Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Acura MDX owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
I think it is about time that we all push NHTSA to make Acura/Honda recall all these MDX from 2001 to 2012 to have these torque converters and transmissions replaced and fixed once and for all!!! This is very dangerous as there is no sign when these cars are going to lock up and go from 75 MPH down to 40 MPH and then stays at 40mph till you can get off the highway to an exit. I swear maybe somebody needs to get seriously hurt when they get rear ended by someone that has no clue why you have come to a sudden change of speed. This week it's different then before, now it almost threw me through the windshield had I not had my seat belt on. Though when your not expecting a cars transmission to halt so fast it still scares the life out of you and then try and get over to the breakdown lane. …
Vehicle was parked in residential driveway. Driver removed key, exited vehicle and remotely applied the door locks. Vehicle immediately began coasting down and ultimately off the driveway, down a steep grade into the yard until it struck a tree approximately 50 feet away. Resulting significant damage to front of vehicle was appraised at $5900. Car could not be removed from its resting place against tree except by tow truck. Tow driver indicated that vehicle was still in drive, not park when he extracted it from crash position. Tow driver and repair facility indicated that it should not have been possible to remove key from ignition without vehicle being in park, yet that was the specific cause of the crash.
Husband drove car, came home, parked the car in driveway. We found car at the bottom of our driveway attached to the front bumper of our neighbor's car. Our neighbor's car was damaged. I definitely believe and quite frankly expect Honda to refund us our deductible for our insurance company. The exact wording of your recall notice is exactly what happened -- "removal of the ignition key when gear selector with transmission has not been shifted to the park position can allow vehicle to roll away." and roll it did...it rolled us into paying money we didn't expect to have to pay.
Torque converter failure caused shards of metal to be transmitted into the transmission causing total failure of every gear in the transmission. I was driving on a divided highway at a high rate of speed when I experienced a sudden complete loss of power in high volume traffic. All lights lit up on the dash such as vtm-4, malfunction indicator lamp and gear was flashing. I was almost hit while trying to get to a safe location to pull over. Prior to the car dying I never had any indication of malfunction nor any driving issues or problems accelerating.
When approaching speeds of 35mph, the vehicle would begin to make a rumbling noise from the front and would then start to shake heavily. The shaking of the vehicle would continue until you would go faster than 40mph or slower than 25mph. The vehicle is very distracting when rumbling and creates a safety hazard as attention is taken away from the road and put onto the vehicle. Furthermore, you are forced to either speed , up to 40mph or slow down to 25mph to stop the rumbling, interfering with driving and possibly breaking laws.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Acura MDX. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission and the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was also included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V045000 (air bags). The contact was unable to schedule the recall repair within a reasonable timeframe because the part was unavailable. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 151,000.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Acura MDX. The contact stated that once the ignition was turned to the on position, the shift lever failed without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V573000 (electrical system). The approximate failure mileage was 200,793.
Transmission automatically shifts from drive to neutral while going down the highway. It's dangerous to be in traffic and lose the ability to accelerate. I have replaced the shifter and had it adjusted numerous times. Acura refuses to accept responsibility for this problem, even though there are innumerous complaints on this very issue. This is a safety concern.
Transmission complaints in other MDX years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2003 Acura MDX?
NHTSA has 104 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2003 Acura MDX, 50% of the model year's 206 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (56 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Acura MDX transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2003 Acura MDX, though it has 11 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Acura MDX transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 109,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.