2002 Acura MDX
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 221 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 24 MDX model years with reports.
Of the 2002 reports, 11 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator moduleJan 17, 2020
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.
Campaign 20V027000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, front, springs, coil springsSep 1, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN AREAS WHERE LARGE QUANTITIES OF ROAD SALT ARE USED, THE FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS HAVE INSUFFICIENT CORROSION PROTECTION, AND MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION.
EXCESSIVE CORROSION CAN CAUSE SPRING FAILURE AND A BROKEN SPRING COULD PUNCTURE A FRONT TIRE, WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS WITH IMPROVED SPRINGS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 11, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ACURA AT 800-382-2238.
Campaign 05V385000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionApr 15, 2004
ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GEAR TOOTH CHIPPING OR GEAR BREAKAGE.
GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
ON VEHICLES WITH 15,000 MILES OR LESS, THE DEALER WILL UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SIMPLE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE TO INCREASE LUBRICATION TO THE SECOND GEAR. ON VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 15,000 MILES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION TO IDENTIFY GEARS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED DISCOLORATION DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF DISCOLORATION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED IF DISCOLORATION IS NOT PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL PERFORM THE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2004, FOR PILOT, ODYSSEY, AND MDX OWNERS. OWNERS OF THE ACCORD VEHICLES WILL START RECEIVING LETTERS ON JUNE 28, 2004, AND ON JUNE 29, 2004, FOR OWNERS OF THE TL AND CL VEHICLES. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.
Campaign 04V176000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineAug 28, 2002
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SEDANS, COUPES, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES, A TIMING BELT TENSIONER PULLEY ON THE WATER PUMP IS MISALIGNED AND COULD CAUSE THE TIMING BELT TO CONTACT A BOLT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. EVENTUALLY THE BELT COULD BE DAMAGED AND FAIL.
IF THE TIMING BELT BREAKS, THE ENGINE WILL STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WATER PUMP AND IF IT IS ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE PUMPS, THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 30, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.
Campaign 02V226000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: vehicle speed control
13 reports, newest first. Show all
Vehicle speed control, Jul 14, 2020
THIS STARTED A LONG TIME AGO. MY ENGINE WOULD REV UP AND I WOULD HAVE TO PUSH MY BREAKS SO HARD TO SLOW OR STOP. A MECHANIC FINALLY FOUND IT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL STICKING. THE PART WAS SOLD $800. I GOT IT FIXED BUT THOUGHT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. IT ALSO WOULD NOT GO BACK INTO GEAR AFTER I WOULD STOP THE ENGINE WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN. I WOULD GO INTO THE MANUAL RELEASE TAB TO FINALLY GET GOING AGAIN.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Electronic stability control (ESC), Dec 16, 2019
DRIVING AT 70 MPH VEHICLES VTM4 LIGHT STARTED TO FKASH 3 SECONDS LATER ALL WHEELS LOCJMKED UP AND UDER FEET WAS SO HOT HAD TO LIFT MY FEET SKIDDED ABOUT 290 FEET.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Apr 6, 2017
PRIORITY ACURA GAVE 2002 MDX BACK MONDAY 4/3/17 HAD PROBLEMS AGAIN WITH IT SLIPPIN INTO NEUTRAL AND WONT MOVE IN D5...THIS TIME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND D5 STARTED BLINKING AND GEAR SHIFT WAS NOT MOVE PASS N UNTIL JAMES THE MECHANIC SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND STARTED IT BACK UP.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Mar 30, 2017
MY NAME IS [XXX] I PURCHASED A USED 2002 ACURA MDX FROM DEALER [XXX] AT PRIORITY HONDA HAMPTON VA 2/13/2017 ( 757 8381252 ). WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF DRIVING THIS ACURA MDX IT STALLED AS I MADE A TURN ON LYNNHAVEN PKWY INTO MY JOB PARKING LOT. THERE WHERE CARS BEHIND ME BEEPING. MY FIRST REACTION WAS TRY REVERSE IT DID REVERSE SO I TRY TO PUT IT BACK IN D5 NO MOVEMENT RPMS WITH JUST RUN UP NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON SO THEN I TRIED D5, D4, D3,2 NO MOVEMENT THE VEHICLE MOVE WHEN I PUT IT IN GEAR AT 1 AND IT DROVE ME TO A PARKING SPACE AND THAT IS WHEN I CALLED ACURA PRIORITY AND HAD CAR TOWED TO THEM AND EXPLAINED THAT I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR FROM PRIORITY HONDA THIS WAS MY 6/7 DAY DRIVING IT THIS HAPPEN. SO THE TOW COMPANY CAME AND TOWED IT TO PRIORITY ACURA CHESAPEAKE ( 757 5231700) UNFORTUNATELY THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WASN'T ON AND CAR DRIVING BACK NORMAL AND NO CODES HELD IN THE COMPUTER FOR THEM TO CHECK WHAT IS GOING ON. THEREFORE I REQUESTED THEY DO A THOROUGHLY CHECK ON VEHICLE WHICH COST ME 150.00 DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. THEY DID A EXTRA CHECK AND CAME BACK WITH BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACE OTHER THAN THAT VEHICLE WAS GOOD PRIORITY ACURA STATED. IN MEANTIME I CALLED PRIORITY HONDA WHERE I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM NOT EVEN A WEEK AND EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON TO TIMOTHY USE CAR SUPERVISOR AT PRIORITY HONDA HAMPTON ( 7578381252) HE GOT THE CAR TOWED OVER THERE NO COST TO ME AND GAVE ME A RENTAL FOR 4 DAYS ?WHEN I WAS CALLED I WAS TOLD AGAIN I CAN PICK UP MY VEHICLE PRIORITY HONDA HAMPTON MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE MY COMPLAINT ON ACURA OR DIAGNOSIS IT DUE TO NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Mar 28, 2017
