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MDX steering wheel vibration at highway speed

vdoshivdoshi Member Posts: 5
Hello,
I have noticed steering wheel vibration when going over 70 mph with my 2007 MDX after first few weeks of driving it.

I got wheel balancing done but the problem remains.
Will be going back to the dealer later this week for further diagnosis.

I have researched other MDX and Pilot forums regarding this issue and there are multiple cases of folks experiencing problem with 2006 Pilot and 2007 MDX.

Anyone else experiencing this problem?
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Comments

  • kat101kat101 Member Posts: 14
    Any update on this? I have found that I have the same issue. I have had the tires balanced, but that has been no help.
  • vdoshivdoshi Member Posts: 5
    Dealer replaced all 4 rims and wheels with new ones from another car on the lot. This solved the issue.
  • kingtroll1kingtroll1 Member Posts: 9
    I've noticed a slight vibration on my 07 MDX, but not enough to be concerned about. I attributed the problem to the quality of the roads. I'll have this checked out at the dealer on 12/27. Sounds like the dealer passed the bad wheel/tires on to some other customer by switching with another vehicle on the lot.

    My last suv was a pilot, I seem to recall a similar issue. I have the same issue with my 05 Accord. Likely a bad rim, since the new tires didn't help.
  • yeetnduneryeetnduner Member Posts: 3
    hey guys, my fiancee bought a 2007 acura mdx sport/ent.

    car has only close to 11000mileages and we have visited atleast 10+ times

    steering wheel vibration
    window noise

    enought is enough, we are filing for lemon law

    advise to all mdx new owners... dont get fooled by the dealership
    saying that these problems are normal... they are just filling you in
    with craps...

    make sure you keep all records... your car may be a lemon car...

    read about it... yahoo it, consumer's affair guide...
    before it is too late...

    by the way... i dont know what acura manufacturer is thinking about because
    these vibration is not normal... i wouldn't be surprise if they are getting
    a massive recall on the 07+ mdx...
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    I wouldn't be surprised if you are getting a massive recall on your common sense. It's too bad that you have had this problem but as you can see here very few people have had the issue.

    You will find people report issues like this with ANY car due to possible problems with bent rims, etc.

    And I have read virtually every magazine, internet, etc, review of the MDX and never seen any reviewer mention vibration and other such problems.
  • prazpraz Member Posts: 163
    This discussion was started in June 2007 and all posts are from owners (hope so) who have spent enough time with the vehicle rather than a reviewer who might have spent couple of hours or may be a day. There might be defects with few vehicles as they are with other vehicles and some are unlucky to get those.
    Please read "Acura MDX Maintenance and Repair" discussion for more owner reviews on vibration.
  • tb44tb44 Member Posts: 1
    Never had a problem with vibration until I had tires rotated / balanced at dealership. Have 07' MDX w/ tech/ent now with 40k miles. Brought back to dealership and they claimed that one tire was slightly out of balance. Vibration continued. Went back to dealership and they thought there was water (moisture) in the tire. Paid $60 to have them take apart each tire. No water found but they did find a "flat" spot on one tire. Replaced all wheels and tires with a set from their demo vehicle which had about 3K miles on them. No additional cost. Problem seems to be fixed. Having other ongoing problem with rattle sound coming from headliner behind drivers seat. Vehicle has been back to dealership several times. Fixed welds, adjusted screws in sunroof, etc. .... still not fixed. Will be heading back to dealership. There have been way too many rattle sounds coming from a $45k vehicle. Disappointed in the fit and finish with this Acura. This is my 3rd Acura, traded in an infiniti FX to buy this and believe the Infiniti had better quality.
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    It's all relative. I've never had a vehicle with 30K-40K miles that didn't have some squeaks or rattles. We have an Infiniti FX35 that's been quite solid but still has rattles from the driver side B pillar.

    My $40,000 Audi A4 has some squeaks and a rustling noise coming from the vents when the fan is on a higher speed.

    I had a set of rims for my older A4 which had vibration at 70-80mph on the highway, it never could be fixed. Swap out for new rims fixed that problem.

