Problems with 2003 Acura MDX POWER TRAIN

While driving on a routine errand, the automatic transmission failed in the middle of the road. the car was not moving on shifting to drive. found transmission fluid on the road under the vehicle. *tr

Twice in the last 3 days, the transmission in my 2003 acura mdx spontaneously slipped into neutral, i.e., disengaged from drive and left me w/o power to the wheels. the shift lever remained in drive and had not been touched. the latter occurrence stranded me in the middle of an intersection with oncoming traffic. several attempts at shifting into park and back into drive were required before drive actually engaged. an internet search easily turned up many similar instances in which 2003 mdx owners indicated that their transmissions intermittently disengaged from drive. *tr

My 2003 acura mdx was vibrating/shuddering between 30-45mph. dealer advised faulty torque converter @ $2,200. the 2001 & 2002 models were recalled for same issue. when torque converter fails, metal shavings can make their way into transmission, causing transmission failure. acura is having ongoing repeated issues. will they deny transmission issue at the expense of my families safety. many with same vehicle have had some dangerous situations. *tr

Car would not move upon pushing gas pedal but engine would revive then without warning the car would launch forward at accelerated speed. this lurching continued unpredictably upon further driving the car. dealer said that the transmission needed to be replaced. *tr

8/18/10 - while driving car begins acting like we are trying to accelerate while in neutral. we are able to get to a gas station, where we notice transmission fluid on the ground. we have it towed to a local honda dealership in dublin. they replace the transmission hose. 8/28/10 - driving on the interstate, car begins acting up again - same problem. we pull over immediately and have it towed to a different dealership in columbus. we are told we need to get a new transmission. both times there were no warning signs of any problems. once it started acting up, there was nothing that could be done except pull it away from traffic and have it towed. *tr

2003 acura mdx with 146,000 miles on it. automatic transmission failed on saturday, august 18, 2010 three hours from home and 27 miles from a dealership. *tr

This is related to the recent honda recall for ignition key issue. the same problem has been noticed on my acura 2003 mdx. there has not been any incident arising out of it because of my checks after switching off my car but some other people might not be lucky. the key sometimes comes out after switching the car off without moving the gear to park. this happens if done quickly. the date below is a approximate date since i know it happened 2-3 weeks back. *tr

My 2003 acura mdx had the transmission replaced at 44,000 miles. around 80,000 miles i noticed the transmission failing again. specifically the torque converter making the shudder and vibration again. i let me dealer know, but they did not detect an issue. now at 102,000 miles and after my extended warranty has expired acura is expecting me to pay for 60% of the repair of a clear defect in the transmission of this year of the car. so far it has not caused an accident, but i am afraid to keep driving without performing the replacement. *tr

I just bought a 2003 acura mdx with 110,000 miles. i drove the car less than 15 miles and noticed a scraping noise coming from the rear. a little further down the road the vehicle bucked and then the d5 light started flashing. there was hesitation in between the gears. the vehicle is now in the shop getting a new transmission - i had it less than 20 minutes before it started having problems. *tr

I was driving on i-75 when my transmission failed, car went from going 70mph to dropping all rpm's and driving as if it were in neutral. torque converter had to be replaced, this was at 91,000 miles. luckily, i had extended warranty or this would have been a $3,000 repair and could have been very dangerous if other cars were following closely when the transmission failed! a vehicle in this price range should not be failing so early. i am not at 93,000 miles and have an electrical issue when i turn the a/c on, all of my gauges are lost and the battery is drained, but the alternator and the battery have both been tested and are ok. *tr

Transmission failure. *tr

The transmission on my 2003 mdx has been slipping for about a year. i took it to the dealership 2x, but they weren't able to find the problem--couldn't get it to slip out of gear. finally, last week, in 5:00 traffic, it stopped totally and i had to have it towed--the car was at 106,000 miles. apparently, all the previous complaints helped me out b/c the honda national agreed to cover 2/3 of the cost of a new transmission (4355.00). i must say they have been great to work with so far, and i'm grateful they chipped in on the cost, although it's clear the 2003 mdx's have real transmission troubles. *tr

