Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Acura MDX, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train125
- Air bags23
- Engine and engine cooling14
- Vehicle speed control12
- Electrical system12
- Structure7
- Service brakes, hydraulic6
- Suspension5
- Steering5
- Engine5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 5 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 27 2002 MDX vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 17 people died inside them, and 11 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Acura MDX failed the safety check 2.22% of the time — 11% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 174,695 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 13.5 L/100 km (about 17 mpg US), CO₂ 311 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDX · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 15.5 | 11.1 | 13.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2002 Acura MDX.
| 2020015 17 Jan 2020 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, exposure to moisture over time could cause the driver-front airbag not to inflate properly in a crash. In some cases, this could c… |
| 2005260 7 Sept 2005 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the front suspension coil springs may have received insufficient corrosion protection during manufacturing and, in areas where road salt is… |
| 2004143 23 Apr 2004 | Powertrain Certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually lea… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Acura told its dealers about the 2002 Acura MDX: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 638022 | INFORMATION ON TROUBLE SHOOTING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1457, EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM LEAK AT CANISTER. *TT |
| 637942 | SUBJECT REGARDING INDIVIDUAL FENDER FLARES. *TT |
| 637940 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE DISPLAY LOGIC. *TT |
| 637934 | SUBJECT REGARDING REAR BACKING PLATE BOLT TORQUE SPECIFICATION ERROR. *TT |
| 637649 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING TICKING, CLICKING NOISE AT THE DASH. *TT |
| 637645 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING FUEL SLOSHING, THUMP SOUND IN THE FUEL TANK. *TT |
| 637638 | INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING SRS DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 6-7 AND / OR 7-2 INTERNAL FAILURE OF SRS UNIT. *TT |
| 637626 | SUBJECT REGARDING RIGHT FRONT AXLE BEARING SHIELD. *TT |
| 637623 | SUBJECT REGARDING TIMING BELT TENSIONER BOLT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. *TT |
| 637621 | SUBJECT REGARDING PGM TESTER MISFIRE COUNTER. *TT |
| 637408 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN UNDER-HOOD BUZZ BETWEEN 2,500 AND 4,000 RPM. *TT |
| 637404 | SUBJECT REGARDING CREAK OR TICKING CONCERNS FROM THE DASHBOARD. *TT |
| 637400 | CUSTOMER COMPLAINS OF A THUMP IN REAR OF VEHICLE FROM SLOSHING FUEL. *TT |
| 636883 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIR DEFLECTOR SIDE SUPPORTS. *TT |
| 636876 | SERVICE MANUAL FIX REGARDING FUEL PRESSURE MEASURING. *TT |
| 636799 | SUBJECT REGARDING TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS MISSING FOR TIMING BELT TENSIONER. *TT |
| 636789 | SUBJECT REGARDING RIGHT FRONT AXLE HEAT SHIELD NOT AVAILABLE. *TT |
| 636768 | INFORMATION ON TROUBLE SHOOTING POWER SEATS THAT WON'T MOVE. *TT |
| 636766 | SUBJECT REGARDING OIL SPECIFICATION SERVICE MANUAL FIX. *TT |
| 636764 | INFORMATION ON TROUBLE SHOOTING MULTIPLE MISFIRE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0301 THRU P0306. *TT |
| 636760 | SUBJECT REGARDING OWNERS MANUAL FIX - OIL SPECIFICATIONS. *TT |
| 635760 | CONCERNS WITH THE BEVERAGE HOLDER THAT WILL NOT OPEN. *TT |
| 633359 | INFORMATION REGARDING SQUEAKS HEARD FROM THE MOONROOF SEAL WHILE DRIVING WITH THE GLASS CLOSED AND THE SUNSHADE OPEN. *TT |
| 633350 | SUBJECT REGARDING SRS INDICATOR ON WITH SRS DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES 15-1, 15-2, AND 15-3. REPLACES 01-013 AS WELL. *TT |
| 631968 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEAT BACK PANEL BECOMING LOOSE OR DETACHED. *SLC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FRONT COIL SPRING BREAKAGE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation