Problems · NHTSA complaints
2003 Acura MDX problems
Owners filed 212 complaints about the 2003 Acura MDX with NHTSA between Jul 2002 and Apr 2025. The most-cited component is power train (104).
Complaints
212
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train104
- Air bags44
- Electrical system18
- Engine and engine cooling16
- Seat belts12
- Engine10
- Vehicle speed control7
- Fuel/propulsion system5
- Equipment5
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Steering4
- Structure3
- Service brakes3
- Tires3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
14
9
5
3
5
10
16
27
16
12
16
17
23
18
2
7
1
6
2
0
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 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 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
104 reports4 crashes
“Driving up a hill in this 2003 Acura MDX and the TRANSMISSION failed. Came to a stop in the middle of the street. Several cars almost hit me. Checked online and this vehicle has a known problem of the transmission going out around 70,000 miles. A mechanic started changing it out in my driveway .then winter came. It's been sitting in my driveway ever since.”
Air bags
44 reports5 crashes1 fire10 related recalls
“I WRECKED ON 8/24/2020. THE CAR SAYS THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY SEATBELTS LOCKED UP. BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! I REAR ENDED SOMEBODY GOING ABOUT 20 MPH ON A CITY STREET.”
Electrical system
18 reports1 crash3 fires1 related recall
“ON APRIL 7 2021 ARRIVED ABOUT 10:45 A.M. I DROVE TO MCGRATH ACURA DEALER AT 9105 WAUKEGAN ROAD, IN WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS FOR A POWER STEERING FLUSH, THAT EMPLOYEE INSTRUCTED ME WALK WITH HIM TO OBSERVE A UNDERNEATH INSPECTION REAR AND FRONT I NOTICE THAT REAR FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED INCLUDED SHOCKS SURROUNDING THE FRAME, THROUGH OUT THE VEHICLE IT WAS ONA HYDRALIC JACK. SEE IMAGES ME AND EMPLOYEE LOOKING UNDERNEATH.”
Engine and engine cooling
16 reports
“WHILE DRIVING MY 03 MDX AT 20 MPH AROUND A CORNER, IT JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS THAT MY CAR WOULD STOP, IT JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING. I WOULD NOT MOVE IN D5, D4 OR D3, SO I HAD TO DRIVE IT IN D1TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEFT IT OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT DAY THEY TELL ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. TWO MONTHS BEFORE THAT, MY CAR WAS LEAKING OIL AND I TOOK IT IN TO GET THE LEAK FIXED. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE REAR MAIN AND IT WOULD COST $1000 TO FIX. IT WAS SUCH A HIGH COST DUE TO THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE TO GET TO IT. TWO WEEKS AFTER IT WAS FIXED, I HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE UNDER MY HOOD AND FIND OUT I NEED NEW MOTOR MOUNTS (HMMM.. ACURA HAD TO MOVE THE MOUNTS TO GET THE ENGINE OUT).. $400 LATER, AFTER I REPLACED THE MOUNTS., I WAS GOOD TO GO. A MONTH LATER, NOW THE TRANSMISSION THAT ACURA HAD TO REMOVE IS NOW COMPLETELY SHOT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ($5200) ARE YOU KIDDING ME ACURA. I HAVE NO FAITH IN THEIR SERVICE DEPT OR MY 03 MDX WHICH IS ALWAYS SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP. EVERYTHING THAT HAS EVER BEEN DONE TO THAT CAR HAS BEEN DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP FROM OIL CHANGE TO TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT, AND IT FEELS…”
Seat belts
12 reports1 crash1 fire
“Unknown, but since I bought the car I encountered a problem with the rear seatbelts, they do not work and I am about to be a grandmother and it is important and is a safety issue,”
Engine
10 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED AS IF IT WAS SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 265,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.