Acura MDX Maintenance and Repair

frev

Unfortunately the tranny slipping seems random and not repeatable on any basis. I am going to see if their service manager wants to drive it for a couple of days as it is tat random. Something new today, while accelerating down an entrance ramp it downshifted into 1st, instead of going into third. This is a huge issue as the rpm's shot immediately into the red zone. My dealer will be hearing from me in the morning. They did record my complaint on the service order last time. Good points made by both, thanks. I will contact Acura directly depending what service and follow-up is taken by my dealer.

sbcooke

Have you been to a jiffy lube or some place like that? They sometimes check to see fluid levels and don't know what they are doing. Low ATF can cause problematic shifting. Don't rule out the fluid being the problem. How about asking the dealership to do a transmission flush for you under warranty? It should only be about $100.

I am not sure but I think the transmission warranty on the '02 model was extended to 7/100,000 can anyone confirm?

frev

For what it is worth I spoke with Acura USA and they said there was not any recall or problems with that transmission. I'll check my warranty papers andI'll keep my eyes on this board to see if anyone has heard of an 7/100k warranty on the transmission. My dealer is going to keep and drive the truck a couple of days next week. They say that unless they can replicate the problem, they cannot begin to confirm, diagnose or fix it. Of course, yesterday and today was problem free.

fndlyfmrflyr

I read somewhere that most of the problems were with the four speed automatic transmission. Both of my neighbor's Hondas have four speed transmissions and both are covered by the 7/100 warranty now. This is the same person that had his Odyssey transmission fail twice. I've also read there were some problems with the five speed automatic in the CL (and maybe TL) also. A friend's CL-S transmission, a five speed automatic, was replaced earlier this year.

When I called Acura several months ago about the transmission problems I was given the same information as frev in post 159.

sapp1

my 2001 mdx locked up as i was driving through the neighborhood. the brake and engine light came on as the car stopped on its own (as if the emergency brake was on). it was in drive, however, it would not move forward. i put it in park and then drive again and pushed the gas, however, nothing happened, not even a rev of the engine. the problem went away after shutting the car completely off and re-starting the engine. the dealer tells me that they cannot find the problem. does anyone know if the on board computers will log the problem in history?

stnbrnt

does anyone know how to program the remote to the keyless entry to a 2001 mdx

sbcooke

I do. I was so happy when I found this because the dealer wanted $100 to do it on top of $100 replacement cost on the key and fob. It is the same across most acura's.

Look back to posts...

sbcooke "Acura MDX" Jun 19, 2002 9:45pm

sbcooke "Acura MDX" Jun 19, 2002 10:33pm

It is important at the step 13 you have all the fobs you want to program ready to setup.

tprice

We took delivery of a Sandstone metallic MDX Wednesday night. Everything was good except that we noticed a light spot on the hood - about 3 inches long where it looks like the paint didn't spray quite right or something. At first glance it looks like a reflection off of a light or when light reflects onto something off of a watch crystal on a sunny day, etc.. The paint is smooth and it looks to be beneath the clear coat. The dealership said to bring it back and they will attempt to wet sand it. Given how deep it looks I seriously doubt this will do anything. I hate the thought of getting into refinishing the hood and trying to color match, reapplying clear coat, etc.. I've had some pretty fantastic body work done but not on a new car! Most folks will ikely not see it but I will everytime I approach, wash it, wax it, etc.. If the quality control folks had seen the hood coming off the line I'm it would have been rejected. Any thoughts or experiences with this sort of issue? I don't know how much luck I would have insisting on a new hood being shipped from the factory with a factory finish but am thinking I should take up with the zone folks if the dealer trys to steer me toward them refinishing in their body shop. Just very frustrating for a brand new $40K+ car - any new car for that matter. Otherwise, no complaints.

fndlyfmrflyr

May be a poor repair job. Don't know about today, but not too many years ago most cosmetic shipping damage was repaired before the dealer received the car. Most of the time the job would be good enough that the buyer would not notice and the dealers were not told of the damage.

