- The problem
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
- The risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.
Vehicle safety record
2002 Acura MDX Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 223 complaints about the 2002 Acura MDX with NHTSA, most often about the transmission & drivetrain (136) and the airbags (23). Those complaints describe 11 crashes, 2 fires and 5 injuries. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in January 2020 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2001 has 224 and the 2003 has 212.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical MDX year, for its age
#55 most complained-about 2002 vehicle
- Complaints
- 223
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 11
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 5
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2002 Acura MDX problems
Share of all 223 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2002 Acura MDX recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- On certain sport utility vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia. In areas where large quantities of road salt are used, the front suspension coil springs have insufficient corrosion protection, and may be susceptible to corrosion.
- The risk
- Excessive corrosion can cause spring failure and a broken spring could puncture a front tire, which increases the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace both front springs with improved springs. The recall began on october 11, 2005. Owners may contact acura at 800-382-2238.
- The problem
- On some mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.
- The risk
- Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
- The fix
- On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear. On vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration is not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. The recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and mdx owners. Owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the tl and cl vehicles. Owners should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
- The problem
- On certain minivans, sedans, coupes, and sport utility vehicles equipped with v6 engines, a timing belt tensioner pulley on the water pump is misaligned and could cause the timing belt to contact a bolt on the cylinder head. Eventually the belt could be damaged and fail.
- The risk
- If the timing belt breaks, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the water pump and if it is one of the defective pumps, the water pump and timing belt will be replaced. Owner notification began august 30, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
What owners say
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223 complaints about the 2002 Acura MDX
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 9.
2002 Acura MDX automatic with premium nav. We've experienced 2 main issues with this vehicle. First, the navigation screen glitched for some time and then finally quit completely. The second and larger failure is our shifting gears are beginning to slip and then jolt when the engine needs to shift into a different gear while driving. We notice it jolting occasionally when shifting into reverse as well.
The vehicle's transmission is faulty. I took it to a second-hand repair shop because, while I was driving on the freeway, the speed had been dropping rapidly. I later found out they recalled the transmission for this Acura in 2005. It is 2026. I took it to a dealership and asked about the transmission recall; they said they could close federal safety recalls, so it wasn't valid. I left the dealership and called Acura's client relations line, where they said that because I am the second owner, they would not...
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accommodate the recall request, as it had closed in 05. I googled whether they can close federal recalls, and it said they couldn't. Then they changed what they said and said that because it was over 150,000 miles, it wasn't eligible for a goodwill repair either. This (NHTSA Campaign ID 04V-176000) repair was never done on the car, but because it was issued in 05, they will not accommodate it today when the transmission showed a fault.
The contact owns a 2002 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH up an incline, the vehicle stalled. The service engine and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart, but made an abnormal grinding sound while shifting into gear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the failure could be related to the water pump; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,722.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - Immobiliser System. Yes, available. May be repaired by local mechanic unless I learn from you to defer such repair. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - The inappropriate activation of the immobilizer system (at least I think that's what happened) caused the vehicle immediately to become unnamageable. All lights off, motor stopped, no power brakes pr power steering. No way to give warning to...
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other drivers. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - The identical behavior has occurred about 6 times, once on busy US 101 through downtown Oakland, CA during rush hour. The car will be towed to a mechanic's shop later today. I have no history with this mechanic's shop. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - No. It is my inference that the immobilizer system activated while at speed due to description in the owner's manual of the appropriate behavior of the immobilizer. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - No. The first appearance of the "green key" light preceded the entire shutdown by only a few seconds.
1. Rear subframe body mount rust-through, newly discovered. 2. Available for inspection. 3. Risk of frame failure and resulting instability at speed 4. There is a TSB for the virtually identical Honda Pilot regarding this issue; TSB 21-019 "2003-2008 Pilot Rear Subframe Body Mount Rust Repair (Customer-Pay Repair)". 5. Not inspected. A local body shop reviewed a photo and won't touch it. 6. No warnings
The contact owns a 2002 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that she depressed the accelerator pedal and the RPM's revved; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled over, turned off and restarted the vehicle and started driving; however, after getting up to speed the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact believed that the vehicle had slipped out of gear. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to...
