NHTSA Complaint #10561172 — 2003 ACURA MDX

WHEN DRIVING MY 2003 ACURA MDX (SUV), LAST FALL, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS. IT WOULD BE IN 3RD GEAR AS I WOULD SLOW TO MAKE A TURN OR ENTER A PARKING AREA. WHEN I FINISHED A TURN AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WAS NO LONGER IN GEAR AND THE ENGINE JUST REVS AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. IN TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE MDX TO A COMPLETE STOP (RPM TO ZERO) AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD RE-ENGAGE AND MOVE FORWARD AGAIN. SOON, I WAS HAVING TO PUT THE CAR IN A LOWER GEAR TO GET IT TO MOVE FORWARD AND EACH TIME THE CAR DECELERATES, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS. IN MOVING TRAFFIC, HAVING TO MAKE A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET OR WHEN ENTERING THE HIGHWAY, ETC., IS DANGEROUS. I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE I CANNOT TRUST IT TO KEEP MOVING IN REGULAR TRAFFIC. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER BULLETIN / RECALL ON THE CAR (I AM SECOND OWNER), EVEN THOUGH I HAVE KEPT UP WITH SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. I CONTACTED ACURA (HOY FOX ACURA, EL PASO, TX) FOR ASSISTANCE, BUT THEY WERE DISMISSIVE WHEN THEY DISCOVERED I DID NOT PURCHASE MY ACURA FROM THEM. ACURA NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER RELATIONS HAS ALSO BEEN CONTACTED, AND ARE TELLING ME THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY (IT CURRENTLY HAS 200,000 MILES, BUT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE). I HAVE REVIEWED AND RESEARCHED A HUGE AMOUNT OF 2003 MDX TRANSMISSION FAILURES FROM 45K MILES TO 200,000 MILES (MY ISSUE BEGAN AT ABOUT 150,000 MILES). DOCUMENTATION ONLINE REFLECTS THAT ACURA MDX HAS BEEN PLAGUED WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THERE IS ALSO LITERATURE AND DOCUMENTATION LINKING TRANSMISSION FAILURE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER ISSUES IN THIS MODEL. THIS IS MY FIRST ACURA, AND I DO LIKE IT ENOUGH TO PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE. NOT SURE I WILL BE THAT "LOYAL", THOUGH, AFTER THIS SITUATION. MANY OWNERS SUGGEST FILING A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. *TR