    The reality is that these are cars that get driven over potholes, bumps, ice, etc, and they are never going to be perfect. Certainly some problems are easier to fix than others, but I know plenty of people with Acura products who are very happy with them.

    To be on the safe side we leased our new MDX. If it turns out to be unreliable or has rattles and other issues we will simply turn it in at lease end. If it turns out to be a great car than we will buy it out at lease end. This is one of the few advantages of leasing, being able to get the car for an extended period and only buy it if you are really happy with it. Sure beats resale headaches if the car has issues.
  • CatheCathe Member Posts: 7
    I just bought the 2008 MDX and after driving about 100miles, i feel same thing as you that the steering wheel vibrating at 70mph or above. while driving at 65mph back from dealership at the 1st drive, there is slightly vibrating that I had thought it is caused by the road condition. But driving above 70mph at a super good highway tha just got road rework done recently, it is very clearly vibrating. I return back to dealership and get 4-wheel balanced,
    but it seems the problem still exist and will likely have to go back.

    this is very frunstrating for a brand new MDX. I had driven acura Integra for 8 years and never had any issue. even driving at 85~90mph in california the integra steer wheel is solid stable.

    The problem now is that dealer claim that the highway limit here is 55mph, and they can not risk getting ticket to confirm the problem at 70mph above. any suggestion?
  • vdoshivdoshi Member Posts: 5
    Cathe,
    First, call Acura North America and log a ticket with the problem saying that after balancing the tires this problem exists. This trouble ticket will get assigned to an account manager who will contact you for further details. Then he/she will call the dealer service manager to resolve the problem.
    Above step is to escalate the problem and put pressure on service manager to expediate and put resources to resolve the problem.

    Second, when you do go in again for the problem to be resolved at the dealer, have the technician sit in the passenger seat and you drive the car. That is what I did and showed the problem to the technician at that speed.

    In my case, the technician relaced all 4 rims/tires with brand new ones from another vehicle. This resolved my problem. I believe that me logging my case with Acura North America definitely put pressure for the dealership to go the extra mile.
    OFcourse, the technician was very good and clearly understood the problem. He said he was going to log this issue and a solution he provided back to Acura North America as he could not understand why the set of rims/tires I had were causing the problem.
  • CatheCathe Member Posts: 7
    vdoshi,

    thank you so much for your valueable experience. I am going to give Acura North America a call monday to address this issue. Even though the vibration is not signicantly terriable, it is still unacceptable for a brand new luxury car to have this problem right out to door of dealship. I will post update later.
  • 6degrees6degrees Member Posts: 19
  • aj4321aj4321 Member Posts: 37
    I have 08' MDX Base model (comes with Bridgestones) and it has the same vibration issue. I have had it in a couple times to the dealer and they replaced the front tires (flat spots). It originally vibrated between 60-70 mph. After they replaced the front tires it doesn't vibrate until you get closer to 80 mph. The vibration is light (felt mostly in the steering wheel) but it is enough for me to notice.The dealer is saying they can't replicate the problem anymore. They say the Bridgestone tires tend to ride more rougher than the Michelins (provided on the Nav & Sport models). They are not willing to do anything further. I'm debating whether to push this issue further (which can eat more of my time) or buy a set of Michelins for $1000. Questions:
    1. Are people experiencing this issue with both tire types? (Bridgestone or Michelin)?
    2. When your tires have been replaced by the dealer for the 'flat spot issue' - did they replace two tires or all four tires? Also, do they replace all four with the same tire brand or something else?
    3. An unrealated question - has anyone compared the ride between the Michelins and Bridgestones? Significant difference?

    Thanks in advance for your help.
  • samjaeysamjaey Member Posts: 2
    I have an '04 MDX and I have noticed this problem for a couple years now. I have not had to change my tires yet, so I still have the stock Michelin on it. Balance/Rotations/Alignments, nothing helps. It is sad to say this but I just got used to it and normally do not take it past 75 since MPG starts getting really affected (as well as vibration) past that speed. And don' t even get me started on the brakes.
  • wdomwdom Member Posts: 2
    We bought the 2008 MDX base model (Bridgestone tires with 90 miles on it) a couple weeks ago, and just a couple days ago I noticed the steering wheel vibrated as I went over 63 mph. We could feel the vibration on the front seats. I brought the car back to the dealer and they said it was the balancing issue. They balanced all 4 tires, tested it and told me everything was good. I tested the car today and it still has the same problem. They're asking me to bring the car back so I test drive it with the mechanic.