I have had two cars that I know had been repaired before the dealer received the cars. Each had a small area where the paint wasn't quite right. In each case the dealer didn't receive any information that the the cars had received repair work before being delivered to him. Both had to be "fixed" after delivery. Both were just a repaint (one was the driver's door and the other was part of the trunk) and both held up fine. I kept one of the cars 12 years.

I suspect my 1990 Volvo also received some paint work after shipping. The paint on the right front side of the hood was rough, though the color matched perfectly. The hood was re painted after delivery to me, matched perfectly, and was fine for the ten years I had the car.

If it was my car I would insist that the hood be made right. Don't expect a new hood pre-painted at the factory. Probably would not be an exact match anyway. A good body shop can do a long lasting repair that will match the rest of the paint on the car. My 02 MDX has two cosmetic defects that I noticed shortly after delivery. One is paint on a rear fender and the other inside on the top of the dash. The dealer offered to repair both under warranty.

schoung

I just leased a 03 MDX with Touring and Navi this August. I drove the car for a week, and then went out of town for three weeks. When I got back, the battery was dead. I'm nearly certain nothing (eg. lights....) was left on. After calling roadside assistance and getting the car jumped, I drove it for about a 1/2 hour. The following morning, I had to crank the car for 5-6 secs to start it. It's been fine since. Was this normal or should I have it checked out?

acura18

I have a 2002 MDX touring with 40K miles. Immediately I experienced the clunking noise in the rear of the car, esp. when I put the car in reverse but even when I go over small speed bumps. It sounds like something is going to fall off the car. I experienced this same problem with my 1999 RL, but the clunking was under the passenger side front seat.

I also have experienced the weird "chirping" noise. I thought that it could have something to do with the A/C but I turned off the A/C and the sound persisted. It only happens every now and then. It sounds like a bird is stuck in the engine.

And now, most recently, I am experiencing a very distressing grinding noise when I carry anyone over 100lbs in my backseat. It occurs mostly on turns, curves or bumps. It sounds like the tires are scraping against the fenders, but there is no evidence of this on the tires. I will be taking the car to the dealer next week. Oh and also, this week I have experienced the car stalling at stop signs. The idle "skips" and the car stalls. I did put cheap gas in the day before this began and have since used only Premium fuel but I'm still experiencing a "miss" in the engine but not any stalling.

Is anyone experiencing this grinding and stalling? I do have 40K miles but the MDX was touted as the best SUV on the road.

sbcooke

Battery...not normal unless you left a light on or the door ajar? sometimes new batteries get swapped out on the dealer lot and then used replacements get put it? If it doesn't re-occur then you probably left something open? If it does you either have a bad battery or a short somewhere causing a drain.

Grinding over bumps...I had an old Nissan Altima that did the same thing over bumps with anyone in the car, it was the struts and I learned to live with it since it was common. With the MDX it isn't common, so they should fix it. It could also be something loose or rubbing in the suspension.

Have you had your MDX serviced at the regular intervals? They supposedly "re-torque" some suspension components at 7500 miles and the 2001's had a few welds that had to be grinded off to elimate noise.

slocko

Hi all,

My Honda dealer is willing to do the 15k maintenance on my 2002 MDX. The price is 150 vs 300 dollars.

Is this okay? Anything special that needs to be done for this service?

sbcooke

I don't have the book in front of me, but I think 15K is pretty simple. Nothing more than a pilot should need. The VTM fluid should have been changed a 7500. What is next? Oil/Rotate tires? Check the manual and see what is included in the service. It might just be cheaper to go get the oil changed and tires rotated and you perform the rest of the "checks" yourself?

sbcooke

I just found this...

http://www.northeastacura.com/en_US/f_MiscPage_6.chtml

You might be able to save $$ if you go ala carte.

slocko

that link says to change the differential fluid again.

slocko

i'll check the manual and compare it to the pilot schedule. you might be right. just get the oil changed and the tires rotated. i can check the rest.

sbcooke

I think it is a dealer site so it probably recommends everytime to make more money. When I read the manual I was pretty sure it said 7K and 30K on the change.

