Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 206 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Acura MDX. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 206 · page 1 of 9
Driving up a hill in this 2003 Acura MDX and the TRANSMISSION failed. Came to a stop in the middle of the street. Several cars almost hit me. Checked online and this vehicle has a known problem of the transmission going out around 70,000 miles. A mechanic started changing it out in my driveway .then winter came. It's been sitting in my driveway ever since.
My vehicle has a check engine light. The code indicates the issue is the fuel neck filler (part number 17660-S3VA02) which has been confirmed by my mechanic. This is a safety item due to some type of fuel leak in the filler neck area for gasoline which causes the check engine light. The part is on backorder and from my conversations with multiple dealerships, there is no estimated date of delivery. Apparently, there is a high number of vehicles having this issue. As a result, I am unable to smog my vehicle due to some type of fuel leak. It appears there is a safety item that needs to be addressed immediately.
Unknown, but since I bought the car I encountered a problem with the rear seatbelts, they do not work and I am about to be a grandmother and it is important and is a safety issue,
ON APRIL 7 2021 ARRIVED ABOUT 10:45 A.M. I DROVE TO MCGRATH ACURA DEALER AT 9105 WAUKEGAN ROAD, IN WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS FOR A POWER STEERING FLUSH, THAT EMPLOYEE INSTRUCTED ME WALK WITH HIM TO OBSERVE A UNDERNEATH INSPECTION REAR AND FRONT I NOTICE THAT REAR FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED INCLUDED SHOCKS SURROUNDING THE FRAME, THROUGH OUT THE VEHICLE IT WAS ONA HYDRALIC JACK. SEE IMAGES ME AND EMPLOYEE LOOKING UNDERNEATH.
THE VEHICLE KEEPS SHUDDERING AND LOSING POWER AND GEARS NOT CHARGING IN RIGHT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED AS IF IT WAS SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 265,000.
THE MDX SRS MALFUNCTION-ELECTRICAL NOISE SURGES. THE CAR IS MAKING ELECTRICAL NOISE SURGES, I CANNOT START THE CAR. THE SHIFT INTERLOCK, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT CONTINUES TO ROLL.
I WRECKED ON 8/24/2020. THE CAR SAYS THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY SEATBELTS LOCKED UP. BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! I REAR ENDED SOMEBODY GOING ABOUT 20 MPH ON A CITY STREET.
MULTIPLE SAFETY AND RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE INCLUDING AIR BAG SYSTEM,ABS,TRANSMISSION SHIFT SENSOR, EMISSION BUILD UP CAUSING CLOGGING IN EXHAUST SYSTEM, MAP SENSOR TORQUE CONVERTERS, DIFFERENTIAL ISSUES,ROUGH IDLE AND SHIFT INTERLOCK SOLENOID ISSUES. FLUID LEAKS AND BRAKE STICKS ALSO AIR BAG LIGHT WONT GO OFF.
AIRBAG LIGHTS ARE ON. PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG LIGHT BLINKS EVEN IF NO BODY IS IN THE CAR. AND ON THE DASHBOARD THE RED AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON
PROLONGED HIGH UNDER-HOOD TEMPERATURES CAUSING THE POWER STEERING HOSE TO DETERIORATE PREMATURELY CAUSING THE HOSE TO CRACK AND LEAK POWER STEERING FLUID. MECHANIC IS SAYING THIS IS COMMON ON ACURA.
2003 ACURA MDX HAS SO MANY ISSUES AND IT'S AFFECTING A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS. SRS AIRBAG LIGHT ISSUE 61-10 THAT NEEDS THE SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT AND THE ENGINE MOUNTS NEED REPLACEMENT . SEEMS LIKE THE FRONT AND SIDE ENGINE FAILURE IS COMMON
AFTER HAVING TAKEN THE ACURA TO DEALER 3 TIMES FOR THE TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL INITIALLY ALL WAS WELL. THEN EVERY 3RD TIME I STARTED THE ENGINE THE RED WARNING LIGHT FOR AIRBAG FAILURE WOULD COME ON. NOW OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS EVERY TIME THE ENGINE IS STARTED THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. WOULD EXPENSE TO REPAIR/REPLACEMENT BE COVERED?
TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE CAUSED SHARDS OF METAL TO BE TRANSMITTED INTO THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING TOTAL FAILURE OF EVERY GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS DRIVING ON A DIVIDED HIGHWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER IN HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC. ALL LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE DASH SUCH AS VTM-4, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP AND GEAR WAS FLASHING. I WAS ALMOST HIT WHILE TRYING TO GET TO A SAFE LOCATION TO PULL OVER. PRIOR TO THE CAR DYING I NEVER HAD ANY INDICATION OF MALFUNCTION NOR ANY DRIVING ISSUES OR PROBLEMS ACCELERATING.
TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTS FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. IT'S DANGEROUS TO BE IN TRAFFIC AND LOSE THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE REPLACED THE SHIFTER AND HAD IT ADJUSTED NUMEROUS TIMES. ACURA REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE INNUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS VERY ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.
2003 ACURA MDX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 15V-045. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE CLOSEST ACURA WAS A DAYS DRIVE AWAY AND REQUESTED THAT A REPRESENTATIVE BE ABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL AT A HONDA DEALER. *JS
THE VEHICLE JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE ONE NIGHT RIGHT OF THE BM THE PASSENGERS THAT ARE IN THERE
NEEDED TO CHANGE THE AIRBAGS FOR RECAL
MY HUSBAND CALLED ACURA OF ORANGE PARK ON DEC. 1ST TO SETUP AN APPOINTMENT TO GET THE RECALL HANDLED. HE SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO TOLD MY HUSBAND OUR VEHICLE WASN'T ON THE RECALL LIST.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V344000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE EMITTING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *CN
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL FILLER PIPE 3 TIMES BECAUSE IT LEAKED FUEL VAPORS AND CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. ALL 3 PART REPLACEMENTS WERE GENUINE ACURA PARTS. THE REPLACEMENTS TOOK PLACE IN 2010(METRO ACURA), 2013(DAN'S MOBILE AND SMOG STATION) AND 2016(DAN'S MOBILE AND SMOG STATION). THE LAST FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE CRIMPING OF THE METAL GAS CAP FITTING TO THE PLASTIC FUEL FILLER PIPE DURING THE PART MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE CRIMPING WENT THROUGH THE PLASTIC AND CAUSED THE FUMES TO LEAK. THESE FUMES ARE VERY NOTICEABLE IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR AND CREATE THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPLOSION. ALL 3 REPLACEMENTS HAVE COST ME ABOUT $500. I REPORTED THIS MATTER TO ACURA CLIENT SERVICES BUT THEY WERE UNCONCERNED.
TIRE BRAND/TYPE: COOPER CS4 P235/65R17 DOT U981 CLH 2814 PURCHASE DATE: JAN 24, 2015 W/EXTENDED ROAD HAZARD COVERAGE COMPONENT: OUTER WALL SPLITTING AND FRAYING WITH SIGNS OF BUBBLING VEHICLE: 2003 ACURA MDX AWD LOCATION: FRONT PASSENGER SIDE- DURING ROUTINE PSI CHECK I NOTED THE OUTER WALL WAS SPITTING AND HAD RUBBER FRAYING IN CONJUNCTION WHICH HAD NOT BEEN THERE PREVIOUSLY. THE SPLITTING IS EXACTLY 2 1/2 INCHES LONG AND 0.2 INCHES WIDE GOING VERTICAL STARTING WHERE THE TIRE AND RIM MEET. THERE IS ALSO SIGNS OF BUBBLING UNDER THE SPLIT REVEALING SIGNS OF EMINENT RUPTURE. PSI WAS TAKEN AND MEASURED 30. REQUIREMENTS FOR VEHICLE IS 32. I DID NOT PROCEED WITH CORRECTING PSI FROM 30-32 DUE TO THIS ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE SHIFT LEVER FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V573000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,793.
TAKATA RECALL THERE ARE FOUR RECALLS ON MY CAR AND THE NEAREST ACURA DEALERSHIP IS 200 MILES AWAY. THERE IS A LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP THAT COULD DO THE AIRBAG RECALL, BUT ACURA CLAIMS THAT SINCE THERE ARE SEVERAL RECALLS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THE ACURA DEALERSHIP. I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO TAKE AN ENTIRE DAY TO GET THIS FIXED. ACURA KEEPS REFERRING ME BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALERSHIP KEEPS REFERRING ME BACK TO ACURA.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, A METAL PIECE OF A STREET SIGN THAT WAS LYING ON THE GROUND STRUCK THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE METAL BAR SPLIT THE CONTROL ARM IN TWO. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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