27th May 2010, 01:56

I bought my Acura MDX 2003 in October 2009, and the transmission is now failing. It will just stop completely when I apply the brake, but will continue to work very well if I quickly put it in neutral. Does it mean Acura/Honda is deliberately collecting money for services that aren't worth it?

28th Jun 2010, 19:17

I purchased a brand new 2003 MDX with tow package and Nav. The transmission went out at 86,000 miles. The seat heaters do not work, the voice system does not work and the brakes make a weird noise. I might as well have flushed 48,000 down the drain. I will never buy another Acura again. The only decent thing the dealership has done is to give me a free loaner while I'm paying through the nose to keep this car running.

6th Sep 2010, 19:28

Sept 6, 2010.

I wish I would have found this site prior to purchasing our 03 MDX. 142,000 miles and the car quit on the highway 3 hours from home. We are living paycheck to paycheck, so $3500 will be out of the question for a new trans right now.

I thought this car would be reliable - will never buy another one unless Acura steps it up.

4th Oct 2010, 19:42

I have a 2003 MDX with 99K miles. I am having issues with rumbling noise, but the sounds would not duplicate for the mechanic. The problem got worse. The dealer advised the torque converter was faulty. Replacement cost is $2300. I drained the transmission fluid and was advised the transmission should be OK.

How did they determine which vehicles qualify for extending warranty? Obviously, mine has the same problem.

29th Oct 2010, 21:34

I bought a used 03 MDX in 2007 with about 90,000 on it.

At 120,000, the trans went out with no warning, replaced it with a re-man for $6500.00. It came with a 12/12 warranty.

2 years later and 50,000 miles, once again no warning, the trans started slipping. Called Honda; basically told me tough luck. I bought this car for the name and reliability, and now it sits in my drive way, because I can't afford this again. So if you like making car payments on a car you cannot drive or trust, then the Acura MDX is the one for you.

9th Nov 2010, 14:25

Sounds like a huge overpriced lemon to to me...

The quality of imports has gone down the drain over the past decade, yet everyone still buys them based on the reputation they had in the 1990's.

The new domestic cars are a better buy for your money, plus you can have the great feeling of supporting your own economy and taking pride in your nation's products, and have a lower purchase price and less expensive repairs.

A $40k Acura that fails before 100k is a complete waste of your money; may as well give your money to charity..

22nd Nov 2010, 10:36

So, I purchased this MDX 2006 in late 2005 (brand new). I did not have any issues until about 2 years ago.

The right front ball bearing failed, then the front left strut blew. I have not had any issues since then. I do put a lot of money in maintenance, fluids change, tire balance and rotation, etc. I am a home made mechanic and I have done my brakes, VTM flush, power steering flush, etc. My transmission is impeccable and have not had any issues at all.

I will not recommend to purchase a used Acura, they do require a lot of maintenance and if the prior owner did not take care of it, you will be stuck with a lemon.

Good luck.

23rd Feb 2011, 16:53

Took my 2003 MDX in today with just over 100k. Needs valve adjustment $600, 2 engine mounts $700, timing belt + other belts, est. $1,200. What a bunch of crap. Acura makes products that fail on purpose. I was happy with this vehicle, but this is ridiculous. Never again! Back to FORD.

29th Sep 2011, 18:32

I bought my 2003 MDX new, & have 109,000 miles on it. I have been complaining to the dealership about the shuddering and vibration noises for the past couple of years. They replaced the torque converter at 60,000 miles, which had helped the situation temporarily. More recently, after the noise (grinding) and shuddering become worse, they installed some kind of clamps.

The noise is back, and after reading about everyone's transmission problems, I had a sit-down with the dealer. It's obvious that Acura should have recalled the torque converter/transmission issue, as there are hundreds - probably thousands - of complaints. The only thing I suggest to get Acura to recall & pay to fix the problem is to contact NHTSA at 888-327-4236 or www.nhtsa.gov & file a complaint as so many others have done. After they receive so many, they file an investigation.

9th Dec 2011, 01:06

I have a 2003 Acura MDX with a little over +200k miles. I am on my 3rd transmission. The first transmission went out at 165k. I had the transmission rebuilt, my front motor mount was broken, and I had to replace my radiator. Second transmission went out at 200k, and after 200 miles it went out again because the filter on the tranny was not replaced or cleaned. I still have a warranty for 2 years, unlimited miles. I had to pay extra for the extended 1 year.

16th Mar 2012, 11:01

2003 MDX, bought new. Around 100 K miles, the transmission began to slip. It got worse over time, and it's totally random. Contacted Acura, they told me they will look into my issue, but won't tell me if and how much Acura is willing to cover.

This is a big disappointment. We bought this car because of Honda's reputation in the past, and Acura's luxury. Looks like Honda's quality is going down.

I will not look at another Acura anymore.