Cheapest option would be to dismantle the seat and see if the supports in the seat back can be adjusted.
Taking apart the seats is not an easy project, but it's doable. I un-installed and re-installed leather into my 1999 CR-V. It's easiest to remove the seat and work on it outside the vehicle. Just be sure to work on a clean, padded surface, or you might scratch or abraid the leather.
I have not much idea about the cars and can definitely not handle this project. Is this something Dealer can do for me for free under warranty? If not, I belive it will cost me a lot?
I'm interested in the opinion of other MDX owners about the quality of the leather seats. I seen few MDX's that are about two to three yesrs old and the seats look like there are 15 years old. Badly worn and ugly looking.
This is my first Acura and since it's only 5 days old, the seats still look kinda nice :-)
But, my wife has an 2000 Accord EX w/ Leather and her car has 175,000 miles on it. Her interior is every bit as nice as the day we bought it, and we have a 3 yr old.
I'm not sure that a dealer would do this. Technically, they would not be fixing something, they'd be breaking or bending it to make it more comfortable for your body.
I've got a 2001 TL (~100K miles) and a 2004 MDX (~50K miles).
The seats have held up "okay". They get creased quite easily. They stretch a wee bit, but not so much that they look terrible. All in all, not too bad.
The thing to watch out for is scratches. Acura surface dyes the leather, so niks and scratches will show very clearly.
Is it safe to assume then that Acura and Honda use different seat manufactures?
The seats in our '00 Honda Accord and in absolutely Brand New condition. I wonder why Acura would offer a seat of lesser quality than it's Honda counterpart :confuse:
It's very possible that half of the seat in that Accord is not leather. Honda (and some base-model Acuras) use leather on the center panels of the cushion and back, but the rest of the seat is faux leather.
Faux leather actually stands up very well to abuse. So it's not such a bad idea for the outside edge of a seat. That tends to be the area which sees the most rubbing as you enter and exit the vehicle.
I see a lot of complains on this forum about the brakes on MDX. I just took my 2004 MDX with 21,000 miles to the dealer with the shimming problem in steering wheel when braking from highway speed. Dealer tells me that the front and the rear brake pads have to be replace and the rotors cut. I checked the pads my self and they barely worn. Dealer will not cover this under warranty, because he says that the live of the brake pads on MDX is about 15,000 miles. I called Acura customer service and they saying that the dealer make the judgment and they stick to it.
Please provide any information that any of you have experience with the brakes.
I had two incidents about brake problems with my MDX '04. 1st experience, was...the brake was rough and complained about it. Dealer turned the front rotors and replaced with new pads. It worked good for sometime, then just last month, I felt steering wheel shaking when brake was applied. Complained... and they replaced my rotors with new ones. Though, I have to pay new pads (make no sense)as it was an option to keep the old pads w/o paying or replace with new pads but have to pay. Since, rotor was new then I elected to replace pads as well. This was in April. So far the brake is smooth as a silk. Time will tell. I only have 26,450 miles thus far.
When you apply your brakes, the rotors and pads heat up due to friction. Over time, this heat causes wear of pads, and hard spots on the rotors. This can, over time, also cause slight warping of the rotors. This is normal and cannot be avoided even with the greatest of caution when using the brakes. Of course, the harder you are on the brakes, the quicker this can occur. When this does occur, you'll notice it at highway speeds when the brake is applied with moderate to heavy pressure and as you slow to a stop as well. If the rotors are just slightly warped, a quick turning will bring them back into tune. (Note that you cannot always turn the rotors. After one or 2 turnings, they will be below minimum thickness specs and will need to be replaced.) If there are hard spots, this will only be a quick temporary fix and the symptoms will come back fairly quickly. Also remember that after you have the rotors turned, they are now thinner. Warping and hard spots will occur quicker on turned rotors. Regardless of whether you choose to turn your rotors or replace them, the pads should ALWAYS be replaced at that time as well. It makes PERFECT sense for them to replace them at the same time as the rotors.
The MDX is not a small vehicle. It's a lot of car for those brakes to have to stop. Brakes are going to wear faster than they would in a smaller vehicle.
