There are 13 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2004 Acura MDXin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Multiple lights appear turn on and off indicated on dashboard, VGA, check engine light, and tire pressure system. I run a diagnostics and it says my Evap System had a code telling me to replace gas cap. I went to the auto parts store and purchased a new gas cap that is specifically for my vehicle. I turn the vehicle back on and code is still on. So I get the code erased with my diagnostic reader and the sensor turns off. But give it a few weeks and that light turns back with same code telling me to replace gas cap. I went back to return my gas cap at AutoZone. Then ordered an OEM gas cap for my vehicle and erased code and then code came back less than a month later. It can’t be two brand new parts, one was a universal part but specific to my vehicle. And second part was OEM specifically for my vehicle and from Acura/Honda parts department. So I don’t know what to do because repair said its a dumb code and just reset if I already replaced once. And don’t worry about the code indicator because the Evap system appears to be working. So it’s either an electrical issue or a glitch. I’m not comfortable with those options
TAKATA RECALL MY AIRBAGS WERE REPLACED TWICE ALREADY THROUGH RECALL REPAIR AND THE AIRBAG SENSOR CAME BACK ON LAST WEEK, MOMENT IT CAME ON I WAS IN MOTION AND THE STEERING WHEEL I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING. THIS RESULTED IN ME SIDE-SWIPING AND OBJECT, HITTING THE CURB AND FLATTENING MY TIRE. THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER RECALL ON MY VEHICLE
THE SEAT WARMER WAS ON, AND BECAME O HOT THAT IT BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE PADDING AND THE LEATHER, ABOUT 2 1/2 INCHES BY 1 INCH. FUSE IS REMOVED, BUT NOW HAVE NO SEAT WARMER ON THE DRIVER SIDE, AND I AM INTIMIDATED TO HAVE A PASSENGER USE THE SEAT WARMER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. PHOTO ATTACHED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE BATTERY WAS JUMPED AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE SMELL OF FUMES EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 ACURA MDX. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DUE TO THE FIRE. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG ATTEMPTED TO INFLATE AFTER THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND LATER DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V320000 (AIR BAGS) AFTER THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
ELECTRICAL SHORT
I WAS DRIVING ON WEDNESDAY JAN 5 2016 AND MY CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON OLD GRASSY ROAD AT ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR AS I JUST HAD STOPPED AT STOP SIGN. I NOTICED THE LIGHTS WERE ALL STARTING TO COME ON AND THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED. I HAD IT TOWED TO ACURA OF MILFORD, CT. AFTER 2 DAYS AND AFTER INSTALLING A NEW BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR THEY FOUND 1 OF 6 COILS MELTED - THE IGNITION COIL - WHICH THEN RUINED A SPARK PLUG WHICH THEN RUINED MY ENGINE. THE VALUE OF THE CAR IS NOT MUCH AND I WAS ALREADY OVER $1000. WHY WOULD THIS HAPPEN AND WHY AFTER ALL MY REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS THIS NOT FOUND UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. I HAD TOLD REPEATEDLY THAT VTM 4 AND IGNITION LAMP INDICATORS COME ON. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AND IN FACT THE AIR BAG WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED THE SAME DAY DUE TO A RECALL. I AM LUCKY I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT. I AM HOPING FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THESE REPAIRS I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR SINCE MY CAR IS NOW INOPERABLE. THANK YOU I STILL DO NOT HAVE THE CAR IN MY POSSESSION. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA MDX. WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE'S RPM GAUGE IDLED HIGH WHEN STARTED. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE RPM GAUGE DISPLAYED HIGH RPMS EVEN WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS ALSO NOT DISPLAYING THE CORRECT READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT WARNING CONTINUES TO COME ON AND STAY ON. SOMETIMES IS GOES OFF, BUT COMES BACK ON LATER. THIS WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER IN CHARGE OF AIRBAG RECALL AND THE ONLY SOLUTION OFFERED WAS PAYING A HEFTY FEE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE WITHOUT GUARANTEE. THIS WAS REPORTED IN 2014 AND HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM BEFORE THIS AND CURRENTLY, 2019.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V320000 (AIR BAGS), NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V700000 (AIR BAGS), AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V573000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHILE IDLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA MDX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35MPH, THE BATTERY CABLE BECAME DISCONNECTED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER OR STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN THE FAILURE HAPPENED, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 145000.
SINCE ABOUT FEBRUARY 2010 THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST SYSTEM WILL RANDOMLY ACTIVATE DURING PERIODS OF PROLONGED HIGHWAY DRIVING. THIS CONDITION USUALLY HAPPENS ON DRY PAVEMENT AND WITHOUT WARNING. IT FEELS LIKE ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BRAKE IS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE SWERVES TO THE RIGHT UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONDITION HAS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO CRASH MULTIPLE TIMES AND IS VERY FRIGHTENING. I HAVE HAD THE ACURA DEALER TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM MANY TIMES WITH NO RESULTS. THE MOST RECENT TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS EARLY DECEMBER 2013. I IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF AT AN ACURA DEALER AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY LATERAL ACCELERATION SENSOR. UNFORTUNATELY THIS PART IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME AND IS ON INDEFINITE BACKORDER. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS NEARLY CAUSED HARM TO MYSELF AND OTHER VEHICLES DUE TO MY OUT OF CONTROL VEHICLE. I AM NOW WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION UNTIL ACURA IS ABLE TO GET THE PART BACK IN STOCK. ACURA OF AMERICA HAS REFUSED TO EVEN LOG AND FILE MY COMPLAINT LET ALONE ASSIST ME WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND HARDSHIP. *TR
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
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026