HELLO MY NAME IS [XXX] I PURCHASED A USED 2002 ACURA MDX FROM PRIORITY HONDA HAMPTON VA ( 757 838 1252) THE FIRST WEEK I DROVE THE CAR THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DOWNWARD WHILE I WAS TURNING A CORNER AT A BUSY INTERSECTION THE CAR DID NOT CUT OFF HOWEVER IT STOP AND WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS THE RPM WILL GO UP BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE I THEN TRY TO SHIFT TO D4 WOULD NOT MOVE D3 WOULD NOT MOVE 2 IT DROVE AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO PRIORITY AND EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPEN THEY SOLD ME A LEMON THEY STATES MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOT ON OR KEEPING RECORDS OF WHAT HAPPEN WHEN CAR ACT UP THEREFORE THE CAR IS NOT DOING IT ALL THE TIME AND NOT DOING IT WHILE IN THERE POSSESSION. THEY SENT ME HOME AGAIN THE NEXT WEEK I WAS BACK WITH SAME PROBLEM THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE . SENT ME HOME AGAIN THE NEXT WEEK HAPPEN AGAIN I THEY STILL CANT FIGURE OUT PROBLEM THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN CARS ARE BEHIND ME AND CAN RESULT IN A CRASH CAN YOU PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME AT [XXX] OR PRIORITY HONDA HAMPTON VA ([XXX]) TO CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE I SEE OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM . I HAVE ANY RECORDED THIS ON MY PHONE AND SHOW THEM CAR NOT MOVING RPMS GOING UP THE ADVISOR [XXX] STATES LOOKS LIKE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING BUT IT WONT DO FOR THEM. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT PRIORITY HONDA HAMPTON AGAIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Aug 20, 2013, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE BUT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE MAINTAINED SPEED DESPITE THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO A CEMENT WALL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT BUT INSTEAD, DEPLOYED SEVERAL MINUTES LATER. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED LACERATIONS, A FRACTURED TOOTH, INJURIES TO THE HEAD, WRIST, RIBS AND BRUISES. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED AN ELEVATED BLOOD LEVEL, BRUISING, DISCOMFORT, AND IRRITATED EYES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
Vehicle speed control, Jan 31, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND THE RPM INCREASED EXCESSIVELY. THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED VERY HARD AND THE STOPPED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.
Vehicle speed control, Mar 16, 2011, crash
I HAVE ACURA MDX 2002. ON MARCH 4TH, 2011 WHILE TRYING TO PARK IN A PARKING LOT THE CAR SUDDENLY TOOK OFF (UNINTENDED SUDDEN ACCELERATION) HITTING THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT AND THAT IN TURN HIT ANOTHER PARKED CAR. LUCKILY NOE WAS IN BOTH THE CARS. I HAD NO CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE IT KEPT SPEEDING. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Mar 18, 2010, crash
MY ACURA MDX 2002 HAD A FROZEN/STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO THROTTLE HIGH SPEED UPTO 50 MPH WITHIN 30 SECS. THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND COULD NOT STOP INSTANTLY WHEN HIT THE BRAKES. CRASH CAUSED THE PROPERTY,VEHICLE DAMAGE AND ACCIDENT REPORTED TO POLICE AND DMV. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Jan 26, 2005
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH SUDEENLY THE VEHICLE TURNED LEFT ON ITS OWN, THEN TURNED RIGHT ON ITS OWN, AND ACCELERATED.*AK
Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Jan 3, 2005, crash
WHILE DRIVING AND UPON HITTING THE BRAKES VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE THEN HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT STOP. HITTING THE BACK OF A THIRD VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Vehicle speed control, Aug 17, 2004
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SPEEDOMETER RAN WILD. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE, AND TURNED IT OFF, BUT THE SPEEDOMETER KEPT MOVING AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING. CONSUMER THEN CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A ACURA DEALER, WHO TOLD HER THAT THE PROBLEM SOUNDED LIKE THE RECALL THAT WAS ON THIS KIND OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER LATER RECEIVED A RECALL. ON HER VEHICLE. CONSUMER DID NOT FEEL THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BEEN SOLVED, BECAUSE THE RPM GAUGE DID NOT GO BACK TO ZERO LIKE IT DID BEFORE THE ABOVE INCIDENT. WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.*AK
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Oct 19, 2001
WHEN DRIVING AND SHIFTING FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR TRANSMISSION ENGAGED 2ND GEAR. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE REV BEYOND NORMAL LIMITS. THE ENGINE DIED, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO LOCAL ACURA DEALER. EXTENSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE WAS REVEALED.ACURA IS DENYING WARRANTY CLAIM. MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ONE CASE AT BALL ACURA IN NATIONAL CITY, CA IN SEPTEMBER WAS WARRANTIED UNDER THE EXACT SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. ANOTHER CASE AT ACURA WOODBINE IN ONTARIO CANADA WAS WARRANTIED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER. ACURA HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, YET THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY MY VEHICLE. THIS IS UNFAIR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.