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Acura MDXModel year report

2003 Acura MDX Problems

Complaints
206filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
108,000miles, 157 complaints with mileage
Recalls
11campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
17 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl 4WD/AWD · 15 city / 21 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Acura MDX (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission problems — slipping, rumbling around 35–40 mph, dropping out of gear, and in some cases a full loss of drive. Complaints typically come in between roughly 70,000 and 150,000 miles, and many owners say the dealer could not reproduce the symptom until the warranty had run out. A smaller but notable group describes airbag warning lights and recall-repair delays.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission slips, won't engage, or loses drive

    • 69 complaints (34%)
    • median 107,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (64 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $1,600 (median of 10 quotes)
    • filed 2003–2025

    Owners describe the transmission slipping or dropping out of gear at stops and traffic lights, the engine revving without the vehicle moving, and occasionally a complete loss of drive at speed. Several say they had to shut the vehicle off and restart it, or shift through the gears, to get it moving again. Some report the dealer found no fault when no warning light was on, while others were told a replacement transmission was needed. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 150,000 miles, with some at higher mileage; several owners note it happened more in cold weather or after the vehicle had warmed up.

    What to check: Test drive long enough to reach highway speed and to stop repeatedly at lights; ask whether the transmission or torque converter has been replaced and request service records. Check the fluid level and condition.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Vehicle went into neutral when approaching a stop. This repeated several times throughout my trip (approx. 25 miles). I have kept up with transmission services and maintenance schedules since ownership feb of 2012. I have read of several complaints regarding the same symptoms from other owners. Why is honda not willing to further investigate ?”

    NHTSA complaint #10564704, filed 2014-02, 142,000 miles

    “1. While attempting to accelerate at a busy 4-way intersection, my Acura MDX refused to go into gear or accelerate. This caused me to obstruct traffic in the intersection, and could have easily caused a multi-car accident. 2. The car has intermittently refused to go into first gear for several months. Manually shifting it into gear would temporarily solve the problem. 23. We had the car towed to ron tonkin Acura of portland. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10401522, filed 2011-05, 120,000 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Shudder or vibration at 35–40 mph (torque converter)

    • 25 complaints (12%)
    • median 100,000 mi at 9.3 yrs old (24 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2004–2020

    Owners describe a rumble or heavy shake that appears around 35–40 mph and lasts a few seconds, sometimes repeating every time the vehicle passes through that speed range. Several were told the torque converter was at fault and were quoted a replacement, and some report that metal debris from a failed converter led to transmission replacement. A number say the dealer could not duplicate the vibration during the warranty period. Reported from as low as 35,000 miles up to about 150,000 miles, most commonly in the 75,000–130,000 mile range.

    What to check: Drive at a steady 35–40 mph on a flat road and feel for a shudder or rumble; ask whether the torque converter has been serviced or replaced and whether transmission fluid changes were documented.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving on I-75 when my transmission failed, car went from going 70mph to dropping all RPM's and driving as if it were in neutral. Torque converter had to be replaced, this was at 91,000 miles. Luckily, I had extended warranty or this would have been a $3,000 repair and could have been very dangerous if other cars were following closely when the transmission failed! A vehicle in this price range should not be failing so early. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10356269, filed 2010-09, 91,000 miles

    “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. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11093897, filed 2018-05, 211,000 miles
  3. Air bags

    Airbag warning light on and recall repair delays

    • 33 complaints (16%)
    • median 103,000 mi at 12.1 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2003–2020

    Owners describe the airbag or SRS warning light coming on intermittently and then staying on, sometimes after a recall repair had been performed. Several mention being notified of a recall but told the replacement part was not yet available, leaving the repair pending for an extended period. A few describe the SRS light coming on when the seat belt is unbuckled. Reported across a wide mileage range, from around 15,000 up to about 200,000 miles, with many reports above 100,000 miles.