2003 acura mdx. 105,000 miles. it was fully services at santa monica acura upto 90,000 miles. i was driving my in seattle, highway i-5 north bound. at 60 mph speed, transmission just stopped totally. vehicle ran freely. my 2 kids, wife were with me. it was scary as hell. i slowly changed lane in busy friday traffic, was able to go to shoulder. called police, then aaa to tow the car to acura of bellevue. they said today, transmission gone bad. wants $4000 to fix it. i called acura corp office. they have denied to cover any cost because this is out of warranty. 2001 & 2002 mdx had recall. with same transmission, this vehicle should have same problem. i can imagine a huge number of people fixing transmission on mdx vehicles; and acura not taking any responsibility. please, someone, please take notice. and follow up on this case. this is a defective vehicle, acura should extend transmission warranty and cover all transmission failure costs of their vehicles. *tr

Transmission slipping on 2003 acura mdx starting at 73,000. talked to dealership about it but they said that since the check engine light didn't come on or the transmission light didn't come on there wasn't a problem. kept driving it and it got worse. around 78,000 miles had to have water pump, timing belt and engine mounts done (not at dealership); had mechanic check transmission - found it needed to be replaced. *tr

Transmission failure on acura 03 mdx. *tr

I just bought an used 2003 acura mdx on jan 30th with 87,000 mile on it. just after 11 days on feb 11, 2010, i noticed that some brown colored fluid is leaking from the front passenger side. it's not just dipping, there were lot of fluids coming out. i opened the hood and notice that the fluid was overflowing from the radiator reservoir. next morning when i start the car and tried to run it just stopped in the middle of the road and engine light came on. i had to tow the car to a dealership. they said somehow internally transmission cooler was busted and the transmission coolant was mixed with the engine coolant. therefore i had to replace the whole radiator, need to flush transmission fluid, and flush the radiator. it cost me $1000. now, my car is not smooth as it was before. transmission is not shifting properly. i am really worried driving this car. i saw that mdx has a lot of transmission problem. i think they should change the transmission for free and they should also take care of this fluid mixing problem. i'd appreciate if you guys investigate this problem. *tr

2003 acura mdx transmission failure, when starting the car in park the car jumped forward about 18-24 inches, this has happened 3 times in the last year, transmission was replaced at 45k miles and is experiencing the same problems again at 88k. *tr

As i was bring my husband home from major back surgery our 2003 acura mdx started to slip into neutral as we were leaving the hospital. this was one hour away from our home! in shifting through the gears, i finally got the transmission to catch at d3. this happened several times to us as we were traveling through a city and had to stop at several stop lights. every time we stopped, it was the same scenario. d3 seemed to be the 'ticket' gear to get it to catch. i came home and made an appointment at a local garage. thankfully i went to drop it off two days early, as the car completely stopped moving on our way to the garage and i had to call and have the vehicle towed. for a luxury vehicle, i am sadly disappointed as i love everything else about the car. i can't wait to see the price tag on this repair and for the number of complaints with the transmissions going bad, i would think that there would have been a recall by now.

Acura mdx 2003 with over 110,000 miles, began slipping out of drive while running, usually soon after starting. dealership service had it several times, most recently for an entire week in december 2009. no trouble found. no indicators lit. dealer-maintained car regularly for last 75,000 miles. finally slipped out of gear while driving on a busy freeway at 60+ mph, but was able to coast to safe exit. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura mdx. the contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light and accelerating the vehicle would not shift into gear. the contact also stated that while driving 35 mph and attempting to slow the vehicle down the engine started to rev extremely high. the vehicle would not slow down and almost crashed into another vehicle; however, it began driving normal. the contact called the manufacturer regarding this issue but have not heard back from them at this time. the contact is concerned of the safety risk with his year make and model. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 105,000.

