2003 ACURA MDX Complaints

WHILE DRIVING MY 03 MDX AT 20 MPH AROUND A CORNER, IT JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS THAT MY CAR WOULD STOP, IT JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING. I WOULD NOT MOVE IN D5, D4 OR D3, SO I HAD TO DRIVE IT IN D1TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEFT IT OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT DAY THEY TELL ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. TWO MONTHS BEFORE THAT, MY CAR WAS LEAKING OIL AND I TOOK IT IN TO GET THE LEAK FIXED. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE REAR MAIN AND IT WOULD COST $1000 TO FIX. IT WAS SUCH A HIGH COST DUE TO THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE TO GET TO IT. TWO WEEKS AFTER IT WAS FIXED, I HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE UNDER MY HOOD AND FIND OUT I NEED NEW MOTOR MOUNTS (HMMM.. ACURA HAD TO MOVE THE MOUNTS TO GET THE ENGINE OUT).. $400 LATER, AFTER I REPLACED THE MOUNTS., I WAS GOOD TO GO. A MONTH LATER, NOW THE TRANSMISSION THAT ACURA HAD TO REMOVE IS NOW COMPLETELY SHOT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ($5200) ARE YOU KIDDING ME ACURA. I HAVE NO FAITH IN THEIR SERVICE DEPT OR MY 03 MDX WHICH IS ALWAYS SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP. EVERYTHING THAT HAS EVER BEEN DONE TO THAT CAR HAS BEEN DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP FROM OIL CHANGE TO TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT, AND IT FEELS LIKE I'M GETTING SCREWED. *TR

VEHICLE WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHEN APPROACHING A STOP. THIS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT MY TRIP (APPROX. 25 MILES). I HAVE KEPT UP WITH TRANSMISSION SERVICES AND MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES SINCE OWNERSHIP FEB OF 2012. I HAVE READ OF SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME SYMPTOMS FROM OTHER OWNERS. WHY IS HONDA NOT WILLING TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE ? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND IT RESUMED NORMALLY UPON RESTARTING. THE FAILURE RECURRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

WHEN DRIVING MY 2003 ACURA MDX (SUV), LAST FALL, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS. IT WOULD BE IN 3RD GEAR AS I WOULD SLOW TO MAKE A TURN OR ENTER A PARKING AREA. WHEN I FINISHED A TURN AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WAS NO LONGER IN GEAR AND THE ENGINE JUST REVS AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. IN TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE MDX TO A COMPLETE STOP (RPM TO ZERO) AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD RE-ENGAGE AND MOVE FORWARD AGAIN. SOON, I WAS HAVING TO PUT THE CAR IN A LOWER GEAR TO GET IT TO MOVE FORWARD AND EACH TIME THE CAR DECELERATES, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS. IN MOVING TRAFFIC, HAVING TO MAKE A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET OR WHEN ENTERING THE HIGHWAY, ETC., IS DANGEROUS. I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE I CANNOT TRUST IT TO KEEP MOVING IN REGULAR TRAFFIC. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER BULLETIN / RECALL ON THE CAR (I AM SECOND OWNER), EVEN THOUGH I HAVE KEPT UP WITH SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. I CONTACTED ACURA (HOY FOX ACURA, EL PASO, TX) FOR ASSISTANCE, BUT THEY WERE DISMISSIVE WHEN THEY DISCOVERED I DID NOT PURCHASE MY ACURA FROM THEM. ACURA NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER RELATIONS HAS ALSO BEEN CONTACTED, AND ARE TELLING ME THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY (IT CURRENTLY HAS 200,000 MILES, BUT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE). I HAVE REVIEWED AND RESEARCHED A HUGE AMOUNT OF 2003 MDX TRANSMISSION FAILURES FROM 45K MILES TO 200,000 MILES (MY ISSUE BEGAN AT ABOUT 150,000 MILES). DOCUMENTATION ONLINE REFLECTS THAT ACURA MDX HAS BEEN PLAGUED WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THERE IS ALSO LITERATURE AND DOCUMENTATION LINKING TRANSMISSION FAILURE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER ISSUES IN THIS MODEL. THIS IS MY FIRST ACURA, AND I DO LIKE IT ENOUGH TO PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE. NOT SURE I WILL BE THAT "LOYAL", THOUGH, AFTER THIS SITUATION. MANY OWNERS SUGGEST FILING A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. *TR

I WARMED VEHICLE UP AND WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE OUT OF THE DRIVE IT WOULDN'T GO FORWARD OR BACKWARDS,BUT SLOWLY IT KICKED IN. I STARTED DOWN THE ROAD AND IT WOULD GO AWAY THEN JUST STOP RIGHT WHERE I WAS.I WOULD SHUT IT OFF,THEN RESTART AND IT WOULD GO THEN STOP DEAD IN THE ROAD. THEN IT WOULDN'T GO AT ALL.I WAS ON A SHARP CURVE ON A SMALL HILL AND WAS ALMOST HIT TWICE BY AN 18 WHEELER.I HAD TO BACK DOWN THIS HILL ON THIS CURVE AND ALMOST WENT OVER THE EMBANKMENT.I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO CAME,AND HE TRIED TO DRIVE IT DOING THE SAME AS IT DID TO ME.UNFORTUNATELY HE HAD TO BACK ,IT DOWN A BIGGER HILL INTO SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY,AND THEN IT HAD TO BE TOWED.PRIOR TO THIS I HAD NOT HAD ONE PROBLEM,BUT NOT A GOOD DAY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IT -9 DEGREES.I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT FROM HONDA IF OTHERS HAVE HAD ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS.I WAS OUT IN FRIGID TEMPS FOR OVER 2 HOURS,AND NOT ONLY AM I 65,BUT I AM A SEVERE DIABETIC.I LIVE WAY OUT IN THE COUNTRY AND NOW HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION FOR EMERGENCIES,AND I CERTAINLY CAN'T HAVE THE CAR FIXED,THEY ARE SAYING $3000-3500.CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME ANY INFO,THIS CAN'T BE A FIRST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