    Will keep you guys posted.
  • Roudy1975Roudy1975 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 MDX with Tech/Ent package and have had it for 1 1/2 years. Just today I noticed that the car was vibrating excessively at 80mph. It starts around 65mph. I typically drive mostly highway miles with this car between Chicago and Michgan and have not had this problem before today. It has the michelin tires and just started vibrating out of the blue. We have a lot of snow in Chicago so I thought maybe something occured because of that, but I see more messages on this matter. It hadn't done this previously and I would certainly have noticed because I have approx 20,000 miles at highway speeds. I'll take it in for service this week and see what they have to say, and reply here.
  • acucharlesacucharles Member Posts: 2
    I have the same issue on my 2007, 36k miles :mad: . Michelin tires were replaced by a new set of Maxxis Marauder, wheel balance has been performed, but still the vibration goes on and on. It feel like an intermitent vibration which initiate in the front axles and spread through the front session of the floor, where it can be felt in the feet. Dealer said it was due to wrong tires, but new tires did not work out the solution. Any comments?
  • acucharlesacucharles Member Posts: 2
    I am having the same vibration issue. No solutions yet from dealer and what worst, the waranty is getting to an end. I know at least five MDX owners with the same issue. How did you find a solution? :surprise:
  • gregmdxgregmdx Member Posts: 17
    I have the issue. Car is brand new. It's perfectly smooth up to 70. But by 75-80 a vibration develops. It's certainly not a full on shimmy. But rather just an annoying vibration. Enough to tickle your hands and vibrant your shirt sleeve a bit. More importantly it causes the car to feel a bit floaty, rather than planted at high speeds.

    I took it back to the dealer for a balance and alignment. That helped but did not cure it. Then I took it to a Firestone around the corner that has the latest Road Force balancing equipment (my dealer does not). They made it slightly better, but still not perfect. I'm taking it back there to give them another shot. If that doesn't work, I'm going back to the dealer and telling them to keep the car until they can tell me what is wrong with it.

    If the wheel balance is perfect there are other things that can cause vibration. Alignment, warped rotors, or bad/loose suspension bushings. But none of these should be an issue on a brand new car, so I'm stumped.
  • gregmdxgregmdx Member Posts: 17
    Just got back from Firestone. There tech really took his time, even tried rotating tires front to back, etc. But the vibration is STILL there! So I'm feeling pretty confident that wheel balance might not be the issue. If it's not, what else could it be? The vibration certainly feels just like a wheel balance vibration, so I'm stumped. Guess I'm going to have to go to the dealer. I'm afraid I'm going to get the "we road tested the car and are unable to replicate the issue" response.
  • vdoshivdoshi Member Posts: 5
    File a complaint Acura NA and have an account manager with help from dealer resolve the issue.
    In my case, the tech replaced all 4 rims and tires from another new car on the lot.
    This fixed the problem.
  • paul151paul151 Member Posts: 2
    I bought a new '09 MDX in July to replace a stolen '08 MDX. From day 1 have experience the same problem. I drive alot on the highway. Have been back and forth to dealer - 6 times since - 2 new sets of tires, 4 attempts at road force balance, replace drive shaft and propeller shaft, and I still have the problem. Now being told this is normal drive on all MDX and I was just "lucky" the '08 was smooth. Told no one else is complaining. Has anyone figured this out?
  • pmc1031pmc1031 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2009 with 8k miles and have the same vibration problems at 70-75 mph. The dealer has replaced tires and drive shaft. It is back at the dealer for the 5th time for the same issue. Interesting though, I have a 2009 MDX loaner and it has the same problem. Very frustrating. This is my third MDX and never had a problem before this one.
  • jamyljamyl Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 MDX Tech/Entertainment edition and experiencing the same vibration issues and the dealer has yet to determine what could be causing the problem. The truck is no longer under warranty and therefore expect to eat the cost of the repairs but don't want to start throwing parts at the problem without results. I am hoping that somebody out there knows the exact fix for this problem..
  • paul151paul151 Member Posts: 2
    This seems to be the problem. Have gone to another dealer who has rebalanced the tires again and still have the vibration. He agrees that there is a vibration but doesn't know what to do about it. Honda/Acura seems to be ignoring the issue and claim it is just normal because like you the loaners also have the vibration. It seems most customers mostly drive in town and not on the highway. They claim no one else is complaining and they are not giving the garage help to fix it. In 20 years of driving nothing but Honda/Acura, this is first time I have had so many issues. Have warned them directly that I will never buy again but no response. They don't care. Garage says they are pursuing the issue but at this point I don't believe anything will be done. It is like they are saying this is the standard so accept it. Not happy
  • barbmathersbarbmathers Member Posts: 3
    I had silky smooth riding until I took my car in for a tire rotation about 25K. Now, I get the vibration about 78 mph. I took the car back and they rebalanced it and it was better, although not perfect. Then, I had them install my snow tires onto the same rims (several months later) and the vibration is back. It is somewhat intermittent though. I am taking it back to the same dealer later this week to have them do the road force balancing, which costs more, but I am hoping that will fix the problem. Apparently, they only do that if you ask...otherwise, they do the normal, cheaper balancing.

