a pair and get software from GM to fix the update issue! Obviously, no chance of seeing my car before sometime next week. This should be a real blemish on both companies, but I'm mostly disappointed in the Honda people for not doing whatever it takes to fix it! I'm still driving a 2025 MDX Advance as a loaner - nice car, but not MINE.
John
That sucks. I am getting an inexpensive J2534 adapter to be able to program the car myself. If everything works, I will certainly check the infotainment to see if the files on the server are really different from the software on my car.
Update - 3 weeks + 1 day and my ZDX is still at the dealer waiting for someone at Honda America to grow a pair and get software from GM to fix the update issue! Obviously, no chance of seeing my car before sometime next week. This should be a real blemish on both companies, but I'm mostly disappointed in the Honda people for not doing whatever it takes to fix it! I'm still driving a 2025 MDX Advance as a loaner - nice car, but not MINE.
John
Does this qualify under the lemon law or would you even consider pursuing? Not sure if this qualifies as I think (not positive) it needs to be a drivability or safety concern??
Does this qualify under the lemon law or would you even consider pursuing? Not sure if this qualifies as I think (not positive) it needs to be a drivability or safety concern??
Based on my understanding of the Virginia code, and I'm not an attorney nor do I play one on TV, if the dealer still has my ZDX next Saturday, the 18th, I would be eligible for a refund or replacement (oversimplification). As of now, I would only consider it as leverage to get someone to get Honda and GM to work it out or perhaps start writing code (another oversimplification). The whole thing is just too bizarre!
John
Sorry to hear about this. This is precisely my worst fear for the ZDX, where Honda/Acura can't do anything and is reliant on GM, but GM is treating ZDX owners as second-class citizens because they need to take care of their first. Kind of like buying a flight ticket on a code-shared flight operated by some other airline.
Sorry to hear about this. This is precisely my worst fear for the ZDX, where Honda/Acura can't do anything and is reliant on GM, but GM is treating ZDX owners as second-class citizens because they need to take care of their first. Kind of like buying a flight ticket on a code-shared flight operated by some other airline.
It's not GM treating ZDX owners as second class citizens, it's Acura that has dropped support for their own customers and are cutting their losses by denying service. Someone made the decision early on that Acura was going to minimize their losses. Hence the more than a year long incentives to sell/lease the initial production run.
I've heard all the excuses, from the technology is too new, it's a GM product, to having to have the vehicle connected to diagnostics and under video surveillance before giving Acura techs the go ahead to contact GM and proceed with repairs.
Last edited by sfprankster; Oct 12, 2025 at 04:05 AM.
It's not GM treating ZDX owners as second class citizens, it's Acura that has dropped support for their own customers and are cutting their losses by denying service. Someone made the decision early on that Acura was going to minimize their losses. Hence the more than a year long incentives to sell/lease the initial production run.
I've heard all the excuses, from the technology is too new, it's a GM product, to having to have the vehicle connected to diagnostics and under video surveillance before giving Acura techs the go ahead to contact GM and proceed with repairs.
Sprankster, I'm not sure why you are more pissed off than me, but don't hold back!
John
Sprankster, I'm not sure why you are more pissed off than me, but don't hold back!
John
My most recent visit last week, I showed an Acura service advisor and service manager a bug/glitch, got the work order written, left in another loaner, only to get a call 3 days later the tech could not reproduce the bug/glitch in the shop and to come pick up my vehicle. The service manager explained he wasn't trained/certified to diagnose the issue and the tech had to confirm the bug/glitch before Acura would give permission to proceed with repairs. So off I went sending random emails to some random email addresses in the ownership group.
FUN FACT: I received an email this morning, from a mucky muck high up on the pay scale of a dealership's owner group(I won't say how I got the email address , but the naming convention used is so simple), that I have an appointment with an Acura executive at my most recently visited dealership later this month.
Can't wait...
I hope he/she is prepared, I know I am...
Last edited by sfprankster; Oct 13, 2025 at 10:16 AM.