I have an 04 (bought new nov.03) which I drove the first year and a half (my wife has now commandeered it) and I felt the leather "creased" very quickly. I do hover around 225 lbs. so maybe that has something to do with it. I don't think the leather has "worn" or faded though.
I recently traded my 2005 MDX in because of the constant tire balance problems. I brought it in to the dealer several times and never fixed the problem. I got a TL instead which rides much smoother. However now I am dealing with rattles all over the car.
I had a 1990 Acura Legend that used to do this ALL the time. Like it was haunted! Turned into a series of electrical problems... including a fuse that kept blowing and busting the ABS computer chip ($1300 a pop!). I can't remember what exactly caused it, but they fixed it several times. I remember there was an electrical short in the door (the lock). All of the things were connected... an electrical nightmare! Good luck!
I have an 06 MDX which now has 800 miles on it, so far, I absolutely love it. I'm looking for another car at which time, the MDX becomes the wife's ride. I was looking at the TL with the A-Spec & Navi packages, but the constant complaints in the forums are causing me to pause and second guess. The rattling is at the top of the complaint list. Auto transmission problems follow a close second.
I'm looking at new MDX's and there seems to be quite a bit more road noise than in the Forerunner or Lexus 330. Is there any way to reduce it? It's even worse in the Honda Pilot. Thanks
I have a 2003 MDX and am getting a new transmission this week at only 56,000 miles! The car was slipping going into second gear... almost like it would go into neutral for a couple seconds and then jolt into second. I had taken it into the dealer 3 or 4 times over the past year but they said there were no error codes on the computer and they couldn't replicate it. The problem was only happening once in a while. I finally figured out it was predictable if you accelerated quickly from a slow speed (under 20 mph). Sure enough, took it in last week and they could replicate it. They said they would replace the transmission and gave me a loaner car for the week. Great service! No arguing!
Also... the rear A/C wasn't working. They said it was a bad transistor and they replaced it for free because they had a "service bulletin" out about the problem.
From time to time, I see people make mention of road noise on the new MDX. I just traded in my Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited and I don't think there is any more noise on the MDX than there was on the Jeep. It may have to do with what model you choose. The MDX Touring comes with the better Michelin tires. They make a little more sound on the road.
They make tires that are all but silent on the roads, but you give up performance for that silence. I think Acura made a great decision with these tires. The tires are getting great reviews, and offer a nice balance between sound and performance.
It's a SUV, not a Cadillac. I think the MDX is fairly quiet on the road, but if you need it to be quieter, I suggest a different tire.
So it turns out that the ultra-low emissions engine that the MDX has is not compatible with 10% ethanol gasoline. Other car models are compatible with this type of gas, I am told-- it's the 15% ethanol that many vehicles will need adaptation with. Anyhow, I found this out because my check engine light/VTM-4 light went on for no apparent reason, except that I was getting gas at Exxon and Mobil. Apparently Exxon/Mobil is the only gas company that has switched over so far, but they all are switching in the future. I have been told that Acura has a temporary fix for the problem, but not a permanent one. So in the meantime, if you have an MDX you shouldn't get gas at Exxon/Mobil because it will mess up the engine and apparently in the future, you shouldn't use the gas from anywhere else either. This is unacceptable.
Thanks, good suggestion. I've been driving a Tahoe since 02 and there is a LOT more road noise in the MDX Touring that I test drove. I think the MDX only has about half the road noise of the Pilot I tested, but it is quite a bit noisier than others I've driven. I really like the MDX, but road noise drives me crazy, I'll talk to someone about the tires.
At about 30,000 miles I had to replace my breaks and went to meineke. I paid $395 (of which the $144 is for labor) for front and rear to put ceramic Pads (PGD855C for F, PGD865QS for R)with lifetime Warranty.
For 3 months the breaks were noisy and thought it was normal when breaks are new, but then I also realized is not easy to stop the car in the highway at speeds 55 - 65 when I was driving to Virgni from NY last week. So I went back to Meineke and complaint. They want $30 per rotor to cut it and also another $70 labor :mad: , but will replace the pads for free. I think they should cut the rotors when they relaced the pads last February. Anyone had any similar experience, or has any input to if I should pay anoth $200 to cut and replace pads? Please advice. Anyone had any bad experience with meineke before? Probably they use cheap pads?
