Acura MDX Maintenance and Repair

scott77

I've had my MDX for 1 year, 15K mi., and I get about 18 mpg. I probably do about 20% highway miles, so the 17/23 seems about right.

nhdriver1

Maybe I'm alone out there.. but I leased an 05 mdx in Feb this year. I baby'd it.. no 4-wheeling.. no hard cornering.. washed regularly..conservative driver. At 11k miles, sitting at a stop light, she made a sound like a wrench was being thrown around under the hood. I pulled her over and a flatbed took her to the nearest dealership in NH. That dealership towed her to a larger one in Mass. I was informed that somehow a screw got loose in a vacuum line and worked it's way into the engine block.. threw a rod.. blew the head.. and the rest is history. They worked on her for 2 weeks and I got her back. A couple weeks later the check engine light came on. I drove her back to the NH dealership where they spent another week replacing the primary 02, secondary 02, and the catalytic converter. When I was supposed to get her back I was told the radiator had a hole in it and they'd need another day to replace that. Today, knock on wood, she's running ok. But the wife won't get into it for long trips now and I find myself a bit hypersensitive to any/every possible symptom.. always watching for the check engine light. Feel some uneasy downshifting sometimes.. saw the headlights flicker once or twice.. probably getting paranoid. Any help from Acura "customer service".. don't count on it. Paid $750 to rent an suv from rental car company in first two week repair period. Fought for many weeks to get that reimbursed.. the Mass dealership finally got it done for me after months of my pushing. Asked for for perdiem reimbursement off my lease payment for the 3 weeks I was without the vehicle. Also asked for 200mi credit on my mileage due to that's what was added for the repair periods. Customer service told me no. Asked to turn this vehicle back over to them and get out of this lease. Customer lip-service said no. My wife drives a Toyota suv.. never any problems... should've followed her advise. Acura customer service is a bunch of polite "yes sir we'll look into that" smokeblowers. Kudos to the Mass dealership that helped me out though.. at least there was someone who could get things done. I'm stuck with this bucket for the remainder of this lease.. then I'll never step foot on an Acura lot again. Quality is over-rated in my humble opinion and the "customer service" is a joke.

proger

My Voice Navigation System does not engaged sometimes. Once it works it works, once it won't work it won't work. What I mean, is that, once I start the motor, and engage voice commands, most of the time it works and get answers, but sometimes it doesn't engaged and no matter what I say or do, it won't engage or answer to my questions. Until I turn off the motor and re-start again and maybe voice command works again. Has anyone experienced this episode. Please Advice.

desertkev

I get 27 (Actual - - - not computer guestimated) on the highway if I go 55 with windows up and using the cruise control. The worst I get is 18 in the city...but I don't gun it, I drive conservatively. Try changing the air filter to K&N. Expensive at first, but worth it.

desertkev

Did your dealer reference a Tech Service Bulletin (TSB)? If so, can you let me know which bulletin? My dealer says he can't find any MDX's with similar problems so he says he doesnt know how to approach the problem.
Thanks.

rvpelle

Does not appear that there is a TSB concerning my exact problem.While doing diagnostics they found four "codes". Cleared them and also found that there was no throttle position sensor voltage, whatever that is. Tech line told them to check PCM connections.
And if OK then replace PCM with new one. Connections were OK so they put in a new PCM. It "appears" to have fixed the problem. Been driving now for a week or two and it runs fine.
I think my problem may have been different than yours in that mine would turn over rapidly but act like it had no spark or no gas. It is going to take another couple of weeks before I start to feel comfortable.
Good luck.

