Does the 2014 mdx have a dip stick or some way to look at the rear diff fluid I don't know about? I took ours in because of a groaning noise when the tilt steering wheel moved and the report came back as dirty rear diff fluid and needs to be replaced.... 26k miles on the car by the way. I have changed it in my lexus gs430 and my 4Runner both at over 100k miles and didn't see a way, other than drain it, to check it. Normal stealership garbage? They changed the steering column and it fixed the groan....

 

The first change is around 15,000 miles.Breakin fluid,they tell me.You have to drain it and refill.

 

Just to follow up on this. I asked the service adviser how one checks the fluid on the rear diff, because I didn't think there was a way. Their claim was "found rear differential fluid to be dirty or contaminated" which to me says they sampled the fluid. He replied, "You are correct, there is no way to check it. It does have a fill plug, which if you remove it, you can see the fluid, but that doesn’t tell me much. The fluid never really looks dirty, so we always suggest it at 15k if we do not have a record of it. If you had it replaced, then you are good. It is not dirty. Even a severely past due fluid would not be dirty. My multi-point inspection does not have a check box for due, so dirty is my only real choice." Seems a bit misleading to say you found something, but never even looked at it.

 

They told us the same kind of stuff on our 2016 MDX. The B16 maintenance reminder came on at about 13,500 miles and I thought it was a quick oil change and tire rotation. The service advisor told us that the diff fluid definitely needed to be changed due to the light coming on early and could be because of the way the vehicle is driven. The mdx has only been driven mildly around the San Francisco Bay area and seen three trips to Lake Tahoe this past winter season. This is the first vehicle that we've owned that had to have the diff oil changed on a practically new vehicle. Heck, we still have a 97 4runner that we changed the original diff fluid at 140k miles. To top this off, the visit cost us $226 to do what they told us to do which is absolutely insane at Acura of Serremonte.

 

Honda/Acura recommend replacing the diff fluid so early on to avoid metal particles in the fluid damaging the diff over time. Even new components shed fragments of metal from the production processes, and as well shed material as they get acquainted with each other in the differential and mesh, etc.

Also you have to remember that the AWD system is variable so much more stress is being placed on the diff and fluid than a traditional 50:50 AWD setup.

As posted above, there's no way to check the diff fluid but rather only to drain it. If you remove the fill plug some fluid may run out but not enough to give you an accurate measure of how good it is.

If you steering groans when you turn the wheel it's obviously the front wheels and not the rear wheels. I'd call acura client relations and express how you were literally lied to by the service dept claiming the fluid was checked and dirty. Service Advisors are paid a commission for services recommended so I doubt that service would have fixed your issue anyway.

 

I changed the rear diff fluid myself around 13,500 miles and I have 2016 MDX/Sh-AWD Tech. It's not that difficult to do it, once you located those fill and drain plugs, very easy and straight forward. Again on 2016 Model you only top around 2.75qt of fluid. Not same as 2014 and 2015 models.


I'd rather do it myself instead trust those dealerships. Who know if they change it or not.

 

It's just like conventional rear axles that have been used for many decades:


Remove the upper (fill) plug. Stick a pinky finger in to the first joint. If you touch oil, you are OK.

 

As I understand it, the rear diff is complex in these. It isnt a simple old pumpkin style axle with gears and 15 weight oil in it. The wear on the fluid is caused by shearing forces within the unit itself, and the fluid always looks perfectly clear to me when I've changed it out. I have always done my own maintainance on both the TL and MDX we own. It takes me about an hour to change the oil, rear diff, transfer case and transmission fluid in each of the vehicles. They are all just drain and fill, couldn't be easier. The oil filter is easier accessible behind the passenger side tire. I always replace the crush washers for the drain plugs too, about .27 cents each. Once you get through the first one, it's a snap. I'd never pay a dealer to do that kind of work.