Torque converter defect on our 2003 acura mdx. many similar reports. *tr

Failure of 2003 acura mdx transmission. *tr

Regarding a 2003 acura mdx with 108,000 miles, the transmission and two motor mounts failed. information on the edmunds website confirm these repetitive failures and potential transmission lockup at high speeds. i have all maintenance records to show the car was taken care of. new motor mounts were $500. the dealer paid for most of the transmission replacement but it still costs us $460 out of pocket. *tr

Driving down i78 on thanksgiving and all of the sudden the car stopped responding. engine was revving but car wasn't accelerating commensurate with the engine. the transmission was slipping. i navigated my way towards the right across a couple of lanes of traffic and made my way to the exit. got off the interstate and the check engine light came on and the car completely stopped responding. i pulled over and could not move at all - the transmission was gone. called aaa and had the car towed. i starting researching this and discovered that this was a well known issue for acura mdx's of the 2003 vintage. i eventually had the car towed to clinton acura and of course they told me i needed a new transmission for $4000. i complained and asked if there was anything they could do and they said no. i told them to wait and that i was going to call acura customer care. i did so and asked them to help defray the cost of the new transmission since it was apparent that they had a deficiency. they took the complaint and request but suggested i needed to make the same request of the dealership. they said the dealer would consult with their local acura field rep to make a decision. i did as they suggested and about 3 hours later they called me back and said my request was denied. essentially the vehicle was out of warranty so it was my responsibility. i told them i was very disappointed but i had them do the work. i also called back acura customer care and told them what happened. further, i told them i would never purchase another acura product. *tr

Family in 2003 acura mdx with 92,000 miles on it at highway speed when vehicle comes out of gear, unable to drive, towed to repair facility. transmission has failed and must be replaced. *tr

The transmission slipped into neutral while driving. gear indicator showed in d5. vehicle basically stalled in the middle of roadway. it happened a couple times and no repair has been performed. shifted to p and back to d5, normal driving resumed. *tr

My 2003 acura mdx showed no signs of a transmission issue until one day the transmission slipped into neutral without warning. by that i mean no engine lights came on. i pulled over shut the car off and restarted the engine which than went back into gear. this happened occasionally for about a week. i took it to a dealer who checked it out and said there were no issues. upon leaving the dealership it happened again but this time the engine light came on. i was told by the dealer that the transmission had failed. *tr

I have 2003 acura mdx which seems to have transmission problem while driving the vehicle its automatically shift to neutral stopping the car in mid traffic it has happen on numerous occasion, no repairs lights to indicate there is a problem. i had 2 take this vehicle to the dealer 3 times before they found the problem and that was only after mechanic tried 2 drive it home when it happened 2 him. this problem occurred periodically at any given time. my vehicle had just been service for its 90,000 maintenance at $560 i told them then i noticed this problem assured me vehicle was fine. next week took it back they told me the mat was causing the acceleration to stick removed mats drove home next day same problem while driving car just stop in middle of traffic. took vehicle back that's when mechanic tried to home with it happened to him he brought back into shop she's right it is dangerous. now they want $4700 to fix it.. there are still no warning signals that this vehicle needs service computers still says its fine. i also just replaced alternator a few months ago could not sit in park positions with lights on or key hanging in ignition car would just stop and would need a hot shot. *tr

While driving i lost power meaning i could no longer accelerate because there was no linkage from the engine to the transmission. the engine was running ok, but i had no power to move the vehicle. while acura is a respected and quality vehicle, i feel that there may be a product defect in that my problem resulted in me having to replace the cooling system along with the transmission. while in the service department of the acura dealer, i overheard some of the service mechanics saying that they've seen this happen to this model vehicle before and that acura of torrence california should be made aware of this problem. acura would have paid for the repair but the vehicle was out of warranty. i have a copy of the service managers report to the td bank as to what,'they, the dealerships service department" thinks caused this problem. this letter can be made available to you upon request. *tr