    Recall 19V501000Recall 19V499000Recall 19V182000Recall 16V344000Recall 15V370000Recall 15V320000Recall 14V700000Recall 14V3530004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for the recall history by VIN and confirm whether the driver and passenger inflators have been replaced; check that the SRS light goes out after the ignition self-test.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The srs (air bag) may fail to deploy in an accident if the driver's seat belt is unbuckled at any point during the drive, even if it is subsequently buckled prior to and during the accident. With the engine running, if I unbuckle the seat belt, the seat belt warning light does not illuminate, however, the srs (air bag) warning light does illuminate. When I start the vehicle the srs and seat belt light are usually both illuminated for the ignition test period of 3-5 seconds. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10895986, filed 2016-08, 200,000 miles

    “After having taken the Acura to dealer 3 times for the takata air bag recall initially all was well. Then every 3rd time I started the engine the red warning light for airbag failure would come on. Now over the last 6 months every time the engine is started the warning light comes on and stays on. Would expense to repair/replacement be covered?”

    NHTSA complaint #11123771, filed 2018-08, 103,000 miles
  4. Electrical system

    Vehicle rolls or rolls away when left in gear

    • 12 complaints (6%)
    • median 114,597 mi at 9.8 yrs old (12 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2008–2020

    Owners describe being able to remove the key from the ignition without the shifter being in park, and the vehicle then rolling down a driveway or into a tree. Others report the vehicle shifting into neutral on its own while parked, or rolling when started in park. One owner replaced the shift cable to correct a roll-away. Reported between roughly 85,000 and 210,000 miles.

    Recall 12V573000

    What to check: With the engine off, confirm the key cannot be removed unless the shifter is fully in park, and check that the shift lever clicks firmly into each position. Ask whether the ignition switch interlock recall was completed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The locking mechanism that secures the key in the ignition until park is engaged did not work. Therefore I unknowingly removed the key from the ignition without having park engaged. The car rolled back from the parking spot into a tree. Fortunately, no one was injured and there was no damage to the car. I have reported this problem to Acura. It seems similar to the problem currently being investigated for honda odyssey's and pilots from 2003 and 2004 by NHTSA. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10479559, filed 2012-10, 110,000 miles

    “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.”

    NHTSA complaint #11373806, filed 2020-11, 119,195 miles
  5. Engine

    Engine mounts cracking or leaking

    • 13 complaints (6%)
    • median 102,300 mi at 7.3 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2007–2018

    Owners report being told during routine service that the front engine mount was leaking and a side mount was cracked, with some describing vibration and shaking before the diagnosis. Complaints describe the mounts failing on vehicles used only for normal paved-road driving, and some note transmission or torque converter repairs were done at the same time. Mostly reported between about 85,000 and 190,000 miles.

    What to check: Have a mechanic inspect the engine mounts for cracks or fluid seepage, and feel for excess vibration at idle or under acceleration during the test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I can not go pass 25mph the truck will reeve up, then turn off after driving for one mile. The engine mount, shakes. I was told it is a transmission issue. Sometimes the gears don't switch from original position, ex. Park to drive.”

    NHTSA complaint #10672977, filed 2015-01, 195,126 miles

    “I have a very well kept 2003 Acura MDX touring luxury SUV that retails at more than $45,000 when new. The engine is mounted on 3 engine mounts and I just discovered that 2 of the 3 engine mounts are broken. If the 3rd mount had broken, the engine could shift position resulting in serious consequences. This vehicle was used for normal highway and city driving (no off highway driving). After doing some research, it appears Acura under-designed this part making these engine mounts very prone to failure. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10243576, filed 2008-09, 85,000 miles

Buying note. The transmission is the main thing to evaluate on this model year: budget for a thorough test drive and an inspection, and ask for transmission and torque converter service history. Also confirm the airbag recalls were completed by VIN, since owners report parts delays.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 206 consumer complaints for the 2003 Acura MDX. 157 of the complaints include a mileage, and 14% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 108,000 miles. Of all complaints, 11 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 9 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns and 119 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Equipment (4), Steering (3), Body and structure (3), Exterior lighting (2), Suspension (2), Electronic stability control (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seats (1), Tires (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “I was putting my car into drive on a hill and it rolled backwards. Called a tow truck and had a mechanic look at it and told me I needed a new transmission and I was lucky I didn't hurt anyone. There are a lot of kids in our neighborhood.$3900 later. I have read all sorts of problems with this yr/make with their transmissions. Why isn't their a recall?”

