NHTSA Complaint #10892606 — 2016 ACURA MDX

WE PURCHASED A 2016 ACURA MDX WITH SH-AWD. WITHIN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS WE NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS WERE JERKY AND ERRATIC. MOST OF THE PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING BLOW 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE ALSO LUNGES FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN DECELERATING WHILE YOUR FOOT IS OFF THE GAS PEDAL. IT FEELS AS IF THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS AND YOU GET SOME UNEXPECTED ACCELERATING. WE HAD ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION SINCE THE FIRST FEW WEEKS, THE DEALERSHIP KEPT SAYING THAT IT IS AN 'ADAPTIVE TRANSMISSION' AND WILL GET BETTER AFTER TIME. AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THINGS ONLY GOT WORSE. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE A LOUD METAL ON METAL NOISE WHEN STARTING THE CAR UP. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD IDENTIFY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION DECEMBER 2015 AND WE HAD TO GO BACK TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION ADJUSTED AS IT WAS SHIFTING SO HARD THAT YOU WOULD HEAR A CLUNK. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME AND IT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER. WE ARE VERY CAREFUL WHEN COMING TO A STOP BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW IF IT WILL SUDDENLY LUNGE FORWARD. NOW 8 MONTHS AFTER HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, THE SAME NOISE IS COMING BACK. THE CAR IS BACK IN THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE SOUND AGAIN. HOWEVER, NOW THEY ARE TELLING US THAT IT'S A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT 40-50% OF ALL MDX'S WITH THE 9 SPEED AUTO WILL DEVELOP THIS NOISE! THEY SAY IT IS DUE TO THE FLUID BUILDING UP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION AND WHEN IT STARTS UP THE FLUID GETS PUSHED THROUGH ALL THE GEARS. IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE METAL ON METAL TO ME AND WHY WAS THE NOISE NOT THERE PRIOR AND ALWAYS DEVELOPS AFTER 6-8 MONTHS? I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING ONLINE REGARDING THIS NOISE THAT SUPPOSEDLY OCCURS TO 40-50% OF MDXS.