My most recent visit last week, I showed an Acura service advisor and service manager a bug/glitch, got the work order written, left in another loaner, only to get a call 3 days later the tech could not reproduce the bug/glitch in the shop and to come pick up my vehicle. The service manager explained he wasn't trained/certified to diagnose the issue and the tech had to confirm the bug/glitch before Acura would give permission to proceed with repairs. So off I went sending random emails to some random email addresses in the ownership group.
FUN FACT: I received an email this morning, from a mucky muck high up on the pay scale of a dealership's owner group(I won't say how I got the email address , but the naming convention used is so simple), that I have an appointment with an Acura executive at my most recently visited dealership later this month.
Can't wait...
I hope he/she is prepared, I know I am...
Grill the guy for all of us 😁
Seriously though, I feel a lot of your misfortunes with the car are down to the dealership. Warranty claim is not that black and white, especially for software glitches. It depends how much the advisor want to make a case. In fact, a video is a good enough proof. So I think it was all just a way to say, we don't really want to work on this car, but we at least did something
Last edited by sonyfever; Oct 13, 2025 at 11:07 AM.
Seriously though, I feel a lot of your misfortunes with the car are down to the dealership. Warranty claim is not that black and white, especially for software glitches. It depends how much the advisor want to make a case. In fact, a video is a good enough proof. So I think it was all just a way to say, we don't really want to work on this car, but we at least did something
I checked the software version on the server, and it is exactly the same as the one on my car. I did not need to select any HW part number during the process.
IMHO, nothing makes sense about this drama. The infotainment verifies the USB files first, and should stop if any of them is corrupted.
I checked the software version on the server, and it is exactly the same as the one on my car. I did not need to select any HW part number during the process.
IMHO, nothing makes sense about this drama. The infotainment verifies the USB files first, and should stop if any of them is corrupted.
Sonyfever, I was told that the update requiring the USB (as opposed to OTA) is what failed, and it failed during the process. The dealer tried several times with several USB sticks with no success. this is apparently happening through the US and Canada. And you are correct - it doesn't make sense - on any planet!
John
You are welcomed. Yeah, if Acura hired me and fiatlux, they would be challenging BMW in no time.
Seriously though, I researched into ZDX because I have vested interest, seeing the car as a potential bridge leading to more advanced battery tech. If my research helps others, that would be time well worth spending.
And maybe $$ as well, because another weekend, another new toy. This time I got the genuine GM MDI-2 dongle. Stay tuned.
The infotainment update is two-stage, first USB download then SPS2 programming. The USB files are newer than what my car has. The manifest file is "86295587.mnf" compared to "85767297.mnf" on my car.
The only logical explanation is that the USB files are from the SQBR6 branch.
I read some GM techs said after the USB update, the infotainment would go into recovery mode. This is where SPS2 programming steps in to reset and restore the infortainment. In my dry run, the software versions are all matched in SPS2 programming step.
I think it is obvious that the USB files are for Android system, and SPS2 programming probaly takes care of the QNX hypervisor/host OS (the one that is responsible for the quick-access bar, quick control menu, and the camera view).
The bricking, obviously is that QNX runs fine, but the Android stack cannot be started. Could it be something as simple as a mismatch between QNX stack and Android stack?
GM guys must have assumed that cars were updated from the more recent SQBR5-250 release, and did not verify thoroughly the update path from earlier releases.
The issue got exposed when more cars with SQBR5-180 (mostly on MY24 vehicles) came for the update.
GM guys must have assumed that cars were updated from the more recent SQBR5-250 release, and did not verify thoroughly the update path from earlier releases.
The issue got exposed when more cars with SQBR5-180 (mostly on MY24 vehicles) came for the update.
That would make a lot of sense, that they only verified "this patch works when starting from the most recent stack". Its sad if they did that, but it sounds like they did.
Update - 3 weeks + 1 day and my ZDX is still at the dealer waiting for someone at Honda America to grow a pair and get software from GM to fix the update issue! Obviously, no chance of seeing my car before sometime next week. This should be a real blemish on both companies, but I'm mostly disappointed in the Honda people for not doing whatever it takes to fix it! I'm still driving a 2025 MDX Advance as a loaner - nice car, but not MINE.
