Since like whenever the odo was at 84,408 miles, I was hearing a squeaking noise coming from the passenger side of the engine compartment. 1000 miles later, after picking up parents crapbox from the body shop (involved in a hit and run accident while parked), I paid $114 to my Honda dealer to diagnose this sound, as it was very audible in the cabin. They found out after leaving over night, that the TB tensioner was tapping the TB adjuster. They suggested a full blown Timing belt job (which is a Timing Belt kit) at a price of $1480. I am 20k miles & 2.5 years far from the required minimum mileage and time frame to do this job. However, the MID screen did not display the "5" code, rather it has A13 loaded up (I did my 2nd D&F at 82,706 miles).

How common is the TB tensioner to fail? Is mine an outlier for starting to fail this early with a factory tensioner that nobody touched at all? This is the first issue out of warranty to happen. Currently, I am waiting on Honda to decide whether or not they will do goodwill and help me out partially on the repair price. Attaching is a copy of the R/O and what they are suggesting. Acura Client Relations did tell me that they created a case for me just on the basis that I have been taking my MDX to a Honda and a (multiple) Acura dealer for general maintenance.

 

I have not heard of such a failure in my 20+ years of owning Hondas/Acuras. Despite being 2yrs or 20k miles away from recommended time, I would do a full-timing belt replacement (belt, pulleys, tensioner, water pump) while it was all apart. Hopefully corporate will help out since it is an early failure and it will save you some $ you were gonna have to spend in a year or 2 anyways.

 

I am responsible to pay this out of pocket. Got that phone call from Honda Motor Co. around noon today. Yikes! Without the diagnosis, I have to pay whatever is presented in the comments at the Honda dealer. Mike Chan's Acura of Pembroke Pines said $1332 OTD including a loaner. Don't get me started with the local Acura dealer. They included an OC, TR, coolant flush, oil pan and pump gaskets for a nice price of $2250 before taxes and fees, but somehow my SA there got it down to $2100 OTD. But he also said the timing belt should be replaced every 90k miles or 5 years in FL.

 

No independent Acura pro's in your area? Someone reputable who has been around a while who specializes in Acura/Honda repairs. Small businesses are where should go, provided they can get the parts. I find them more than reasonable on the big stuff. Either way, good luck!

 

OP - I'm with moose66 and there are a couple of folks that have posted in the Regional forum here - https://acurazine.com/forums/southeast-318/ I can't speak to their abilities or costs but something you may want to look into.

 

Thanks for the positive motivation! I do know a few indie mechs, but they cost close to the dealer prices. Not sure how to mention a member on this forum, but I used that link that NBP04 posted and to my luck found a thread that was posted which states they are a current/former Master Tech in CFL (which is my area). Just sent the guy a PM and gonna see how much he will say.

 

Good luck -

 

Here's what I have right now, at least in terms of prices. I do know Honda dealer will not price match Acura of Pembroke Pines. If it comes down to the dealers being the cheaper or similarly priced options, I may have to go to Pembroke Pines (its a 4-hour drive, but would love to save money wherever possible; still need to test drive a Type S before I make a potential horrible financial decision).

Acura of Pembroke Pines (still the cheapest) -- $1332 OTD
Classic Honda --> $1480 - $114.85 = $1365.15 OTD

Indie mechs & former Master Techs --- Still need to call.

These are without doing an OC & TR. I would have to get an OC done regardless with this job. Would prefer to be consistent with the oil; Castrol Magnatec was used in my MDX since we bought it brand new. Only Acura of Pembroke Pines has the Castrol oil now since the Honda dealer moved to Durmax Dexos sometime last year (never heard of this brand before).

 

how close is Classic vs PP? you're willing to drive 4 hours to save *checks notes* 33 bucks?

Also do your own oil change!

 

Classic is 15 miles away. Acura of Pembroke Pines is 200 miles away. Now you see here, my MDX is probably going into storage for a few weeks after I do a full-blown exterior detail this weekend unless my order from Adams doesn't come through tomorrow (might try to attempt a huge interior detail too). So that means the $114 diagnostic fee will not be applied anymore, which results in the full $1480 price. Now add an OC & TR because the price difference between DIY & dealership is negligible (but depends on the dealer). However, $1332 from Pembroke Pines is still cheaper when compared to $1480. Both are OTD prices. But add $100 on top of the $1332 for oil at Acura and ~$60 for oil at Honda there is still some savings, although this is at the cost of time and a tank of fuel (maybe tolls if I don't feel like driving on HWY 27).

