2003 Acura Mdx problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train:automatic Transmission (54) · Power Train (41) · Air Bags (30)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Acura Mdx model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
157 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (12)
Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal 2019-10-10 · campaign 19E068000 · 3,744 vehicles
Defect: Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2007-2011 Honda Element, 2005-2008 Honda Pilot and 2006-2014 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The rotating portion of the accelerator pedal assembly may bind. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (
Risk: If the accelerator pedal binds, the engine may not quickly return to idle after the pedal is no longer pressed, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dorman will notify owners, and qualified service facilities will replace the affected accelerator pedal assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2019. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492, using option 5. Dorman's number for this recall is AS1019XXXX.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-06-27 · campaign 19V499000 · 3,947 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term e
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2019-06-27 · campaign 19V501000 · 1,657,752 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-03-06 · campaign 19V182000 · 1,101,534 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2016-05-23 · campaign 16V344000 · 1,790,894 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2015-06-15 · campaign 15V370000 · 3,498,481 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to Ju
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger seat occupant or other occupants possibly causing serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU4, JU5, JU6, and JU7. Note: Vehicles that have already received a replacement passenger air bag inflator as part of the recall remedy for an earlier campaign such as 14V353 or 14V700 (Honda recall numbers S95, JH6, JH7, JH8, JH9, JJ0, JJ1, JJ2, JJ6, JM5 and JM6) a
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2015-05-28 · campaign 15V320000 · 6,281,043 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or a
Air Bags:frontal 2015-01-28 · campaign 15V045000 · 374,177 vehicles
Defect: Honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured February 13, 2002, to August 13, 2004, and 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to September 23, 2003. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Risk: Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Honda dealers will replace the supplemental restraint system electronic control unit (SRS ECU). The recall began on February 22, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's number for this recall is JN6 (Odyssey), and JN7 (MDX). Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-412. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for that campaign need to have the SRS ECU replaced under this campaign.
Air Bags 2014-11-04 · campaign 14V700000 · 0 vehicles
Defect: American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Air Bags 2014-06-20 · campaign 14V353000 · 133,207 vehicles
Defect: American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped with Takata-brand air bag inflators. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Air Bags 2013-09-19 · campaign 13V412000 · 374,618 vehicles
Defect: Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Odyssey and model year 2003 Acura MDX vehicles. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail causing the front air bags, side curtain air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Risk: Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a noise suppressor unit, free of charge. The recall began on November 1, 2013. A renotification letter went out on July 11, 2014 for the 2003 Acura and the 2003-2004 Odyssey. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's recall numbers are JC2 (Honda Odyssey) and JC3 (Acura MDX).
Electrical System:ignition:switch 2012-12-11 · campaign 12V573000 · 807,161 vehicles
Defect: Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Pilot and Odyssey and 2003 through 2006 Acura MDX passenger vehicles manufactured from November 26, 2001, through August 30, 2006. The interlock lever of the ignition switch may deform, which can allow the interlock function of a vehicle with an automatic transmission to be defeated.
Risk: Removal of the ignition key when the gear selector of a vehicle with an automatic transmission has not been shifted to the park position can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated shift interlock lever and, if necessary, replace any necessary part of the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on February 22, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Service bulletins (189)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Air Bags 2026-06-30 · B18-023 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - warranty extension: customer support program for front passenger's airbag inflator.
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor 2020-06-03 · DOR-M3J3F-07 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
these skus are exhaust manifolds with catalytic converters. the customer communication requested return of unsold inventory due to a loss of carb certification. these skus can no longer be sold as they do not meet carb standards, but parts on vehicles are not effected.
Equipment 2020-03-10 · B20-010 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's airbag inflator only.
Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual 2020-03-10 · B20-007 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Air Bags 2018-06-01 · B18-023 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passengers airbag inflator only.
Equipment 2018-05-25 · B18-019 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects to the replacement front passengers airbag inflator only.
Showing the 6 most recent of 189 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-04-30 · Power Train“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 ev…”
2023-03-20 · Fuel/Propulsion System“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…”
2021-08-11 · Seat Belts“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, …”
2021-04-11 · Structure:body“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 …”
2020-12-21 · Unknown Or Other · 260,615 mi“the vehicle keeps shuddering and losing power and gears not charging in right…”
2020-12-02 · Power Train · 265,000 mi“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 repa…”
2020-11-09 · Unknown Or Other · 119,195 mi“the mdx srs malfunction-electrical noise surges. the car is making electrical noise surges, i cannot start the car. the shift interlock, when i put the car in park it continues to roll.…”
2020-09-18 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“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.…”
2020-03-06 · Service Brakes · 90 mi“multiple safety and recalls on this vehicle including air bag system,abs,transmission shift sensor, emission build up causing clogging in exhaust system, map sensor torque converters, differential issues,rough idle and shift interlock solenoid issues. fluid leaks and brake sticks also air bag light wont go off.…”
2020-02-01 · Air Bags“airbag lights are on. passenger seat airbag light blinks even if no body is in the car. and on the dashboard the red airbag light is on…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.