Not sure where you live but around Chicago, 10% ethanol is in all gasoline brands. It's the norm. I have had no problems running 10% ethanol in my MDX.
Ceramic pads are much louder than semi-metalic. They're popular because of their long life and low brake dust, but they are much louder. If they put pads on without turning the rotors, they're idiots...and they are wasting your money.
Never have a garage replace the pads without either turning the rotors or replacing them. And never have them turn the rotors or replace them without replacing the pads as well.
Rotor and pad maintenance should be performed at the same time.
When it comes to noise in the MDX, my complaint is rain. When I was in my Jeep Grand Cherokee, I hardly heard the rain. In the MDX, it sounds like I'm in a tin can. The rain is very loud which shows that Acura did not insulate for sound very well.
My new '06 MDX now has 1,300 miles on it and so far, I am a very happy camper.
My one complaint is XM radio. I traded my Jeep Grand Cherokee which had Sirius radio, and I've been a subscriber for over 2 yrs. I now have this 3 month XM subscription so I gave it a fair chance. I don't like it. The traffic guys all sound like Max Headrom (digitized), the music choices are aweful, and the talk choices are even worse. And XM cuts out a lot. I know of only one small spot uder a very large bridge where my Sirius could cut out. XM cuts out all the time in the MDX.
I cannot wait for someone to come out with a Sirius kit which will work through the Nav screen.
Everything else about the vehicle I love, but XM has to go.
Have 1500 miles on our new MDX. Problem since day 1 is transmission won't shift out of first gear until 3500 to 4000 RPMs when moderately accelerating. It's really "whining" by 3200. In normal city driving, when leaving a traffic light, at least 2800 before it goes to 2nd gear. Engine is warm. Driving me crazy and starting to wish we bought that Lexus RX. Thoughts. Please! Thanks.
No gear problem but I had this high pitch whistling noise since day 1. No solution according to Acura. They told me every MDX has it - just have to live with it. I will trade this car in next year.
What do you mean by "moderately"? Is "Moderate" acceleration what you would use if you were driving around your fragile Great-Great-Grandmother, or is "Moderate" how you would drive if you just stole the thing?
When it does shift to 2nd gear, is it at all rough, or is it smooth as silk?
Mine now has 1,500 miles on it, and I haven't had any issues with it shifting. It does take longer to shift to 2nd depending on the rate of acceleration I choose, but this is normal in any auto transmission.
Only once have I heard the whistling sound. It was while doing about 60 mph with the roof open. The sound appears to be coming from the roof rack, and this is completely normal.
My '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee sometimes did it. My friends '05 RX does it sometimes as well.
I hear that the optional sunroof deflector can help this problem, but I personally dont care for the look and dont think it needs one functionaly.
I don't hear this sound if the moonroof is closed, and I have only heard it once with the roof open... and it was very faint. I wouldn't have heard it if the stereo was on.
I am having the same problem with my 05 MDX. The check engine and VTM light are on and Acura can not find the problem. The car has been in the shop for 2.5 days now. They wanted permission to remove my back seat to get to the fuel tank to test the gas for contamination. I insisted that I get a sample also because they are not going to blame bad gas on this and in turn charge me. I was curious as you mention Acura has a temp fix and what that is? Could this ethanol gas be a problem for the MDX?
Ok, I paid very close attention to how the vehicle shifted this morning. I accelerated enough to pull out into moving traffic in a 50MPH zone, and the truck does shift at approx 4,000 RPMs and approx 42 MPH. It does not sound horrible or loud, and shifts into 2nd nice and smooth... just like the test drive model did before I chose to buy the vehicle.
My synopsis... working as designed, and quite nicely, I may add.
OK, guess I'll need to get used to it. It's my wife's truck and she drives somewhere between the "grandmother" and "just stole it" comment in the earlier email. When it shifts, it does so smoothly. If yours shifted into second at 4000 rpms and no one else sees a problem with it either, obviously it's my problem (in my head). I'm OK if she doesn't comment. I certainly don't intend to mention it to her! Thanks!
Ok, I've really tried to figure this out for you.... and I think I got it. I got the truck to shift at 4,000 RPMs last night, and at only 20MPH!
