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Also on your 2001 MDX, you probobly have two broken motor mounts and the lower front balljoints are shot.
Having both front and rear "solidly" driven will ALWAYS result in extreme stress on the drivetrain and tires.....
EXCEPT ON A KNOWN SLIPPERY SURFACE.
The MDX was switched to the SH-AWD system for this very reason.
*** RX300, Escape/Mariner, MDX, etc.
BTW I purchased the car from Paragon Acura in NYC
Enjoy the new ride!
The Secret Warranty
If they won't do it, file a complaint with BBB. If they still refuse, go to another dealer. They may help in an attempt to get all your future business. But the bottom line is that if all this fails, you are screwed. if you contact a lawyer, you will get double screwed.
Driving both rear wheels along with at least one front wheel on a highly tractive surface even only for/during acceleration begins to look like a BAD idea. Accumulative effects of the stress/heat takes its toll in the long term.
2nd dealer would NOT recommend a repair at all and that might have something to do with it. I tried to appeal to their sense of SHAME that Lexus folks gave us 4 brand new Michellen tires when we complained about the cabin noise with their Toyo tires!! This was at 48,000 miles. They showed NO SHAME despite the fact that cost of a customer retention HAS to be at least $5,000 in US market.
If I had seen the postings here about the transmission problem, I would have thought twice about buying an MDX! Keep up the good work here since I am sure someone is being helped, if it's too late for us suckers.
David
I purchased a new RL 08 (in Feb of 08) and it now has 58k and up until two weeks ago, there were NO mechanical issues I had to deal with. However, this last week when I had the 60k service, they found my power steering pump was gone. If I DIDNOT invest in my 100k warranty the cost to me would have been just about $ 1000. But since I purchased my 100k warranty I only had to pay y deductible of $ 100. I.e. the cost of the warranty was $ 700, add my $ 100 part I still made $ 200
I learned the hard way years ago not spending an extra $600-800 to get an extended warranty. And I have not had any issues with the tranny. Just the pump.
Good luck to all and stay safe
jensad
So...last Thursday the car stopped driving: engine revved but car wouldn't engage so I had it towed to the same dealer that performed the aforementioned repair. Diagnosis: radiator failed and the coolant back-flowed into the transmission, which resulted in a catastrophic failure. Dealer wanted $1800 just to do tranny flush to tell me whether I would need a new transmission, which would then cost me anywhere between $5500-$6000. Had it towed to local transmission specialist (super-reputable) who said flush job is a rip-off and I need new tranny. He's trying to get me the best deal he can but estimates are still hovering near the $5k mark (this includes the radiator work and an exorbitant, I think, charge for a 3 year warranty).
Anyone have any advice about what I should do? It seems to me that this is a basic design flaw and I don't feel that I should pay because Acura has never heard of a check valve. I read several posts in which it was mentioned that Acura payed some of the cost. Thoughts? Ideas? Any help appreciated.
Your "reputable" shop may not want to do this since they would then be responsible in the low likelihood my procedure doesn't work long term, 30-50,000 miles of additional trouble free use.
Try it, you might like it.
We are thinking about buying a certified pre-owned 2008/2009 MDX. I've read most of the messages here and got really horrified by the transmission problem for 01-06 MDX. With regarding to 2008/2009 MDX, we have some questions:
1) Does this horrible transmission problem still exist for 2008/2009 MDX? I know they redesigned MDX for 2007. Does the problem still exist afterwards?
2) Read some articles here and somewhere else complaining the engine lights can go on if using some sub-premium gas. Is this true?
3) Failure to change transmission fluid can result in transmission failures?
Not trying to draw a debate. I'm driving an old 96 Camry and it has 140k miles on it. Never has any problem with engine and transmission. Always on regular gas. Haven't change transmission fluid for past 5 years... It's just my wife wants a 3-row luxury SUV upgrade...
Thanks a lot for your inputs...
2)I have 2006. I recently filled my tank with mid grade, I believe 89 octane instead of normal 93. I almost always use 93 premium but this gas station was such ripoff I did not feel like paying that much. This is only 2nd time i've filled up on mid grade. I have not noticed any difference from using 93 premium to 89 but I definitely do not recommend using regular. The Gas cap states that you must use premium but personally I haven't noticed anything different.
3) YES...especially true with Acura MDX! I believe acura recommends every 40k miles but I've read some owners do it at 20k just to be extra safe. I do it every 30k.
4) You're doing the right thing by going the certified route. You're protected. I can't sit here and say not to buy Acura. I've had my torque converter replaced and my transmission still whines and am worried incessantly about transmission failure. I'll deal with it when the time comes. Do your self a favor. If you decide on the MDX, buy the extra extended warranty for period after when the certified warranty period runs out. If I had the extended warranty, I probably wouldn't be too worried. Keep this in mind and add to your budget when you're comparison shopping.
You can also go to mdxers dot org and get more info from the forum there. Good luck!
A million thanks to your fast and detailed reply. Wondering if they have something longer than extended warranty. Based on what I read, extended warranty covers 7yr/100k miles. Thinking about keep the MDX as long as it can run smoothly...
Again, a million thanks.
Besides transmision problems, you have motor mount and ball joint failures.
Keep your old car for another two years and buy a Ford product in 2014. There are some really good things coming. Put $250 in savings every month until then.
"Those" vehicles would also dethrottle the engine simultaneously with engaging rear drive, the "awd" aspect, in order to prevent an undue, improper, level of driveline stress/HEAT and/or tire scrubbing and at the same time reduce or alleviate the potentual for loss of directional control.
