Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Acura MDX submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
When making a sharp turn on hot days the car makes a grinding noise like something is grabbing the tire. It slows the car, hands the steering wheel and then the VSA hazard light comes on. It is a recurring issue and mechanics have not been able to diagnose.
RECALL NOT FIXED IN TIMELY MANNER AT ALL NOW CAR ISN'T WORKING BRAKES STICKING JUST NOT SAFE AT ALL CAN'T DRIVE. *TR
GOING 65 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE BRAKES SUDDENLY VSA LIGHT COMES ON ALMOST THREW ME IN THE DITCH UNDER SNOWY CONDITIONS AIRBAG LIGHT ALSO CAME ON
MY 2005 ACURA MDX HAS BEEN DRIVING GREAT SINCE WE PURCHASED IT OVER A YEAR AGO. RECENTLY THE VSA LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED VERY ABRUPTLY WHEN LIGHTLY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE LIGHT GOES AWAY AND APPEARS TO RESET WHEN YOU TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. NOW EVERY TIME THAT THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN I HAVE TO DRIVE EXTRA CAREFUL BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE VSA LIGHT WILL COME ON AGAIN CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS OF THE LIGHT WERE TO COME ON AND THE WHEELS WERE TO LOCK UP LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN WOULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE SKIDDING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS.
I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME HAD NO LIGHT APPEARING. THE VSA LIGHT HAS COME ON AND I SEE IT HAD A RECALL FOR THIS PREVIOUSLY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF ALL RECALLS HAD BEEN SERVICED AND THEY INDICATED THEY HAD. I HAVE A HUGE CONCERN KNOWING THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM AND WHEN I ASKED IF THEY COULD REPAIR IT UNDER THE PREVIOUS RECALL THAT APPEARS TO NOT HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I SOLD MY HONDA ACCORD COUPE FOR A 4 DOOR THINKING HONDA/ACURA PRODUCTS WERE SAFE AND RELIABLE. I HAVE READ FURTHER ABOUT RECALL PROCESSES AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THE DEALERSHIP CAN STATE THE RECALL WAS REMEDIED. I HAVE AN INFANT AND THAT IS WHY I BOUGHT A 4 DOOR. I REALLY AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND OTHERS WITH THE SAME SCENERIO IN WHICH THEY HAVE SERVICED THE RECALL AND THE VSA LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN ONLY TO BE TOLD IT IS A 2K FIX THAT MAY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I REALLY NEED SOME HELP AT THIS POINT, I AM DRIVING MY INFANT AND WOULD HATE FOR THE CAR TO MALFUNCTION CAUSING ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. RECALL S87, S88, AND S89. THIS LIGHT APPEARS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION.
TWO DAYS AGO, MY VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ABOUT 45MPH ON A SIDESTREET. AN UNEXPECTED BRAKING WAS EXPERIENCED WITHOUT ME APPLYING THE BRAKE, VSA LIGHT WENT ON. I HAD EXPERENCED 3 TIMES OF UNEXPECTED BRAKING, VSA LIGHT COMING - FOR THE SAME DAY. SO I DECIDED TO CHANGE INSPECT THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES AND ROTORS ARE STILL GOOD BUT I DECIDED TO CHANGE THEM ANYWAY. (FRONT: BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS, REAR: BRAKE PADS ONLY TODAY, I WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY JUST BEFORE 7AM, WITH A SPEED OF ABOUT 65MPH, SUDDENLY MY VEHICLE MADE AN EXPECTED BRAKING WITHOUT ME PUSHING THE BRAKE. MY VEHICLE ALMOST WENT OUT OF CONTROL FOR A SECOND BUT I WAS ABLE TO HANDLE IT. I NOTICED THAT VSA LIGHT WENT ON - BUT THE ROAD WAS CLEAR, NO BUMPS, NO DEBRIS, JUST PLAIN ROAD.
WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION THE VSA LIGHT CAME ON AND MY VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND JUMPING LIKE BRAKING ON IT'S OWN. WITHOUT MY EVEN TOUCHING MY BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 40 MILES AND MY 2005 ACURA MDX DID THIS. I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE A TRUCK WAS COMING BEHIND ME AT ABOUT MORE OR SO 60 TO MILES. I HAD TO LITERALLY VEER OFF TO THE BREAKDOWN DOWN LINE. THIS WAS VERY SCARY. PLEASE FIND A WAY TO CORRECT THIS ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR PASS 40 MILES ANYWHERE NOW.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STARTED MOVING TO THE TO RIGHT AND THEN TO THE LEFT INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (ACURA OF WICHITA, 10950 E 13TH ST N, WICHITA, KS 67206) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE YAH RATE SENSOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO GO TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ISLAND ACURA (3350 SUNRISE HWY, WANTAGH, NY 11793, (855) 435-5850) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT IT MAY NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.
EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING SUDDEN INADVERTENT BRAKING ISSUE, BUT NOT LISTED UNDER MY VIN EVEN THOUGH THE MAKE AND MODEL FIT DESCRIPTION OF RECALL. THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY BRAKED AND PULLED TO ONE SIDE CAUSING A TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. VSA ECU MALFUNCTION. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V092000 MANUFACTURER HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) COMPONENTS SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM SUMMARY OF EXISTING RECALL: STABILITY ASSIST (VSA) CONTROL MODULE CAUSING INTERMITTENT, AUTOMATIC, MINOR BRAKE APPLICATION. HOWEVER, IF THE DRIVER APPLIES THE BRAKES WHILE THE VSA IS MALFUNCTIONING, THE VEHICLE MAY COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP.(MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 ACURA MDX VEHICLES MANUFACTURED SEPTEMBER 16, 2004, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2005)
I, ALONG WITH MY WIFE, PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING SLOT WITH SEAT BELTS SECURELY FASTENED AND STARTED DRIVING. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE CAR WENT INTO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. I HAD NO CONTROL ON BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR. I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO STOP THE CAR. I STEER THE CAR ON TO MIDDLE CURB OF THE PARKING LOT. FIRST I HIT THE GATE, WHICH WAS FLEXIBLE AND DID NOT STOP THE CAR. NEXT THING I HIT WAS A LIGHT POLE. THE CAR STOPPED WITH BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, LOT OF DAMAGE TO CAR (COMPLETELY TOTALED) AND CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY TO ME AND MY WIFE WHO WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. DUE TO THE SPEED OF THE CAR, THE CONCRETE BASE WAS LIFTED FROM THE GROUND AND THE POLE FELL IN FRONT AWAY FROM THE CAR. WE BOTH CHECKED INTO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH. THIS WAS CAUSED BY MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE CAR. THE REASON I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE: A) I JUST LEFT THE PRAYER HALL, WHERE I GO FREQUENTLY AND AM FAMILIAR WITH THE SURROUNDING WHERE OTHER CARS ARE PARKED AND MOVING, PEOPLE ARE WALKING TO AND FROM THEIR CARS, AND HAD NO REASON TO ACCELERATE; B) I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ACCIDENT FREE FOR PAST 39 YEARS, MY DRIVING RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF; C) DRIVING IS REQUIRED IN THE PROFESSION I AM IN, WHERE I HAVE TO VISIT CLIENTS FEW TIMES A WEEK; D) I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE CAR BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS CAR FOR OVER 4 YEARS. E) I AM A FAMILY MAN AND NOT A RECKLESS DRIVER. I CARE TOO MUCH FOR MY FAMILY, AND ESPECIALLY MY GRANDSON, TO TAKE A CHANCE LIKE THIS; F) I AM PERFECTLY HEALTHY AND CONSCIOUS ABOUT MY SURROUNDINGS. IT HAS BEEN SIX WEEKS AND WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING PAIN FROM THE INJURY. I BELIEVE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO AVOID SUCH INCIDENTS IN FUTURE. THIS CRASH COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL.
TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *TR
THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT BRAKE RANDOMLY APPLIES EVEN IF YOU DON'T TOUCH THE BRAKES. IT PULLS INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE VSA! LIGHT COMES ON EVERY TIME SIGNALING AN ISSUE WITH THE TRAFFIC CONTROL. THERE WAS RECALL THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX THE ISSUE HOWEVER IT DID NOT. IT CAN OCCUR AT 70 MPH OR 5 MPH, THERE IS NO RHYME TO WHY IT OCCURS HOWEVER I FEAR FOR MY WIFE AND MY CHILDREN WHEN IT IS DRIVEN. *TR
I AM WRITING BECAUSE I JUST RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM ACURA RELATING TO: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : EA13002. MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT (SHE'S OK!) WHERE SHE HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID AN ONCOMING CAR THAT HAD DRIFTED INTO HER LANE ROUNDING A LEFT HAND BEND. OUR 2005 ACURA MDX WENT OUT OF CONTROL DESPITE HER ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, WHICH SHE DID AFTER IT HAD BLOWN OUT TWO TIRES. COULD HER BRAKING AND SWERVING RESULT IN THE SUBSEQUENT OVER CORRECTION OF OUR MDX AND BE THE RESULT OF THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONING AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE FROM ACURA. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. AFTER A THIRD FAILURE, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V092000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM) WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE ON THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE TPMS , VSA, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED THEN THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER WHO REVEALED A YAW SENSOR CODE VIA THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR
