Hello,

I am new to the site and a fairly new 2015 MDX owner (purchased car February 28). Within a week or so of purchasing the car, a grinding noise started when I would hit the brake as I was in reverse (moreso when I was turning slightly). The grind has transitioned into more of a click now. I didn't take it into dealership until 5,000 miles and the service department acknowledges the noise and intially said it was the TSB to update the computer. My car doesn't fall within that VIN range so then they said it was my brake caliper. But now they are telling me they drove other MDX's on their lot and this is a normal sound. It is not normal. My friend's does not do this and if it were normal, they would have known about this noise.

Does this sound familiar to any of you?! Any help and feedback is much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

Common and well known issue with the brake pads going "CLACK" when going from forward to reverse. The dealer can "fix" it by greasing and shimming the pads, but it'll start doing it again in a short time.

Consider it a "feature" of Honda brakes. Read more here:

http://owners.acura.com/help/faqs

Scroll down to find "Why do my brakes make a single “click” noise when I back out of a parking place and once again when I drive forward?"

Chris

 

Thanks, JustPlaneChris! The noise that I hear is right when I am backing up and I hit the brake, it makes a click, sometimes a grind. It sounds different that what you experice going from foward to reverse?

 

Nope, that is it exactly. Mine is usually louder if the wheels are slightly turned too. I had it to the dealer the first time it did it, they greased and shimmed the pads. It was quiet for maybe 1000 miles then came back. It's a "feature" I've learned to live with, much like the clunks clanks and thumps from the rear suspension.

Chris

 

Mine does the exact same thing.

I always back in when I park so even on the first day I brought the car home I heard a clicking sound when I went into reverse and then hit the brakes. And like mentioned above, the clicking is louder if I'm turning the steering wheel and hitting the brakes. My MDX is at 2K miles so I'm just waiting until my first oil change to bring up this "issue".

But reading on other forums this seems to be something normal.

 

i have the same issue, dealer replaced the front brake pads and shimming the sound were gone for few months, now is back.

 

Whoa, I'm gonna try to get in on this "free" brake pad replacement deal

 

Thank you, all, for responding. The dealership says they spoke to Acura technical support and opened up a case for Acura to investigate. They basically acknowledged it is a flaw in Acura engineering and nothing the service department can do to rectify. We'll see if they come out wtih a fix, but hopefully all dealerships that see this issue are reporting it.

When I spoke to them on my way to pick up, they said that the noise was still there. I haven't been able to get it to make the noise so I'm sure they put a bandaid on by shimming the pads. Time will tell. Let me know if y'all find a solution and I will do the same!

 

Hi apugsley,


I have exactly same problem as you are. My 2016 MDX only 6000 miles on it and is in Dealer Shop now. 1st time they applied the grease and pad and was quiet down for a few days now back to normal like before. It is so annoy and I hope it not a NEW FEATURE on MDX.


This car drive me crazy, clicking at Stop, Clicking when Accelerate, especially when you reverse and turn a click/clunk sound so loud. Now when you driving on a highway 60-65 mph, you still hear the clicking sound, so weird.


So I you hear anything from your dealer please let me know. If they are able to figure out the problem, please let me know the Service Bulletin for it. Or more info is better.


Thank you,

 

It's been a "flaw in Acura engineering" for years! They will never fix it. Just google "honda brake click reverse" and spend days reading all the search results.

To the poster above, you won't hear this sound when driving down the freeway. You only hear it when braking after going from forward to reverse (or visa versa) as the pads shift in their seat during the change in rotation. It's mostly going to happen while parking, or reversing out of a parking spot. If you hear something at speed, it's not what we're discussing here.

Chris

 

Yes I do heard the clicking sound while driving down the freeway. Not all the time though, but you can still hear a clicking sound one in awhile. Acura Engineers need to wake up!

 

What I'm saying is that any clicking sound you're hearing driving down the freeway is caused by something else. This brake noise we are discussing only happens at low speeds, upon the first application of brakes after reversing direction.

Chris

 

Chris,


I am hearing the same clicking noise when you stop/accelerate, not the one when you reverse.

 

The sound we are discussing is never heard during normal driving / braking. It ONLY happens when the pads grab the disk after a change in direction, which causes them to "clack" against their stops in the other direction.

If you are hearing a noise during stopping / acceleration / normal driving, then it's something else and you should have your dealer take it for a ride to determine the cause.

Chris

 

My car does this.

 

Thanks!!

 

My 2019 MDX (1 month) does the same thing. Why should anyone have to "live" with an engineering defect on a 50, 60K+ vehicle? It's something you live with after you have had a couple of years of good faithful and noiseless service. But, this should never be anyone's beginning experience with a vehicle like ACURA.

 

I have had this experience on and off with every Acura I have owned or the last 15 years.

 

It's just not a priority for them because there is no issue with how it functions, just that it makes noises. They're pretty quick with safety issues, but everything else is just "normal."