2003 Acura MDX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
206 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
108,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 157 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 56 of 206 complaints (27.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 94 | 45.6% |
| Braking behavior | 15 | 7.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 3.9% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 2.9% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 2.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 56 |
| Power Train | 49 |
| Air Bags | 42 |
| Electrical System | 14 |
| Engine | 10 |
| Unknown Or Other | 10 |
| Seat Belts | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 8 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 56; Power Train: 49; Air Bags: 42; Electrical System: 14; Engine: 10; Unknown Or Other: 10; Seat Belts: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 18 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 34 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 57 |
| 150,000 and above | 33 |
Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 34; 100,000 to 149,999: 57; 150,000 and above: 33
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (57). 49 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 8 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 16 |
| 2010 | 27 |
| 2011 | 16 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 23 |
| 2016 | 18 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2003: 13; 2004: 8; 2005: 3; 2006: 2; 2007: 5; 2008: 10; 2009: 16; 2010: 27; 2011: 16; 2012: 12; 2013: 16; 2014: 17; 2015: 23; 2016: 18; 2017: 2; 2018: 7; 2019: 1; 2020: 6; 2021: 2; 2023: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 94 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 8 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10032139 · 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. CONSUMER STATES AT 1600 MILES WAS A NORMAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10032139 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10063706 · 2004-03-23 (March 23, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 8 miles reported. Look up ODI 10063706 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017469 · 2003-08-22 (August 22, 2003)
ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASION THE ABS MADE A CLUNKING NOISE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NLM THE BRAKE PROBLEMS HAD COME BACK AGAIN. THE DEALER FOUND A BRAKE SWITCH FAILURE CODE. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM BUT IT REMAINED THE SAME. *SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017469 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041158 · 2003-10-03 (October 3, 2003)
EXCESSIVE BRAKE CLUNK / THUD NOISES UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS. SEVERE BRAKE NOISE AND CONTROL ISSUES UNDER EMERGENCY BRAKING CONDITIONS. TOLD BY ACURA ALL IS "NORMAL". WITH SUCH TRAVEL IN CALIPERS (CAUSE OF NOISE) POTENTIAL FOR BRAKE FAILURE MUST EXIST. WORRIED... *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 4,867 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041158 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10261355 · 2009-03-09 (March 9, 2009)
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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10261355 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10280982 · 2009-08-19 (August 19, 2009)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH I CAN REMOVE THE KEY FROM MY ACURA MDX WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND STILL IN GEAR. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM FOR EARLIER MODELS HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS/RECALLS/RESULTS.CFM?SEARCHTYPE=QUICKSEARCH&RCL_ID=05V025000&SUMMARY=TRUE BUT IT DOES NOT COVER MY VEHICLE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 121,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10280982 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10286621 · 2009-10-07 (October 7, 2009)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10286621 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10422447 · 2011-08-29 (August 29, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FURTHER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS, BUT THE VEHICLE STALLED INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 155,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 155,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10422447 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10536501 · 2013-08-21 (August 21, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER STATED THE STEERING WHEEL OCCURRENCE WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT WHEN WATER ENTERED THE DRIVE LINE, IT WOULD CAUSE THE STEERING TO LOCK AND ONCE THE WATER WAS DRY, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD CORRECT ITSELF. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10536501 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10562855 · 2014-02-04 (February 4, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND IT RESUMED NORMALLY UPON RESTARTING. THE FAILURE RECURRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10562855 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11512864 · 2023-03-20 (March 20, 2023)
My vehicle has a check engine light. The code indicates the issue is the fuel neck filler (part number 17660-S3VA02) which has been confirmed by my mechanic. This is a safety item due to some type of fuel leak in the filler neck area for gasoline which causes the check engine light. The part is on backorder and from my conversations with multiple dealerships, there is no estimated date of delivery. Apparently, there is a high number of vehicles having this issue. As a result, I am unable to smog my vehicle due to some type of fuel leak. It ap…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11512864 at NHTSA ↗