THE BRAKE WILL APPLY ON ITS OWN AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON BECAUSE YOU DON'T PRESS THE PEDAL WHICH WOULD TRIGGER THE BRAKE SWITCH TO TURN THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AS IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES AT HIGH SPEED. NOTE I SENT TO ACURA DURING THE UNCOMMANDED BRAKE ISSUE, IT DESCRIBES THE ISSUE ETC.. THIS IS <MY NAME>, I HAD BROUGHT MY 2005 MDX WHICH I BOUGHT NEW FROM YOU BACK IN 2005 IN FOR THE UNCOMMANDED BRAKE APPLICATION ISSUE ON FEB 10TH 2010. AS YOU KNOW WHEN THIS ISSUE HAPPENS THE BRAKE APPLIES ITSELF WHEN MY FOOT IS ON THE GAS PEDAL AND SOMETIMES THE VSA AND ! LIGHT COME ON AND SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT. ON THE 10TH I DROVE THE CAR WITH YOU MECHANIC AND WE HAD A BRIEF EXPERIENCE OF THE ISSUE BUT BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND WHEN MY FOOT WAS OFF OF THE BRAKE IT STILL APPLIED ITSELF AND THEN RELEASED AND THEN APPLIED AGAIN WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE PEDAL. THE MOST SERIOUS OF THE ISSUES IS WHEN MY FOOT IS ON THE GAS AND THE BRAKE APPLIES ITSELF. ON THAT DAY YOUR MECHANIC DID A BUNCH OF TESTS FROM THE SERVICE MANUAL FOR DTC 66 & 68 INCLUDING: -- "THE JIGGLE" TEST TO SEE IF SOMETHING WAS LOOSE AND WOULD TRIGGER A CODE -- BATTERY TEST FOR VOLTAGE -- GROUND CONNECTION TO BODY CLEAN AND RESET -- VSA CONNECTOR WAS TAKEN OFF AND PUT BACK ON -- CODES WERE RESET THERE IS MORE BUT THE LENGTH IS GREATER THAN ALLOWABLE MAXIMUM OF '1,901'. *TR
2005 ACURA MDX: LEAVING MY NEIGHBORHOOD I TOOK A RIGHT TURN ONTO THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE. AFTER SOME ACCELERATION (1ST GEAR), I HEARD A LOUD SQUEAL/BLOW. IMMEDIATELY HAD NO POWER TO MANEUVER FORWARD AND OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD IN BUSY TRAFFIC. IRONICALLY, MDX WAS TAKEN FOR MAINTENANCE AT DEALERSHIP. MDX SEEMINGLY TESTED WITH FLYING COLORS 43 DAYS EARLIER. NO CAUTIONARY COMMENTS FROM MECHANICS AT DEALERSHIP. *TR
DRIVING ON CITY STREET 1 BLOCK FROM ENTERING FREEWAY I FELT A STRANGE GRABBING AND VIBRATION TYPE SENSATION FROM MY 2005 MDX. A FEW FEET FURTHER THE CAR FELT LIKE I HAD STEPPED ON BRAKES AND GAS AT THE SAME TIME AND LITERALLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE CAR BEHIND SWERVED AND BARELY MISSED ME. I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED ACURA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. HAD I BEEN ON THE FREEWAY THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED A MULTIPLE CAR COLLISION THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS WONDERFUL BUT I FEEL THAT SINCE I ONLY HAVE 70,000 MILES ON THIS CAR; THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AND THE LOCKING OF THE WHEELS AT ANY SPEED IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE REPAIR WAS A REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULATOR ASSEMBLY ABS/VSA AT A COST OF $$1653. I JUST KEEP WONDERING WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD I BEEN ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING 70 MILES PER HOUR. *TR
MY ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT I AM GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS SO ANYONE WHO HAS AN ACURA MDX WILL BE AWARE. ON THE DAY OF MY DAUGHTERS WEDDING, I WAS IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IN A PARKING GARAGE. THERE WERE 4 PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. MY TRANSMISSION SURGED AS I WAS IN REVERSE HITTING A CEMENT POLE, WITHIN A SECOND, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD HITTING ANOTHER CEMENT POLE. THE AIRBAGS THANKFULLY DEPLOYED. I WAS BURNED, BADLY BRUISED AND HAVE NECK AND BACK INJURIES AS DOES THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. THIS CAR WAS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS INVOLVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THE ACURA'S. IF I HAD BEEN PARKED ON THE ROAD, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN FATALITIES. I MISSED HOURS OF THE MOST SPECIAL DAY OF MY DAUGHTERS LIFE. THESE MEMORIES WERE STOLEN FROM ME. MY CAR WAS AT THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY 3-4 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. $700.00 FOR THE CAR TO BE CHECKED AND READY TO GO! PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO PURCHASE THIS CAR. I LOVED IT TOO! *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE JERKED BACKWARDS AND STRUCK A CONCRETE POLE APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET AWAY. THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, SURGED FORWARD, AND STRUCK ANOTHER CONCRETE POLE. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAPPED AND UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE POLICE, AMBULANCE, AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAD BURNS AND CUTS ON HER ARMS AND FACE AND A SWOLLEN RIGHT KNEE. SHE WILL HAVE TO UNDERGO THERAPY ON HER NECK AND KNEE. THE PASSENGER WAS BADLY BRUISED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH ACURA ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2007 AND THEY STATED THAT THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH HER, HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED AS OF YET. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE AND ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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