Eventually I will start doing my own oil changes, and maintenance. I know this is nothing for you old-timers, but I just recently found where the tranny was located & where them drain/fill holes are too. I still need to figure out how to even do brake fluid change without lifting up the vehicle and without removing the wheels.

 

​​​​​​​Don''t be afraid to try the oil change/brake fluid change yourself. For what its worth, I have a floor jack and 4 jack stands. I jack up one end of the vehicle by the center jack point then place a jack stand on either side under the side jack points, then do the same at the other end. This way the vehicle is completely off the ground and allows me to remove and rotate the wheels, do an oil change, diff fluid change, and brake fluid change w/o too much hassle. BTW, I am not sure you can do a complete brake fluid change w/o removing each wheel. I just bought this bleed kit that looks just right for a one man operation and no mess (although I haven't used it yet). Good luck. Due to complexity and risk, I am more than happy to pay a Honda or Acura dealer for tranny fluid changes.

https://www.speedibleed.com/k900-hon...eeder-kit.html

 

A 2017 MDX shouldn't be needing the oil pan/pump reseal done. They tend to start leaking around 130K+ miles or after a ton of hot/cold cycles (10+ years). Coolant flush is necessary with water-pump + timing belt service along with spark plugs. It takes about 6-8 hrs of labor to do the timing belt, waterpump and plugs. Add the price of parts (idler pulley, accessory belt, timing belt, water pump, etc) and anything under $1500 with genuine parts isnt bad at the dealer. Have you tried Acura of North Orlando for pricing? I'd also give Delray Acura a call and see how they can do in terms of pricing, they are usually very good.

 

Unless my MDX starts to leak, I have no plans replacing those seals. In terms of DIY difficulty, how hard is it to do those spark plugs? I want to attempt to change them exactly at 105k miles before having an indie mech do this. I still need to call the following dealers for prices:

• Regal Acura/Honda
• Autonation Acura of North Orlando
• Delray Acura
• Coggin Honda of Orlando
• Headquarter Honda
• maybe Rick Case Acura (if Nicole, thatacuragirl, still works there)

Reason I am giving South FL dealers a shot its so that I can actually see some friends from uni who lives in South FL. Its not that frequent for me to go down there anymore. Honda dealers is because the Pilot and MDX shares the same platform.

 

The problem with a leak occuring is if it does occur, you have to spend 6-8 hrs of labor pulling the timing belt to do the front main seal or oil pan. I would not worry about oil pan at all.

Spark plugs can take some time depending on how much access you have to the rear plugs. Older Acura's required removal of intake manifold to get more room for the rear plugs. Use 2 extensions, a 6 Inch and 3 Inch down the spark plug tube hole as it's hard to get longer extensions in and out with the space on the rear.

Look up acura MDX spark plug change on youtube and you'll see how easy it is with the right tools. Waiting till 105K miles is fine.

With you just barely out of powertrain, did you ask the acura dealer so ask regional rep for some assistance with the repair? The car has the 4/50K Bumper to bumper and then 6/70K powertrain. So 85k is not that far off.

 

So replacing the seals needs the TB removed; now this makes sense why Fountain quoted me $2100 for the entire thing and having the repair take 2 days. From previous experience with the J35 motor (we had an 05 Ody back in the day for like a decade), it didn't leak for the 151k miles we owned since new.

I didn't ask them about that yet. I did, however, straight up called Acura/Honda (pretty sure we can use the brand names interchangeably) and the reps from Corporate said this is a maintenance item. Not even willing to do a goodwill repair to help me out; I might see if Mike Chan could help out here and convince Acura for doing a goodwill. I haven't driven my MDX since Wednesday, just to the fact that the squeaking noise was getting louder; so I am just prepping her for long time storage (sitting in the garage looking shiny is the goal here). The space in the rear looks like I would need an extension of some sort.

In these 3rd gens, there is no maintenance schedule in the OM, or anywhere. I understood the maintenance schedule by the old Hondas we had that didn't use the A/B123456 code schedule.

 

So Acura client relations is seperate from the dealer network to an extent. Honda themselves have no say in this until you get legal involved.

Once you get your car to a dealer, they can have their region rep (they come in every so often every quarter) have a look at your situation and see if they are willing to help in any way such as 25% off labor or something since you will be getting the timing belt done.

FYI Schedule is in the manual, see * next to timing belt service:
https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/...BTZ51818OM.PDF