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respond while shifted into drive or reverse. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V176000 (Power Train). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The contact owns a 2002 Acura MDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V027000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted several times and informed the contact that they did not have the equipment needed for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and followed up with the dealer. The contact stated an unknown service light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2002 Acura MDX. The contact stated that the air bag warning light would illuminate while leaning on the passenger's side front door. The contact stated that the warning light would turn off once the passenger moved away from the door. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2002 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at speeds exceeding 50 MPH, the front end of the vehicle would shake and vibrate with an abnormal chain-like sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not determined. There was no further information available. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2002 acura mdx. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v027000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact contacted crown acura (18911 us hwy 19 n, clearwater, fl 33764) and it was confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2002 acura mdx. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v027000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. An unknown dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 acura mdx. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the vehicle failed to shift from second gear. Additionally, the engine revved. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 180,000.
This started a long time ago. My engine would rev up and I would have to push my breaks so hard to slow or stop. A mechanic finally found it was the cruise control sticking. The part was sold $800. I got it fixed but thought this was very dangerous. It also would not go back into gear after I would stop the engine when this would happen. I would go into the manual release tab to finally get going again.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2002 acura mdx. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v027000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. An unknown dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 acura mdx. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for emissions testing, he was informed that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 19v627000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.*Dt*jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 acura mdx. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v027000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Neither the manufacturer nor the dealer were made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. *Bf*jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 acura mdx. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v027000 (air bags). The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the acura of peoria dealer located at (9190 w. Bell rd, peoria, az, 85382) where the technician confirmed that air bag warning was illuminated however, it was confirmed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 149,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Driving at 70 mph vehicles vtm4 light started to fkash 3 seconds later all wheels locjmked up and uder feet was so hot had to lift my feet skidded about 290 feet.
Srs light is on. Therefore,have the airbags been disabled? What should I do now?
The srs light turns on and doesn't go out after startup of the vehicle. There is a recall of the srs unit malfunction for the 2003 year model. Secondly, my vehicle is more than fifteen years old. Is there a takata air bag recall involving my 2002 acura mdx? I have taken ownership very recent.
The car turns off while driving similar to problem I had with my 1999 honda crv ingition switch been doing it for several days today smoke came out from the steering colum
Srs device failed, leaving air bags inoperable. Dealer asked factory rep to authorize service. Denied by acura. This is a safety hazard. Research indicates identical problems in other vehicles, a prior class action settlement and other complaints. Srs warning light stays on. Both dealer and independent garage tested and confirmed unit is defective.
Takata recall my mdx is having a heat build up between the countershaft and second shaft gears. Its casuing my transmission to lock up and I am very concern
Transmission recall was prev addressed but still has same problem hwy overheating of transmission causing failure extreme jerking scared us bad and could cause accident gears go out slip from overheating as well burns transm fluid recalled previously same exact issue of extreme overheating and at temp gauge not workingoccours while driving in motion
Gear failure, transmission lock up, smoke coming from transmission inside the car. Heat build up from transmission when we do long drive.
Acura MDX: every year compared
All MDX years2002 Acura MDX vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Acura MDX | 223 | 4 | C | |
| 2002 Land Rover Range Rover | 14 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2002 BMW X5 | 0 | 3 | A | Compare |
| 2002 Acura TL | 350 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Acura RSX | 93 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Acura CL | 61 | 2 | C | Compare |
| 2002 Acura RL | 59 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2002 Acura NSX-T | 17 | 0 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2002 Acura MDX
Does the 2002 Acura MDX have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2002 Acura MDX: inflator module (January 2020); coil springs (September 2005); automatic transmission (April 2004); engine (August 2002). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Acura MDX?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the transmission & drivetrain (136), airbags (23), engine & cooling (23).
How many complaints has the 2002 Acura MDX had?
223 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on October 19, 2001 and the latest on November 9, 2026. Of these, 11 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 5 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2002 Acura MDX a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 46 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Acura MDX year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Acura MDX years have the most complaints?
2016 (378), 2017 (261), 2020 (228). See every Acura MDX year compared.
What should I do if my 2002 Acura MDX has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data