If you step on the accelerator slightly and give it a little gas (Like from a stop light in the city), the car will gain speed and then shift at approx 2,500 RPMs.
Doing the same start but slightly increasing the pressure on the pedal as you slowly accelerate, the car will gain speed and not shift until about 4,000 rpms. Speed at shift time will differ depending on pessure on pedal, and whether or not the car is going up a hill.
(Acuras will hold a lower gear as they go uphill to offer quicker engine response if needed)
My 1 complaint on the new '06 MDX is that I have nowhere to put my left foot when driving. There is a foot rest there, but it's about 8" too close.
Putting the seat in a comfortable position for my legs leaves me in a situation where I can no longer reach the wheel comfortably. I wish the steering wheel telescoped.
Finally someone with the same complaint!- as a female driver 5'6 this is a big complaint of mine that I have never heard of before now- I have to have the seat back further than normal to get somewhat comfortable.
And now you're leaning forward to reach the steering wheel. On a longer trip, your back and shoulders pay the price.
I've had a heating pad on my recliner at home ever since I got the MDX. (LOL)
I'm living with it since this will become my wife's car as soon as I figure out what I want to drive next. Whatever it is, it'll have a telescoping wheel.
Leaning toward the Lexus IS and the '07 Acura TL Type-S
Funny how both are much smaller vehicles but both will fit me so much more comfortably.
I'm a former CR-V owner and heard a great many complaints about the legroom and steering wheel position in that vehicle. Mostly from people whose last vehicle was a small car. The same might apply to the MDX.
Essentially, many people have grown accustomed to sitting with the seat raked back quite a bit. Like you might sit in a recliner. This is often the most comfortable position in a small car or a car that is low to the ground. The seating position in a truck or SUV is more like a dining room chair (upright). Try adjusting your seat back to a more upright position, then adjust the wheel and the chair's fore and aft adjustment.
I'm 6'2" and have no problem with my MDX. The guy who designed the vehicle is 6'5". My only problem is that the dead pedal isn't quite long enough for my big feet! :confuse:
I traded in a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited when I bought the MDX and I never, ever had a comfort problem in that vehicle. There was room to spare.
My complaint isn't so much the leg room all together. My gas foot is very comfortable. It's the left foot, doing nothing while I drive. There is a foot rest down there on the left, but they squeezed it right between the emergency brake and brake pedals, leaving no room but on that foot rest for my left foot to rest. It is too close to me, by about 8".
I have bad knees and I like to move around a little. Sitting stagnent for too long gets me uncomfortable.
There is plenty of room on the right side for the gas foot to access the gas pedal from many different angles.
I have an 05 Touring and also complained since day 1 about the "lazy" 1st gear shift, sometimes as high as 28-30mph under light acceleration. Went through the test drive BS run-around only to have them tell me it is acceptable. I now have 23,000 miles on it, and while it still does not seem right, it is no worse and otherwise a fine vehicle.
Some jerk in a parking lot rear ended my MDX and drove away without leaving any information. The driver seems to have hit the bumper at an angle that caused the passenger side exhaust to go in just a wee bit. It didn't look all that bad at first and I drove it home without thinking twice. But the exhuast was coming on to the bent part of the bumper and the heat discolored the fiber glass a little and melted the black plastic that skirts it below. It looks so strange now: like someone has shot a slender heat missile through the corner of the bumper.
Anyways, long story short I want to replace my bumper and was wondering if anyone here has an approximate idea of how much it would cost. 2005 MDX Touring. Thank you.
I'm 6 foot 1 and like to keep the seat upright always and push it's horizontal position quite a ways back. Yet my complaint is that a good 7 inches of my thigh (where it joins the knee) sits outside the seat. On long drives, this 'overhang' is a poor posture for many people. Back specialists recommend supporting as much of the thigs as possible to reduce strain on the back muscles. Wish I had realized this before the 40k investment!
kmazz, I had a similar problem over a year back. My check engine light go on. I Took to the service department - need software update - no problem. Few days later - same problem reapeer again. Only after my third return they figure out that the problem was with a 'goose neck' of a gas tank had loose contact with gas cover cap. They replace 'goose neck' - never had this problem again.