Though the manual did say 5W20 oil...which was a mistake, it is supposed to be 5W30.

miks

My 03 MDX started chirping. Drove me crazy. The dealership couldn't find it and replaced the front blower motor because it sounded like it was somewhere in the front. That didn't fix it. They said it sounds like a cricket. I told them to call me when they found it because it was not driveable in that condition! Turned out it was the rear blower motor! A bearing was bad in it. The thing would chirp only occasionally at first or only with the AC on. Then all the time. I am to pick it up today. They said it is fixed. I will keep you posted. Also had to replace the electrical switch for the steering wheel because the steering wheel controls went haywire. They also replaced the cable reel because the air bag light for the DRIVER kept coming on. I too had some flaws in the paint but they were repaired and I am very satisfied. Good Luck. I really think it depends on the dealership as to your level of satisfaction. Mine has been very good so far. I am very meticulous.

slocko

that is pretty embarassing. i don't know if the car wash did it, or if some one took it.

slocko

has anyone ever seen that?

one day i noticed that my front headlight, has condensation in it. i was surprised cause i thought those lights were pretty air tight.

csusarla

My wife experienced the similar probelm like sapp1 (message 161) did..The engine stopped, was unable to park even after the changing the transmission to Parking, the vehicle rolled upto 50 feet.
After switching off the turning it on again, the prodlem did not re-appear.
Did you check with the dealer , if so what's the response?

popejohn

I have a 2003 and would like to protect the rear cargo area. Does anyone have experience with the cargo liner? How sturdy is it? I have been hauling sod, lumber, etc. The alternative is the cargo tray, which looks like the all season mats, which I know are sturdy, but it only covers the floor. The tray is $50 cheaper.

sbcooke

Check out husky liners. I have one for my other truck and it is great, 2" sides so it captures everything and will protect against a liquid spill also.

fndlyfmrflyr

I have one. Dealer threw it in when I bought almost two years ago. It covers everything, which makes it a real pain to install and remove. I didn't want the tray because I wanted to be able to carry people in the third row and couldn't with the tray in place, but could with the liner.

I ended up cutting off everything that covered the sides and back of the middle row seats. Now it is just a mat, which works quite well for my hauling. I've carried sod and lumber, as well as bags of salt, plants, and other dirt dropping things. Keeps the carpet clean and I just hose it off. I left enough on so that there is a flap that covers the rear bumper when I load and unload. When not in use I roll it up and store it in the under floor area in the back.

I also found the cargo net tends to keep things from sliding around.

popejohn

Thanks for the input.

rsirigin

Not a big problem but I started to notice that the glove box light on my new 04 MDX is intermittently ON whenever my keys are in the ignition and also when I am driving. Am I alone, did anybody else notice this same behavior?

Here are some symptoms:
- It turns ON whenever I open the doors, along with the other lights
- When I start the car and shut the door, all other lights in the car slowly turn OFF by themselves except for the light in the glow box
- When I stop at the signal light it will sometimes turn OFF but comes right back as soon I start moving.

Is this a loose connection, it has only been a three days since I bought this vehicle.

mkarp

With the dealer prices way over priced, I had my local mechanic perform the 30k on my 01 mdx. He looked at the VTM fluid and said it did not need to be changed. Am I going to run into any problems? It was changed at the 7500. Does this do anything to my warranty? any thoughts would be appreciated.

hopeitsfriday

You had your VTM fluid change at 7500, the next VTM oil change should be around 20000 miles, not 30000 miles. If you ever have any warranty problem with your VTM system, they have the right to ask you to prove regular schedule maintenance, and the regular schedule maintenance calls for VTM oil change, not inspection. If you think about, what are you saving really by not doing it on time, $40 or so every year. This is a $40000 car, need i remind you. Besides, by taking a sample of the VTM oil and looking at it, your mechanic already did half of the work. Just dont see the point of skipping it at that point. BTW you must use Factory VTM oil or its approved equivalent, or you may run into problems. Maybe thats why your mechanic didnt want to change the VTM oil, because he didnt have the correct type on hand.

fndlyfmrflyr

My owner's manual says 7.5k and 30k for VTM-4 fluid changes.

IF you have a problem with the VTM unit, Honda, if they want proof you have maintained the car according to the owner's manual, can ask for you to prove you had the fluid changed. If you can't they will probably not do the repair under warranty. You could fight it if the problem was not lubrication related, but it would be a long shot.

