I came up to a traffic light and came to compete stop. I then placed the 2010 MDX Tech w/ RES (41k miles) into sport mode and placed the transmission into first gear. The light turned green, I accelerated through gears one through three, and hit the red line each time. I then shifted into sixth gear and maintained 75mph. I then began to notice an exhaust smell permeate the cabin. Approximately, a minute later the exhaust smell was gone. I repeated the process a second time with the same results. My wife primarily drives the MDX and she drives it with reserve, but when I drive I put it through its paces when traffic allows(once a week).

I have had the TSB for the transmission completed back in April and just had the oil changed 500 miles ago. A/C was on medium with the vents closed for recirculation mode. This happened two weeks ago and has never occurred in the 5k+ miles of driving.

Anybody with the same issue or any resolve to my quandary?

 

That is normal. It is just the catalytic converter working. Happens to my mdx when it hasn't been revved out in a while.

 

I am going to drive the MDX for a week and see what happens after a week.

 

I've read several threads on this topic, lot's of people report this and I've experience it in mine. I don't dispute that the smell of the exhaust is normal...OUTSIDE the car, but exhaust gas should not enter the car under any circumstance. Most vehicles have some sort of cabin vent with a flapper valve to help cabin pressure when closing the doors for instance. I've speculated that the hard acceleration somehow opens a vent and allows the gas to enter the cabin? I don't know, but as long as normal driving doesn't allow the smell then I guess it's safe to live with.

 

Maybe you crapped in your pants? ha!

 

Do what???

There's nothing normal about exhaust gases entering the cab of ANY vehicle. This should not be acceptable by any MDX owners and especially those who frequently have their children inside this car. I own three Acura's and have never had one single complaint about any of them but this problem has really started to get to me. No one single recall, TSB, dealership letter, nothing. I've spent many hours online searching for the solution on this problem and have come up empty handed.

As mentioned above, there's obviously some means by which the exhaust is entering the cab wether it be from the HVAC airbox (doubtful IMO) or from the cabs air pressure equalizer vents (flapper valves) through the body somewhere. I'm in agreement with the person above and believe it enters in through the equalizer vents and this I say because I've literally smoke tested my entire exhaust system with and without EVAP system solenoids energized...nothing. That leaves only one place where the exhaust can exit and that's the exhaust tips. That being said, most MDX owners report the smell during/after heavy acceleration. Two factors can be added to the equation here: during heavy acceleration both vehicle speed and exhaust output increase. When a vehicle travels at a high rate of speed, turbulance is created and various places of the vehicle. Especially in the rear where the exhaust is exiting. This turbulance in conjunction with wind speed can/could cause exhaust gases to be routed behind body panels (where the equalizer vents are generally installed) or even be pushed through weather stripping on the rear hatch somewhere. Of course this all theory and assumption but I think that narrows it down drastically in terms of possibilities.

That being said, and if I can ever pry the MDX out of my wife's possession, I will find and locate these flaps to start off and tape it (or them) up and then retest. I will continue to do this until the issue is located or I have every door, panels, flapper valve, child (joking), tapped up on the vehicle.

Then, I'll gain enormous popularity amongst the 26 people in the world who own MDX's and be love by all of them! Hahaha,

 

Great news everyone, this problem has been identified and solved! It turned out yo be the cabin ventilation duct as I suspected. Because you cannot upload pictures with iPhone or an iPad, I will have to wait until I gain presence of a PC in order to create a full detailed thread with photos and all. To summarize the issue in this brief explanation, let's just say Acura couldn't have been any DUMBER on this one.

 

There is a lot of stupid in this thread.

 

You mind putting an address on that letter?

 

66 Templeton St., Paterson, NJ

 

Geezus, just tell us what you found out already....

 

Lmao, I totally freaking forgot about doing that. Sorry, making thread now...

 

 

Well at least someone showed up.

Saving gif to favs.

also, pillowtalk..