I had to have my rear bumper replaced on my then 2-month old 2006 MDX due to a slight rear-ending while I was stopped at a traffic light. I had the work done (at their expense) at the Acura dealer's Honda body shop; total cost was $729 before tax. This includes painting the bumper as it does not come pre-painted. I didn't need to have any exhaust system work done. The cost might we somewhat less at an independent body shop.
The more I think about this, the more I start to believe that this is not an issue.
The MDX sports the Honda VTech V6 engine. Honda's VTech engines are known for their high rpm characteristics.
Since the MDX is approx 6000 lbs, it does take some torque to get it up and running, and the vtech requires higher rpms before this torque is available.
Also, if accelerating uphill, the MDX will hold a lower gear and run at higher RPMs, as designed.
We all see the higher RPMs, but the transmission does appear to shift very smoothly so I don't think this is an issue with the vehicle not running as designed. I think it's more of an issue with people who come from other cars which dont run this same way.
I test drove a MDX for 45 minutes on all roads types before deciding and I am still very happy with my decision to buy.
Just drove from MA to MI and IL and back.... car ran flawlessly and averaged 23 MPG.
Unfortunately it's a relatively "common" problem on the newer vehicles. I've seen complaints on this since the original 2001 MDX (and other Acura vehicles with perforated leather, too).
In a short amount of time, the friction of sitting in the seat will yank those excess fibers out. I recall some owners trying to remove them quicker, using a clothes shaver or tape -- with varying degrees of success.
I am all for autoparts stores for everything EXCEPT touchup paint. Go directly to the Acura parts counter. I have never had a problem with their touch up paint. Tape around the spot to be touched up, and DON'T use the brush that comes with it....get a smaller brush, b/c the brush that comes with it leaves a blob of paint.
I have an 05 with 21,000 miles and the seat bolsters look worse than my 2000 Chrysler 300M with 160,000 miles on it. All you have to do is look at used MDX's, they are all the same. Otherwise a great car.
Comments
Taking apart the seats is not an easy project, but it's doable. I un-installed and re-installed leather into my 1999 CR-V. It's easiest to remove the seat and work on it outside the vehicle. Just be sure to work on a clean, padded surface, or you might scratch or abraid the leather.
I have not much idea about the cars and can definitely not handle this project. Is this something Dealer can do for me for free under warranty? If not, I belive it will cost me a lot?
Thanks.
Any opinions ????
But, my wife has an 2000 Accord EX w/ Leather and her car has 175,000 miles on it.
Her interior is every bit as nice as the day we bought it, and we have a 3 yr old.
The leather holds up VERY well.
Doesn't hurt to ask, though.
The seats have held up "okay". They get creased quite easily. They stretch a wee bit, but not so much that they look terrible. All in all, not too bad.
The thing to watch out for is scratches. Acura surface dyes the leather, so niks and scratches will show very clearly.
The seats in our '00 Honda Accord and in absolutely Brand New condition.
I wonder why Acura would offer a seat of lesser quality than it's Honda counterpart :confuse:
Faux leather actually stands up very well to abuse. So it's not such a bad idea for the outside edge of a seat. That tends to be the area which sees the most rubbing as you enter and exit the vehicle.
Please provide any information that any of you have experience with the brakes.
Thank you
Of course, the harder you are on the brakes, the quicker this can occur.
When this does occur, you'll notice it at highway speeds when the brake is applied with moderate to heavy pressure and as you slow to a stop as well.
If the rotors are just slightly warped, a quick turning will bring them back into tune. (Note that you cannot always turn the rotors. After one or 2 turnings, they will be below minimum thickness specs and will need to be replaced.)
If there are hard spots, this will only be a quick temporary fix and the symptoms will come back fairly quickly.
Also remember that after you have the rotors turned, they are now thinner. Warping and hard spots will occur quicker on turned rotors.
Regardless of whether you choose to turn your rotors or replace them, the pads should ALWAYS be replaced at that time as well.
It makes PERFECT sense for them to replace them at the same time as the rotors.
The MDX is not a small vehicle. It's a lot of car for those brakes to have to stop.
Brakes are going to wear faster than they would in a smaller vehicle.