    Just seems odd to me that this was never an issue until after one of the times I had the tires balanced.
  • gregmdxgregmdx Member Posts: 17
    Well the dealer swapped my rims and tires with a brand new demo they just got on the lot. Better, but still a hint of vibration at 75 mph. Ironically, it smooths out again over 80. Problem is that on a 65 mph road, traffic flows at 75 and anything over 80 will land you a ticket. Plus, gas mileage at 80 starts to go downhill.

    I'm comparing my MDX to my A4 and 330, both of which have high performance tires on them. So it's a bit of an unfair comparison. My shop manager seemed to think this 75 mph vibration is a trait of most MDXs. Great. Wish I knew that before I bought the car.

    Luckily I do most of my driving in the city. Of course then I have to deal with the thumps/thuds coming from the rear suspension.

    I really love this car. These two issues are minor, but VERY annoying.
  • 07mdx107mdx1 Member Posts: 4
    hey everyone,

    i don't know if this helps but...i have 07 mdx; i just went thru a hard time with putting the first set of new tires on it. I had vibrations and buffeting of the mdx above 70 mph and got worse thru 80. Long story short. two sets of michelins later. i ended up going to the tire and alignment guru in town. Here's what he did.
    1. rounded the tires...the tires where out of round(eventhough they were top of the line.

    2. redid the alignment

    3. most important---Balanced the tires on the hub at 80mph......

    believe me the tire company i started with used a roadforce balancer and they couldn't dial them in at all.

    tires balanced on the hub while on the vehicle fixed my problems

    ok...hope this helps, it was expensive to have this done and only one shop in my town had this equipment.

    i don't know if this will fix your problem, but thought i would let everyone know my experience.
    best bet is to find some one with this type of balancer and ask them.

    good luck
  • kd55kd55 Member Posts: 6
    My 09 MDX tech/ent has 17,000 miles and it just started shimming/ vibrationing at 70 mph. My vehicle is still under warranty and I'm going to the dealership and see about correcting the problem. Several questions for you guys.

    1. Does the dealerships have the equipment to balance the tires on the hub at 70 mph?

    2. Does my warranty cover the problems or will it be out of pocket cost for me?

    3. I'll request them to round the tires, but how I can I tell if they did the work?
  • 07mdx107mdx1 Member Posts: 4
    recommend you call delearship for these questions. in my case, the tires were new and where out of round from the factory. even after rounding the tires, the mdx required fine tune balancing with the tires on the hub and at speed.

    in your case, it might be you just threw a weight off, which is possible.(i believe they are just stick on weights).

    again, if you are close to dealer, check with them.

    as far as your question..."how do i know if they did the work..."...there should be no vibrations at highway speed or any other speed...(dependant on roadsurface)..

