2002 Acura MDX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MDX years
- More complaints than other years 6th of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 205 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Acura MDX. That ranks 6th out of 26 MDX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (125 complaints, 61%), typically at around 97,500 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 205owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Acura MDX problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 125 | 61% | 97,500 | “automatic transmission” (14%) | $6,800 |
| Air Bags | 23 | 11% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 7% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 12 | 6% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 | 6% | 96,650 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 3% | 4,200 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 2% | 180,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 2% | 30,672 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 2% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 2% | 146,100 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 67,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 1% | 150,300 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | 38,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 1% | 81,250 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 205,714 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 147,777 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 110,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Acura MDX recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
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.
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.
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.
Suspension:front:springs:coil springs
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.
Risk: Excessive corrosion can cause spring failure and a broken spring could puncture a front tire, which increases the risk of a crash.
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.
Power train:automatic transmission
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.
Risk: Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
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.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
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.
Risk: If the timing belt breaks, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Front coil spring breakage (PE05040) — opened Jul 14, 2005, closed Sep 14, 2005, led to recall 05V385000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 RPMâs revved; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled over, turned off and…
Other Acura MDX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 MDX | 9 | 1 |
| 2025 MDX | 111 | 3 |
| 2024 MDX | 41 | 2 |
| 2023 MDX | 42 | 2 |
| 2022 MDX | 157 | 2 |
| 2021 MDX | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 MDX | 223 | 8 |
| 2019 MDX | 190 | 9 |
| 2018 MDX | 169 | 10 |
| 2017 MDX | 260 | 8 |
| 2016 MDX | 376 | 7 |
| 2015 MDX | 71 | 8 |
| 2014 MDX | 172 | 8 |
| 2013 MDX | 30 | 1 |
| 2012 MDX | 76 | 1 |
| 2011 MDX | 70 | 0 |
| 2010 MDX | 45 | 1 |
| 2009 MDX | 52 | 0 |
| 2008 MDX | 49 | 0 |
| 2007 MDX | 99 | 0 |
| 2006 MDX | 87 | 9 |
| 2005 MDX | 180 | 11 |
| 2004 MDX | 171 | 8 |
| 2003 MDX | 206 | 11 |
| 2002 | 205 | 4 |
| 2001 MDX | 224 | 4 |
See all Acura MDX problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Acura MDX?
Owners most often report power train, air bags, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 125 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Acura MDX?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Acura MDX a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other MDX model years, the 2002 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.