sronayne

My 2001 Acura MDX Touring just turned 54,000 miles and about one week ago my transmission started slipping at about 35-40mph. The vehicle acted like the clutch was engaged and then it would shift hard into the next gear. This was the only gear I noticed a problem until yesterday. I called Acura and let them know something was definately wrong as it started shifting down hard, like it was braking when I took my foot off the gas and then the check engine light came on - I was about 3 miles from the dealership. Then while driving my MDX in for service all of the sudden it would not shift at all out of 2nd gear. When I drove into the service garage at the Acura dealer I left the car running in park. When he shifted it grinded and as he was shifting into the various gears it would not go into 1 low. Well he called me today about noon and said I needed a new transmission and it would cost about $4500. He said the oil appeared and smelled burnt. Wouldn't you know my Acura id 4,000 miles past warranty. I have owned Honda vehicles for over 20 years and I have never had any problems like this. Does anyone know if a class action lawsuit has been filed? I never abused this car in any shape or form and am really bothered by this. I always bought a Honda because of their reputation for manufacturing quality vehicles. What is up with this problem I am reading many messages about transmission woes on this " Truck of the Year"

vetpathologist

I have an 04 MDX with identical problem. It falls behing about 4 - 5 minutes per month. My 2001 TL does not have the same problem since the clock works off the Nav screen.

rrp1122

I have 2004 MDX which I bought last October and has only 5600 miles. I only get 15 miles per gallon. I mostly drive on local roads and don't nomally go on highways. Is this about right? The rated mileage is 17-23 per gallon. I was expeting to get at least 18. Not sure if this is my car or this is normal?? I appreciate any replies to this message.

sri1

Bought 05 MDX Premium last week and drove less than 40 miles. Found thud noise when I break and vehicle comes to fullstop. Happens in Reverse and Forward also. Not sure what is causing the noise. Dealer said gas sloashing but filled the full tank and tested again same thing. Opened the case with Acura and let the car with dealer. I told them I am not going to accept this noise and asking them to fix it before I take the delivery. Dealer says he couldn't find any problem with the vehicle and unable to get rid of the noise and try to convince me that it is different in each vehicle.

shtirlitz

I have exactly the same problem. I didn't contact my dealer yet, but eventually I will. Let us know how it works out for you.

shtirlitz

>I have 2004 MDX which I bought last October and has only 5600 miles. I only get 15 >miles per gallon. I mostly drive on local roads and don't nomally go on highways. Is >this about right? The rated mileage is 17-23 per gallon. I was expeting to get at least >18. Not sure if this is my car or this is normal??

I have the same mileage. (On freeways I managed to get 21.5 driving from San Francisco to Fresno and back - 320 miles) Talked to my dealer - he said it was normal. Also I checked their shuttle MDX where the indicator has never been reset and showed something like 9000 miles. The average was 15.5. They say they drive 20-30% freeway and don't gun it down. That I saw it myself when they drove me.

otis123

MDX Premium. Born Aug.2004. Delivered Sept. 2004. Now have 12,566 miles. Never re-set the MPG calculator.... 17.8 mpg average. I'd say 70% highway/30% city. Could be better...could be worse...is what it is. We feel safe and comfortable in it and that's what counts.

hlsdds

I have an '05 MDX, less than 1,000 mile. Just went from Baltimore to Philadelphia. 65 mph most of the way. Trip computer said 22.5 mpg. I'm happy with that. On another note, I just noticed that there isn't a button or anything to open the rear hatch from inside the car. I called my dealer to tell him to mention that to Acura. Having fun with voice commands, although sometimes the lady says the exact opposite of what I said! Howard

Firebird_EOU

Has anyone gotten their Homelink to work with Sears Craftsman garage door openers?

syoung1

Well, you are not the only one that had troubles with your 2001 Acura MDX! About three weeks ago the transmission on my 2001 MDX went out at 51,700 miles. First it just started slipping while I was on the freeway, and then third gear became non-functional. I took the car to Niello Acura in Sacramento and they said it would cost $4500 to replace the transmission. Obviously, my warranty had just expired on the vehicle. Moreover, I note that I had the dealer inspect the car to make sure everything was okay just before the warranty expired (they did not find anything wrong at that time). So, after extensive negotiations with the dealership, they agreed to provide a new re manufactured transmission from Acura at NO COST. They probably agreed to do this since I was so close to the warranty expiring. Also, this vehicle had always been serviced at the dealership, and the transmission fluid had been changed at 30,000 miles. If you had your car serviced by the dealership and the transmission fluid changed as recommended by the manual, then they should give you a new transmission at no cost; or a minimum cost of $500 to $1500 (both of these prices were offered by my dealer but I refused to accept the offer). The bottom line is that I believe the transmission is defective because there is no reason for a transmission to go out unless there is a "design defect". Acura even admitted that the transmission should last until 120,000 miles. My MDX too had "black" transmission fluid at the time it went out (which is a sign of overheating and/or substantial deterioration of the transmission). One last thing, I note that I did not receive any warranty with the transmission as it was provided at no cost. Oh well. If you cannot resolve it with the dealership, I recommend you call Acura and complain until you get a new one at no cost.

acuramdx1

I have a 2001 MDX touring vehicle. Just in the last few days I have noticed a metallic click sound and can sometimes feel it under the drivers floor board. The sound is made the first time I apply the brakes going forward or the first time I apply the brakes going in reverse. It does not repeat itself in the same direction. The noise comes from the front wheels on both sides. The dealer thinks the brake pads need to be shimmed. The brakes are not half worn. They were just done 40,000 miles ago. By any chance could your sound be more of a click than a thud? It sounds like a hard click.

shtirlitz

No my problem is a thud - not a click. And you cannot tell it's coming from the front or rear wheels or even from the transmission. It feels like it's under the car in the middle but it could just "radiate" from the brakes. I don't know. It happens at small speeds at the first gear when you stop/go or parking (back/forth). Sometimes it's not just a single thud but a series of 2-3 thuds. It doesn't sound especially metallic though. I also identified the gas sloshing sound. Interestingly enough it sounds similar to the "thud" sound but I am pretty sure they have different origins.
The quality of the dashboard sucks as well. There is a hideous gap between the "wood" trim around the navigation and the plastic dashboard panel around it.
The conclusion that I drew for myself is that I am very dissapointed and I am not keeping this stupid vehicle past the warranty expiration.

stma1

i have a 2005 mdx touring, i can feel road vibration thru steering wheel depending
how smooth the road is, i am not sure if this is a balance issue or just a normal
driving characteristic of the mdx, i can feel the road at all speeds not just at
highway speeds, i am looking into getting the tires balanced with the hunter roadforce balancer, i just want to know if anybody can explain the difference between road feel and a need for balancing?

desertkev

There was a recall on this vehicle regarding the transmission.
NHTSA Recall ID Number: 04V176000. Check this link for specifics
http://www.internetautoguide.com/auto-recalls/67-int/2001/acura/mdx/base/

:sick:

syoung1

While it is true that there was a recall, the dealer advised me that it applied to transmissions that broke down because of the defective "2nd gear". In my case, it was the third gear that failed and therefore NOT part of the recall. Perhaps Acura should widen the scope of the recall to include the 3rd gear problem as well. At this point, however, it appears Acura prefers to deal with this transmission problem on a "case by case basis".

darandall

We, too, had the transmission problem. Dealer said it was not the second gear recall problem, but nevertheless agreed to replace the transmission with a rebuilt one from Acura - allegedly because we had had all service performed at the dealership. Hang tough, and elevate the problem to Acura US, and document all calls, etc.

