2004 ACURA MDX Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, BEGINNING ABOUT THE DATE AND VEHICLE MILEAGE STATED ABOVE, I EXPERIENCED A SHUDDER AND CORRESPONDING NOISE AS THE TRANSMISSION TRIED TO SHIFT GEARS. SIMILAR TO THE SENSATION OF DRIVING ACROSS CLOSELY-SPACED RUMBLE STRIPS, THE SHUDDER AND NOISE SEEMED TO VARY IN LENGTH OF TIME DEPENDING ON SPEED. THIS OCCURRED MANY TIMES BEFORE I BECAME CONCERNED AND STARTED RESEARCHING DURING WHICH I FOUND DOZENS OF SIMILAR ACCOUNTS IN VARIOUS ON-LINE FORUMS. EVENTUALLY I TOOK MY MDX TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSIS. DISAPPOINTINGLY SIMILAR TO MANY ACCOUNTS I READ ON THE INTERNET, AND DESPITE MY DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM, THE ACURA DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, FURTHER NOTING ALL 19 ITEMS ON THEIR MULTI-POINT INSPECTION REPORT AS "CHECKED AND OK", INCLUDING THE TRANSMISSION. SOON THEREAFTER, THE DRIVE TRAIN COMPLETELY FROZE UP AS I DISCOVERED AFTER STARTING THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY (THANKFULLY, NOT WHILE DRIVING THE CAR). DESPITE USING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LOCK RELEASE BUTTON (COINCIDENTALLY -?- THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL FOR WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM ACURA), THE CAR REMAINS IMMOBILE BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT INTO GEAR TO RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS. MY LOCAL ACURA DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE TO MY NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND CALLS ATTEMPTING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT, AIR CONDITIONER, MOTOR MOUNT, FRONT AXLE SEAL, REAR HVAC BLOWER TRANSISTOR ALL FAILED. UPADTED 03/11/15

Mileage: 102,912

I WAS MOVING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND BAM!...THE DROP OF TRANNY FLUID AND RADIATOR FLUID ON THE SPOT. WHEN I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS THE 4TH HONDA CAR THEY HAVE HAD WITH SAME PROBLEM, THEY FOUND OUT IN ALL CASES IT WAS THE PRESSURIZED HOSE CONNECTING THESE TWO IMPORTANT PARTS HAD CORRODED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. I HAVE BEEN HEARING MORE ABOUT THIS AND IT IS NOW DISTURBING TO ME. IN MY CASE MY TRANNY IS FINE AND ALL I NEEDED WAS A NEW RADIATOR AND ALL NEW FLUIDS. THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE AND THAT MAY HAVE SAVED THE TRANNY. GOT IT TOWED AND FIXED THE NEXT DAY BY TRUSTED SHOP EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALMOST 800 DOLLARS. *TR

Mileage: 149,052

INTERNAL LEAK IN RADIATOR CAUSING A LEAK OF COOLANT TO TRANSMISSION FLUID AND VICE VERSA, DAMAGING TRANSMISSION AND RENDERING CAR NOT DRIVABLE WITHIN MOMENTS.

Mileage: 103,000

THERE IS A SHUDDERING NOISE / VIBRATION COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 25-45 MPH. *TR

Mileage: 78,000

MY MECHANIC DETERMINED MY FRONT AND SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS NEED REPLACING, AND MENTIONED IT BEING COMMON IN MY VEHICLE. I'VE SINCE FOUND OTHERS WITH ACURA MDXS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NEVER NEEDED MOUNTS REPLACED IN ANY OTHER VEHICLES OWNED. I BELIEVE IT TO BE AN INHERENT DEFECT ACURA MUST ADDRESS.

Mileage: 79,000

SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THE HIGHWAY. LOSE ALL POWER FROM THE ENGINE TO THE WHEELS. HAS TO PULL OVER SUDDENLY IN TRAFFIC TO AVOID BEING HIT BY OTHER CARS TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEED. THE TRANSMISSIONS ON HONDA/ACURA V6S APPARENTLY HAVE SYSTEMATIC PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 59,000

TOOK CAR IN FOR INSPECTION AND THE DEALER TOLD US OUR FRONT ENGINE MOUNT NEEDS REPLACING. NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS WITH OUR PREVIOUS CARS. SHOULDN'T ACURA TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MISTAKES. *TR

1. THE FRONT AND SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS ON MY '04 ACURA MDX ARE BROKEN AS WELL AS THE REAR A/C BLOWER. PROBLEM WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO WAS REPLACING THE BRAKES FOR US. ASIDE FROM THE BRAKES, THE AUTO HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED INCL. OIL CHANGES. ACURA CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS AND REFUSED TO OFFER ANY "GOOD WILL" DISCOUNT FOR THE REPAIRS. 2. FRONT MOUNT BROKE FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE SIDE (WITHIN 2-3 WKS.) DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL STRAIN PLACED ON IT BY THE FRONT MOUNT NOT FUNCTIONING. 3. NOTHING AS OF YET. STILL ATTEMPTING TO APPEAL THE DECISION REGARDING "GOOD WILL" ASSISTANCE. I AM IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP TRYING TO RESOLVE, BUT NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC. BOTH MOTOR MOUNTS NEED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE REAR A/C BLOWER. *TR

