2004 Acura MDX Complaint Log

I OWN A 2004 ACURA MDX AND 3 OUT OF THE 4 AIR VENTS (CLIPS) IN THE FRONT AREA OF THE CAR ARE BROKEN. THEY ARE VERY CHEAPLY MADE AND FALL INTO PIECES WHEN YOU TRY TO ADJUST THE FLOW OF AIR. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ALSO OUT THERE WITH THIS PROBLEM. MANY FORUMS, SUCH AS EDMUNDS, HAS MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING. THEY EITHER NEED TO BE RECALLED OR ACURA NEEDS TO START SELLING REPLACEMENT CLIPS INSTEAD OF THE ENTIRE AIR VENT. *TR

2004 ACURA MDX, STARTED TO SHUDDER/VIBRATE/GRINDING NOISE NOTICED JUST AFTER 50K MILES. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 45 MILES, TRYING TO COAST OR DECELERATE. ALSO OBSERVED THE SUDDEN HESITATION OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE SHUDDER OCCURS. IF I PUT IT IN D4 (INSTEAD OF D5) THEN IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE MAKING THE GRINDING NOISE/VIBRATION. I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE AROUND 50K+ MILEAGE TO THE DEALER BUT DEALER SAID THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE/IDENTIFY IT. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM IN 2 OTHER VISITS TO THE ACURA DEALERSHIP, EVERY TIME THEY DENIED THE PROBLEM. NOW, AT 90K MILES I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THIS TIME THEY WERE ABLE TO HEAR AND OBSERVE THE SOUND, EXACTLY THE SAME AS I HAVE BEEN REPORTING SINCE IT HAD 50K+ MILEAGE. ACURA DEALER IS SAYING THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION (TORQUE CONVERTER) HAS TO BE REPLACED. FOR A VEHICLE THAT COSTS $40K HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES AT 50K MILEAGE IS UNACCEPTABLE. I DON'T DRIVE IT ROUGH AND DON'T NEGLECT THE MAINTENANCE. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS IN THE ONLINE FORUMS ON THIS EXACT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ACURA/HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE IS VERY POOR OR NON-EXISTING, THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF SUCH A PROBLEMATIC COMPONENT IN A LUXURY VEHICLE. *TR

TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED, CAUSING A TOTAL NEED FOR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA MDX. THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPED. THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME UNLATCHED AND THE CONTACT WAS THROWN FORWARD SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE ENGINE SIZE AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 18,000.

OUR 2004 ACURA APPEARS TO BE VERY SLUGGISH AND SLOW TO ACCELERATE IN 35-40 MILES RANGE AND WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. SO, WE TOOK IT TO ACURA DEALERSHIP IN LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA ON 1/27/2009 FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THAT'S WHEN THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A NEW TRANSMISSION WITHOUT ANY MENTION OF THE EXISTING RECALLS ON THE 2004 ACURA MDX TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR

2004 ACURA MDX DRAMATIC DETERIORATION IN THE BRAKING. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE NOISE HAS MANIFESTED INTO A GRINDING METAL TO METAL SOUND. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THE NOISE WAS A RESULT OF HEAT BUILD UP IN THE BRAKES WHEN THEY GET LOW. THE RIGHT REAR SPEAKER VIBRATED. *JB

INTERMITTENT, RANDOM PULLING TO THE RIGHT WHILE BRAKING - FREQUENTLY SLIGHT AND OCCASIONALLY SIGNIFICANT. ON RARE OCCASION, SIGNIFICANT PULLING TO THE LEFT. ACURA DEALER TECHNICIAN AND SERVICE MANAGER CLAIM THAT THIS IN "NORMAL."

AFTER SHIFTING OUT OF REVERSE INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED IN REVERSE UNTIL THE CONSUMER TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *JB

THERE IS A CONSISTENT METALLIC CLANGING/RUMBLING AT 2,000 RPM IN ANY GEAR, PARTICULARLY UNDER PART THROTTLE/LIGHT LOAD OPERATION. *JB

DURING A COLLISION THE PASSENGER FELL TO THE SIDE WINDOW AND AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, RESULTING IN HEAD INJURIES. PASSENGER WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. *AK

THE STARTER ON MY 2004 ACURA MDX HAS FAILED. I AM GOING TO PAY 500.00 TO REPLACE IT. REPAIR SHOP SAYS THIS IS NOT A COMMON REPAIR FOR A CAR OF THIS AGE. I AM CURIOUS IF IT IS A DEFECTIVE PART. THE CAR ONLY HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT. PLEASE HELP ME. STARTERS SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THIS. *TR

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

WAS DRIVING TOWARDS RAPID CITY ON I -90 W FROM ST PAUL MINNESOTTA. AT AROUND 10.30 AM THE VEHICLE ACURA MDX 04 MODEL WHILE GETTING PAST A RV THE RV STARTED SWAYING AND THE LEFT REAR WHEEL OF THE MDX WAS ON THE LEFT SHOULDER. WHILE GETTING BACK TO THE ROAD THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL AND WNET ACROSS THE ROAD AND HIT A FENCE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CAME TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED AT MILE MARKER 159 IN SOUTH DAKOTA. AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. ONCE WE GOT OFF THE VEHICLE WE OBSERVED THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD SLIPPED OFF THE RIM. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH VSA BUT IT DID NOT SEEM TO HELP AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE . THE SPEED AT THE TIME WAS BETWEEN 65 AND 70 MPH. ACURA WOULD NOT LODGE MY COMPLAINT AND WAS ASKED TO WORK WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY ON THIS.*AK

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.

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

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

CONTINUES TO HAVE A MOLD PROBLEM AND MAKES ME VERY SICK. HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. MORE THAN 3 TIMES. *NM

2004 ACURA MDX PROBLEM WITH THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT. CONSUMER STATES THE LATCH PLATE SLIDES FREELY WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO INSTALL AN INFANT SEAT WITHOUT A LOCKING CLIP.. *KB

A LOUD RUMBLING NOISE WAS HEARD AT 2000 RPMS. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIME, HOWEVER THEY PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. *NM