repaired · 2020 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2003 Acura MDXProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 206 owner complaints about the 2003 Acura MDX, most often about the power train. It is covered by 11 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-499 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 30, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Acura MDX has problems
206 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
104Power train5 crash/fire/injury
42Air bags6 crash/fire/injury
18Electrical system4 crash/fire/injury
16Engine and engine cooling
12Seat belts
10Engine
7Vehicle speed control
5Fuel/propulsion system
4Service brakes, hydraulic
2715 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 104 | 5 |
| Air bags | 42 | 6 |
| Electrical system | 18 | 4 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 16 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 12 | 3 |
| Engine | 10 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 4 | 0 |
| 15 other systems | 27 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
11 recalls
2003 Acura MDX recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other…
repaired · 2017 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Show 7 more recalls
repaired · 2017 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger…
repaired · 2017 Q4
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other…
repaired · 2017 Q2
Air bags: frontal
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
repaired · 2016 Q1
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
repaired · 2015 Q4
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
repaired · 2015 Q1
Air bags
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
no report yet
Ignition: switch
Risk. Removal of the ignition key when the gear selector of a vehicle with an automatic transmission has not been shifted to the park position can allow the vehicle…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Acura.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
108kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 97 power train complaints. 39% were reported before 100,000 miles.
3under 30k miles38under 100k miles59100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
9 owners mentioned a cost$2,200median
Middle half: $1,000 – $4,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other MDX year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the MDX median. How we score
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Acura MDX safety ratings
2003 Acura MDX 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (0.0% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Acura MDX, and the recalls they led to.
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 18V-032
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Ignition Interlock Failure - RollawayLed to recall 12V-573
- Inadvertent Air Bag DeploymentLed to recall 13V-412
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 14V-763
In owners' words
What MDX owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Driving up a hill in this 2003 Acura MDX and the TRANSMISSION failed. Came to a stop in the middle of the street. Several cars almost hit me. Checked online and this vehicle has a known problem of the transmission going out around 70,000 miles. A mechanic started changing it out in my driveway.then…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED AS IF IT WAS SLIPPING WHILE…
MULTIPLE SAFETY AND RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE INCLUDING AIR BAG SYSTEM,ABS,TRANSMISSION SHIFT SENSOR, EMISSION BUILD UP CAUSING CLOGGING IN EXHAUST SYSTEM, MAP SENSOR TORQUE CONVERTERS, DIFFERENTIAL ISSUES,ROUGH IDLE AND SHIFT INTERLOCK SOLENOID ISSUES. FLUID LEAKS AND BRAKE STICKS ALSO AIR BAG LIGHT…
Own a 2003 MDX?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.