I'm looking for another car at which time, the MDX becomes the wife's ride.
I was looking at the TL with the A-Spec & Navi packages, but the constant complaints in the forums are causing me to pause and second guess.
The rattling is at the top of the complaint list.
Auto transmission problems follow a close second.
Wonder what '07 has in store for us.
Also... the rear A/C wasn't working. They said it was a bad transistor and they replaced it for free because they had a "service bulletin" out about the problem.
Hope this helps someone!
I just traded in my Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited and I don't think there is any more noise on the MDX than there was on the Jeep.
It may have to do with what model you choose.
The MDX Touring comes with the better Michelin tires.
They make a little more sound on the road.
They make tires that are all but silent on the roads, but you give up performance for that silence.
I think Acura made a great decision with these tires. The tires are getting great reviews, and offer a nice balance between sound and performance.
It's a SUV, not a Cadillac.
I think the MDX is fairly quiet on the road, but if you need it to be quieter, I suggest a different tire.
For 3 months the breaks were noisy and thought it was normal when breaks are new, but then I also realized is not easy to stop the car in the highway at speeds 55 - 65 when I was driving to Virgni from NY last week. So I went back to Meineke and complaint. They want $30 per rotor to cut it and also another $70 labor :mad: , but will replace the pads for free. I think they should cut the rotors when they relaced the pads last February. Anyone had any similar experience, or has any input to if I should pay anoth $200 to cut and replace pads? Please advice. Anyone had any bad experience with meineke before? Probably they use cheap pads?
Thank you
Louis
They're popular because of their long life and low brake dust, but they are much louder.
If they put pads on without turning the rotors, they're idiots...and they are wasting your money.
Never have a garage replace the pads without either turning the rotors or replacing them.
And never have them turn the rotors or replace them without replacing the pads as well.
Rotor and pad maintenance should be performed at the same time.
When I was in my Jeep Grand Cherokee, I hardly heard the rain.
In the MDX, it sounds like I'm in a tin can.
The rain is very loud which shows that Acura did not insulate for sound very well.
My one complaint is XM radio.
I traded my Jeep Grand Cherokee which had Sirius radio, and I've been a subscriber for over 2 yrs.
I now have this 3 month XM subscription so I gave it a fair chance.
I don't like it.
The traffic guys all sound like Max Headrom (digitized), the music choices are aweful, and the talk choices are even worse.
And XM cuts out a lot.
I know of only one small spot uder a very large bridge where my Sirius could cut out.
XM cuts out all the time in the MDX.
I cannot wait for someone to come out with a Sirius kit which will work through the Nav screen.
Everything else about the vehicle I love, but XM has to go.
Steve, Host
Is "Moderate" acceleration what you would use if you were driving around your fragile Great-Great-Grandmother, or is "Moderate" how you would drive if you just stole the thing?
When it does shift to 2nd gear, is it at all rough, or is it smooth as silk?
Mine now has 1,500 miles on it, and I haven't had any issues with it shifting. It does take longer to shift to 2nd depending on the rate of acceleration I choose, but this is normal in any auto transmission.
It was while doing about 60 mph with the roof open.
The sound appears to be coming from the roof rack, and this is completely normal.
My '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee sometimes did it.
My friends '05 RX does it sometimes as well.
I hear that the optional sunroof deflector can help this problem, but I personally dont care for the look and dont think it needs one functionaly.
I don't hear this sound if the moonroof is closed, and I have only heard it once with the roof open... and it was very faint.
I wouldn't have heard it if the stereo was on.
I accelerated enough to pull out into moving traffic in a 50MPH zone, and the truck does shift at approx 4,000 RPMs and approx 42 MPH.
It does not sound horrible or loud, and shifts into 2nd nice and smooth... just like the test drive model did before I chose to buy the vehicle.
My synopsis... working as designed, and quite nicely, I may add.
Still love my MDX, don't miss the Jeep at all.
I got the truck to shift at 4,000 RPMs last night, and at only 20MPH!
If you step on the accelerator slightly and give it a little gas (Like from a stop light in the city), the car will gain speed and then shift at approx 2,500 RPMs.
