After a 2 year navigation problem with my wife's MDX, Acura may be working with us on upgrading our car. We bought our 2003 MDX as a low mileage certified pre-owned and had problems with the navigation system after 3 days. In the past 2 years, no fix has been permanent. I won't bore you all with the details, but the unit has been replaced 2 or 3 times and the source of the problem has been traced back to "electrical interference".

After 2 years of horrific customer service (including several broken promises), they are "possibly open" to the idea of getting us into a newer car. They aren't being very generous, but I really want to be rid of our LEMON. My question is about the differences in features from the 2003 to the 2006. Is it just XM, dual exhaust and different tail lights? Any known issues with newer models that aren't prevalent in the older models?

Would any of you trade up for a newer model with more miles (~20k) or stick with an older model with nav probs and low miles?

Thanks in advance for the help and I apologize for the long post!

 

I like the 06's more personally...
UPDATES in 2004:
-headlights
-fog lamps
-taillights
-rectangular dual exhaust outlets
-wider chrome shifter
-ambient lighting

 

Hmm I am willing to bet Acura isn't going to help you on trading your car in for a newer one. They are just making another sale on a car.

 

I was clear with them about that... I expect retail value for my trade-in and low book value on the new one. They're going to need corporate to subsidize this or there is no deal and I'll just get a lawyer. Over 2 years with the same problem, just "fixed" last month and it just malfunctioned on me again today!!!!

Luckily I worked in the auto industry for a few years, so I know some of their bullshit tactics.

 

Thanks! I didn't know about the ambient lighting, and I forgot about the HIDs.

 

It comes with the projectors but you have to retrofit the HID's

 

Yup - no HID's...

 

Seriously?? WTF?! My '03 CL has HIDs... I thought the MDX was more luxury based.

 

The MDX didn't get HID's until the 2g body style.

 

the 06 MDX is a great car! I used to have one and loved it until it kept on stranding me (got lemoned). I think the best thing about it how classic and timeless the design was, just like the 3G TL.

If you don't mind me asking, what problem did you have with your MDX's navi?

 

I really like Acuras, and MDXs are a great fit for my wife. As for the problem, it continues to haunt us...

We bought the car in October of 2007 as a Certified Pre-Owned. 3 days later, the navigation malfunctioned. It showed us driving about 10 miles off track. We took the car in and were informed that the nav had just been replaced before we bought the car. They replaced the unit again and it worked for a few weeks. Over the next 4 months we had the car in service nearly a month and still had no resolution. We were told a "patch disc" was coming out "soon" that would fix the problem.

7 months after buying the car we still had no disc and we took Acura to a BBB arbitration hearing. We wanted them to buy the car back, but the arbitrator decided 7 months was not long enough to fix the problem. Fast forward 13 months (still having intermittent problems) and I contacted Acura again and eventually got to speak with Regional Service Manager who was actually interested in fixing our car. They narrowed it down to "electrical interference" keeping the car from updating satellite signals. Recently the car was in the shop for 45-55 days. Most of that time the nav was functioning normally, so they weren't able to accomplish much. The corporate representative tried to convince me that the car was fixed, yet the navigation has malfunctioned yet again!

This is the compact version, I probably left out 20 different critical pieces of the story, but I feel bad writing this long of a post as it is.

While writing this I just got a call from the sales manager at the dealership who was not prepared to do a retail-to-retail trade-in. The dealership has been surprisingly helpful. The corporate office has been unbelievably bad! Shit happens and I have been calm and reasonable for a long time... I'm passed being nice now.

I'm wondering how strong of a case I may have for a lawsuit.

 

Well, you were right! Now I am being informed that my case is being submitted to "the next level" in the corporate chain. I am getting so frustrated because they keep saying "we've never seen anything like this"! That isn't reassuring for me to hear! I bought this car because it had low miles and navigation. Now I'm starting to wonder if the miles were low because I bought a lemon-law buyback. I know the dealership is supposed to disclose this, but it's not like these guys are exactly known for their ethics.

