NHTSA Complaint #10614969 — 2014 ACURA MDX

ON JULY 14 2014, WAS DRIVING MY NEW 2014 MDX. SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE LIKE A FLAT TIRE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND CHECKED THE TIRES. DIDN'T SEE ANY FLAT. CHECKED THE TIRE GAUGE AND ALL READING GOOD. CONTINUED GOING WHERE I HAD TO GO AND THE NOISE CAME BACK. IT SOUNDED LIKE DUMP,DUMP,DUMP. THE NOISES COME AND GO AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. GOT BACK HOME AND REMOVED THE SPIRE TIRE, MIGHT BE LOOSE. DROVE AROUND THE BLOCK AND STILL HEARD THE NOISE AGAIN. IT?S GETTING DARK AND THE FOLLOWING DAY WAS RAINING. FINALLY GOT GOOD WEATHER. DECIDED TO MOVE THE CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND LOOK UNDER THE CAR. AS I WAS LOOKING I COULD SEE THE LEFT REAR AXLE BOOT WAS TWISTED AND GREASE BLEEDING OUT. I DECIDED TO CRAWL UNDER THE CAR AND SAW THE WHOLE DIFFERENTIAL WAS LOOSE. I COULD SHAKE THE UNIT. AS I LOOK CLOSER, I COULD SEE 3 BOLTS MISSING AND 1 BARELY HOLDING THE DIFFERENTIAL ON THE CHASSE. I CALLED ACURA SERVICE AND TOLD THEM ABOUT MY PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN. CALLED ROADSIDE SERVICE AND HAD THEM PUT IT ON A FLATBED. THE DEALER IS REPLACING THE LEFT AXLE AND BOLTS. I HOPE NOTHING ELSE WILL COME LOOSE AND THIS DIDN'T DAMAGE ANYTHING ELSE. *TR