NHTSA Complaint #10395961 — 2004 ACURA MDX

2004 ACURA MDX, STARTED TO SHUDDER/VIBRATE/GRINDING NOISE NOTICED JUST AFTER 50K MILES. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 45 MILES, TRYING TO COAST OR DECELERATE. ALSO OBSERVED THE SUDDEN HESITATION OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE SHUDDER OCCURS. IF I PUT IT IN D4 (INSTEAD OF D5) THEN IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE MAKING THE GRINDING NOISE/VIBRATION. I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE AROUND 50K+ MILEAGE TO THE DEALER BUT DEALER SAID THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE/IDENTIFY IT. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM IN 2 OTHER VISITS TO THE ACURA DEALERSHIP, EVERY TIME THEY DENIED THE PROBLEM. NOW, AT 90K MILES I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THIS TIME THEY WERE ABLE TO HEAR AND OBSERVE THE SOUND, EXACTLY THE SAME AS I HAVE BEEN REPORTING SINCE IT HAD 50K+ MILEAGE. ACURA DEALER IS SAYING THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION (TORQUE CONVERTER) HAS TO BE REPLACED. FOR A VEHICLE THAT COSTS $40K HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES AT 50K MILEAGE IS UNACCEPTABLE. I DON'T DRIVE IT ROUGH AND DON'T NEGLECT THE MAINTENANCE. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS IN THE ONLINE FORUMS ON THIS EXACT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ACURA/HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE IS VERY POOR OR NON-EXISTING, THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF SUCH A PROBLEMATIC COMPONENT IN A LUXURY VEHICLE. *TR