Mileage: 69,000

ON A TRIP TO A CAR WASH, MY ACURA MDX GOT LOCKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHICH CAUSED A BACK UP ON THE LINE AND LOSS OF BUSINESS FOR THE CAR WASH. I HAD TO HAIL A CAB TO GO HOME AND GET THE SPARE KEY AND COMPENSATED THE OWNER FOR THE LOSS. WHEN I GOT HOME AND READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE CAN BE LOCKED USING THE MASTER LOCK BUTTON IN AN OPEN PASSENGER DOOR EVEN WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE RUNNING. IT WAS THEN THAT I REALIZED THAT THE CAR WASH ATTENDANT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MUST HAVE LOCKED THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A FLAWED DESIGN AND CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE SAFETY PROBLEMS. I NOW HAVE TO CARRY A SPARE KEY WHEN I GO TO A CAR WASH. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MANUFACTURER AND GOT NO RESPONSE. *AK

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FREQUENTLY BLINKS AND THE CAR OCCASIONALLY MISFIRES WHILE THE CAR IS ACCELERATING OR UNDER HEAVY ENGINE LOAD (E.G., ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY OR DRIVING ON INTERSTATE THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS). THESE CONDITIONS APPEAR TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY THE WHETHER IS COOL AND DAMP. WHEN THE VEHICLE MISFIRES, THE ENGINE HESITATES AND VARIOUS DASHBOARD WARNING INDICATORS LIGHT. THE ENGINE HESITATION AND DISTRACTION FROM THE WARNING LIGHTS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO COMPLETE MERGER INTO TRAFFIC.

Mileage: 2,500

I BOUGHT A NEW ACURA MDX 2004 AND IN TWO DAYS THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED, LIGHT APPEARED. I WENT TO THE DEALER, WHO SAID THAT I NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO FIX THE PROBLEM, EVENTHOUGH AS A NEW CUSTOMER I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE CAR, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITHIN TWO DAYS OF DRIVING LESS THAN 100 MILES. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE ISSUE I AM FACING IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITHIN THE RANGE OF MY VIN NUMBER. BUT ACURA DEALER AND THE CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP OFFICE IN LA DENIED THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I ALSO FOUND A SIMILAR THE ISSUE DOCUMENTED ON YOUR WEBSITE. AS A CONSUMER WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS HERE ? A) CAN I GET ACURA TO PROVIDE ME THE LEVEL OF QUALITY AND SERVICE I AM EXPECTING B) REJECT THE PRODUCT IF THEY FAILED TO NOTIFY ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE I BOUGHT THE PRODUCT(FAIR DISCLOSURE) ABOUT THE RECALL C) THEY DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I KNOW SOMEONE WHO BOUGHT THE *SAME* MODEL CAR FROM THE *SAME* DEALERSHIP AND THEIR CAR ALSO FALLS IN THE *SAME* VIN RANGE WHICH IS DOCUMENTED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD THEM THAT ITS A KNOWN ISSUE WHEN THEY CALLED THE ACURA DEALER SERVICE, AND ASK THEM TO COME DOWN FOR SERVICE. BUT WHEN I ASK THE SAME QUESTION THEY DENY KNOWING ANY ISSUE WITH THE CAR, THEY EVEN SHOWED ME A PRINT OUT WHICH SAYS NOTHING IS FLAGGED AGAINST MY VIN NUMBER. I HAVE CURRENTLY GIVEN MY CAR FOR SERVICE, AND I AM ON A LOANER CAR FROM THE DEALER. STILL WAITING FOR THE CAR TO BE SERVICED. ALSO I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THE PROBLEM REAPPEARS, IT WILL FURTHER ERODE MY CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR AND THE DEALIERSHIP. I AM ALSO EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED AS A CONSUMER AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SHOULD I DO SO THAT OTHER ACURA CONSUMERS DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PAIN LIKE I AM GOING THROGUH AND ALSO GET COMPENSATED FOR THE DAMAGES AND INCONVINIENCE CAUSED BY THIS INCIDENT.*AK

Mileage: 50

THE ACURAMDX THAT I BOUGHT IS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004, THERE IS KIND OF A LOUD DRONING NOISE FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, THAT WAS IDENTIFIED BY THE READING HONDA DEALER AND FURTHUR CONFIRMED BY THE MFG'S REP, BUT THE PROBLEM DID NOT GET FIXED SINCE THE MFG. HAS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM AND THE MFG. IS NOT WILLING TO ADRESS THE PROBLEM OR SOLVE IT OR REFUND THE MONEY.*AK

Mileage: 50

A LOUD "DRONING" SOUND COMES OUT AT 2,000-2,200 MPH, ESPECIALLY LOUD AT APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MPH. DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER SAY THAT THIS IS A "NATURAL SOUND" OF THE 2004 MDX. I DO NOT BUY THIS EXPLANATION IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT AN EXPENSIVE SUV SUCH AS THIS WOULD HAVE A "NATURAL SOUND" LIKE THIS LOUD DRONING SOUND. IT IS VERY LOUD ESPECIALLY DURING COLD WEATHER. THEY INSIST THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE NEW DUAL EXHAUST SYSTEM OF THE 2004 MDX. WHAT IF IT IS ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION RELATED? *AK

Mileage: 50