Power Train. Review the 124 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

124 reports

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83,200 miles · Feb 8, 2007

Power Train

REGULAR DRIVING OF ACURA MDX. CAR TRANSMISSION SLIPPING BETWEEN 20-40 MPH. DEALER INSPECTED PROBLEM AND ATTRIBUTED PROBLEM TO THE 3RD GEAR. DEALER REPORTS RECALL IS ONLY INVOLVING 2ND GEAR THEREFORE I HAVE TO PAY FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIR REBUILD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10182036

55,000 miles · Nov 22, 2006

Power Train

TRANSMISSION HARD DOWNSHIFT FROM 3RD TO 2ND GEAR. FLUID JET KIT (RECALL ACTION) HAS BEEN COMPLETED. DEALER STATES THIS IS NOT COVERED AND TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT IS NECESSARY. HAVE SEEN LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON ACURA MESSAGE BOARDS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10174033

97,500 miles · Oct 30, 2006

Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED ON FREEWAY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10172126

34,200 miles · Aug 30, 2006

Power Train

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE MADE A CLICKING NOISE AS IT ACCELERATED FROM 30-40 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TORK CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #10167040

52,000 miles · Jul 3, 2006

Power Train

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ACURA CLAIMED TO FIX MY TRANSMISSION, AS PER THE RECALLS THAT WERE MADE ON 2001-2002 ACURA MDX'S. THEY OBVIOUSLY DID NOT FIX WHAT THEY NEEDED TO. YESTERDAY AS I WAS DRIVING I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT TO DIFFERENT GEARS ON ITS OWN!! FOR EXAMPLE I WOULD BE IN D5 A DRIVE GEAR. SOMETIMES IT WOULD SHIFT ITSELF TO NEUTRAL, AND SOMETIMES TO D4,3. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS IT CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AT INOPPORTUNE TIMES. I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH ACURA AND THEY SAID THAT THEY FIXED WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO BE FIXED WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN 1-2 YEARS AGO. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND I FEEL THAT THE NHTSA SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. I WAS TOLD TO WAIT FOR A MANAGER TO COME BACK IN THIS WEDNESDAY JULY 5TH. MY ACURA DEALERSHIP IS LOCATED IN ROSLYN, NY; CALLED RALLYE ACURA. THIS CAR IS A P.O.S., AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS AGAINST ACURA FOR THIS CAR. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS DESIGN FLAWS IN THE 2001-2002 MDX TRANSMISSIONS. PLEASE HELP TO FORCE ACURA TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AS THEY ARE NOT BEING COOPERATIVE NOR CAREFUL, WHICH I FEEL IS OUTRAGEOUS DUE TO THE DANGEROUS NATURE OF THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE. ALSO, I DO NOT WANT A "REFURBISHED OR REBUILT" TRANSMISSION WHICH I HAVE BEEN INFORMED IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. OBVIOUSLY WHATEVER THEY ARE DOING IS NOT WORKING. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10161291

61,000 miles · Jun 16, 2006

Power Train

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FROM THIRD GEAR INTO FOURTH GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS, IT DISENGAGES LIKE IF IT'S IN NEUTRAL FOR JUST A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN GOES INTO THE NEXT GEAR WITH A JERK. NOW IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IT'S ALWAYS JERKING. ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO, I HAD A MUCH LESS NOTICEABLE LOSS OF POWER INCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. THE DEALER CLEARED THE WARNING LIGHT AND ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS. ON 06/16/06 I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, BUT THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY ADVISED I WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10160051

64,600 miles · Jun 2, 2006

Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 64,600 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10158820

85,000 miles · May 17, 2006

Power Train

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MY MDX HAS 85K MILES ON IT, AND THE TRANNY STARTED THE INFAMOUS GOING INTO NEUTRAL AT 30-40 MPH ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS...I'VE DONE ALL THE VARIOUS OIL SENDING UNIT AND EGR VALVE FIXES BUT STARTED HAVING THE ABOVE PROBLEM ABOUT 7K AGO, BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY GAVE THE OLD HMMM, IF WE CAN'T REPEAT IT, WE REALLY CAN'T REPLACE IT.... THEN, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I MADE AN APPT WITH THE DEALER (PLEASANTON ACURA), THEY GAVE ME A $69 A DAY RENTAL AND SAID THEY WOULD CHECK IT OUT. THEY DID, AND CONFIRMED THE ENGINE CODE WAS TIED TO THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. I ONLY HAD THE STANDARD WARRANTY (50K, 4 YR) . I RECEIVED A CALL BACK THE SAME DAY SAYING ACURA HAS AGREED TO PAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR...$1,100. I THINK ACURA SHOULD HAVE TO ANNOUNCE AND SUPPORT A TOTAL RECALL. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SPEND $1,100 ON A TRANSMISSION FOR A 2002 ACURA MDX WITH AN OUT THE DOOR PRICE OF ~$47,000 - UNBELIEVABLE! I POSTED THE ABOVE ON THE ACURAMDX.ORG WEBSITE AFTER DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH ON MDX TRANSMISSIONS AND FINDING HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM CAR OWNERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, ALL HAVING THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON 2002 MDX. APPARENTLY, ACURA EXTENDED THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTY ON THEIR 2002 TL'S WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BUT FOR SOME REASON HAVE AVOIDED ADDRESSING THE MDX WITH A FORMAL RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW AND THE PUBLIC ALL KNOW THE TRANSMISSION WAS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND REALLY POSES A SAFETY RISK FOR HUNDREDS OF MDX OWNERS AND OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE AFFECTED WHEN THE MDX TRANSMISSION FAILS TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY WITH A SEMI-TRUCK THAT DOESN'T KNOW YOU'RE HAVING A TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHICH CAUSES YOUR TRANSMISSION TO SLIP AND LOSE ENGINE DRIVE POWER. THIS IS ONE BLATANT SAFETY ISSUE THAT ACURA SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND EXTEND THE WARRANTY AND REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE MDX 2002 TRANSMISSIONS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10157694