kateel

After a great deal of research I found that I like the mdx with navi and res the best of all the suvs I researched. However, after I read this forum I don't know what to think of the reliability of the mdx. Consumer reports gives a red half circle (the second to best rating) for the mdx, but all of the issues outlined here in this forum make me take pause. I have owned 3 cars, most recently a toyota 4runner with nearly zero problems in the six years I have had it. I am looking to get out of the 4 runner before it gets old/problem prone, but I now wonder if I would actually have less trouble in the next couple of years with my 6 year old toyota vs. a new mdx. Any thoughts would be appreciated. :confuse:

scott77

I bought my MDX a year ago, and have no regrets. The only problems I've had were the right front ABS wouldn't release sporatically at stops, and the steering wheel audio controls got messed up (volume down would turn it up, changing channels would change the mode instead). Both were fixed under warranty. Mileage is pretty good for an SUV, it's roomy, and most importantly, drives great. While it's important to understand the problems owners have had, don't forget the subject of this forum is "Problems and Solutions", so you're pretty much only getting the negative comments here.

dave210

I have a 2003 MDX Touring/Nav with 41,000 miles that will be 3 years old this January. Aside from a bum battery, the car has given me zero problems.

It is true that the 2001-2002 models seems to have some transmission problems, but a newer more compact transmission was put into the MDX for the 2003 model year, and if I'm not mistaken, there seems to be little issues regarding the transmission past the 2002 model year.

As long as you keep up with your maintenance on the car, it should last you a long while. Good luck with your search!

nmp

Where did you learn about the transmission upgrades on the 2003+ models? Was it mentioned on Edmunds or the Acura site? Or from a tech? I am looking at the 2006 Honda Pilot, but I don't think Honda has improved its transmission since model launch.

carolfil

The dealer told me I needed to have them decarbonize the top engine during my routine 30,000 mile maintenance. Was this a scam? I've never heard of it before.

rhawthorne

I had the issue with the sub-woofer rattling (actually, it is the components of the car around the sub that rattle) I resolved the issue by removing the sub-woofer and placing two pieces of fiberglass insulation in the cavity behind the woofer, filling it completely. I have no more annoying rattle and the audio system sounds great!

namhonjeet

I have a 2004 MDX. It needs a 75K service. On the service menu it said Transmission & differential fluid will be changed. Are they the same though??
Could someone pls help on this??
Thank you very much.

otis123

Wow! Is that 7.5K miles or really 75K miles?

The "transmission fluid" is the fluid in the automatic transmission system, while the "differential fluid" is the fluid in the AWD system. Two different fluids.

brdtrd

What we have found in our 2001 MDX is that with a low octane fuel, you will get the lower mpg. When you use the higher octane, you will get approx 22 mpg or more. So skip the cheap gas and buy the "plus" or "premium" grades. If I am not mistaken, it mentions this in your owners manual.

brdtrd

When we bought our MDX used from a lease return I had noticed that the front struts were leaking. The dealer replaced the struts under warranty, no problem there. I noticed that the front end still wasn't "quite right" in terms of responsiveness of handling and ride. Everytime you hit a hole or bump in the road, felt like you were bottoming out. I can't recall how many times I brought it in to the dealer to have them check or look at the springs to make sure that they weren't compromised from the bad struts. I got the same answer every time...everything is normal! I was about a week away from buying new springs when we received the recall in the mail to have the springs replaced because they could be weakened and break in areas of the county that use road salt in the winter on the roads. Just got the MDX back today...problem is fixed! It rides like a new vehicle! Go get your MDX's checked people!!

mdx012003

acuramdx1,
Take it back to the dealer and tell them to do the caliper. I had my done
2 weeks ago at no cost. My mileage was 39,975. Bought it in Jan 2003
and had been suffered for almost 3 years. If they have problem how to fix it
tell them to call Kearny Mesa Cush Acura in San Diego

waynee

I found this info elsewhere; there is a recall on 2001 and early 2002 MDX's regarding this:

Honda Motor Co., Ltd., has announced to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) its intention to recall 2001 and very early 2002 MDX vehicles operated in the Salt Belt in order to replace their front suspension damper springs.

Some front suspension coil springs have insufficient corrosion protection, and in areas where road salt is used, may be susceptible to corrosion. Over time, excessive corrosion can cause spring failure. In some cases, a broken spring could puncture a front tire, which increases the risk of a crash.

