2003 ACURA MDX Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

2003 ACURA MDX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE/SHE TRIED EVERY GEAR, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE HE/SHE WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION HAD INDEED FAILED. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED TWO YEARS LATER, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY WHILE ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO NEUTRAL AGAIN AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER, TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP AND ENGINE VALVES.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY. DRIVER REMOVED KEY, EXITED VEHICLE AND REMOTELY APPLIED THE DOOR LOCKS. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN COASTING DOWN AND ULTIMATELY OFF THE DRIVEWAY, DOWN A STEEP GRADE INTO THE YARD UNTIL IT STRUCK A TREE APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AWAY. RESULTING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS APPRAISED AT $5900. CAR COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM ITS RESTING PLACE AGAINST TREE EXCEPT BY TOW TRUCK. TOW DRIVER INDICATED THAT VEHICLE WAS STILL IN DRIVE, NOT PARK WHEN HE EXTRACTED IT FROM CRASH POSITION. TOW DRIVER AND REPAIR FACILITY INDICATED THAT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION WITHOUT VEHICLE BEING IN PARK, YET THAT WAS THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE CRASH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FURTHER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS, BUT THE VEHICLE STALLED INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 155,000.

MY 2003 ACURA MDX HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 44,000 MILES. AROUND 80,000 MILES I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION FAILING AGAIN. SPECIFICALLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER MAKING THE SHUDDER AND VIBRATION AGAIN. I LET ME DEALER KNOW, BUT THEY DID NOT DETECT AN ISSUE. NOW AT 102,000 MILES AND AFTER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED ACURA IS EXPECTING ME TO PAY FOR 60% OF THE REPAIR OF A CLEAR DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS YEAR OF THE CAR. SO FAR IT HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, BUT I AM AFRAID TO KEEP DRIVING WITHOUT PERFORMING THE REPLACEMENT. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

1. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT A BUSY 4-WAY INTERSECTION, MY ACURA MDX REFUSED TO GO INTO GEAR OR ACCELERATE. THIS CAUSED ME TO OBSTRUCT TRAFFIC IN THE INTERSECTION, AND COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT. 2. THE CAR HAS INTERMITTENTLY REFUSED TO GO INTO FIRST GEAR FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. MANUALLY SHIFTING IT INTO GEAR WOULD TEMPORARILY SOLVE THE PROBLEM. 23. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO RON TONKIN ACURA OF PORTLAND. THE SERVICE ADVISER INFORMED US THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND HE HAD CONTACTED ACURA TO REQUEST A "GOODWILL" REPAIR. 24 HOURS LATER, HE CALLED TO INFORM US THAT ACURA REFUSED HIS REQUEST DUE TO THE VEHICLE MILEAGE. (120,000). APPARENTLY ACURA'S POSITION IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD ONLY LAST FOR 120K MILES BEFORE NEEDING REPLACEMENT. *TR

PURCHASED A USED 03 ACURA MDX FROM A DEALER ON 4/22/11. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A TOLL ROAD (TX 121) AND WAS TRAVELING AT AROUND 65MPH. CAR STARTED DECELERATING AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. ALMOST HAD COUPLE OF ACCIDENTS AS THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN. CARS TRAVELING BEHIND ME AT 65MPH+ WERE BRAKING HARD TO AVOID ME. VEHICLE TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY ADVISED THAT IT WAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CALLED ACURA CUSTOMER CARE AND CONTACTED THEM ALSO VIA TWITTER. THEY PRETENDED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW OF ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION DESPITE MY RESEARCH WHICH POINTS TO NUMEROUS DEFECTS IN THEIR TRANSMISSION. ACURA INDICATED INITIAL INTENT TO CONSIDER COMPENSATE FOR THE COST OF TRANSMISSION REPAIR. AFTER SUBMITTING ALL REPAIR AND TOWING DETAILS/INVOICES, ACURA REPRESENTATIVE - SERGIO RAMOS - INDICATES THAT HE WILL NOT CONSIDER ANY REIMBURSEMENT. ACURA MANUFACTURED AND SOLD A VEHICLE THAT IS...

