Horrible rust on subframe. Subframe disconnected from vehicle WHILE DRIVING!!! Very lucky I was not going at a high speed. This is very unsafe, and there are many similar complaints for these MDXs/Pilots online.
2001 Acura MDX suspension problems
19 complaints (8% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 150,000.
- owner complaints
- 19
- of this car's complaints
- 8%
- typical mileage
- 150,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Front: springs: coil springs6
- Front2
- Rear: shock absorber1
- Front: stabilizer bar1
- Front: springs: air suspension: lines and fittings1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Acura MDX suspension problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2001 Acura MDX suspension
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Suspension: front: springs: coil springs
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia. In areas where large quantities of road salt are used, the front suspension coil springs have insufficient corrosion protection, and may be susceptible to corrosion.
- Risk
- Excessive corrosion can cause spring failure and a broken spring could puncture a front tire, which increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace both front springs with improved springs. The recall began on october 11, 2005. Owners may contact acura at 800‑382‑2238.
Recall number 05V385000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Front coil spring breakage
In an august 29, 2005 letter, honda notified the federal safety agency that it had identified a defect in the front coil springs of certain model year 2001 and early-2002 acura mdx sport utility vehicles.according to honda, some front suspension coil springs have insufficient corrosion protection and, in areas where road salts are used, may be susceptible to corrosion.rubber sleeves applied near the top and bottom of some springs to eliminate noise can trap salt water, increasing the potential for excessive corrosion.over time, excessive corrosion can cause spring failure.in some cases, a broken spring could puncture a front tire, which increases the risk of a crash.evidence of tire damage was identified in at least 4 (29%) of the spring fracture reports and 13 (21%) of the warranty claims.one report also indicated that a fractured spring damaged a brake line failure, resulting in extended stopping distance. To correct the condition, honda is recalling approximately 22,861 mdx vehicles sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia where large quantities of road salt are used (honda recall p92, the federal safety agency recall 05v‑385).there were no complaints or warranty claims involving vehicles from outside the recall region.dealers will replace both front suspension coil springs with improved springs.
PE05040
What 2001 Acura MDX owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Terrible underbody rusting causing subframe to come out of the rear. Vehicle about to split in 2
I have a 2001 mdx with rear subframe bushing bolts that are rusted out and disconnected from the body. The back end has been clunking. The rear subframe bolts that goes through the bushing has disconnected from the body from what looks like rusted out connectors or maybe the body itself.
I purchased my 2001 acura mdx in march 2019. Since purchase the car consistently makes a loud clunk when shifting the gear shifter into reverse. It also clunks consistently going from park to drive. There is hesitation in the cars shifting. At times I either have to speed up or let speed off for a transmission shift to occur. The car shudders horribly when braking at low or medium speeds. It feels unsafe and scary and only a matter of time before a complete wipe out occurs. Seeing this as a ongoing problem with this vehicle and yet california is not in the vehicle recalls seems ridiculous. These happen on city streets and highways daily while driving said vehicle.
The springs don't work right, the 4 wheel don't work at all, the car don't get up to speed like it's suppose to. Every time you make a sharp turn the transmission starts messing up
Suspension clunk. All speeds. Traveling straight or turning if front wheels traverse a moderate change in road surface or over a small piece of debris there is a loud clunk heard from within the cabin. Sound is also produced when driving forward at low speeds (10-20 MPH) and turning the steering wheel side to side in fairly rapid succession (steering wheel direction change in every 0.5-1 second). The front shock absorbers have been replaced without change in symptoms. My concern is that there could be a steering/suspension component that with greater force, e.g. In an accident ,or traversing a significant road hazard like a pothole at high speeds, or even a reactive quick turn of the steering wheel to avoid a potential threat to vehicle and passenger safety, could result in a failure of the causative clunking part(s) resulting in loss of control of the vehicle and/or a collision.
Both front springs broke simultaneously when backing out of driveway.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 acura mdx. While driving at a low speed, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the front driver side of the vehicle. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the front coil fractured. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who diagnosed that the front driver side coil and strut needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was aware of the federal safety agency campaign number: 05v385000 (suspension), but the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 210,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 acura mdx. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, there was a loud abnormal noise. Additionally, the contact smelled a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the passenger front coil spring had completely fractured and the frontal passenger coil spring was beginning to fracture as well. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 05v385000 (suspension). The failure mileage was 158,650. Updated 8/14/14
2001 acura mdx. Consumer writes in regards to driver side front suspension coil spring *tgw the consumer stated when the driver side coil spring broke, it pierced the tire, resulting in him losing control of the vehicle.
Questions about the 2001 Acura MDX suspension
Does the 2001 Acura MDX have suspension problems?
Owners have filed 19 complaints about the suspension of the 2001 Acura MDX, 8% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2001 Acura MDX suspension problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 150,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Acura MDX suspension?
Yes, 1 recall: 05V385000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Acura MDX have bad suspension?
The Acura MDX model years with the most suspension complaints are 2001 (19 complaints) and 2007 (12 complaints).
Other 2001 Acura MDX problems
Transmission 131Engine 22Airbags 18Acceleration 12Body 10Electrical 6Fuel system 6Steering 6Driver assistance 5Seat belts 5Visibility 4Wheels 4Tires 3Brakes 2Seats 2Locks 1
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2001 Acura MDX?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history