2003 acura mdx transmission failure. *tr

Acura has known for some time now that mdx model, years 2001-2003, have defective transmissions. there have been numerous complaints about this same issue with a lot of acura owners. *tr

2003 acura mdx 68,000 miles transmission won't go into drive normally, have to drive it like a standard transmission, start in 1-2 then proceed into regular drive many past problems with this car, a/c problems, electrical, trim etc. dealer states oops you need a new transmission --40,000. dollar car and you only get 68,000 miles. dealer states well you can drive it like that for maybe a day or two maybe a week but it needs to be replaced it will lock up on you soon. we can fix it for 3600.00 in their dreams i will probably paint it yellow and put it up on blocks :) no warning when this happened just pulled up to a red light and it wouldn't move after that. *tr

We have recently bought acura mdx from herb chambers dealership in burlington. we took an extended bumper to bumper warranty for the car and paid a good amount for that. few days back, the transmission fluid leaked. as soon as it was detected, car was stopped to avoid any damage to engine. when the bumper was opened, smoke was coming out of car bumper, it could have caught file and killed people traveling in it. it is notified to us as transmission seal broke. the dealers was informed and car was towed to them same day. i want to report this damage, which could not be explained, as the car was safely parked in very safe area. car was driven by experience driver and family members, and we are certain that the car was not damaged while driving. dealer is not ready to take the tag by saying it is vandalism. please take a note of this and help us out to get the justice here. sunita *tr

2003 acura mdx, purchased for used car lot, shutters during 30-40mph driving. took vehicle in to dealership for the second time and the results were the transmission was failing. *tr

We were on a vacation in arizona, had the 90k service done 2 days before traveling. everything was fine until the 3rd day of our trip. we were headed to tombstone, az. for a day trip about 90 miles each way from tucson where we were staying, about 40 miles outside of town on i-10 the transmission starts losing torque and the transmission temp warning light comes on, i pull over and call aaa and get towed to an acura dealer in tucson. i get a call from the dealer a short time later saying i need a new transmission to the tune of 4,000.00. i have maintained this vehicle to manufacturer's specs by a certified honda/acura repair shop. i find it hard to believe that the transmission would just fail with no warning. luckily we have family in tucson that we could stay with, while the transmission was ordered and replaced. needless to say our vacation was ruined. *tr

I have a 2003 acura mdx. in june of 2008, i was told that the torque converter needed to be replaced. i was told that the sound it was making would eventually get louder. no one told me that the torque converter was associated with the transmission. in april 2010, i talked to a private mechanic who explained that he had many customers come to him who were experiencing problems with the torque converter and he directed these clients back to the dealership for repair. he explained that this is a common problem with the mdx and the dealership should take responsibility for the repair. i talked to my dealership and i was told by two service advisors that this is a common problem with this vehicle. no one bothered to tell me this when i initially brought the vehicle in for inspection. i was told that it is no longer under warranty and i'm expected to pay the cost to have it repaired.

Automatic transmission shudder or vibration between 35 and 40 mph. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 acura mdx. when the contact places the vehicle into drive, the transmission will not work and the vehicle will not move unless it is shifted into reserve. occasionally, the vehicle needs to be warmed up in order for the transmission to work. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer due to the distance from his home and the condition of the vehicle. the failure and current mileages were 126,000.

Transmission was not shifting correctly for about a day before. i attempted to enter traffic and the transmission stopped working. i was lucky not to be able to get in traffic, otherwise there probably been an accident. *tr

2003 acura mdx approx 89,000 miles. driving and car would not accelerate from stop. car was in gear d5 but would not run. had to stop in traffic and restart. got to side of road and would not re-engage in gear. had towed replaced drive train in vehicle. dealer did 75-25 split they know it's a problem. *tr