The cost of the fluid is about $20 per gallon. It takes less than a gallon. Your mechanic will need a very clean pump (about $10 from the Acura dealer) to get the fluid from the container into the VTM unit. The pump fits the container top and has a fitting at the hose end that snaps into the VTM unit.

There is no accurate way to check the fluid properties visually. All one can do is check fluid level. There are clutches in the unit and, like my old positraction (limited slip) rear ends from the old days, the fluid needs to be changed to keep these functioning properly (no grabbing).

Around here Acura dealer charge $65 to $85 for a VTM fluid change. While the job takes less than a half hour, it took my dealer over two hours before he got the car in and back to me. I bought the hand pump from Acura and will change it myself at 30k. It will be done while I change the oil, so it shouldn't add more than 15 minutes to the oil change time. As with an oil change, the car does not need to be on a lift. There is plenty of room to slide under the car and get to the VTM unit.

hopeitsfriday

I guess it really depends on which maintenance schedule you go by. As you know, there are two maintenance schedule, one for normal condition and another for severe conditions. The recommended VTM oil change interval for normal condition is 30000 miles, but for severe condition is 15000 miles. I like to play it on the safe side and lean more toward the severe condition schedule. Just like the engine oil change, which is 3500 mile for severe and 7500 for normal, I try to change it at around 4000 miles.

sbcooke

There are a lot of posts on the Pilot forum regarding poor ABS performance? I haven't had any real emergency stop situations, but don't remember any issues in snow and how the ABS worked...I seem to remember it worked well...but nothing specific stands out.

Has anyone had issues with this? There was one post from a 2001 MDX on that forum with a problem? Since the 2003 Pilot and 2001/2 MDXs are almost twins I would assume those same problems would show up here?

fndlyfmrflyr

No braking performance problems on mine. However, emergency stopping distances are not short. Most published road tests I've seen confirm longer than average stopping distances, so I don't consider this a repairable issue. The number two MDX (an early 02) in the family did need brake repairs early on.

mdwu

This is a similar post as in Dec 2002 (msg 54), but I have a 2003 MDX instead of 2002. It has a distinct clink noise in brakes each time I reverse direction and apply the brakes. If I back up after stopping in a forward direction and apply the brakes they will give off a distinct Clink Clunk Bang. The same thing will occur when I stop going forward. It only occurs once in each direction. Acura and the dealers know of the problem and it is occurring on a lot of 2002/2003 models. I get the impression they know and do not plan to fix the problem. Like the previous posts on the brake problem - I could have bought a cheaper car if I was interested in CLINK CLUNK BANG brakes. We spent average of $40k on these 'luxury' SUV, Acura and dealers claim to be the design of "FLOATING" brake pad?!? Can we have a class legal action against them? Because my family is sort of stressed everyday hearing this CLINK CLUNK BANK brake noises.

fndlyfmrflyr

The noise is a design characteristic as opposed to a defect. The noise is common and apparently has no adverse effect on brake performance. The end result of legal action for a non safety related issue is likely to be a thinner pocket book for those that take the action.

Considering other vehicles with "floating" systems don't seem to have this problem one would think Honda would have a fix by now. Maybe the 2004 model is different.

Yes, it is annoying. No, one doesn't expect this noise on a $40k car, or a less costly vehicle either. Our experience is that with time it becomes less annoying.

bayou1312

My MDX '03 with 8500 miles was difficult starting twice in the last 3 weeks. The engine would turn over but it wouldn't start; kind-a-like it was flooded. I let it rest for one minute, left my foot off the accelerator, and it started. One more time and I'm taking to John Eagle Acura in Houston (will need to get the confidence back). Just thought I'd pass it on in case any of you had similar problems.

fndlyfmrflyr

Why wait?

hopeitsfriday

I think its your engine immobilzer not shutting off. There is a code inside your key, if for reason that code doesnt get transmitted to the alarm system, the engine will just keep turning and won't start. Try removing the key and re-inserting it. or even cleaning the key with some paper towel. Good Luck.

harjits

Drove the car for 3 days, didnt notice it on Friday/Sat but on Suday I could hear very distinct "humming" noise. It like a sinusoidal wave. Talked to dealer thgis morning nothing like this reported so far. When I push the throtle it goes away. Then I didnt noticed it for 2-3 hrs on way back to home. But makes me feel if the car is pushing something. Did anybody else experienced something like this.

Thanks
Harjit

fndlyfmrflyr

At what speeds to you hear the noise? My 02 has a noise as you describe in 5th gear between 75 and 85 mph. Acura has been unable to determine the cause. In my case it is not engine speed related because it doesn't happen in lower gears. On mine, it sounds like a resonance that is not engine or transmission related. At extreme high speeds a different resonance comes from the left front of the car. Almost sounds like the left front fender and hood are about to depart the car. This has only happened at legal freeway speeds (65 or so - the car wouldn't go any faster, even in fourth gear) driving into 60 mph plus gusting head winds.

sbcooke

I don't notice it with the windows up.

harsmdx

It happens at all speed...Will monotor it for 3-4 more days then 'll take to dealership.

Thanks

dbingeorgia

Is there any way to adjust the sensitivity of the automatic headlights on 03 MDX? They don't come on early enough for me. Is this something dealer can change?

mdwu

I definitely can still hear those Clink Clunk Bang brake noises with the windows up. On serveral occassions, I actually scared the hell out of people around my car when brake was applied.

sbcooke

My isn't that loud...yet. I wonder if this problem is resolvable during a brake job? I still have hopefully 30K ahead of me before one, by then maybe there will be a fix.

rhhenne

I just noticed on my 2004 I just picked up, when I hit 68-75 mph I too am getting a low humming noise. I can't quite make out where it's coming from. I'm going to notify my dealer and see what they can find out.

fndlyfmrflyr

Please post what the dealer does to fix the problem. My 02 has a resonating hum between 2100 and 2300 rpm in 5th gear (75-85 mph) and neither the dealer nor Acura has been able to figure out the cause.

harsmdx

Today the service manager drove the car and he said " This will be a Headache , if he is driving one" and fully understands that this is definately a problem. Then he drove another one on their lot and problem did not existed on other one. Then he called Acura and they have suggested replacing resonator on Next Thu (Dec 4). I had picked up my car on Nov 14th and has put about 475 miles on it till now. Any idea if there is any Lemon Law that suggests "Replacing a Vehicle" if companay can not fix it. Its giving me headache now, After spending over 40K I have to go through this. I had heard about lemon laws on used cars but what exactly are those have no clue. I'll appreciate if somebody can throw more insight on the problem or if somebody had been able to get rid of this "Hum".

Harsmdx...

fndlyfmrflyr

Lemon laws vary state to state. In general, if something SIGNIFICANTLY adversely effects use, value, or safety and it is not repaired in a specific number (varies by state, but is usually 4 or less) of repair attempts the vehicle qualifies as a lemon and would qualify to either be replaced or repurchased (depends on state). The time limit and miles varies by state, but it is usually the first year, though for some it can be the length of the warranty.

Some manufacturers are very good about taking care of customers. Jaguar replaced my car three years ago, at my request, after two repair attempts (in a 4 repair attempt state). My Chevy dealer offered and did repurchase my first Corvette years ago. I thought so much of how well he treated me I bought another one from the same dealer about a year later.

By contrast, a little more than ten years ago, Volvo was like a tug of war. In my sixteen years hearing lemon law cases I found manufacturers, for the most part, were reasonable. There were some glaring exceptions.

If the car is not fixed the next time you bring it to the dealer make sure to write a letter to Acura about the problem and clearly state what you want and why you feel the car qualifies as a lemon. Be sure to document all of your conversations and, very important, make sure the repair order clearly states what the problem is (the noise) and the effect it has on you.

Hopefully the noise will be gone in a week and you can start enjoying your MDX.

desertkev

I used 87 octane for a short time on my vehicle, and recently switched back to 93 octane....much better performance and MPG. Clunky brake noise is annoying, but probably wouldn't get us a class action lawsuit. Changing VTM fluid....not too expensive and I would do everything the scheduled maintenance tells you to do...at least until the warranty expires....then change it as you see fit. Like the old saying goes "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" I change oil, tranny fluid, and vtm regularly.