    good luck
  • lb08730lb08730 Member Posts: 2
    I have 08 MDX base model and having same vibration issues. Car has been to dealer at least 7 times, first time 2 days after purchase. First dealer said it was balancing issue. Still not fixed. Second dealer replaced rotors, bearings, shocks, and brakes. Still vibration. Dealer then replaced Bridgestone's with Michelin's, better but still vibration, now rattles all over the car especially in passenger side door, sunroof, headliner, and dashboard. When stopping or starting can hear screws rolling around in doors and roof, very annoying!!! Dealer can't seem to fix these problems. Anyone had any luck with the lemon law on these cars. Contacted Acura but they did nothing.
  • rar2rar2 Member Posts: 13
    I realize this is an MDX forum, which is a car I am contemplating purchasing in the near future. I really appreciate all the information here, as everything on Edmunds. I feel it's necessary to cross this one off the list.

    I have had the shake everyone here describes in my '08 Camry from day one and am doing my best to purchase a vehicle that does not have it. Always had Honda/Acura and didn't have the shake until my '05 Pilot - the shake started after 2 years. Honda wanted me to spend thousand to figure out what could be the issue on a 2yr old car. They had a wheel bearing TSB which might have been the issue, but neglected to let me know about it - found out years later.

    Was told what all these postings say, with respect to Toyota, live with it, that's how it was designed. Even went to arbitration - they did nothing. I am debating between an RX350 and Acura MDX.

    I test drove an '09 MDX that had been traded for a Lexus RX350 - had the shake on the highway. So...is this saying buy the Lexus? Are you referring to Lexus Rx330, when you say 330?

    It's a very annoying thing...I am finally able to get rid of my '08 Camry but with all the recalls can't sell on my own and a bit hesitant about a Lexus purchase.
  • stma1stma1 Member Posts: 40
    This worked for me, first of all just because the dealer has a Hunter road force machine doesn't mean they know how to use it, the machine needs to be calibrated
    and also EACH time the machine is used the proper setting has to be chosen or else that balance will not be done correctly, my 2007 had an issue, I took the vehicle to my
    local trusted small tire guy with the same equipment and he spent the time to roadforce match AND balance the tires and absolutely NO vibration at all speeds, I never rotated the tires at all and the tires lasted 40k, my 2010 which I picked up had the same issue, I took it to the same shop and guess what , no VIBRATION, I did give the dealer a shot but the mechanics do not want to spend the time dealing with the tires and MADE the vibration worse by improper use of the Hunter machine, I was reimbursed by the dealer and I will never rotate tires as I do not want to deal with any vibration issues and tire wear issues have been non existent without rotation, I would say that 95% of these vibrations can be traced to improper operation of the Hunter roadforce balancer and not a tire issue.
  • ebraun49ebraun49 Member Posts: 1
    I have been experiencing the same vibration problems as well. I just complained to Acura,#800-382-2238. I hope all of the posts do the same and anyone who reads this as well. Hopefully this will get the ball rolling. please call asap.
  • mtmdxmtmdx Member Posts: 3
    My 07 would vibrate so bad it felt as though the tires were coming off, but it was very intermittent, as in months apart. Went through the entire wheel rotate and balance act a couple times, then at 20k had to replace brake pads and turn rotors. My driving style is not such that this should have occured and of course brakes are not covered under warranty. Still every so often at highway speeds the terrible vibration would begin, so bad you have to pull over. I've owned several pieces of crap over my 40 plus years of driving and even the worst never acted like that. Get back on the road and it was fine. Then I began having problems around town, car did not seem to accelerate properly (felt like clutch slippage or emergency brake on) engine would rev but car would barely move. Pratically every warning indicator began coming on.......AWD-Brakes-Transmission-Traction Control, at the same time, I was on the phone constantly; nearest Acura dealer is nearly 500 miles. Then I noticed if I let off the gas the car would simply stop just as if the brakes had been applied. Sure enough, got out and rotors were smoking hot and I had not applied the brakes. Had our local Honda service department drive it and finally it happened to him. Honda had them replace the brake switch and problem has not happened since. On my last call to the Acura corporate service advisor, I told him I new what was wrong the brakes seem to be applying themselves and I related the most recent incident; he replied "we are not going to take an amateur approach to this". Doesn't take an Acura factory trained mechanic to realize brakes should not be hot when you haven't used them. After badgering Acura reimbursed me for brake switch repair but refused to admit this could have caused the pads and rotors to wear so quickly. As much as I like Honda as a company and their vehicles this was my second and last MDX. No one was willing to give me the benefit of doubt, not Lyle Pearson in Boise, not Acura client services, not road side assistance........the only help I got, was from my Honda dealer. For the record, road side assistance would not cover shipping the car to Boise because it was driveable. Do not listen to this nonsense about out of round tires, wheel balancing, ice buildup and the rest. A $50K vehicle should not behave like this, in their defense however they do not know what is wrong.........I know what was wrong with mine! Good luck folks.
  • barbmathersbarbmathers Member Posts: 3
    Interesting. I have noticed that mine is vibrating mostly when I have just started driving the car and I get right on a highway and am pulling uphill a bit. The car has a definite vibration, but it goes away after about 3 or 4 minutes. I have tried shifting it into different gears to see if maybe the engine is just straining, but that doesn't help.