NHTSA complaint #10554729, filed 2013-12, 137,000 miles

Air bags: “I took my MDX in for recall 15-011 recall srs unit malfunction on 1/20/2016. The vehicle was in perfect working condition when I dropped it off. When I picked the unit up 3 lights are on in the dash srs, airbag off, airbag warning light. I ask the service writer what this is they said the new recall parts are not compatible with my system if I want it repaired it needs a new control unit $1400”

NHTSA complaint #10821260, filed 2016-01, 16,200 miles

Electrical system: “Auto dimming rear view mirror developed strange circles. It became triple vision. Then over the next few days it began leaking a black oily substance on the interior of the car and the view from the mirror is soo distorted you cannot see anything. I contacted Acura and they said out of warranty. Tough luck. I explained that this is a major safety defect and I received the same response.”

NHTSA complaint #10610832, filed 2014-07, 150,000 miles

Engine cooling: “Noxious sulfur odor inside and outside the vehicle which is likely related to the catalytic converter. I was first advised that Acura knew of this problem which was related to a new pellet inside of the converter. Acura now says that there is no problem. I am being advised that this terrible odor is normal on this vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #10028434, filed 2003-07, 500 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

14% of the 157 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 80,000 and 140,000 miles.

6%0–105%10–253%25–507%50–7522%75–10036%100–15021%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (157 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 108,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’05’0827’11’14’17’20’25
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 Acura MDX. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
MDX · sedan AWDnot rated4 / 4——4

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2003 Acura MDX version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
MDX 4WD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic152117$4,850

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 11 recalls for the 2003 Acura MDX → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 119 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 119 bulletins →

Other model years of the Acura MDX

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202691,8001522—Too new
202511213,0003522Too new to compareToo new
2024419,8102522Too new to compareToo new
20234332,454252213 · FewerToo new
202215860,000252251 · TypicalRising
202022644,500852369 · MoreRising
201919021,114952373 · MoreRising
201816940,0001052350 · TypicalRising
201726037,000852375 · MoreRising
201637737,884752394 · MoreRising
20157123,000852352 · TypicalRising
201417223,412852386 · MoreStable
20133050,00014180 · FewerFalling
20127662,50014180 · FewerFalling
20117066,00005180 · FewerFalling
20104567,0001—180 · FewerRising
20095255,0000—170 · FewerFalling
20084940,0000—170 · FewerFalling
20079992,5000—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20068776,0009—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200518082,19711—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200417194,0008—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
2003206108,00011—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200220598,0004—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2001224100,0004—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Acura MDX model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Acura MDX?

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission problems — slipping, rumbling around 35–40 mph, dropping out of gear, and in some cases a full loss of drive. The issues reported most often: Transmission slips, won't engage, or loses drive; Shudder or vibration at 35–40 mph (torque converter); Airbag warning light on and recall repair delays.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Acura MDX have?

NHTSA recorded 206 consumer complaints for the 2003 Acura MDX as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Acura MDX is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 104 complaints (50% of the total), followed by air bags with 42.

Has the 2003 Acura MDX been recalled?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2003 Acura MDX get?

The EPA rates the 2003 Acura MDX (MDX 4WD, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 15 city and 21 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,850 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Acura MDX reported?

Among the 157 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 108,000 miles and the middle half falls between 80,000 and 140,000 miles; 14% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.