2001 Acura MDX Transmission Problems

2001 MDX SHUDDERS AT 1500 RPM (LIKE RUNNING OVER A SPEED STRIP) APPARENTLY A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER (TRANSMISSION). *TR

NHTSA ID

10411453

Incident

Jul 6, 2011

Mileage

134,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA MDS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE GEARS LOCKED BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR AND BEGAN TO SHIFT AS IF SOMETHING WAS POPPING IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTY ON THAT VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,350.

NHTSA ID

10405764

Incident

Jun 5, 2011

Mileage

102,350 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). SHORTLY AFTER REPAIRS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL SPORADICALLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE STATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ONCE UNDER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000.

NHTSA ID

10397997

Incident

Dec 17, 2010

Mileage

137,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH GOING UP A HILL THE TRANSMISSION WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE ADVISED HER THAT HE COULD NOT DUPLICATED THE FAILURE. SHE STATED THAT A LOCAL MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER LOCAL MECHANIC AND SHE WAS ADVISED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WOULD COST $700. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE OCTOBER 2010. THE VEHICLE WAS PRE-OWNED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 04V176000, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED PER ACURA'S WEBSITE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ID

10372242

Incident

Aug 15, 2008

Mileage

70,000 mi

FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. CAR SHUDDERS WHILE DRIVING. IT OCCURS EVERY TIME I MOVE AT A CONSTANT SPEED, TYPICALLY ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20-50 . *TR

NHTSA ID

10370811

Incident

Jul 10, 2009

Mileage

110,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 ACURA MDX AND I EXPERIENCED SOME SAFETY ISSUE ON HIGHWAY A FEW WEEKS AGO. THE TRANSMISSION HAD SKIP/SLIP PROBLEM WHILE I WAS DRIVING UPHILL ON I-680. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR TRANSMISSION COULDN'T SWITCH GEAR AND CAUSED ME ALMOST CRASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT ALL ACURA MDX 2001-2003 HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM EVEN THEY DID RECALL. BUT, THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE TRANSMISSION FUNCTIONING WELL AFTER NORMAL USE. I CONTACTED ACURA ON 12/2/2010 AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE NOT LIABLE TO THIS SITUATION. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. PLEASE INVEST THIS PROBLEMS SERIOUSLY. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN ORDER ACURA TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS TRANSMISSION DEFECT AND EVENTUALLY SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES FROM POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10370489

Incident

Nov 20, 2010

Mileage

145,000 mi

I AM HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH MY 2001 ACURA MDX. THEY ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL. BUT, I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED EVEN I SENT MY CAR FOR SERVICE AT ACURA DEALERSHIP. THE WAY ACURA HANDLED THIS SAFETY RECALL WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I WAS NOTIFIED BY AAMCO THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD. CAN YOU HELP ME THIS ISSUE? HOW CAN I CLAIM THE DAMAGE FROM ACURA? *TR

NHTSA ID

10368381

Incident

Jun 1, 2010

Mileage

130,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 ACURA MDX AND IN RECENT DAYS HAVE EXPERIENCED A FLUTTERING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT SPEEDS AROUND 30 MPH WITH HESITATION IN ACCELERATION. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A BAD TORQUE CONVERTER. I HAVE DONE MUCH RESEARCH AND HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ALARMINGLY COMMON AND POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING. NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED THOUGH THE RISKS ARE SEVERE AND THE HIGH PERCENTAGE OF INCIDENTS CERTAINLY QUALIFIES FOR A RECALL. NOT MUCH INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE THAT ACTION SHOULD AND MUST BE TAKEN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER AND FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10368040

Incident

Nov 27, 2010

Mileage

118,712 mi

2001 ACURA MDX TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AT HIGH SPEED. IF THIS HAD BEEN ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN A DRY ROAD WE COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10360760

Incident

Jul 26, 2009

Mileage

105,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP YET THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION BUT WITHIN TWO MILES, THE VEHICLE BEGAN THRUSTING AND JERKING AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REBUILT. THE CONTACT LOCATED A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V176000 -POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST IF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SERVICED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

NHTSA ID

10352039

Incident

Aug 25, 2010

Mileage

154,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY 2001 ACURA MDX NEW. I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY DRIVER. AROUND 115,000 MILES I BEGAN TO HEAR THIS GRINDING/GURGLING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I TOOK IT TO THE ACURA DEALER AND DURING THE FIRST VISIT THEY IGNORED THE PROBLEM AND INSTEAD SUGGESTED REPLACING ENGINE MOUNTS. AFTER THAT EXPANSIVE REPAIR I WAS STILL ABLE TO HEAR THE GRINDING NOISE BETWEEN 25-30 MILE SPEEDS. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND TODAY I FOUND OUT THAT IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL COST ME OVER $2000 . . . HIGHWAY ROBBERY !!! THIS MODEL HAD A RECALL ON TRANSMISSION IN 2004 BUT THE ACURA SEEMS TO BE BLIND TO ALL THOSE CLAIMS ABOUT FAILING TRANSMISSIONS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO HAVE A RECALL ON ALL THOSE TORQUE CONVERTERS? IS IT GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE TO LOSE THEIR LIFE? *TR