Approximately 22,000 vehicles are affected by this campaign. Notifications will be mailed to all known Salt Belt owners.

This affects Salt Belt states (Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin).

.

dean7

Mine vibrates too- How did you do this? Did you take the entire back plastic quarter panel off and place it behind the speaker? Thanks.

rhawthorne

The sub-woofer cover pops off (look for the notch) and then you remove the 4 bolts than hold the woofer in place. You will find a piece of insulation already in place. I just added to what was already there. I used two 3.5" batts cut 16" x 20" and placed them behind the woofer and panel filling the cavity. Replace the woofer, bolts and snap the cover back on. The vibration is reduced significantly

namhonjeet

Yes, no kidding. I travel for a living. Could you pls tell me where is the drain plug or if there is any trick to change the transmission fluid??
I changed the atm differential fluid only. Glad to hear from you!!

mdxjm

We recently had an interesting experience. We parked our MDX in a commuter parking lot and returned to find that the alarm had gone off in our absence and had run the battery down. After getting a jump start the alarm continued to sound. I had to pull the horn relay to silence it although the headlights were still flashing. Things seemd to reset when I started driving. Has anybody else had similar problems? Naturally I am not too eager to leave the car alone for any length of time after this.

The dealer tried to find anything broken but was unable to.

docla

I took delivery of a black MDX touring with nav. I noticed a noise coming from the front seat that seems to be coming from the front seat foam (both driver and passenger) it makes a type of squeak or noise when a passenger sits in it. It is as if the foam is breaking down or breaking in. Whenever the passenger moves in the seat the noise is heard and you can duplicate it by pressing on the seat surface without an occupant in it. It is clearly coming in the foam right below the leather. Does any one has a solution for that? Has any one had similar problem??

dean7

The foam in my MDX one week old was defectively too thin. They replaced it and it (my butt) still sinks down way too far-much farther than it should and I only weigh 150. It could possibly be the coils below the foam which, on mine, are NOT supportive at all. It has never "squeaked", but I'm going back to see what is wrong with that seat- it is VERY uncomfortable and at 3 months old, I can't see driving it for many years!.

howe

I feel the same way about the seat. I really like the MDX and one of the things that influenced my decision was how Consumer Reports gave the front seat an excellent rating while they were less than generous about other aspects. The power seat control is state of the art but I can't seem to get comfortable. I didn't notice this in my relatively short experience during the test drive. A 2006 Pilot I test drove, though, had an excellent seat that was firm but supportive and ultimately comfortable. This was immediately obvious. I couldn't imagine an Acura MDX would have anything but an even better seat. If I could get the seat in my MDX "right," I'd be in Acura heaven. How are you making out with the factory/dealer negotiations? I'm 180 lbs and don't have back problems. However, I find the seat support thin and uncomfortable too. Mine is a 2005 and had it less than 2 weeks. I did notice a difference between a really new one and a demo that had a few thousand miles. The demo seemed a bit better. Broken in? :confuse:

stma1

i also have a 2005 mdx, during the test drive the seat felt
comfortable but during an hour commute i had the worst back ache ever, after
approx 4 weeks the seat seemed to "break in", my problem was that the
lumbar area felt like there was a lump in my lower back, even when the lumbar
control was fully depressed

howe

I notice the lumbar lump same as you descibed. No matter how much I hit the "minus" contol its still there. My lower back is sore as I write this. What concerns me, as well, is how the bottom seat feels thin or unsupportive where the seat back meets it. If all I have to do is wait for it all to break in, then I guess my Acura and I will be happy. Otherwise, I'll take the two issues up with Acura service and see what they can do. :sick:

docla

My problem is the noise coming from the front foam of the driver seat. If i squeeze the foam it sqeeks. I have tried leather conditioner did not help much. I like the seat it is very comfortable. Has anybody had similar problem? if yes what was the solution?
Otherwise my MDX is running fine and I really like it.
Thanks,
MDX 2005 black touring with nav.