84,000 miles · Mar 6, 2006

Power Train

DRIVING AT APPROX. 40 MPG. DURING ACCELERATION THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND AND THEN LURCHED FORWARD. THE SECOND TIME THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND DURING ACCELERATION GOING UP A HILL AND I STARTED TO LOSE MOMENTUM. ENGINE LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON AFTER APPROX 10 SECONDS. I WAS STUCK ON THE ROAD WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF T…

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NHTSA ODI #10152039

77,000 miles · Feb 28, 2006

Power Train

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2002 ACURA MDX AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURRED AT 77K MILES. SYMPTOMS INCLUDED UP-SHIFT HESITATION BETWEEN 2-3 DRIVE GEARS, HARD AND JERKY TRANSMISSION CHANGES IN BOTH DRIVE AND REVERSE. THE SYMPTOMS STARTED TO GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND MORE FREQUENT. I TOOK THIS MDX TO A LOCAL AAA-APPROVED, INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE SHOP'S REPAIR TECHNICIAN AND A TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALIST TEST DROVE THE MDX AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME TYPE OF SYMPTOMS. THEY RETURNED AND REPORTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS INDEED FAILING. I HAD THE MDX TOWED TO THE ACURA DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED COMPLETELY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT UNIT BY THE ACURA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. A HISTORICAL NOTE: BACK IN THE FALL OF 2004, I RECEIVED NOTICE OF A MDX TRANSMISSION RECALL FROM ACURA. SHORTLY UPON RECEIVING THIS NOTICE I DID TAKE THIS MDX TO AN ACURA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION RECALL SERVICE DONE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10151425

Official recalls

20V027000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jan 17, 2020

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.

05V385000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Sep 1, 2005

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN AREAS WHERE LARGE QUANTITIES OF ROAD SALT ARE USED, THE FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS HAVE INSUFFICIENT CORROSION PROTECTION, AND MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: EXCESSIVE CORROSION CAN CAUSE SPRING FAILURE AND A BROKEN SPRING COULD PUNCTURE A FRONT TIRE, WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS WITH IMPROVED SPRINGS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 11, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ACURA AT 800-382-2238.

04V176000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Apr 15, 2004

ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GEAR TOOTH CHIPPING OR GEAR BREAKAGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: ON VEHICLES WITH 15,000 MILES OR LESS, THE DEALER WILL UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SIMPLE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE TO INCREASE LUBRICATION TO THE SECOND GEAR. ON VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 15,000 MILES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION TO IDENTIFY GEARS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED DISCOLORATION DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF DISCOLORATION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED IF DISCOLORATION IS NOT PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL PERFORM THE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2004, FOR PILOT, ODYSSEY, AND MDX OWNERS. OWNERS OF THE ACCORD VEHICLES WILL START RECEIVING LETTERS ON JUNE 28, 2004, AND ON JUNE 29, 2004, FOR OWNERS OF THE TL AND CL VEHICLES. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

02V226000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Aug 28, 2002

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SEDANS, COUPES, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES, A TIMING BELT TENSIONER PULLEY ON THE WATER PUMP IS MISALIGNED AND COULD CAUSE THE TIMING BELT TO CONTACT A BOLT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. EVENTUALLY THE BELT COULD BE DAMAGED AND FAIL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE TIMING BELT BREAKS, THE ENGINE WILL STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WATER PUMP AND IF IT IS ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE PUMPS, THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 30, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE05040 · Front Coil Spring Breakage

Opened Jul 14, 2005 · Closed Sep 14, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs; Tires

IN AN AUGUST 29, 2005 LETTER, HONDA NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD IDENTIFIED A DEFECT IN THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS OF CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001 AND EARLY-2002 ACURA MDX SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES.ACCORDING TO HONDA, SOME FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS HAVE INSUFFICIENT CORROSION PROTECTION AND, IN AREAS WHERE ROAD SALTS ARE USED, MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION.RUBBER SLEEVES APPLIED NEAR THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF SOME SPRINGS TO ELIMINATE NOISE CAN TRAP SALT WATER, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR EXCESSIVE CORROSION.OVER TIME, EXCESSIVE CORROSION CAN CAUSE SPRING FAILURE.IN SOME CASES, A BROKEN SPRING COULD PUNCTURE A FRONT TIRE, WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.EVIDENCE OF TIRE DAMAGE WAS IDENTIFIED IN AT LEAST 4 (29%) OF THE SPRING FRACTURE REPORTS AND 13 (21%) OF THE WARRANTY CLAIMS.ONE REPORT ALSO INDICATED THAT A FRACTURED SPRING DAMAGED A BRAKE LINE FAILURE, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. TO CORRECT THE CONDITION, HONDA IS RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 22,861 MDX VEHICLES SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WHERE LARGE QUANTITIES OF ROAD SALT ARE USED (HONDA RECALL P92, NHTSA RECALL 05V-385).THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS OR WARRANTY CLAIMS INVOLVING VEHICLES FROM OUTSIDE THE RECALL REGION.DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS WITH IMPROVED SPRINGS.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Tires