NHTSA ID

10345947

Incident

Jul 11, 2010

Mileage

115,000 mi

HAVE BEEN HEARING A NOISE IN THE DRIVE TRAIN FOR QUITE SOMETIME. ALSO HEAR A THUMPING NOISE WHEN 4 WHEEL DRIVE IS ENGAGED AND TURN SHARPLY. READING DIFFERENT BLOGS THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ACURA MDX, BUT ACURA DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10345928

Incident

Jul 20, 2010

Mileage

50,400 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA MDX. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE; HOWEVER, THREE WEEKS AFTER THE OIL WAS CHANGED, THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING COULD POSSIBLY BE CRACKED AND RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10341779

Incident

Jun 21, 2010

Mileage

82,000 mi

MY DEALER SERVICED 2001 ACURA MDX HAS FAILING ENGINE MOUNTS, AND FAILING TRANSMISSION AT 82,000 HIGHWAY MILES. THE DEALER (HINSHAW ACURA, SEATTLE) SOLD IT TO ME, AND 100 MILES LATER THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON. THIS MUST BE A DEFECT, AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. I WILL NOT PAY $6000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AT 82K MILES FROM A DEALER SERVICED LUXURY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10341379

Incident

Jul 2, 2010

Mileage

82,000 mi

BEGINNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2009, I HEARD ENGINE NOISES WHILE DRIVING AROUND 35-45 MPH THAT SOUNDED LIKE I WAS DRIVING OVER THE RUMBLE STRIPS AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. OVER THE MONTHS THE SOUNDS BEGAN TO GET LOUDER AND WE TOOK IT IN TO CARX, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED THE NOISE. ON 3-29-10 WE TOOK MY 2001 MDX TO ACURA. THE MECHANIC ASKED ME TO DRIVE IT AT 28 MPH SO THAT IT WAS AROUND 1500 RPMS. IT MADE THE NOISE NUMEROUS TIMES FOR HIM AND HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG. HE SAID IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I'VE HAD MY 2001 MDX FOR 3 YRS AND IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY SO WE REPLACED THE TORQUE CONVERTER TO A TUNE OF $2,400. I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT ESPECIALLY AFTER SEEING SO MANY TORQUE CONVERTERS AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THIS WEBSITE AND OTHER COMPLAINT WEBSITES. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL AND IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. I WON'T BE BUYING AN ACURA OR HONDA EVER AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10323394

Incident

Mar 29, 2010

Mileage

79,500 mi

I OWN AN ACURA 2001 MDX WITH A SLIPPING TRANSMISSION. AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP SAYS IT WILL COST $3,400.00 TO REPLACE (FIX)

NHTSA ID

10322505

Incident

Jan 3, 2010

Mileage

105,000 mi

01' ACURA TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, SPUTTERING AND LOCKING UP. 113,000 MILES. LOCKED UP ONCE ON INTERSTATE WITH ME AND MY SON IN THE CAR, AND LUCKILY WE WEREN'T IN THE WAY OF ANYONE OR WE COULD HAVE BEEN HIT. FOUND SEVERAL, SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET WITH PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. VERY DANGEROUS!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10319192

Incident

Feb 17, 2010

Mileage

107,000 mi

WHEN THE CAR NEARS 45 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION STARTS SLIPPING. THE CAR STARTS JERKING AND ALMOST STOPS. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT MAKING A LEFT TURN OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC WHEN IT FIRST OCCURRED. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD COMPLETE LOCKUPS AT 55 MPH. I'M WONDERING IF ANY ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT BECOME A FATALITY. I WAS VERY NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE TRANSMISSION IS BEING REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10315081

Incident

Feb 27, 2010

Mileage

76,045 mi

AM A SECOND OWNER OF 2001 ACURA MDX WITH 84,000 MILES, OWNED SINCE APPROX 35000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING HOME THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP, CAUSING HIGHER THAN NORMAL ENGINE SPEED WHILE UP SHIFTING. DOWN SHIFTING WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP CAUSED SUDDEN AND SEVERE ENGINE BRAKING AND VERY ROUGH SHIFTING. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. NO PRIOR ISSUES NOTICED, AND VEHICLE HAD MAJOR SCHEDULED SERVICE IN THE PAST. TOOK TO LOCAL INDEPENDENT SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED TRANSMISSION WAS A TOTAL LOSS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. CONTACTED ACURA CLIENT SERVICES, AND TOOK TO DEALER WHO WILL ONLY COVER 25% OF REPAIR. MY COST WOULD BE NEARLY $4000. THIS TRANSMISSION HAD A SERVICE RECALL IN 2004, BUT REPAIR DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A GOOD ONE. TRANSMISSION DESIGN APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE.*TR