SOME GEAR SLIPPAGE FOR A FEW DAYS PRIOR WHEN FIRST GET GOING IN THE MORNING. THE DAY IT FINALLY WENT, IT DID IT SUDDENLY WHILE GOING ABOUT 35 MPH. FELT LIKE IT KICKED A GEAR OR TWO MAKING THE CAR JERK VIOLENTLY ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I WAS ONLY A BLOCK OR SO AWAY FROM HOME, ALL THE WAY HOME IT WOULD ALMOST REV TO REDLINE WHILE GOING ABOUT 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS REVERSE NOW AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A SHOP LOCALLY FOR A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX. IF I WOULD'VE HAD SOME ONE CLOSER FOLLOWING ME THAT DAY AND WITH MY KIDS IN THE FAR BACK I'M AFRAID TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED EXCEPT A LAWSUIT! *TR

2003 MAZDA MDX TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND I WAS NEARLY KILLED WHEN ANOTHER CAR BARELY MISSED HITTING (T BONING, MY CAR) MY STOPPED CAR. MY CAR WENT TO SHIFT INTO 2ND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, WENT INTO NEUTRAL, AND CAME TO A DEAD STOP. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN LAST YEAR, DEALER SAID IT WAS DIRTY. THIS DIDN'T MAKE SENSE SINCE ITS A CLOSED SYSTEM. SOMETHING MUST BE BRAKING DOWN. *TR

BOUGHT USED ACURA MDX 2003 IN 2004 FROM CARMAX STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY OF 50,0000 MILES. HAVE RECURRENT TORQUE CONVERTER/ TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. CAR PERIODICALLY GRINDS, SHUDDERS, AND HESITATES WHILE DRIVING AROUND 25-40 MPH.... CAUSING NEAR ACCIDENTS SEVERAL TIMES. REPLACED TRANSMISSION WITH REFURBISHED TRANSMISSIONS AT APPROXIMATELY 53,000 MILES IN 2006, AND AGAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 61,900 MILES IN 2007. NOW IN JAN. 2011@ APPROXIMATELY 119,000MILES, ACURA DEALER DIAGNOSED THE SAME TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM REQUIRING A THIRD TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT.... BASICALLY, THIS 2003 ACURA MDX WILL HAVE FOUR TRANSMISSIONS IN IT'S LIFE TIME. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED PER ACURA SERVICE SCHEDULE AT PRIMARILY ACURA DEALERS.THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY NIGHTMARE WAITING TO HAPPEN AND AS A CONCERNED CONSUMER AND PARENT, REQUEST THE GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND IF WARRANTED, WARN THE PUBLIC OF POTENTIAL DANGERS.

2003 ACURA MDX TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR, RPMS SHOOTING UP. VEHICLE JOLTING FORWARD AND THEN LOSING POWER. WAS TRAVELLING WITH MY FAMILY WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED REVVING AND JUMPING FORWARD AND THEN BUCKING LOSING POWER. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON MAIN ROAD WITH BUSY TRAFFIC. WAS TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 35MPH AT TIME OF INCIDENT. FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT. AM NOW TOLD TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. 123,000 MILES, HAVE OWNED FOR 7 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS. NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. UPSET THAT ACURA SEEMS AWARE OF PROBLEMS WITH 2003 TRANSMISSIONS SINCE THEY HAD ISSUES WITH 2001/02 MODELS BUT WILL NOT ADMIT TO 03 MODELS. SOMEONE COULD GET SERIOUSLY INJURED BY THE WAY THESE VEHICLES MALFUNCTION WHEN THE TRANSMISSION GOES. PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THIS, IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 ACURA MDX WITH 108K MILES AS OF DEC 29, 2010. TWO YEARS AGO AROUND 80K MILES, WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH OUR KID, SUDDENLY THE ENGINE LOST POWER ON HIGHWAY 95. SHE HAD TO REV UP TO 6000 RPM TO KEEP THE SPEED AT 30 MPH. ACURA DEALER CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION AND SAID THEY FOUND METALLIC PARTICLES IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND THE FLUID WAS CHARRED. THEY ALSO SAID GEAR WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED, BUT TOLD ME TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION FLUID VERY FREQUENTLY (MORE THAN RECOMMENDATION). NO ONE TOLD ME 2003 MDX HAS FAULTY TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. AFTER 1 YEAR AT AROUND 90K MILES I CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AGAIN. NOW, THREE DAYS AGO, SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. EVEN AT 25 MPH, THE RPM GOES SUDDENLY TO 5000 RPM AT SAME ACCELERATION PRESSURE LEVEL. I CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IMMEDIATELY. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL IS PERFECTLY FINE. BUT...