howe

I checked mine (2005 Touring) and it squeaks too. This only happens when I take my hand and push on it. I haven't noticed it driving. Minor thing to me. The lumbar lump I'd like to see break in and dissappear. MDX is a decent automobile but I'm having missgivings about the seats.

dean7

perfectly spoken and describes my problems perfectly. No matter how I adjust it, it just never gets comfortable. Its seems the foam pad is way too thin with no "push-up" support where it meets the back (compared to my previous chrysler 300m and jeep grand cherokee whose seats were extremely comfortable every minute of every drive). I just don't understand.

howe

My 98 Explorer, though not anywhere near the same vehicle the MDX is in other respects, had a very comfortable and supportive seat from day one till now (122K miles). Perhaps there is hope for us that the seat will eventually break-in. I had an Accord (early one, it was $8.5K out the door) a long time ago and the seat felt like it was stuffed with straw at first but I got used to it as time went on. It may be a Honda thing. I do know the steering breaks in and gets more fluid on twisty roads from comparing the demo and a new MDX. But, you've been driving 3 months. That concerns me. How many miles in that time? If you are 150 lbs then how much does the other guy weigh that said his got better in 4 weeks. Was it much better or just tolerable. It may be the lumbar support not fully recessed that puts us in the wrong position on the seat bottom. :confuse:

docla

Mine is getting worse.I started to hear it when i push on the foam now it is getting worse. I am wondering if anybody has a solution for that noise. I am trying to avoid taking it to the dealership. I have tried to use leather conditioner and it did not work.
Any one has any ideas?

howe

I agree, the squeaking noise is not a good thing. I can only hope it doesn't develop into a problem of greater significance. There is something below the surface of the leather that is causing this. Leather conditioner will not help. Of far greater significance to me is this. If you have both hands on the steering wheel, the arm rests, both left and right are useless. Your elbows do not engage. What were they thinking? You have to spread your elbows out in such a way as to cause strain on your wrists. As good as this car is in other respects, this is a fatal flaw. The lumbar support doesn't fall back to non existence like in most cars when you adjust it to maximum minus and you don't contact the seat back at 100%. There is no telescoping steering wheel to compensate for tall drivers who put the seat back. Those of you who did read the owners manual might remember that you are advised to place the seat as far back as possible to avoid being imapalled by the steering wheel in the event of an accident. I'm sorry but Acura/Honda is missing the boat on the seat/driver position thing. Its too bad they make an otherwise safe, reliable vehicle with a lot of "WOW" factor but drop the fundamental concept of the driver experience. That concept is that one should enjoy a convenient and comfortable experienece in the conveyance from point A to point B. Is it so hard to to get engineers who understand the anthropometrics of western people? I confess, I am an engineer and design medical equipment that adopts to human anatomy. Sorry. but Asians would also would not find these left and right arm rests usefull. Thanks for indulging my rant. I feel a bit stupid for not realizing this before I bought this vehicle. Otherwise it fit my desires and needs perfectly.

nong29

My 56,000 MDX 02 transmission just went out this week, the car is at the dealer and I have brand new TSX for the loaner. It however was a frightening experience. Other than the gears does not shifting right. The engine and D5 lights came on. The rear would not engage. It kept going forward. Fortunately it happened when the dealer test-drove. At 51,000 miles the dealer fixed the recall problem. At 53,000 I heard noise the dealer can't duplicate. I changed the dealer, the front motor mount went out, the new dealer fixed at no cost. From reading all the comments here I have been doing my homework with American Honda and changed to a better service dealer preparing for the worse. It paid off. Acura are replacing the transmission at no cost. Yes, Acura will deal with this transmission problem on "case by case basis". It is up to the owner to push. I hope my story would do some good. Good luck to all.