Then along came the SH-AWD system, more logical system, that "hooks in" the rear drive capability for ALL low speed, sub-20 MPH, acceleration efforts....
REGARDLESS of road conditions, HIGHLY TRACTIVE or no.
Other marques, as a result of the stellar success of the SH-AWD system, began casting about for a more functional but still transparent "automatic", FULL TIME, F/awd system. Most have seemingly settled on the tried and true (abet with a few dead soldiers scattered alongside US roadways) Ford Escape electromagnetic clutch system. Even Porsche now uses this technique in the new Cayenne and Panamera R/awd systems.
Engaging both rear and front drives simultaneously, for the clear majority of us, operating mostly on highly tractive roadbeds, will eventually take its "toll".
Pay be now or pay me later...
Lexus is now using this same F/awd system in the 2010 and later RX350 models. Should they, sometime in the near future, adapt the RX450h(***) to this F/awd technique I will be at the head of the purchasing line. But the switch modification, allowing me to manually select "awd" functionality only in truly adverse road conditions, will be added in very short order.
*** Even better would be a Venza/H, with its new I4 adapted to/for DFI but like the RX450h's V6, using multimode Otto/Atkinson cycles. Otto mode, base/native AND effective compression ratio of 15:1, automatically switching into Atkinson mode under acceleration, more complete cylinder "fills", effective CR of 12:1 (DFI "standard").
40MPG Venza/H.
Even 40 MPG hwy via the use of an SC and a lower displacement DFI/Otto/Atkinson I4.
I like the new Ford products.
While the torque converter lock-up clutch would undoubtedly be the weakest link in the MDX drive train the usual standard operation mode is to have it unlocked under any and all acceleration situations.
As such it should not be subject to failure due to the sometimes extreme driveline stresses resulting from rear drive engagement during acceleration circumstances.
Yet here we are.
There is no doubt that the lockup clutch MUST be DISENGAGED during braking and/or with low road speeds but we cannot be fully certain otherwise.
Does anyone know for certain...??
If the lockup clutch is failing due to the extreme driveline stress resulting from having both rear and front drives engaged simultaneously, a highly likely scenario, the first line of defense/FIX would be, might be, a firmware revision.
Revise the SH-AWD system's control firmware to make less use of the SH-AWD system, say disable it at a lower speed. Or, if this is not already the case, always disengage the lockup clutch whenever the rear drive is being used at any level, even minor.
1. Eliminates the need for idle air bypass method.
2. No need for separate cruise control servo.
3. No need for secondary VSC/Trac engine dethrottling system.
4. Engine torque rise is, can be, independent of driver foot feed, "snow mode", "protect the drive train", etc.
5. In the case of Ford;s gas-guzling EcoBoost engines it allows the use of turbo boost to provide additional linear "throttle" opening once the throttle plate itself is fully open.
6. For FWD vehicles with engine HP well above 200 it provides a method for automatic, firmware, detuning of the engine in low gear ratios, low speed acceleration, in order to combat instances of loss of directional control due to front wheelspin/slip.
7. Is also a method for "pre-emptively" dethrottling the engine should VSC/Trac firmware predict an upcoming unstable condition, hard, HARD turn under low speed acceleration, say from a full stop.
And not least of all.....
8. Brake over-ride of the throttle plate.
We have owned both Lexus and Acura and would not touch Acura MDX with a 30 foot pole!! We have a 2005 MDX and the poor workmanship and poor quality is every where! Compared to Lexus, you will get poor Audio (FM and Speaker sound is just miserable and it's BOSE), Poor leather workmanship, Transmission concerns and to top it all, you will get poor service!
When it comes to servicing a Luxury brand owners expectations, Lexus gets it and Acura does NOT! Acura Customer Service folks combined with the poor quality of the product has left us no choice, but to avoid Acura! We would NOT recommend Acura to a stranger let alone family and friends.
Lexus replaced our tries for FREE at 48,000 miles when we complained about the cabin noise! That's what I mean when I am talking about understanding "expectation" from a luxury brand. Compare that to Acura who refused to waive a $1,000 cost to replace our transmission!
Whose product would you recommend, if you had a similar experience?
Really...??
The GX4xx and the LX4xx don't exist....?
But it would be nice if at least the GX were equipped with the GS's SFI/DFI , more FE conscious, V6. I might even get in line for one.
And neither of these have to pretend they have "AWD", a much more safe "AWD" vs the SH-AWD system.
Given a few beefed up, more robust drive train components, the MDX SH-AWD system could easily be a "true" AWD. With a few firmware revisions the MDX could be primarily RWD for cruising, 50/50 split for straight ahead acceleration, 30/70 otherwise.
Note that 4WD is different as it is typically manually adjustable and in some cases can be turned on and off (AWD shifts back and forth based on need and is automatic).
In ideal conditions, all AWD systems should be rear biased during acceleration as weight is transferred to the rear of the vehicle during launch (physics). Therefore by adding power to the rear wheels, you are able to make the most of the resulting downforce.
All of this is really has no bearing on this thread however as we are discussing the problems with the MDX and it's weak torque converter and the company's failure to properly address the problem.
They have more speeds, and seem to be programmed to mimic a manual transmission... It's especially noticeable during coasting to a stop, without braking..... aggressive downshifting seems to be the norm...
Older cars tend to coast freely, only downshifting to keep the engine from stalling.. It's disconcerting, until you get used to it..
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