WHILE DRIVING ON A ROUTINE ERRAND, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING ON SHIFTING TO DRIVE. FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE ROAD UNDER THE VEHICLE. *TR

TWICE IN THE LAST 3 DAYS, THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2003 ACURA MDX SPONTANEOUSLY SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL, I.E., DISENGAGED FROM DRIVE AND LEFT ME W/O POWER TO THE WHEELS. THE SHIFT LEVER REMAINED IN DRIVE AND HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED. THE LATTER OCCURRENCE STRANDED ME IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT SHIFTING INTO PARK AND BACK INTO DRIVE WERE REQUIRED BEFORE DRIVE ACTUALLY ENGAGED. AN INTERNET SEARCH EASILY TURNED UP MANY SIMILAR INSTANCES IN WHICH 2003 MDX OWNERS INDICATED THAT THEIR TRANSMISSIONS INTERMITTENTLY DISENGAGED FROM DRIVE. *TR

MY 2003 ACURA MDX WAS VIBRATING/SHUDDERING BETWEEN 30-45MPH. DEALER ADVISED FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER @ $2,200. THE 2001 & 2002 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR SAME ISSUE. WHEN TORQUE CONVERTER FAILS, METAL SHAVINGS CAN MAKE THEIR WAY INTO TRANSMISSION, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. ACURA IS HAVING ONGOING REPEATED ISSUES. WILL THEY DENY TRANSMISSION ISSUE AT THE EXPENSE OF MY FAMILIES SAFETY. MANY WITH SAME VEHICLE HAVE HAD SOME DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON I-75 WHEN MY TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAR WENT FROM GOING 70MPH TO DROPPING ALL RPM'S AND DRIVING AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. TORQUE CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED, THIS WAS AT 91,000 MILES. LUCKILY, I HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY OR THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A $3,000 REPAIR AND COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF OTHER CARS WERE FOLLOWING CLOSELY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED! A VEHICLE IN THIS PRICE RANGE SHOULD NOT BE FAILING SO EARLY. I AM NOT AT 93,000 MILES AND HAVE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WHEN I TURN THE A/C ON, ALL OF MY GAUGES ARE LOST AND THE BATTERY IS DRAINED, BUT THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY HAVE BOTH BEEN TESTED AND ARE OK. *TR

2003 ACURA MDX WITH 146,000 MILES ON IT. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2010 THREE HOURS FROM HOME AND 27 MILES FROM A DEALERSHIP. *TR

CAR WOULD NOT MOVE UPON PUSHING GAS PEDAL BUT ENGINE WOULD REVIVE THEN WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR WOULD LAUNCH FORWARD AT ACCELERATED SPEED. THIS LURCHING CONTINUED UNPREDICTABLY UPON FURTHER DRIVING THE CAR. DEALER SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

8/18/10 - WHILE DRIVING CAR BEGINS ACTING LIKE WE ARE TRYING TO ACCELERATE WHILE IN NEUTRAL. WE ARE ABLE TO GET TO A GAS STATION, WHERE WE NOTICE TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE GROUND. WE HAVE IT TOWED TO A LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP IN DUBLIN. THEY REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION HOSE. 8/28/10 - DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, CAR BEGINS ACTING UP AGAIN - SAME PROBLEM. WE PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP IN COLUMBUS. WE ARE TOLD WE NEED TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. BOTH TIMES THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEMS. ONCE IT STARTED ACTING UP, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE EXCEPT PULL IT AWAY FROM TRAFFIC AND HAVE IT TOWED. *TR

