NHTSA Complaint #10259797 — 2002 ACURA MDX

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT WHENEVER THE SPEED REACHED BETWEEN 20-35 MPH, THE GEARS WOULD STICK. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR BEGAN ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE REPAIR, THE GEARS BECAME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO SHIFT THAN BEFORE THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING FROM THE REAR AND ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST ACURA DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE BRACKET FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD ISSUE A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS FOR THE INTERMEDIATE BRACKET. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,900 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.