NHTSA ID

10313424

Incident

Feb 8, 2010

Mileage

84,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE ACURA DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 154000

NHTSA ID

10311309

Incident

Feb 1, 2010

Mileage

154,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 ACURA MDX, LAST YEAR IT BEGAN NOT SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR AND I COULDN'T GO OVER 20-25 MPH. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL ACURA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. AFTER INSISTING, THEY HAD ME BRING IT IN FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY TORQUE CONVERTER. I HAD ANOTHER MECHANIC TEST IT AND HE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING AND SUGGESTED IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION. ACURA WANTED TO CHARGE BE $3-4,000 TO REPAIR. DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY FOR A CAR REPAIR THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A CAR I SPENT $40,000 ON. NOW AGAIN, IT IS DOING IT. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS AND I CANNOT BELIEVE SOMEONE IS NOT MAKING THEM CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10308179

Incident

Aug 2, 2009

Mileage

85,000 mi

2001 ACURA MDX TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND BANGING. TORQUE CONVERTER SURGING IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. BAD DESIGN, TRANSMISSION FAILING TOO SOON. ONLY ABLE TO DRAIN 3 QUARTS OUT AT A TIME. FLUID GETS DIRTY AND OLD TOO SOON BETWEEN SERVICE DATES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10306848

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF 2001 ACURA MDX AT 74K MILES. MANY, MANY (HUNDREDS) COMPLAINTS ON-LINE WITH SAME ISSUES (MDX AND SISTER VEHICLE THE HONDA PILOT). DEALERSHIP PRETENDS THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH THESE CARS YET IT IS DOCUMENTED ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE NEED A RECALL, THIS IS TERRIBLE. WE ARE OUT $3000 TO FIX IT WITH A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP; ACURA "OFFERED" TO FIX IT FOR $3500. THEY ALSO TOLD US THAT SINCE WE DIDN'T GET IT SERVICED AT A DEALERSHIP "WE WERE LOOKED BADLY UPON" WHEN MAKING THEIR "OFFER". WE ALL WANT TO SUE THEM AS THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A QUALITY VEHICLE AND ACURA IS NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS. ALSO, SOME OWNERS ARE ON THEIR 3RD TRANSMISSION IN THESE CARS B/C IT'S THE SAME FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT GOES IN. WE DON'T FEEL SAFE NOR DO WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN DRIVE IT MUCH. WE BARELY DRIVE IT AT ALL NOW. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN ACURA FORUMS FOR 2001-2004 MODELS (NOT SURE ABOUT LATER MODELS) AND HUNDREDS OF HONDA PILOTS AS WELL. HELP US!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10305830

Incident

Nov 23, 2009

Mileage

74,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY 2001 ACURA MDX NEW. . . I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY DRIVER. . .AROUND 100,000 MILES I BEGAN TO HEAR THIS GURGLING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. . . I TOOK IT TO TWO ACURA DEALERS AND ONE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. . .ALL INDICATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS SHOT AND THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF OVER $3,800 . . . HIGHWAY ROBBERY . . . I HAVE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND BESIDES THE NOISE BETWEEN 35 - 50 MILES PER HOUR, IT CONTINUES TO RUN GOOD. . . I NOW HAVE 127K+ ON THE VEHICLE AND ITS STILL GOING. . . .I PLAN TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION SOON. . . . I'M TIRED OF THE NOISE AND THE REDUCTION IN GAS MILEAGE. . . *TR

NHTSA ID

10300237

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

Mileage

100,000 mi

LESS THAN 100 YARDS FROM WHERE MY WIFE STARTED OUR 2001 ACURA MDX WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD CLUNK AND SLID IN THE SLUSH TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE. WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR PARK. IN NEUTRAL THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE EITHER. THERE HAS BEEN A TRANSMISSION RECALL BUT ACURA TOLD ME I WOULD NEED TO TAKE IT TO AN ACURA DEALERSHIP TO RESEARCH THE PROBLEM. WE LIVE 5-6 DRIVING HOURS FROM THE NEAREST ACURA DEALERSHIP. IT IS NOT LOGICAL TO TRY AND GET IT THERE. OUR LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP IS CURRENTLY INSTALLING A REBUILT TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE DONE TODAY. ARE HONDA AND ACURA NOT ONE AND THE SAME CORPORATION? I'M LOOKING FOR SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THIS. IT WAS A SAFETY RECALL AND QUITE AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THANK GOD MY WIFE WASN'T GOING ANY FASTER. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE US!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10296057

Incident

Dec 14, 2009

Mileage

104,000 mi