THIS IS RELATED TO THE RECENT HONDA RECALL FOR IGNITION KEY ISSUE. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTICED ON MY ACURA 2003 MDX. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY INCIDENT ARISING OUT OF IT BECAUSE OF MY CHECKS AFTER SWITCHING OFF MY CAR BUT SOME OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE LUCKY. THE KEY SOMETIMES COMES OUT AFTER SWITCHING THE CAR OFF WITHOUT MOVING THE GEAR TO PARK. THIS HAPPENS IF DONE QUICKLY. THE DATE BELOW IS A APPROXIMATE DATE SINCE I KNOW IT HAPPENED 2-3 WEEKS BACK. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT A 2003 ACURA MDX WITH 110,000 MILES. I DROVE THE CAR LESS THAN 15 MILES AND NOTICED A SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE BUCKED AND THEN THE D5 LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THERE WAS HESITATION IN BETWEEN THE GEARS. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN THE SHOP GETTING A NEW TRANSMISSION - I HAD IT LESS THAN 20 MINUTES BEFORE IT STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2003 MDX HAS BEEN SLIPPING FOR ABOUT A YEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP 2X, BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM--COULDN'T GET IT TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR. FINALLY, LAST WEEK, IN 5:00 TRAFFIC, IT STOPPED TOTALLY AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED--THE CAR WAS AT 106,000 MILES. APPARENTLY, ALL THE PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS HELPED ME OUT B/C THE HONDA NATIONAL AGREED TO COVER 2/3 OF THE COST OF A NEW TRANSMISSION (4355.00). I MUST SAY THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH SO FAR, AND I'M GRATEFUL THEY CHIPPED IN ON THE COST, ALTHOUGH IT'S CLEAR THE 2003 MDX'S HAVE REAL TRANSMISSION TROUBLES. *TR

2003 ACURA MDX. 105,000 MILES. IT WAS FULLY SERVICES AT SANTA MONICA ACURA UPTO 90,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING MY IN SEATTLE, HIGHWAY I-5 NORTH BOUND. AT 60 MPH SPEED, TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED TOTALLY. VEHICLE RAN FREELY. MY 2 KIDS, WIFE WERE WITH ME. IT WAS SCARY AS HELL. I SLOWLY CHANGED LANE IN BUSY FRIDAY TRAFFIC, WAS ABLE TO GO TO SHOULDER. CALLED POLICE, THEN AAA TO TOW THE CAR TO ACURA OF BELLEVUE. THEY SAID TODAY, TRANSMISSION GONE BAD. WANTS $4000 TO FIX IT. I CALLED ACURA CORP OFFICE. THEY HAVE DENIED TO COVER ANY COST BECAUSE THIS IS OUT OF WARRANTY. 2001 & 2002 MDX HAD RECALL. WITH SAME TRANSMISSION, THIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE SAME PROBLEM. I CAN IMAGINE A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FIXING TRANSMISSION ON MDX VEHICLES; AND ACURA NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE, SOMEONE, PLEASE TAKE NOTICE. AND FOLLOW UP ON THIS CASE. THIS...

I HAVE A 2003 ACURA MDX. IN JUNE OF 2008, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SOUND IT WAS MAKING WOULD EVENTUALLY GET LOUDER. NO ONE TOLD ME THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. IN APRIL 2010, I TALKED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD MANY CUSTOMERS COME TO HIM WHO WERE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND HE DIRECTED THESE CLIENTS BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MDX AND THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. I TALKED TO MY DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD BY TWO SERVICE ADVISORS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. NO ONE BOTHERED TO TELL ME THIS WHEN I INITIALLY BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NO...

