2002 Acura MDX Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2002 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH up an incline, the vehicle stalled. The service engine and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart, but made an abnormal grinding sound while shifting into gear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the failure could be related to the water pump; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,722.

NHTSA ID

11678275

Incident

Aug 4, 2025

Mileage

213,722 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT FROM SECOND GEAR. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENGINE REVVED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

11339966

Incident

Sep 25, 2005

Mileage

180,000 mi

PRIORITY ACURA GAVE 2002 MDX BACK MONDAY 4/3/17 HAD PROBLEMS AGAIN WITH IT SLIPPIN INTO NEUTRAL AND WONT MOVE IN D5...THIS TIME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND D5 STARTED BLINKING AND GEAR SHIFT WAS NOT MOVE PASS N UNTIL JAMES THE MECHANIC SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND STARTED IT BACK UP.

NHTSA ID

10970885

Incident

Apr 5, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA MDX. FOR OVER TWO YEARS, THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V226000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10887764

Incident

Apr 8, 2014

I TOOK MY CAR AND ON FEBRUARY 25TH TO CHECK TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE I WAS TOLD AND NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE SHAKES AND VIBRATES REALLY BAD AROUND 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. I HAVE READ ON DIFFERENT FORUM THAT IT'S A TRANSMISSION, AND ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. BUT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND ACURA DOESN'T WANT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM THAT'S OCCURRING WITH ALOT OF THESE MODELS.

NHTSA ID

10881880

Incident

Mar 1, 2016

RECALL ON APRIL 1ST MY MOTHER DROVE HER RECENTLY PURCHASED 2002 ACCURA MDX TO WORK ABOUT A 5 MIN DRIVE TEN MIN AFTER SHE PARKED AND ARRIVED TO WORK HER CAR WAS INFLAMS AND FIRE FIGHTER INVESTIGATORS STATED IT WAS A ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT CAUSED HER CAR TO BLOW UP

NHTSA ID

10855037

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

I PURCHASED THE 2002 MDX ON 12, JANUARY 2004. AT THAT TIME I QUESTIONED THE HARD SHIFTING FROM FIRST INTO SECOND. IT WOULD LURCH, SHUDDER, AND JUMP FROM STANDING STILL TO FIRST GEAR, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE GEARS. I WAS WORRIED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE DAMAGED AS WELL AS OTHER PARTS. ON 27 JULY, 2004 THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO ROCK FRONT AND BACK, WITH LOUD GRINDING AND METAL TO METAL SOUND. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE AT AND AN OIL JET COOLER WAS NEEDED. OVER THE NEXT 7 YEARS I HAD MY MDX SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP. EACH TIME I WOULD COMPLAIN ABOUT THE NOISE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 20-30 AND 35-45. AGAIN I WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE ENGINE BROKE THE SIDE MOTOR MOUNT, AGAIN I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. FINALLY ON 6 JULY 2011 WHILE DRIVING 75 ON INTERSTATE 71, MY TRANSMISSION REVVED INTO THE RED AREA ON THE GAUGE, ATF WAS BLOWING OUT THE BACK AND COVERED THE BACK WINDOW. I PULLED OVER AND THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED ON THE SPOT. THE MDX WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WERE I WAS TOLD THE OIL JET COOLER HAD A DRAIN NUT, THAT CAME OUT, THUS RELEASING THE ATF. THE DRAIN PLUG AND ATF WAS REPLACED, BUT AGAIN I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING COULD BE DONE AS THE DEFECT WAS A PART AND NOT COVERED. THE SHOP MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE SHOCK AND SPRING WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING FLUID. I WAS TOLD THAT BOTH MOTOR, THE TIMING BELT, THE SHIFTER CABLE AND CONNECTION, OUTER TIRE ROD, BOOTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR 5 MINUTES AND DISCOVERED THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION. I CONFIRMED THE RECALLS ON THE SHOCKS COILS TRANSMISSION, AND MULTITUDE OF OTHER COMPONENTS. I HAD THE TIMING BELT, EVERY BELT, WATER PUMP, AND MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACE AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP IN TOWN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. AS LONG AS THERE ARE 2002 MDX'S ON THE ROAD AND HONDA ACURA IGNORE OR DENY THE PROBLEM. THE RISK OF DEATH IS GREAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10442144