    It almost feels like the car needs a tune-up. I service it at the regular intervals, but I wonder if they need to be doing something more.
  • lb08730lb08730 Member Posts: 2
    I continue to have problems with my '08 MDX with vibrations. The other day the car was shaking so bad it felt like the wheels were going to come off, had to pull over. Started up again, still vibration that you can feel in the seats. I can't stand getting in the car anymore and I have a long commute each day. Acura has done nothing for me and the tech says that it is supposed to do that. Are they crazy?

    Has anyone had any issues with the 2010 models? I have only heard about years prior to the new models. I need to get rid of this thing but not sure what to get in its place.

    I know a couple of other people with this SUV and they are not experiencing the problems that I am. I also read that others are having serious vibration problems intermittently. That is how mine is as well, always a vibration but some days worse than others. I really don't know what to do, the dealer does not know what to do for the problem. It is very frustrating to say the least.
  • stma1stma1 Member Posts: 40
    Please see my post at # 34, I had the same thing done to my 2007 which had a slight vibration and my 2010 also, it is a simple fix if the operator KNOWS how to use the Hunter Roadforce 9700, look on the tire rack website to find an authorized installer in your area, it is worth the 100-125 dollars spent to fix this issue and have a smooth as silk ride and NEVER rotate the tires after the 'fix' is applied, I never rotated mine and got 40k out of my tires.
  • mtmdxmtmdx Member Posts: 3
    Hi Barb.......does this happen only occasionally, for example is everything fine one minute and all hell breaks loose the next? Please see my post #37 and have them check your brakes, I'll bet they are wearing prematurely. If you are having the same problem I did the symptom is violent and spooky, far worse than any balancing issue could cause. Anxious to hear what you find.
  • barbmathersbarbmathers Member Posts: 3
    It is certainly not consistent as to when it will happen, but when it does happen, it is always after I have just started driving it and I am pulling up a hill at highway speeds. It feels like the engine is straining and is causing the vibration. After a few miles, it's almost as if the car has warmed up enough and the vibration goes away.

    It is going to be very hard to have the dealer experience this because the closest highway where this has happened is about a 30-minute drive away and the car needs to have been off for a few hours to make this happen, and again, it isn't consistent.

