electricview

Hey guys i've done searching and reading and my question is kind of unasked.. I've currently got a honda accord 2002, the transmision has started... 'flaring' between 1st and 2nd gear, i've come to find out hondas having .... problems.. with transmissions lately, and apparenly that's carried over into acuras? I've always wanted an acura as my next car, and i kind of wanted something with 4 wheel drive, in case i wana go skiing or what not.. After reading for a while and seeing 2001 and 2002's MDX's are the worst year to have for tranny issues, i've come to read some edmonds reports that people with 04's 05'a and 06's and sometimes 07's are still complaining about transmission issues...

I cant afford an MDX any newer than about 2005 (i'm looking at 13k or less if possible).. At the acura dealer he instructed me that the problem years were 2001 to 2003 i think, i believe he said anything 2004 and newer should be fine.
Is this a safe bet? I had seen a 2003 with a claimed 'new transmission' installed, it doesnt seem to be listed anymore so i guess it sold, but it was around 8900 and i think had 120k miles on it...

But it's also possbile to get a 2004-2005 with about 130k miles for around 11-13k as well. I really would hate to sell my honda to upgrade to an acura and then have a tranny problem with that as well... Should i just look else where since i'm limited in what i can afford? or would i have a pretty safe bet with a 2004-5 in terms of transmission?

Just your honest opinion would helpful.

thank you!

Rocket_man

Honda did have some problems with transmissions. I had one actually. I forget what year it was (eraly-mid 90's) , but my next car was a Toyota. But those transmission problems as far as I know have been resolved for years. If you search through this forum on any Acura sold in the last 6+ years you won't see many transmission issues that are above what is normally expected in any car.

I will say though that when I had my transmission problem (Accord) Honda didn't do anything about it. It was early in the transmission fiasco. later they offered some sort of extended warranty on transmissions. I was a former Honda owner by that time.

I wouldn't worry about this with a new Acura.

As for your problem, I'd take it to the dealer and report it and maybe have them flush the tranny. Could just be some gunk clogging the system. It doesn't take much.

electricview

I did have them listen to it and drive it, they told me it's starting to act up as they are common for this, he said it's flaring is what he calls it, he had me flush the tranny fluid and put more in at the dealership so i did.. It's still doing it though also the check engine light as more recently started coming on and off, so i'm just ready to move on..


I love how the acura MDX's feel and look... But when you say' newer' do you mean a 2005? thats about the newest i'll be able to go, i dont have a ton to spend.. That's the year i'm aiming for..

If i can get one with around 120k miles and maybe make it to 200k before any major tranny issues i'd probably be pretty happy with that.... I'll more stable income at that point and could decide to do heavier repairs on it..

Busy Livin'

Until you get in there and root around a bit, there's always a chance she could be a Tranny! So yes, that's one heck of a gamble.

csmeance

If you stick with a 2005+ MDX the transmission shouldn't have any sort of issues. Just be sure to change the fluid every 30K at a minimum! If you look at cars.com you'll see a TON with over 130K on them!

On thing that I must warn you is that you will have to do a timing belt replacement at 105K or 7yrs. Most cars don't have it done so look out for it!

As far as a car search goes, in all honesty an MDX might not be the best fit for what you are looking for. You might actually like a newer Honda Pilot or dare I say something else like a Toyota 4runner.

electricview

thank you for your honesty, I think toyota is out the 4 runner is too big feeling to me, the mdx feels more like a slightly elevated honda and not so large..

as for the pilot, in my state (wa) they charge just as much for them as they do for the mdx. This used car lot i went to had a 2005 mdx and 2005 pilot next to each other, i think the pilot had 97k miles on it and the mdx had 89k miles on it, both were 13,500k. In my eyes if thats the case definately go with the mdx?? or am I missing your point?

I also was hoping to get one that had already had the timing belt done.. Isn't that 105k mile service like 2k in costs?

wilsel

Stick with a 2005 and newer, and you shouldn't have any issues with the trans. That was only a problem with the early 1st generations. I would definitely suggest an MDX over a Pilot or 4Runner. They drive sooo much better.

electricview

Isn't 2005 considered part of the first run? (the body change seems more pronounced to me in the 2006's, i actually feel like my rear visibility is tougher in that model and up).

or was it 2001-2003 first gen,?

IF i had go to go with a 2004 is that going to be a bad choice or risky? I'm prefering a 2005, but not a lot of them available right now.

Bluestone513

Hold on .. I've had a 2004 MDX since 2007. When I bought it the "check engine" light came on half way home. the dealer I bought it from said he would take care of the problem. Turns out the previous owner put cheap gae in it and blow the catalytic converter. The dealer renigged, and $5000 later the check engine light was out for good.

When it got about 140,000 miles the transmission started "flaring" between first and second. Now I have 155,000 and the transmission gets stuck for about the first 15-20 minutes in the morning, where it doesn't downshift all the way back to first if you don't come to a complete stop. It disengages leaving you coasting untill you either come to a complete stop or manually downshift to first or second.

What's wierd is that after the 15-20 minutes of driving, the problem disappears.

My point is that the problem still occurrs in 2004's. If you're going to buy one, take it on a test drive that lasts longer than a half hour. That will be long enough for the "check engine" light to come on if there are any problems you should be aware of. If possible, take that test drive in the morning after the car has been sitting all night. That will let you know how the transmission is behaving.

csmeance

Putting in cheap gas does not mess up the catalysts but the motor. Your Catalyst problem was probably a dealer just taking advantage of you. A replacement catalyst is expensive, usually the problem is the O2 sensors.

As far as your trans flaring up, it could be because of a few bad pressure switches that don't detect the right pressure until the fluid is warmed. As well the fluid thinner when it's warmer, it's probable that the fluid is thick and gunky and should be changed.

electricview

Thats wierd cuz my honda accord does that EXACT flaring 1-2nd gear thing but it doesnt go away after the car is heated up.. also a few days ago i had the car and was parking it, going very slow then braked, put it into reverse backed up a few feet, then breaked and put it into drive again and it juttered a few times before it engaged the gear.. Thats the first time it's ever done that..

I really want an MDX but now i'm wondering am i just in for the same nightmare all over again?

Type34

Electric, odds are you'll bypass the transmission issues with a 2005+ MDX. Our 2006 has been bulletproof (knock on wood). Same vehicle.

Honestly, if you're concerned about cost, you need to factor in the MDX's requirement of premium fuel. The MDX has a higher compression ratio than the Pilot, for example, and requires premium (91) where the Pilot requires regular 87 octane.

Here in SoCal, premium fuel is anywhere between 20 -30 cents more than regular. Let's avg it out to 25 cents. Average mileage of 1000 miles a month. Our MDX (on a good day) gets about 17mpg. 1000 miles / 17mpg = 59 gallons of fuel. 59 x .25 = 14.75. So factor about 15 bucks a month just for premium fuel.

That may not matter too much in your decision, but when I suggest an MDX to family and friends, the premium fuel requirement can, for some, be a deal-breaker.