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING ON 2003 ACURA MDX STARTING AT 73,000. TALKED TO DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT BUT THEY SAID THAT SINCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON OR THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON THERE WASN'T A PROBLEM. KEPT DRIVING IT AND IT GOT WORSE. AROUND 78,000 MILES HAD TO HAVE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT AND ENGINE MOUNTS DONE (NOT AT DEALERSHIP); HAD MECHANIC CHECK TRANSMISSION - FOUND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT AN USED 2003 ACURA MDX ON JAN 30TH WITH 87,000 MILE ON IT. JUST AFTER 11 DAYS ON FEB 11, 2010, I NOTICED THAT SOME BROWN COLORED FLUID IS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. IT'S NOT JUST DIPPING, THERE WERE LOT OF FLUIDS COMING OUT. I OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICE THAT THE FLUID WAS OVERFLOWING FROM THE RADIATOR RESERVOIR. NEXT MORNING WHEN I START THE CAR AND TRIED TO RUN IT JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD TO TOW THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID SOMEHOW INTERNALLY TRANSMISSION COOLER WAS BUSTED AND THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT WAS MIXED WITH THE ENGINE COOLANT. THEREFORE I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE RADIATOR, NEED TO FLUSH TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND FLUSH THE RADIATOR. IT COST ME $1000. NOW, MY CAR IS NOT SMOOTH AS IT WAS BEFORE. TRANSMISSION IS NOT...

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON ACURA 03 MDX. *TR

2003 ACURA MDX TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WHEN STARTING THE CAR IN PARK THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD ABOUT 18-24 INCHES, THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 45K MILES AND IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN AT 88K. *TR

TORQUE CONVERTER DEFECT ON OUR 2003 ACURA MDX. MANY SIMILAR REPORTS. *TR

WE WERE ON A VACATION IN ARIZONA, HAD THE 90K SERVICE DONE 2 DAYS BEFORE TRAVELING. EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL THE 3RD DAY OF OUR TRIP. WE WERE HEADED TO TOMBSTONE, AZ. FOR A DAY TRIP ABOUT 90 MILES EACH WAY FROM TUCSON WHERE WE WERE STAYING, ABOUT 40 MILES OUTSIDE OF TOWN ON I-10 THE TRANSMISSION STARTS LOSING TORQUE AND THE TRANSMISSION TEMP WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, I PULL OVER AND CALL AAA AND GET TOWED TO AN ACURA DEALER IN TUCSON. I GET A CALL FROM THE DEALER A SHORT TIME LATER SAYING I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF 4,000.00. I HAVE MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECS BY A CERTIFIED HONDA/ACURA REPAIR SHOP. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JUST FAIL WITH NO WARNING. LUCKILY WE HAVE FAMILY IN TUCSON THAT WE COULD STAY WITH, WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS ORDERED...

ACURA MDX 2003 WITH OVER 110,000 MILES, BEGAN SLIPPING OUT OF DRIVE WHILE RUNNING, USUALLY SOON AFTER STARTING. DEALERSHIP SERVICE HAD IT SEVERAL TIMES, MOST RECENTLY FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK IN DECEMBER 2009. NO TROUBLE FOUND. NO INDICATORS LIT. DEALER-MAINTAINED CAR REGULARLY FOR LAST 75,000 MILES. FINALLY SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY FREEWAY AT 60+ MPH, BUT WAS ABLE TO COAST TO SAFE EXIT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV EXTREMELY HIGH. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN AND ALMOST CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE; HOWEVER, IT BEGAN DRIVING NORMAL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM AT THIS TIME. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK WITH HIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

FAILURE OF 2003 ACURA MDX TRANSMISSION. *TR

DRIVING DOWN I78 ON THANKSGIVING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR STOPPED RESPONDING. ENGINE WAS REVVING BUT CAR WASN'T ACCELERATING COMMENSURATE WITH THE ENGINE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. I NAVIGATED MY WAY TOWARDS THE RIGHT ACROSS A COUPLE OF LANES OF TRAFFIC AND MADE MY WAY TO THE EXIT. GOT OFF THE INTERSTATE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED RESPONDING. I PULLED OVER AND COULD NOT MOVE AT ALL - THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. CALLED AAA AND HAD THE CAR TOWED. I STARTING RESEARCHING THIS AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE FOR ACURA MDX'S OF THE 2003 VINTAGE. I EVENTUALLY HAD THE CAR TOWED TO CLINTON ACURA AND OF COURSE THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $4000. I COMPLAINED AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THEY COULD DO AND THEY SAID NO. I TOLD THEM TO WAIT...

