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Acura MDX Transmission Problems

967 messages,  Last post on May 06, 2013 at 9:22 AM

You are in the Acura MDX Forum.

What is this discussion about? Acura MDX, SUV


 
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Messages Page 78 of 98

#764 of 967 Acura Dealers Pretend Not to Know about Sound by lakeperson

Jan 08, 2012 (10:35 pm)

What is incredible is the feigned disbelief among service managers when customers describe the rumbling sound and they say they cannot reproduce it. I was fortunate to have the service manager accompany me on an uphill ride and Bingo! we heard the sound. He immediately said it was the torque converter. I was smart enough to check the message boards here and read the whole story and knew my rights. My car was at 101,000 just off extended warranty. I fought with Acura headquarters for weeks and finally secured a deal for 50 off transmission replacement. All the while I knew I had an ace in the whole. My insurance company would have paid all less a 200 deductible because I had purchased mechanical breakdown insurance; however I felt Acura should pay something. It is a real shame because my 2003 MDX has been trouble free except for this major transmission problem; I now know that my next car cannot be an Acura.

#765 of 967 Re: Acura Dealers Pretend Not to Know about Sound [lakeperson] by mdxer7

Jan 09, 2012 (8:41 am)

Replying to: lakeperson (Jan 08, 2012 10:35 pm)
I don't get Acura. The MDX is now their top selling vehicle...yet they don't fix the torque converter problem. Well, I guess as long as they keep selling, they don't have a reason to fix it. My 2001 MDX is on the way out due to the torque converter failing (again). I cant complain in that my dealer replaced it the first time out - no charge to me w/just over 100K miles. I now have over 214K miles. I will buy another SUV - I wanted to buy an MDX..but am really looking hard at Lexus's RX350 instead. Until it cost them more than they are making they will most likely continue to ignore this problem.

#766 of 967 Re: MDX torque converter issue [curious52] by donton

Jan 09, 2012 (6:53 pm)

Replying to: curious52 (Nov 26, 2011 6:26 am)
Has anybody been able to ascertain a pattern of the torque converter issues, whether driving style, a series of vins etc and most importantly the percentage of vehicles experiencing the issue?
I am considering a 2010 mdx 26,000 miles, I've read a lot of posts on the torque converter issues. If anybody has any info on percentage of vehicles with the issue or if this is anticipated to stretch across the entire model I would love to know before I jump in on one.
Donton

#767 of 967 Re: 2007 Transmission Problems? [steve_] by 2010mdx1

Jan 10, 2012 (7:09 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Dec 29, 2011 4:37 pm)
There are lots of people around with the same transmission problem, but they are not aware of it. I talked to one of my female friend who drives a 2010 MDX about the problem and she said her car is fine. I asked her to bring her car over and let me test drive it. She brought her car and I test drove it, guess what? her car has the same transmission problem as mine, but she didn't notice it.

#768 of 967 Ongoing problem by curious52

Jan 11, 2012 (7:01 am)

Yes, the problem can be subtle. I happen to live at the top of a hill. Every time I turned up from the street below, the "indecision" in the tran was all-apparent. Had this been the case during winter snow/ice, the issue could have caused the all-wheel-drive to become a joke.
At the cost of being considered ridiculous, I have written to the pres/ceo if Honda to ask that he look into the matter. I will no doubt get a form letter in response, but after a while the sqeeking wheel may prevail.

#769 of 967 Re: Any 2010 or later problems? [2010mdx1] by wwest

Jan 11, 2012 (7:51 am)

Replying to: 2010mdx1 (Jan 08, 2012 8:43 pm)
My guess is that you are encountering the "shiftiness" aspect of almost all modern day 6-8 speed, 10-12 speed w/lockup, automatic transmissions. In an effort to achieve the best FE the engine/transaxle controlling ECU is continually searching, re-computing, for the most optimal gear ratio. As a result even minor perturbations in the roadbed might result in gear changes.
 
