2004 Acura MDX Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2004 Acura MDX, 45% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 91,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “torque converter” (39% of reports).
- 77power train complaints
- 91,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $5,250typical repair cost reported by owners
- 9%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Torque converter: mentioned in 30 of 77 complaints (39%)
- Grinding noise: mentioned in 9 of 77 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2004 Acura MDX at $5,250, and half of them between $3,750 and $5,950.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2010–2017), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 71 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 77 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Acura MDX power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 MDX | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2025 MDX | 5 | 5% | — |
| 2024 MDX | 2 | 5% | 9,747 |
| 2023 MDX | 11 | 26% | 57,592 |
| 2022 MDX | 69 | 44% | 97,000 |
| 2020 MDX | 21 | 9% | 26,000 |
| 2019 MDX | 31 | 16% | 26,520 |
| 2018 MDX | 23 | 14% | 40,000 |
| 2017 MDX | 64 | 25% | 37,000 |
| 2016 MDX | 112 | 30% | 31,002 |
| 2015 MDX | 12 | 17% | 52,000 |
| 2014 MDX | 27 | 16% | 27,500 |
| 2013 MDX | 4 | 13% | 47,457 |
| 2012 MDX | 13 | 17% | 78,000 |
| 2011 MDX | 8 | 11% | 44,390 |
| 2010 MDX | 5 | 11% | 29,612 |
| 2009 MDX | 8 | 15% | 51,415 |
| 2008 MDX | 3 | 6% | 53,000 |
| 2007 MDX | 8 | 8% | 93,000 |
| 2006 MDX | 38 | 44% | 69,450 |
| 2005 MDX | 87 | 48% | 79,828 |
| 2004 MDX | 77 | 45% | 91,000 |
| 2003 MDX | 104 | 50% | 109,000 |
| 2002 MDX | 125 | 61% | 97,500 |
| 2001 MDX | 131 | 58% | 104,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2004 Acura MDX. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Similar to a complaint from virginia in 2012 i had an issue with stuttering and a lack of acceleration and one day i stopped at a stop sign and my car shut off and when i turned it back on would not move from park and has not moved since i had it towed to my house
Hose connection failure between radiator and transmission cooler causing radiator fluid to mix with tranny fluid with no dash indicator of problem.. In motion lost power and would not move from 1st gear. Broke down completely in need of transmission work and new coolant system due to hose connect…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE DRIVE WAY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO REVERSE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE BY PUTTING ROCKS BEHIND THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Acura MDXs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 77 owner complaints about power train for the 2004 Acura MDX (45% of the 171 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Acura MDX power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 91,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2004 Acura MDX?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,250 (half paid between $3,750 and $5,950), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2004 Acura MDX?
The most frequent phrase is “torque converter”, in 30 of 77 complaints, followed by “grinding noise” (9).
See all 2004 Acura MDX problems or power train problems across all MDX years.