Incident

Jan 12, 2004

Mileage

34,264 mi

THE CAR WILL MAKE A VIBRATION SOUND AT RANDOM INTERVALS. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING AT OR THE TYPE OF ROAD. ADDITIONALLY, IT FEELS AS THOUGH YOU ARE BEING PUSHED BACK BY THE WIND WHEN THE VIBRATION SOUND OCCURS. AT THIS TIME NO WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON THE CAR FOR THE NEW NOISE. ONE REPAIR SHOP CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ANOTHER PLACE FEELS IT IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS ALREADY REPLACED ONCE ON THIS CAR DUE TO A DIFFERENT NOISE. THE CAR HAD TO GO TO THE SHOP THREE TIMES TO FIX THE FIRST NOISE. THE CAR WAS FINALLY REPAIRED AFTER A WEEK AND AFTER A NEW TIMING BELT, TENSIONER AND PULLEY, WHICH HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. THEY ALSO REPLACED THE DRIVE SHAFT, IDLER PULLEY AND COMPRESSOR BELT . *TR

NHTSA ID

10406798

Incident

May 10, 2011

Mileage

115,000 mi

I BOUGHT A 2002 ACURA MDX IN 8/2005. THE RECALL WAS NEVER PERFORMED, THE VEHICLE STARTED HAVING ISSUES IN 2010. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GET IT CHECKED I WAS INFORMED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN DONE ON 2001-2002 ACURA MDX FOR 2ND GEAR ISSUES. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP, ACURA CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL. STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DISCOLORATION OF THE 2ND GEAR AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS WAY PAST WARRANTY SO THEY WILL NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IS A RESULT OF THE ISSUES WITH THE RECALL. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS WHEN GOING INTO 3RD GEAR, ALMOST COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10358752

Incident

Sep 15, 2010

I HAD JUST TRAVELED 19 MILES ON THE FREEWAY AND HAD STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT ON THE OFFRAMP. SHORTLY AFTER MAKING THE TURN, THE CAR STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED. I COASTED, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON. I HAD TO STOP, PUT CAR IN GEAR, AND EVENTUALLY RESTARTED THE CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT WHEN THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING (FIRST WAS PULLING INTO AN UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURE). THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT MAKING DRIVING DIFFICULT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AS IT COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THEIR IDEA TO RESOLVE WAS TO BLINDLY START REPLACING EXPENSIVE PARTS OF THE ENGINE. I FEEL I AM PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE EACH TIME I DRIVE THE CAR AND THE NEXT TIME MAY RESULT IN A COLLISION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10319565