REGARDING A 2003 ACURA MDX WITH 108,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION AND TWO MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED. INFORMATION ON THE EDMUNDS WEBSITE CONFIRM THESE REPETITIVE FAILURES AND POTENTIAL TRANSMISSION LOCKUP AT HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO SHOW THE CAR WAS TAKEN CARE OF. NEW MOTOR MOUNTS WERE $500. THE DEALER PAID FOR MOST OF THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT BUT IT STILL COSTS US $460 OUT OF POCKET. *TR

MY 2003 ACURA MDX SHOWED NO SIGNS OF A TRANSMISSION ISSUE UNTIL ONE DAY THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. BY THAT I MEAN NO ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. I PULLED OVER SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE WHICH THAN WENT BACK INTO GEAR. THIS HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY FOR ABOUT A WEEK. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER WHO CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID THERE WERE NO ISSUES. UPON LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP IT HAPPENED AGAIN BUT THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. *TR

2003 ACURA MDX APPROX 89,000 MILES. DRIVING AND CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FROM STOP. CAR WAS IN GEAR D5 BUT WOULD NOT RUN. HAD TO STOP IN TRAFFIC AND RESTART. GOT TO SIDE OF ROAD AND WOULD NOT RE-ENGAGE IN GEAR. HAD TOWED REPLACED DRIVE TRAIN IN VEHICLE. DEALER DID 75-25 SPLIT THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM. *TR

2003 ACURA MDX TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

FAMILY IN 2003 ACURA MDX WITH 92,000 MILES ON IT AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN VEHICLE COMES OUT OF GEAR, UNABLE TO DRIVE, TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY. TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AND MUST BE REPLACED. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. GEAR INDICATOR SHOWED IN D5. VEHICLE BASICALLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF ROADWAY. IT HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES AND NO REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED. SHIFTED TO P AND BACK TO D5, NORMAL DRIVING RESUMED. *TR

I HAVE 2003 ACURA MDX WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ITS AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL STOPPING THE CAR IN MID TRAFFIC IT HAS HAPPEN ON NUMEROUS OCCASION, NO REPAIRS LIGHTS TO INDICATE THERE IS A PROBLEM. I HAD 2 TAKE THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES BEFORE THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND THAT WAS ONLY AFTER MECHANIC TRIED 2 DRIVE IT HOME WHEN IT HAPPENED 2 HIM. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED PERIODICALLY AT ANY GIVEN TIME. MY VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN SERVICE FOR ITS 90,000 MAINTENANCE AT $560 I TOLD THEM THEN I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ASSURED ME VEHICLE WAS FINE. NEXT WEEK TOOK IT BACK THEY TOLD ME THE MAT WAS CAUSING THE ACCELERATION TO STICK REMOVED MATS DROVE HOME NEXT DAY SAME PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING CAR JUST STOP IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. TOOK VEHICLE BACK THAT'S WHEN MECHANIC TRIED TO HOME WITH IT...

WHILE DRIVING I LOST POWER MEANING I COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LINKAGE FROM THE ENGINE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING OK, BUT I HAD NO POWER TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. WHILE ACURA IS A RESPECTED AND QUALITY VEHICLE, I FEEL THAT THERE MAY BE A PRODUCT DEFECT IN THAT MY PROBLEM RESULTED IN ME HAVING TO REPLACE THE COOLING SYSTEM ALONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHILE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE ACURA DEALER, I OVERHEARD SOME OF THE SERVICE MECHANICS SAYING THAT THEY'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN TO THIS MODEL VEHICLE BEFORE AND THAT ACURA OF TORRENCE CALIFORNIA SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. ACURA WOULD HAVE PAID FOR THE REPAIR BUT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE A COPY OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS REPORT TO THE TD BANK AS TO WHAT,'THEY, THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENT" THINKS CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. THIS LETTER...

