2004 ACURA MDX Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, BEGINNING ABOUT THE DATE AND VEHICLE MILEAGE STATED ABOVE, I EXPERIENCED A SHUDDER AND CORRESPONDING NOISE AS THE TRANSMISSION TRIED TO SHIFT GEARS. SIMILAR TO THE SENSATION OF DRIVING ACROSS CLOSELY-SPACED RUMBLE STRIPS, THE SHUDDER AND NOISE SEEMED TO VARY IN LENGTH OF TIME DEPENDING ON SPEED. THIS OCCURRED MANY TIMES BEFORE I BECAME CONCERNED AND STARTED RESEARCHING DURING WHICH I FOUND DOZENS OF SIMILAR ACCOUNTS IN VARIOUS ON-LINE FORUMS. EVENTUALLY I TOOK MY MDX TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSIS. DISAPPOINTINGLY SIMILAR TO MANY ACCOUNTS I READ ON THE INTERNET, AND DESPITE MY DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM, THE ACURA DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, FURTHER NOTING ALL 19 ITEMS ON THEIR MULTI-POINT INSPECTION REPORT AS "CHECKED AND OK", INCLUDING THE TRANSMISSION. SOON THEREAFTER, THE DRIVE TRAIN COMPLETELY FROZE UP AS I DISCOVERED AFTER STARTING THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY (THANKFULLY, NOT WHILE...

I WAS MOVING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND BAM!...THE DROP OF TRANNY FLUID AND RADIATOR FLUID ON THE SPOT. WHEN I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS THE 4TH HONDA CAR THEY HAVE HAD WITH SAME PROBLEM, THEY FOUND OUT IN ALL CASES IT WAS THE PRESSURIZED HOSE CONNECTING THESE TWO IMPORTANT PARTS HAD CORRODED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. I HAVE BEEN HEARING MORE ABOUT THIS AND IT IS NOW DISTURBING TO ME. IN MY CASE MY TRANNY IS FINE AND ALL I NEEDED WAS A NEW RADIATOR AND ALL NEW FLUIDS. THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE AND THAT MAY HAVE SAVED THE TRANNY. GOT IT TOWED AND FIXED THE NEXT DAY BY TRUSTED SHOP EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALMOST 800 DOLLARS. *TR

INTERNAL LEAK IN RADIATOR CAUSING A LEAK OF COOLANT TO TRANSMISSION FLUID AND VICE VERSA, DAMAGING TRANSMISSION AND RENDERING CAR NOT DRIVABLE WITHIN MOMENTS.

THERE IS A SHUDDERING NOISE / VIBRATION COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 25-45 MPH. *TR

MY MECHANIC DETERMINED MY FRONT AND SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS NEED REPLACING, AND MENTIONED IT BEING COMMON IN MY VEHICLE. I'VE SINCE FOUND OTHERS WITH ACURA MDXS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NEVER NEEDED MOUNTS REPLACED IN ANY OTHER VEHICLES OWNED. I BELIEVE IT TO BE AN INHERENT DEFECT ACURA MUST ADDRESS.

TOOK CAR IN FOR INSPECTION AND THE DEALER TOLD US OUR FRONT ENGINE MOUNT NEEDS REPLACING. NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS WITH OUR PREVIOUS CARS. SHOULDN'T ACURA TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MISTAKES. *TR

1. THE FRONT AND SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS ON MY '04 ACURA MDX ARE BROKEN AS WELL AS THE REAR A/C BLOWER. PROBLEM WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO WAS REPLACING THE BRAKES FOR US. ASIDE FROM THE BRAKES, THE AUTO HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED INCL. OIL CHANGES. ACURA CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS AND REFUSED TO OFFER ANY "GOOD WILL" DISCOUNT FOR THE REPAIRS. 2. FRONT MOUNT BROKE FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE SIDE (WITHIN 2-3 WKS.) DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL STRAIN PLACED ON IT BY THE FRONT MOUNT NOT FUNCTIONING. 3. NOTHING AS OF YET. STILL ATTEMPTING TO APPEAL THE DECISION REGARDING "GOOD WILL" ASSISTANCE. I AM IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP TRYING TO RESOLVE, BUT NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC. BOTH MOTOR MOUNTS NEED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE REAR A/C BLOWER. *TR

ON A TRIP TO A CAR WASH, MY ACURA MDX GOT LOCKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHICH CAUSED A BACK UP ON THE LINE AND LOSS OF BUSINESS FOR THE CAR WASH. I HAD TO HAIL A CAB TO GO HOME AND GET THE SPARE KEY AND COMPENSATED THE OWNER FOR THE LOSS. WHEN I GOT HOME AND READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE CAN BE LOCKED USING THE MASTER LOCK BUTTON IN AN OPEN PASSENGER DOOR EVEN WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE RUNNING. IT WAS THEN THAT I REALIZED THAT THE CAR WASH ATTENDANT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MUST HAVE LOCKED THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A FLAWED DESIGN AND CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE SAFETY PROBLEMS. I NOW HAVE TO CARRY A SPARE KEY WHEN I GO TO A CAR WASH. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE...

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FREQUENTLY BLINKS AND THE CAR OCCASIONALLY MISFIRES WHILE THE CAR IS ACCELERATING OR UNDER HEAVY ENGINE LOAD (E.G., ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY OR DRIVING ON INTERSTATE THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS). THESE CONDITIONS APPEAR TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY THE WHETHER IS COOL AND DAMP. WHEN THE VEHICLE MISFIRES, THE ENGINE HESITATES AND VARIOUS DASHBOARD WARNING INDICATORS LIGHT. THE ENGINE HESITATION AND DISTRACTION FROM THE WARNING LIGHTS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO COMPLETE MERGER INTO TRAFFIC.