Is there any way to check this?

Any advice would be helpful! Thanks guys!

 

Just curious, have you considered buying an aftermarket navi like a garmin(Obviously do the buy and return within 30 days)
and tested it's capabilities around the areas where you have problems.

Well is it a certain area where it typically happens or is it completely random?

 

Have they tried replacing the antenna itself? how about checking all the data the navi is getting (wheel speed, yaw, etc). If anything it's probably a bad antenna.

 

It doesn't happen in predictable spots. Initially I wanted Acura to buy us an after-market in-dash unit, but I'm afraid we'll have the same problem if it truly is electrical interference.

 

They have replaced every component of the navigation and even tried adjusting the placement of the antenna. Honestly, every person I've spoken to at the dealership and corporate level claims that this is a first. The regional service manager, who usually doesn't even get involved with customers, says he never had a problem he couldn't fix.... Lucky me!

 

Wow, that is really weird... I wonder if they "replaced" components or just tested them and tried to send you on your way. Either way I hope you can get yourself into an 06 without much hassle!

 

Both!! I love their cars, but I HATE their terrible customer service.

 

I was supposed to have gotten an "update" last week and still didn't hear anything. Any Acura employees (non-dealership) on here? Customer Service with these guys is about a 2 out of 10.

 

Much less interaction in the MDX forum versus the 2nd Gen CL forum, but for anyone who has been following my thread I have an update. Honda's arbitration department contacted me this week to let me know that they will buy our car back. I have not yet received my buy-back contract, but the explanation seems fair. It has taken 26 months and countless hours of bickering, research, and loaner cars; but I think Acura has decided to stand by their products. I will post one more update as soon as the buy-back is complete, but to this point my faith in Acura is on the right track to being renewed.

 

Good to hear there's some resolution coming. Loaner cars can be expensive for dealerships over a period of time. One dealer told me it's about $100 a day to provide a customer a loaner when you factor in the price of the vehicle, insurance, maintenance, paperwork, labor, etc. It's probably cheaper just to buy back your vehicle at this point.

Good luck and keep us updated

 

Well, Acura did right by us. They purchased the car back last week. They paid the loan off and gave us every penny we put into the car after the first navigation malfunction (which was 3 or 4 days after we bought the car). I had my doubts on how they were going to handle this because we got the run around for a long time. I can honestly say they did make the situation 100% right. We are now in the process of buying a 2006. Thanks to everyone who gave their input and advice! I will post some pics when we get our new MDX.

 

Good for you, that you got the situation resolved.

Also, a 'new' '06?

 

Lol! New used!

 

I'm glad it worked out for you. Good luck in your search for a nice 06.

 

Wow, great to hear...keep us updated on the 2006 hunt

(from a very happy owner of a 2006 MDX)

 

Just bought a 2006 touring with nav and 50k miles. White with saddle interior. We paid $23,800. It's a nice upgrade from our 03. We love the 07's+ but my wife drives 100 miles a day for work and the gas mileage would kill us.

 

Love the color combo!

Congrats, post some pics!

 

congratulations on the mdx! I'm always interested in pics

 

Nice job and God bless resale value

Is the gas mileage that much different from the 2006 to 2007? Acura shows 17/23 for the 2006 and 18/20 for the 2007. Yet Edmunds (as well as many other sites) show consumers averaging no more than 17mpg for the 2006 (which is right about what we're averaging).

 

I will post some pics this weekend!

When we had a loaner 2008 our mileage was averaging around 15 or 16. Our first full tank on the 2006 got us 21 mpg. My wife drives 50 miles each way to work and a good portion of that is highway/freeway.

 

Have a 2006 Acura MDX. Have had battery problems off and on since purchased SUV. It's in garage, battery dead, key won't open drivers side door, and can't get hood open since can't get into car to hit release? Ideas?

 

Why won't the key open the driver's door mechanically?

 

Are all the doors locked including the tailgate?