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Some people claim to hear some suspension noise but it's hard to verify how bad it is -- most vehicles have some kind of suspension noise.
I have seen a number of folks with oil leaks or transmission leaks, probably the result of bad seals during the assembly process. Doesn't seem to be too widespread but I've seen more than three of them. I keep an eye for anything on the garage floor.
Consumer Reports assessment of the MDX, based on initial surveys, is "above average." Not as high as the mature RX300 but pretty good. The newer models should be even better though not perfect (more complex vehicle than the average Civic or Accord, Ontario plant that hasn't yet achieved super-high quality-control levels, etc.).
Remember that the MDX has the infamous problem inherited from the Odyssey -- the sloshing gas tank noise. I don't believe the 2002's correct this either.
There are some relatively smaller nits with the MDX. "Nicked door pillars" is one. The material on the inside of the B-pillar is some textured plastic, and if you let your seatbelt fly off the buckle can make a little nick in it. Adds up over time. Shame on Acura for not putting some better soft material on the inside of the B-pillar. Dealers have been known to replace the material under warranty. Owners who know about it tend not to let the buckle fly when they take off the belt.
The "weeping mirrors" was a LOT more pronounced, and very irritating. You'd wash the car or it would rain, and day later it'd be slowly dripping water down the side of the vehicle. Depending on the hardness of the water and your paint color, sometimes it'd even leave a stain.
FWIW, I've had my MDX since early October 2000 and have never noticed a weeping mirror problem. And we live in the Seattle area, which is no stranger to rain! Guess I was lucky.
I have had the dealership look at this problem. They sent my MDX through the car wash and replicated the problem. They then sent 2 brand new MDXs through the wash and the same problem occurred. After consulting with their Technical Center they were told that the problem had been reported before, by other dealerships, and there was currently no known fix. The local service center manager then contacted his friend, who owns an MDX, and was told that he also has this problem. That's fairly significant to have 4 out of 4 cars tested show this problem. Acura technicians have even told me they are not sure Acura is going to fix this problem and they have no way of finding out!
Do you have the same problem? Drop me an email at dlabeau@charter.net
I do notice that the rear window doesn't stay clear, maybe I will have to add the rear spoiler down the line to see if that can keep the rain/dirt from getting on the window while driving.
Anyway this is what I found...don't lower the window when raining or after a car wash.
Best to take the vehicle into your dealer and have them look at it.
Here is the TSB:
http://www.acuramdx.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2811
I saw that Motor Trend report too. They were very positive, and even showed the MDX on a light off-road course.
Some transmission noise upon shifting to drive is to be expected, but I don't know if it's abnormal in your case. Best to demonstrate it to a dealer's service tech and let them judge.
Also, please see #4198 on main MDX discussion regarding gas tank overflow; anyone have a solution from Acura as yet?
my mdx is only like 3 weeks old so i wasn't driving to fast due to the break in period. Now that I am past that I have begun treating it a little more rough and I think I know what you are referring to.
i don't know too much about transmission mechanics and rpms, but i have begun to notice that when I hit the gas to pass, there is some hesitation before I feel the increase of speed. Is this what you are talking about? At least it's a quiet vehicle so you don't hear the engine struggling like my old sedan.
The fifth gear (D5), as you probably know, is very tall for highway fuel economy purposes. If you push the pedal with medium force, there could be a slight delay since the revs go up but the vehicle is still loafing along in fifth gear. So it takes a bit longer to pass. If you hit the shift-point, you'll feel much more acceleration.
If you push the pedal down with a much firmer foot, you can get the downshift immediately, and you'll find yourself whooshing by the vehicle you're passing. Quite pleasing, actually, that's one of the most positive aspects of the MDX.
Or, you can drop into D4 when you pass.
I remember someone here complaining about passing and climbing, but it turns out they weren't using premium fuel as recommended by Acura.
i haven't experienced it yet, but i hardly use it.
Build quality less than expected, though nothing major wrong. It is sluggish. Not enough engine for the tall fifth gear. Unlocks torque converter on anything other than a slight incline. Will downshift to fourth on medium freeway hills. Acceleration from a standing start is fine, but passing on a two lane road when speeds are above 50 is a challenge. Not the fastest downshifter, but no major delay either.
Brake pedal groans (inside the car) louder than others that I have checked, but dealer can find nothing wrong. Rear brakes clunk/bang from time to time, but stopping is smooth. Driver's door lock rattles if in locked position.
Seat memory fades with time. Headlights were aimed much too low and beam pattern could be better. Front A/C typical Honda - slow to cool, but eventually catches up and works well thereafter. Rear unit works well all the time.
Rear bumper scuff strip is too short. Result is the rear edge of painted bumper get scratched easily. Looks like the one from the Pilot, which covers the rear edge, will fit.
Had it on a couple of trips including mountains to 7000 feet. Does well going up because the tranny holds a lower gear by itself, however there is not much engine braking available on the way down (even in second gear).
My dad basically took a metal tie (like the ones you see at grocery stores to tie bread) and removed the outer paper (just burned it off with a match). This left me with a very thin metal tie (much thinner than a toothpick) that he used to insert into the nozzle. He basically moved it around to clear out the nozzle and this fixed the problem.
The local newspaper had a small article saying the it affected 2-3% of the cars and Honda will extend the guarantee. It did not say what the problem was or how long the extension will be.
My brother in California saw something on their TV news saying it was a serious problem that could lock up the wheels even at speeds of 80 MPH. Does anyone know about it?
My dealer did not have a thing on it.
The MDX has a five speed and so far has proven reliable. I spoke with Acura customer service (they called me about a resonation problem) and they told me the MDX transmissions are not among those that are experiencing problems.
That said, the faint resonating hum I hear in 5th gear only, between 2100 and 2300 rpm, may be a transmission related problem. The car has been in for inspection and so far neither the dealer nor Acura has been able to pinpoint the cause.
Unfortunately, the Pilot still has the old transmission (not sure about the realibilty thought).
You know there is all this discussion about why they changed it, and what that means for the '02 because of problems...it also could mean that the '03 has a bad one with all sorts of first year problems...I doubt either...maybe they just wanted to keep the car competitive.