Incident

Feb 1, 2010

Mileage

82,000 mi

ON OCTOBER 13, 2009, AT ABOUT 12:45, I PROVIDED MY 2002 ACURA MDX TO JERRY DAMSON ACURA, HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA FOR THE '82,500 MILE SERVICE'. AT ABOUT 1:15 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATING THAT TWO ENGINE MOUNTS WERE BROKEN. THE PRICE WOULD BE ABOUT $500. ALTHOUGH I WAS CONCERNED HOW ENGINE MOUNT FAILURES COULD HAPPEN ON A VEHICLE WITH THIS MILEAGE, I AGREED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED FOR OBVIOUS SAFETY REASONS. LATER THAT DAY I DISCOVERED OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET FOR BROKEN ENGINE MOUNTS FOR THIS VEHICLE. WHEN I ARRIVED AT JERRY DAMSON ACURA TO PICK IT UP, I ADVISED THE SERVICE PERSON THAT I FELT ACURA SHOULD PAY FOR THIS. THE ACURA SERVICE MANAGER, GIL WILLIAMS, WAS CALLED-IN TO DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM WITH ME. HE STATED THAT THEY/ACURA WOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS. I ASKED HOW A FAILURE OF THIS NATURE COULD HAPPEN AT THIS MILEAGE. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION HE STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS LOCATED NEAR THESE PARTICULAR ENGINE MOUNTS AND CONTRIBUTES TO INCREASED TEMPERATURE IN THE AREA, RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THESE ENGINE MOUNTS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM WITH ACURA AND THEY ADVISED HIM TO 'SELL IT AS A MAINTENANCE ITEM'. I STATED THIS WAS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN DEFECT THAT ACURA OR JERRY DAMSON SHOULD PAY FOR. HE SAID THEY WOULD NOT. I ASKED HIM TO ELEVATE THIS TO THE JERRY DAMSON GENERAL MANAGER. HE REFUSED TO DO THAT. HE PROVIDED ME WITH THE PHONE NUMBER FOR 'ACURA CLIENT SERVICES', HE WOULD DO NOTHING ELSE. I RELUCTANTLY PAID FOR THIS BROKEN ENGINE MOUNTS REPAIR AT $483 IN ORDER TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE. IT IS A LOGICAL DEDUCTION THAT THE BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT PROBLEM IS A DESIGN DEFECT SINCE HE ADMITTED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER'S PROXIMITY TO THE ENGINE MOUNTS CONTRIBUTES TO THIS EARLY FAILURE. IT'S THEREFORE CLEAR THAT THIS REPAIR COST SHOULD BE BORNE BY ACURA/JERRY DAMSON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10288547

Incident

Oct 13, 2009

Mileage

82,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE RECALLS ON HIS VEHICLE TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AND THE WATER PUMP. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V226000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE) WAS REFERENCED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND THE TIMING BELT, BUT COULD NOT PROVIDE THE REPAIR DATE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED, BUT COULD NOT PROVIDE A DATE AS WELL. THE CONTACT IS EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH HIS VEHICLE AND WANTS TO KNOW WHEN IT WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ID

10277489

Incident

Jul 20, 2009

Mileage

65,000 mi

EARLY REPLACEMENT FAILURE/NEED FOR MOTOR MOUNTS IN 2002 ACURA MDX WITH UNDER 70,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249318

Incident

Oct 7, 2007

Mileage

60,000 mi

MOTOR MOUNT FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10248661

Incident

Nov 12, 2008

MOTOR MOUNTS ON 2002 ACURA MDX WITH 77,000 MILES FAILING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10215688

Incident

Jan 22, 2008

DURING ROUTINE SERVICE VISIT, DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT AND SIDE ENGINE MOUNTS ARE WORN AND NEED REPLACEMENT. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 60K MILES, NO ACCIDENTS AND DEALER SERVICED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON (NHTSA COMPLAINT # 10186944) PROBLEM WITH THE MDX AND NUMEROUS ISSUES NOTED BY OWNERS ON TOPIX.COM. ACURA SAYS THEY HAVE NO TSB ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10205973

Incident

Oct 16, 2007

Mileage

59,800 mi

TWO MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BROKEN (1) OR CRACKED (1). THESE ARE THE RIGHT AND FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS ON AN ACURA MDX 2002. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 61,000 MILES ON IT. BASED ON AN INTERNET SEARCH AND CHECK OF THE CONSUMER REPORTS WEB SITE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE ACURA MDX. *JB

NHTSA ID

10186944

Incident

Apr 3, 2007

Mileage

61,000 mi

ON 5/9/2003 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. ABOUT 45 MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHICH STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT WHICH WAS ON RECALL. THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL #02V226000. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019941

Incident

May 9, 2003

ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE ENGINE RACES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM . MR *NLM

NHTSA ID

568384

Incident

Oct 31, 2002