    Hoping that when I go in for my next service, they will understand my explanation, but my experience has been that if they can't reproduce it, they won't fix it.
  • my1stmdxmy1stmdx Member Posts: 4
    I have had this issue with vibration a short time after I bought my 2007 MDX. I took it back several times over 3 yrs for re-balance which helped some but the problem came back after a short period of time and always after a scheduled service with rotation. Dealer said it was the tires and offered to split the cost which I agreed to do, but again it was a temporary fix. Took the car back on Sept 3rd and drove a used 2007 from their lot with a technician. It had the same problem and the technician felt it as well. We tested 4 new 2010 MDX's and a ZDX. All had the same problem. At least I know now that I am not crazy. Baffled by the fact that no other customers have complained about this to my local dealer. Thanks for your post #34. I will take my car to a local shop using a Hunter GSP 9700 and show them your post. Thanks again for your post.
  • valueguyvalueguy Member Posts: 208
    I have a '08 MDX. I never had a vibration issue until I just got new Michelin tires at 39,000 miles. Now, in the morning I have a vibration (mild) for 3-4 minutes at 75-80 mph. I agree the issue is improperly balanced tires at high speeds. Why else would I have no problems until the new tires got installed? The problem is mild and only once a day so I will wait until I get 7-8,000 miles on my new tires. Then, I will follow your advice as posted above.
  • my1stmdxmy1stmdx Member Posts: 4
    See my post #43 and refer to post #34. I just took my 2007 MDX to a local tire dealer that has the Hunter GSP 9700 balancing unit. The technician is very well versed on the operation. He was very meticulous when doing the re-balance. He said my wheels were only out about 1/2 ounce out. Well it did not solve the problem. Vibration starts at around 65mph and gets worse as I increase speed. My vibration is not felt so much in the steering wheel but the whole car seems to vibrate. Next step is to try to find someone locally that can still balance the wheels on the hub. Then the battle begins with Acura.
  • aztec1sunaztec1sun Member Posts: 8
    Not the good kind of vibrations, my radar detector bangs against the windshield and I'm worried that my mechanical wrist watch may get damaged from the steering wheel shakes. New set of tires replaced at 30K miles didn't help. Definitely coming from the front, I assume it's the suspension and not the wheels. The very helpfull Acura service rep dismissed the problem by stating - Oh, we can't recreate the problem because we can't drive at that speed for fear of getting a ticket! Probably just my imagination. And that's after dropping 1K for a new set of tires, at $45k a pop I'd expect a near damn perfection. Can't imagine a BMW dealer insulting his customer like this...
  • mtmdxmtmdx Member Posts: 3
    With my 07 it could be months between incidents, did become much more frequent though as mentioned in post 37. How are your brakes wearing and are you getting any warning indicators when this happens.
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    "my radar detector bangs against the windshield "

    "Oh, we can't recreate the problem because we can't drive at that speed for fear of getting a ticket!"

    Well, the RD may protect them somewhat depending on what kind it is. :P

    Our '07 had the SW vibration and it turned out to be the L front strut. They replaced it under warranty. It seemed odd that the warranty would cover a wear-and-tear item but I didn't argue because it didn't cost me a thing. Perhaps there is a secret TSB out on this. :confuse:
  • srs149srs149 Member Posts: 35
    I just picked up my brand-new MDX today from a dealer in MD. I live in the philly area, so had plenty of time to evaluate it at highway speed (minus the beltway in DC and the entire Baltimore area)... but i digress.

    there is a definite vibration in the wheel at speed, but no pulling of the wheel. My brother suggested it might be my tire balancing but was baffled that Quality Control at Acura wouldl allow their tires / wheels to get out the door not properly balanced.

    Should I start there? Could it be my alignment already? Any help would be greatly appreciated as my 14 year old Lexus ES and my Honda Odyssey both drive smoothly at highway speed.

    Thanks
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    I would take it to a dealer in the Philly close to where you live and see if they can diagnose. Since you'll probably need to form a service relationship, use this as a test to find one that's willing to work with you to diagnose the problem, using a second or a third dealer if necessary. That's what I would do.
  • srs149srs149 Member Posts: 35
    Thanks for the tip. I called my local dealer and they think its probably a front wheel balance issue. They've agreed to do the balance free of charge although its typically not a warrantable item and i did not purchase the car at their dealership.
  • ontheroadtooontheroadtoo Member Posts: 1
    I've been having the same problem for 2 months 5500 miles. I don't believe there is a fix. I've had my tires and wheels road force matched and balanced. Still a bad vibration at 70+ MPH. Dealer installed new tires, and did not correct the problem. Tomorrow is the second visit to dealership to meet with ACURA manufacturer rep. My 08 MDX sport had no problems and our 05 Lexus and my old 06 lexus never had this problem.

    I hope they can fix it but, these service visits are becoming a hardship for me. I may go the lemon law route and get another vehicle (Lexus) 2010 may be a bad model year for the MDX.
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