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Acura MDX Maintenance and Repair

1820 messages,  Last post on Dec 04, 2009 at 1:04 PM

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#22 of 1820 My MDX is Slugggggggish......... by stekat Aug 10, 2002 (12:17 pm)
My 2002 Touring MDX (bought 7/2002) is more sluggish on acceleration than I expected it to be. At speeds between 35 & 70, I have to wait for "one mississippi" before the transmission kicks down and the vehicle accelerates. Service manager says he gets no codes and on test drive didn't notice anything wrong. So, do all MDX's do this, am I being overly critical or is there a problem?
#23 of 1820 re: sluggish by sbcooke Aug 12, 2002 (5:40 pm)
I don't notice real delay when downshifting, howver I think the mdx "feels" slower than it is. When you get on it, the ride is smooth and there is sort of a whip effect on the power "feel". I think if you pay attention to your speed and time, it is as fast as it is supposed to be. The dampening of engine noise and road feel contributes to the sense of sluggishness. I sometimes notice my '02 driving slowly..but believe it is related to the ride. The overall weight of the vehicle contributes as well.
#24 of 1820 sluggish by slocko Aug 13, 2002 (5:45 am)
i think you are right. Sometimes I get the sensation it's sluggish but when i look at the speedometer i am doing 60 or more.
#25 of 1820 re: slugggggish responses by stekat Aug 16, 2002 (6:14 pm)
Thanks sbcooke and slocko for your comments. The problem is really the "ONE MISSISSIPPI" that I have to wait for the transmission to kick down from D5 and the tach to register increased RPM's. I really have to be prepared when trying to pass on the interstate. In an emergency, I'd be concerned about the slow reaction. Otherwise, I agree with both of you that the MDX's size and smooth ride are deceiving re: actual speed vs perceived speed. That's not my problem though...engine-transmission response at speed is.
#26 of 1820 sluggish response by slocko Aug 17, 2002 (4:22 pm)
stekat,   my mdx is only like 3 weeks old so i wasn't driving to fast due to the break in period. Now that I am past that I have begun treating it a little more rough and I think I know what you are referring to.   i don't know too much about transmission mechanics and rpms, but i have begun to notice that when I hit the gas to pass, there is some hesitation before I feel the increase of speed. Is this what you are talking about? At least it's a quiet vehicle so you don't hear the engine struggling like my old sedan.
#27 of 1820 slock by wmquan Aug 17, 2002 (8:30 pm)
Are you in fifth gear when you start the pass? And are you using premium fuel?   The fifth gear (D5), as you probably know, is very tall for highway fuel economy purposes. If you push the pedal with medium force, there could be a slight delay since the revs go up but the vehicle is still loafing along in fifth gear. So it takes a bit longer to pass. If you hit the shift-point, you'll feel much more acceleration.   If you push the pedal down with a much firmer foot, you can get the downshift immediately, and you'll find yourself whooshing by the vehicle you're passing. Quite pleasing, actually, that's one of the most positive aspects of the MDX.   Or, you can drop into D4 when you pass.   I remember someone here complaining about passing and climbing, but it turns out they weren't using premium fuel as recommended by Acura.
#28 of 1820 More on slugggggggish MDX by stekat Aug 17, 2002 (8:49 pm)
Thanks Slocko and wmquan. You nailed it right on the head slocko. What you described is exactly what I've found. Wmquan, I am using premium gas. The "one-mississippi" hesitation happens with both a light press and a hard stomp. I've tried D4 where it's not a noticeable and even D3 where it doesn't happen. I don't recall the owners manual suggesting that for good response at highway speed to use those gears. But I will. So I guess the service manager was right when he said that he didn't notice anything wrong. The hesitation must be normal on the MDX. My last 3 cars (98 Maxima, 92 G20, 91 Dodge Dynasty) were all way more responsive at all speeds. Of course, they didn't weigh 4000+ lbs. Of course this is an Acura and costs twice as much as any of them, so foolish me...I expected performance at least as good. I guess my expectations are just too high.
#29 of 1820 by slocko Aug 18, 2002 (11:59 am)
i am using premium. I will try stomping the accelerator doesn't bother me any. I like that it's quiet. i was very disappointed with the X5 when I test drove it. It had a noisy engine.
#30 of 1820 re: sluggish by sbcooke Aug 19, 2002 (4:36 am)
I don't notice problematic delay with downshifting. I just came back from a long highway road trip and when I needed to pass I just stepped on it and was doing 90 before I knew it. It is amazing at how smooth it is at 90 too.

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