I have a 2003 acura mdx, with ~115,00 miles on it. over the last year i have periodically experienced significant vibration during shifting of gears. in my investigation into the matter,i have found these symptoms are identical to those experienced by other mdx owners and is consistent with the many complaints of failed transmissions with the mdx model. i have taken the car to the dealer , frankel acura in cockeysville, maryland, for service on this issue on two separate occasions, but they have consistently denied that there is any problem with the transmission. however, they have offered two repairs that they said would address the problem . replaced engine mounts and flushed/refilled transmission fluid for a total cost of ~$800. their continued denial of problem with the transmission conflicts not only with my complaints, and those of many other owners, but the conclusions of two independent mechanics i had evaluate the transmission on my mdx. one of these mechanics is a transmission specialist and the other has over thirty years experience in auto repair. they both came to the same conclusion that the transmission is failing ,and one even spoke to the service and parts manager at frankel acura about my case. however, frankel acura was still denying any possible problem with the transmission. if one investigates this type of complaint on the internet, they will readily find dozens if not hundreds of similar cases, and a very consistent pattern of denial on the part of the acura dealership network. there is no doubt in my mind that this issue warrants a product recall, just like the one issued for the 2001 and 2002 mdx models. *ak

Transmission failure on acura mdx - which is well known for acuras - and their unwillingness to live up to their liability. this is an extreme safety issue!!!!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura mdx. while driving 35 mph out of the parking lot and accelerating the vehicle made a noise and hesitated. the contact drove to the side of the road, and the failure occurred on two additional occasions. the vehicle was towed to dealer. the current and failure mileage were 59000. *ak

The transmission has gone out in mdx acura suv, 2003. i have passed my warranty by 6,000 miles. the dealer could not tell me why the transmission failed. they just said the transmission was completely totaled , and they did not know why or what happened. the car was in good shape.

I own a 2003 acura mdx, the transmission was shifting out of order, i went to www.acuramdx.org only to find out that i am not the only one having this problem with the 2003 model, the dealer changed the fluid at around 55,000 miles and i changed it at 68,000 and it was dark brown in color, this problem has been well documented at the site shared by mdx owners. i feel that someone should look into how many of the acura mdx 2003 transmission have been replaced up to this point, there was a recall on the 01 and 02 models which caused honda to offer a 100,000 mile warranty on the transmissions, i am not sure if the problem was fixed for 2003 but i am starting to think that is was not, and so are others on the site. i have a family that rides around in this vehicle and i would hate for something to go completely wrong with the transmission during activity time of the day. thank you *jb

My car along with many other acuras between 2001-2005 have a problem with a very significant shudder vibration that lasts a few secs, usually at speeds between 35-40. if you read the blogs you will see hundreds of other consumers say the same thing: acura says they can't replicate the noise. when the car is out of warranty, then suddenly they can replicate it and they say they have to replace either the torque converter or the entire transmission, charging $2000 +. this is a major problem and should have been a recall, please help us hold acura accountable for this known problem! these cars are too expensive for such a big problem so early on.

After the engine warmed up,the transmission began malfunctioning. when attempting to accelerate the gears would not change. (this could have been detrimental to my health as i must leave my housing subdivision and enter a four-lane highway!) within a few minutes the transmission had completely shut down. after turning the motor off and allowing the engine to cool, my husband was able to restart the car and drive it to our house. no warning signs were given to alert us to a potential problem. the vehicle had to be towed to the dealership where they inspected it and said the transmission had to be replaced. upon doing some research, i discovered that 2002 mdxs were recalled due to malfunctioning transmissions. do you think that there is a possibility that some of the 2003 models are equipped with the same transmissions? please note that scheduled maintenance was always completed at the dealership and that this vehicle was not used to tow anything. when considering all the facts, i believe that an investigation should ensue. *jb

There is a clunking noise coming from the brakes when starting out going either forward or reverse and applying the brakes. on occasion, when the vehicle is put into gear, there is a grinding noise coming from the transmission, torque converter, clutch or some part(s) that is being pressed together with another.*ak

While driving at 35 mph automatic transmission failed. consumer states at 1600 miles was a normal transmission failure. dealer will replace the transmission. *ak

Key can be removed in any postion of the transmission after turning off.