The contact owns a 2014 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving 2 MPH on a slight decline, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle started shuddering until the vehicle stalled. The battery warning light was temporarily illuminated. The contact stopped the vehicle, shifted to park(P), and depressed the accelerator pedal to raise the RPM to restart the vehicle. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Acura MDX shudder problems
96 of the 3,340 owner complaints about the Acura MDX describe shudder or vibration when accelerating, most of them for the 2004 model year.
- owner complaints
- 96
- worst model year
- 2004
- typical repair cost reported
- $2,000
- typical mileage
- 81,899
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Transmission failure 18Grinding brakes 16Slipping 5Hesitation 5Loss of power 3Jerking 3Stalling 2Harsh shifting 2
Trouble codes mentioned
P0740 1
What owners say
Was driving arround corner and felt a shudder like I had run over something, the felt front tires loosing traction and car jerked into next lane. Took to dealer and they diagnosed a failure of output shaft from transmission to awd transfer case, currently at dealer getting transmission awd assembly replaced.
On [XXX], while driving at approximately 50 mph on [XXX], the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of power accompanied by severe shuddering. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, including the check engine light. The vehicle would momentarily regain power before failing again. This created a significant safety hazard, as I was unable to maintain speed or accelerate safely in traffic. The vehicle was immediately taken to Team Gillman & then transferred to Sterling McCall Acura located at Houston, TX. The dealership diagnosed a catastrophic internal engine failure, originating from the bottom end, requiring a full engine replacement. The vehicle's mileage at the time of failure was approximately 142,250 miles. This critical failure occurred without any prior warning. I am aware of the federal safety agency Investigation Number ODI PE25008 regarding faulty connecting rods in certain Acura and Honda vehicles, which can lead to sudden engine failure. While my vehicle's VIN was not included in the initial recall population, its symptoms and failure mode are identical to those described in the investigation. I requested that Acura address this known defect through a goodwill repair, given the clear correlation to an ongoing federal safety investigation. This request was formally denied June 2025. Given that the federal safety agency has expanded its investigation to include additional vehicles and model years, including that of my MDX, I am filing this complaint to ensure my vehicle and its specific failure data are included in the official the federal safety agency record. Urge the agency to compel American Honda Motor Co. to expand any subsequent recall to include my vehicle and others with identical failure patterns. The sudden nature of this engine failure presents an unacceptable safety risk to the driver, passengers, and the public. Thank you for your attention to this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The car is un safe to drive, the RPM fluctuations, gos up and down at low speed, doesn’t potential problems with the torque converter clutch, is juddering and unstable RPMs, noticeable during acceleration or deceleration
Transmission failure driving on the interstate . Engine shudder ; speed dropped to 25 mph. Warning lights flashed indication Transmission issue. Vehicle was towed to a AAA Approved Independent shop where the issue was verified.
There is a known issue of Certain Acura MDX models having a "judder" (i.e. bouncing rev counter) at certain speeds. This causes the torque converter to not lockup and continue to find the right gear, per se. This is a known issue and Acura has a TSB (16-062) for this: https://www.tsbsearch.com/Acura/16-062 The issue is, even though, unaddressed in a timely manner and continual use of the vehicle may deteriorate the transmission, Acura doesn't fix this free of charge for vehicles not under warranty. Dealer quotes $800+ for a total 1.6 hours of work (based on the TSB bulletin). This is outrageous and monopolistic behavior in a free market. Moreover, typical mechanics doesn't have access to the special computers needed to perform the software update, required by this TSB. I am reaching out to request Acura (Car manufacturer) to cover this under recall and not charge the customer this ridiculous ~$400/hr labor rate just because I can't update the software from a local mechanic.
transmission torque converter shudder during 20 to 45 mph.
When applying brakes, irrespective of speed at which I am traveling, I experience a distinct vibration/judder in the front brakes when applying the brakes on my 2017 Acura MDX.
Torque converter shutter at speeds of 30mph - 45mph causing erratic acceleration fluctuations. I addressed the concern with the dealership at around 72,000 miles (just out of manufacturers warranty). I told there was a fluid recall. They changed the fluid which remedies the issue. The transmission fluid has to be changed every 5,000-10,000 for the vehicle to perform with a less noticeable transmission shudder. Manufacturers recommends changing every 30,000 miles to prevent transmission slipping. I did contact Acura and they dismissed my concerns, stating I drove the vehicle too much. After researching online this seems to be a common concern/problem other Acura MDX owners are experiencing.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 acura mdx. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the vehicle started to shudder. The contact also stated that the gear shifter was unable to shift into park. The vehicle was taken to john eagle acura (16015 katy fwy, houston, tx 77094) where it was diagnosed with the ignition coil circuit cable needing to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Acura MDX AWD vehicles manufactured May 6, 2013, through October 14, 2013. The bolts that attach the drive shaft to the automatic transmission transfer assembly may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the bolts could loosen possibly allowing the shaft to detach.
- Risk
- If the drive shaft detaches while driving it could cause excessive noise and possibly damage the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the drive shaft attaching bolts as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 3, 2014. Owners may contact Honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009 or visit their website at www.recalls.honda.com. Honda's recall number is JC8.
Recall number 13V571000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- On some mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.
- Risk
- Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear. On vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration is not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. The recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and mdx owners. Owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the tl and cl vehicles. Owners should contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009 or acura at 1‑800‑382‑2238.
Recall number 04V176000 · Recall details
Questions about the Acura MDX shudder
Which Acura MDX years have shudder or vibration when accelerating problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2004 (17 complaints), 2006 (14 complaints) and 2005 (13 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix shudder or vibration when accelerating on the Acura MDX?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $2,000 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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