Drive along at a relatively constant speed where the "solution" happens to lie right in the "middle" of two adjacent gear ratios and the ECU might prove to be indecisive in the extreme. Sounds as if you often encounter one of those mid-point gear ratio conditions.
 
In my experience using the cruise control whenever possible helps as even minor fluctuations on the accelerator position will/might exacerbate the problem.

#770 of 967 Re: Ongoing problem [curious52] by wwest

Jan 11, 2012 (8:14 am)

Replying to: curious52 (Jan 11, 2012 7:01 am)
You might suggest to Honda/Acura a rather simple way to solve this problem...premature failure of driveline components.
 
Give the driver a "snow mode" pushbutton. Each time the engine is started the system defaults to "normal" mode. Revise the SH-AWD firmware such that absent being in snow mode minimum use is made of the rear drive capability for/during straight ahead low speed acceleration.
 
In snow mode the possibility, presumed possibly, of loss of traction would be increased so the firmware would revert to "robust" use of the rear drive, "drive" all four.
 
It might be worth noting that throughout the industry "AWD" systems that are derived from a FWD "base" seem to be having premature driveline component failure issues. The more functional, seemingly, the "AWD" system happens to be the higher the failure rate.
 
The early RX300 F/awd systems went through this, most especially 99, the first year, less so by '00, and was a noticeable, however relatively minor issue, for the remaining years of the RX300. As of '01 the F/awd system was completely lobotomized. A final fix, the adoption of DBW, was adopted beginning with the RX330.
 
As of 2010 the RX350 has a new F/awd design, in my opinion while not as adequate as the SH-AWD system, certainly a more functional design.

#771 of 967 Re: Acura Dealers Pretend Not to Know about Sound [mdxer7] by wwest

Jan 11, 2012 (8:34 am)

Replying to: mdxer7 (Jan 09, 2012 8:41 am)
The RX350 has a completely new F/awd design as of 2010 so the votes are not yet in regarding the durability...failure rate. On the other hand the functionality of the SH-AWD system, in conditions that require "AWD" functionality, is head and shoulders above even the new RX350 F/awd system.
 
Catch 22.
 
It appears that with these F/awd systems derived on/using a "base" FWD design the more functional they be, the more likely premature drive line component failure will result.
 
As an alternative to the MDX I would suggest a serious consideration of the more inherently SAFE Porsche Cayenne V6 base, R/awd. The rear wheels provide the primary "drive" leaving the majority of the front tires' roadbed traction coefficient to the task of maintaining directional control.

#772 of 967 2004 Acura MDX Issues by charleye

Jan 12, 2012 (7:51 am)

I purchased a used 2004 Acura MDX in 2007 with 52k. The used car dealer I bought from supposedly added the 2 year 24k WYNN warranty that I was charged for. My transmission went out at 72k. I called Courtesy Acura, where the original owner leased it from, and they informed me there was nothing that could be done because of being outside warranty period and could not help a penney. I called WYNN, monies were never applied to Warranty.Used car Dealer pocketed the $1400. So I financed my new transmission since I already had it in for service when I found out I was jipped the Warranty money. AC Compressor goes out at 100k in Orlando, FL Summertime. Could not afford Car payment and Transmission payment had to let the vehicle go. I paid the transmission off on a car I was not even driving anymore. My wife and I loved the vehicle, Spent tons of money on maintenances and it still fell apart. Power steering pump was beginning to fail and in need of replacement. Would not recommend to my worst enemy. Talked to a honda dealer about the problem said the 01-05 Tranmissions were awful but the 2006 was a new company and supposedly great. Thanks for the information. It definitely left a bitter taste in my mouth even though over a year ago.

#773 of 967 ford recall by dc1225

Jan 12, 2012 (9:06 am)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/chi-ford-recalls-450000-vehi- cles-for-fire-risk-power-loss-20120111,0,6038350.story
 
so Ford recalls 1888 windstar vans for torque converter but acura is too cheap to recall theirs? Unreal

Messages Page 78 of 98

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