ACURA HAS KNOWN FOR SOME TIME NOW THAT MDX MODEL, YEARS 2001-2003, HAVE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE WITH A LOT OF ACURA OWNERS. *TR

2003 ACURA MDX 68,000 MILES TRANSMISSION WON'T GO INTO DRIVE NORMALLY, HAVE TO DRIVE IT LIKE A STANDARD TRANSMISSION, START IN 1-2 THEN PROCEED INTO REGULAR DRIVE MANY PAST PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, A/C PROBLEMS, ELECTRICAL, TRIM ETC. DEALER STATES OOPS YOU NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION --40,000. DOLLAR CAR AND YOU ONLY GET 68,000 MILES. DEALER STATES WELL YOU CAN DRIVE IT LIKE THAT FOR MAYBE A DAY OR TWO MAYBE A WEEK BUT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IT WILL LOCK UP ON YOU SOON. WE CAN FIX IT FOR 3600.00 IN THEIR DREAMS I WILL PROBABLY PAINT IT YELLOW AND PUT IT UP ON BLOCKS :) NO WARNING WHEN THIS HAPPENED JUST PULLED UP TO A RED LIGHT AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE AFTER THAT. *TR

2003 ACURA MDX, PURCHASED FOR USED CAR LOT, SHUTTERS DURING 30-40MPH DRIVING. TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALERSHIP FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THE RESULTS WERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. *TR

WE HAVE RECENTLY BOUGHT ACURA MDX FROM HERB CHAMBERS DEALERSHIP IN BURLINGTON. WE TOOK AN EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY FOR THE CAR AND PAID A GOOD AMOUNT FOR THAT. FEW DAYS BACK, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED. AS SOON AS IT WAS DETECTED, CAR WAS STOPPED TO AVOID ANY DAMAGE TO ENGINE. WHEN THE BUMPER WAS OPENED, SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF CAR BUMPER, IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT FILE AND KILLED PEOPLE TRAVELING IN IT. IT IS NOTIFIED TO US AS TRANSMISSION SEAL BROKE. THE DEALERS WAS INFORMED AND CAR WAS TOWED TO THEM SAME DAY. I WANT TO REPORT THIS DAMAGE, WHICH COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED, AS THE CAR WAS SAFELY PARKED IN VERY SAFE AREA. CAR WAS DRIVEN BY EXPERIENCE DRIVER AND FAMILY MEMBERS, AND WE ARE CERTAIN THAT THE CAR WAS NOT DAMAGED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER IS NOT READY TO TAKE THE TAG BY SAYING IT IS...

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON ACURA MDX - WHICH IS WELL KNOWN FOR ACURAS - AND THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO LIVE UP TO THEIR LIABILITY. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE!!!!! *TR

TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY FOR ABOUT A DAY BEFORE. I ATTEMPTED TO ENTER TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO BE ABLE TO GET IN TRAFFIC, OTHERWISE THERE PROBABLY BEEN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACES THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT WORK AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE UNLESS IT IS SHIFTED INTO RESERVE. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE WARMED UP IN ORDER FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO WORK. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER DUE TO THE DISTANCE FROM HIS HOME AND THE CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 126,000.

I HAVE A 2003 ACURA MDX, WITH ~115,00 MILES ON IT. OVER THE LAST YEAR I HAVE PERIODICALLY EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION DURING SHIFTING OF GEARS. IN MY INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER,I HAVE FOUND THESE SYMPTOMS ARE IDENTICAL TO THOSE EXPERIENCED BY OTHER MDX OWNERS AND IS CONSISTENT WITH THE MANY COMPLAINTS OF FAILED TRANSMISSIONS WITH THE MDX MODEL. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER , FRANKEL ACURA IN COCKEYSVILLE, MARYLAND, FOR SERVICE ON THIS ISSUE ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THEY HAVE CONSISTENTLY DENIED THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE OFFERED TWO REPAIRS THAT THEY SAID WOULD ADDRESS THE PROBLEM . REPLACED ENGINE MOUNTS AND FLUSHED/REFILLED TRANSMISSION FLUID FOR A TOTAL COST OF ~$800. THEIR CONTINUED DENIAL OF PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION CONFLICTS NOT ONLY WITH MY COMPLAINTS, AND THOSE OF MANY OTHER OWNERS, BUT THE CONCLUSIONS OF TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS I HAD...