John
I hope this is my last update on this thread I started - I picked up my ZDX today on day 40! The dealership was told on 10/21 to order a new radio unit and program/update it. I was told on 10/23 that the programming was "incomplete," in that "not everything was there." They were then told by Honda that the process for updating had changed and that an Acura Tech would visit the dealership today, the 27th to program another radio that the dealership ordered and installed. Kind of like the bomb tech telling the guy in the field "cut the red wire, after you cut the blue wire!" Seriously after bricking the second unit, the dealership was told that the update process had changed. BTW, nothing was happening until I put pressure on Acura Client Relations! Due to previous commitments, I was only able to drive the 18 miles home today, but everything seems to be working!
John
I hope this is my last update on this thread I started - I picked up my ZDX today on day 40! The dealership was told on 10/21 to order a new radio unit and program/update it. I was told on 10/23 that the programming was "incomplete," in that "not everything was there." They were then told by Honda that the process for updating had changed and that an Acura Tech would visit the dealership today, the 27th to program another radio that the dealership ordered and installed. Kind of like the bomb tech telling the guy in the field "cut the red wire, after you cut the blue wire!" Seriously after bricking the second unit, the dealership was told that the update process had changed. BTW, nothing was happening until I put pressure on Acura Client Relations! Due to previous commitments, I was only able to drive the 18 miles home today, but everything seems to be working!
John
Any idea what in the update process had changed? Wondering if there's a newer Service Bulletin or Job Aid I can point out to my dealer to get mine fixed. Thanks!
I hope this is my last update on this thread I started - I picked up my ZDX today on day 40! The dealership was told on 10/21 to order a new radio unit and program/update it. I was told on 10/23 that the programming was "incomplete," in that "not everything was there." They were then told by Honda that the process for updating had changed and that an Acura Tech would visit the dealership today, the 27th to program another radio that the dealership ordered and installed. Kind of like the bomb tech telling the guy in the field "cut the red wire, after you cut the blue wire!" Seriously after bricking the second unit, the dealership was told that the update process had changed. BTW, nothing was happening until I put pressure on Acura Client Relations! Due to previous commitments, I was only able to drive the 18 miles home today, but everything seems to be working!
John
Although somewhat unrelated to the reason I started this thread, I thought I'd provide the latest issue here anyway. I took my ZDX in on 11/7/25 as I noticed the day before upon entering a street with poor visibility (road curvature) a thump in the rear as I "punched" it. (This car has incredible thrust!) I immediately noticed loss of regen braking and a couple pop-ups in the display, like "One-Pedal Driving Unavailable - Use Brake for Stopping" and "Service Brake Assist." I also lost cruise control, rear emergency braking, Speed Limit Sign displays, and who knows what else! Note this happened 10 days after getting the car back after 5 weeks in the shop!
As for this repair experience, it seems there is trouble at Acura in that folks can't seem to get out of their own way! Although I was reluctant to drop the car on a Friday, it wasn't deemed safe to drive by me or the dealership, so the fun began. Primary ZDX mechanic doesn't work weekends and starts at 1:30 Monday. As of Tuesday morning, 11/11 he hadn't finished doing the work the Techline folks required even though Code C2A22 had been logged - checking all cables, hoses, and connections, because they had replaced the Brake Simulator (previously known as the master cylinder) in February. After finally submitting the required reports late Tuesday and waiting 2 days for a response, I was told the Service Manager authorized the part replacement as the DSPM (district service parts manager) was on extended leave (She or he was supposed to make the decision)! BTW, I'm quite sure that happened due to my calls - we're all on a first name basis by now!
The car is back and seems to be working fine. Meanwhile, while the car was at the dealership, Acura had a contractor replace the JuiceBox from Enelxway with a highly rated 48 Amp unit from Emporia! Who saw Acura doing the right thing there? They surprised me, but I'm sure there is more to the story!
John
, but the naming convention used is so simple), that I have an appointment with an Acura executive at my most recently visited dealership later this month.