Doing the same start but slightly increasing the pressure on the pedal as you slowly accelerate, the car will gain speed and not shift until about 4,000 rpms.
Speed at shift time will differ depending on pessure on pedal, and whether or not the car is going up a hill.
(Acuras will hold a lower gear as they go uphill to offer quicker engine response if needed)
Um... Hope this helps :confuse:
There is a foot rest there, but it's about 8" too close.
Putting the seat in a comfortable position for my legs leaves me in a situation where I can no longer reach the wheel comfortably.
I wish the steering wheel telescoped.
On a longer trip, your back and shoulders pay the price.
I've had a heating pad on my recliner at home ever since I got the MDX. (LOL)
I'm living with it since this will become my wife's car as soon as I figure out what I want to drive next.
Whatever it is, it'll have a telescoping wheel.
Leaning toward the Lexus IS and the '07 Acura TL Type-S
Funny how both are much smaller vehicles but both will fit me so much more comfortably.
I'm a former CR-V owner and heard a great many complaints about the legroom and steering wheel position in that vehicle. Mostly from people whose last vehicle was a small car. The same might apply to the MDX.
Essentially, many people have grown accustomed to sitting with the seat raked back quite a bit. Like you might sit in a recliner. This is often the most comfortable position in a small car or a car that is low to the ground. The seating position in a truck or SUV is more like a dining room chair (upright). Try adjusting your seat back to a more upright position, then adjust the wheel and the chair's fore and aft adjustment.
I'm 6'2" and have no problem with my MDX. The guy who designed the vehicle is 6'5". My only problem is that the dead pedal isn't quite long enough for my big feet! :confuse:
I'm 6'0" but I have long legs.
I traded in a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited when I bought the MDX and I never, ever had a comfort problem in that vehicle. There was room to spare.
My complaint isn't so much the leg room all together. My gas foot is very comfortable.
It's the left foot, doing nothing while I drive.
There is a foot rest down there on the left, but they squeezed it right between the emergency brake and brake pedals, leaving no room but on that foot rest for my left foot to rest. It is too close to me, by about 8".
I have bad knees and I like to move around a little. Sitting stagnent for too long gets me uncomfortable.
There is plenty of room on the right side for the gas foot to access the gas pedal from many different angles.
There is no comfortable place for the left foot.
Some jerk in a parking lot rear ended my MDX and drove away without leaving any information. The driver seems to have hit the bumper at an angle that caused the passenger side exhaust to go in just a wee bit. It didn't look all that bad at first and I drove it home without thinking twice. But the exhuast was coming on to the bent part of the bumper and the heat discolored the fiber glass a little and melted the black plastic that skirts it below. It looks so strange now: like someone has shot a slender heat missile through the corner of the bumper.
Anyways, long story short I want to replace my bumper and was wondering if anyone here has an approximate idea of how much it would cost. 2005 MDX Touring. Thank you.
I had a similar problem over a year back. My check engine light go on. I Took to the service department - need software update - no problem. Few days later - same problem reapeer again. Only after my third return they figure out that the problem was with a 'goose neck' of a gas tank had loose contact with gas cover cap. They replace 'goose neck' - never had this problem again.
Thanks.
The MDX sports the Honda VTech V6 engine.
Honda's VTech engines are known for their high rpm characteristics.
Since the MDX is approx 6000 lbs, it does take some torque to get it up and running, and the vtech requires higher rpms before this torque is available.
Also, if accelerating uphill, the MDX will hold a lower gear and run at higher RPMs, as designed.
We all see the higher RPMs, but the transmission does appear to shift very smoothly so I don't think this is an issue with the vehicle not running as designed.
I think it's more of an issue with people who come from other cars which dont run this same way.
I test drove a MDX for 45 minutes on all roads types before deciding and I am still very happy with my decision to buy.
Just drove from MA to MI and IL and back.... car ran flawlessly and averaged 23 MPG.
Not bad!
The black perforated leather seats have ugly white fibers that are always working their way out of the little holes....
This is driving me crazy.
Anyone else seeing this?
In a short amount of time, the friction of sitting in the seat will yank those excess fibers out. I recall some owners trying to remove them quicker, using a clothes shaver or tape -- with varying degrees of success.
Congratulations on your new MDX.