I WAS PUTTING MY CAR INTO DRIVE ON A HILL AND IT ROLLED BACKWARDS. CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND I WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T HURT ANYONE. THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.$3900 LATER. I HAVE READ ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS YR/MAKE WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. WHY ISN'T THEIR A RECALL? *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE CARPOOL LANE OF 170N WITH MY TWO KIDS (HEADING TO 5N) WHEN THERE WAS SUDDENLY A DOG,YELLOW LABRADOR CROSSING THE FREEWAY AND GETTING RIGHT ON MY LANE. I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN AND BRAKE BUT IT WAS TOO LATE,I HIT THE DOG RIGHT ON THE FRONT OF MY CAR. I FELT MY SEAT BELT TIGHTENED UNCOMFORTABLY THEREAFTER AND I RELEASED IT SO I CAN RESET AND PUT IT AGAIN,BUT IT WON'T PULL TO REACH THE PORT ON MY RIGHT SIDE,IT SEEMED STUCK. IT WAS RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME WE STARTED SMELLING SMOKE THEREAFTER WE HIT THE DOG. MY KIDS AND I WERE LOOKING AROUND WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING UNTIL MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS SITTING RIGHT ON MY BACK (DRIVER'S) SAID "MOM THERE'S SMOKE ON THE BACK"..(I WAS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE 170N FREEWAY JOINING 5N) SO I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ON THE SHOULDER AND PULL OVER AND TOLD THE KIDS TO "GET OUT OF THE CAR, NOW!" I DIDN'T SEE WHERE THE SMOKE REALLY WAS BECAUSE MY CONCERN WAS TO GET OURSELVES TO STOP THE CAR SAFELY AND GET OUT. WE RAN AWAY FROM THE CAR ABOUT 30-50 FEET AWAY. THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO PULLED ON THE SHOULDER AND ASKED WHAT'S GOING ON AND LEND ME HIS PHONE (I LEFT EVERYTHING IN THE CAR). HE CHECKED ON THE CAR AND THOUGHT "IT WAS OKAY".. I TOLD MYSELF I CAN GET MY PHONE AND PURSE STILL SO I RAN BACK AND GET IT (THERE WAS SOME SMOKE INSIDE I CAN'T TELL WHERE IT WAS FROM) . BY THE TIME I RAN BACK TO MY KIDS AND THE GENTLEMAN IT WAS ALREADY SMELLING SMOKE FROM WHERE WE ARE AND IN MAYBE A SECOND THERE WAS SOME FIRE VISIBLE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE,ON THE DOOR SIDE INSIDE..AND THEN MY DAUGHTER TOLD ME "MOM THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE HOLE OF THE SEAT BELT ON THE WALL,IT WAS GOING TO ME SO I MOVED ON THE OTHER SIDE". SEEING THE FIRE I CALLED 911 AT 2:57PM TO ALARM AND AWARE THEM. I ASKED THE GENTLEMAN TO TAKE US ON A SAFE PLACE AWAY FROM THE CAR COZ I WAS AFRAID THE CAR WOULD CONSEQUENTLY EXPLODE. *TR

WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY MDX (USED 32K MILES) I HAD AN ISSUE WITH SHUDDERING BETWEEN 35-45 AND IT WOULD FEEL LIKE IT WOULDN'T GO. IT TOOK UNTIL MY CAR WAS AT 55K MILES FOR A SERVICE TECH TO FINALLY HERE THE PROBLEM AND DIAGNOSE IT CORRECTLY. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND TRANSMISSION. THEN AGAIN AT 124K MILES I HEARD THE EXACT SAME NOISE!! I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO ACURA AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE NOISE ...OF COURSE THEY COULDN'T. I SAID I HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, YOU REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION, YOU KNOW THIS IS A DEFECT OF ACURA/HONDA. THEY INSISTED IT WASN'T THE PROBLEM BUT IN FACT I NEEDED A CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SO, I REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AT $1,100.00 AND DROVE OFF THE LOT WITH SAME SHUDDER ( IT REPRESENTED ITSELF WITHIN THE MONTH)!! THEY SAID I HAVE TO BRING BACK AND DRIVE WITH A TECH. I HAVE YET TO GET IT BACK THERE BECAUSE OF MY WORK SCHEDULE THEIR LACK OF ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SATURDAYS. NOW I AM AT 160K AND AM TRYING TO GET THE CAR BACK IN AND THEY ARE ACTING LIKE THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE WRONG. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING! OUT OF WARRANTY. WORKING ON POSSIBLY A 3RD TRANSMISSION...IT IS CRAZY AND UNSAFE! I BOUGHT AN ACURA BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY REPUTATION THEY HAVE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. I HAVE EVEN CALLED HONDA AND THEY ARE USELESS. IF YOU ARE NOT CONSTANTLY BUYING A NEW HONDA PRODUCT AND SERVICING THEM AT THE RIDICULOUS PRICES THEY DO NOT FIND YOU A LOYAL CUSTOMER THEREFORE DO NOT WANT TO HELP YOU!!! PLEASE MAKE THEM OWN THEIR DEFAULTS!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER STATED THE STEERING WHEEL OCCURRENCE WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT WHEN WATER ENTERED THE DRIVE LINE, IT WOULD CAUSE THE STEERING TO LOCK AND ONCE THE WATER WAS DRY, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD CORRECT ITSELF. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.