2003 Acura MDX Reliability
The 2003 Acura MDX has 212 owner complaints and 13 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and air bags. Compared with nearby MDX model years (2001–2005), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the MDX's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
212
NHTSA owner complaints
13
Recall campaigns
13
Complaints citing a crash
5
Complaints citing a fire
2003 Acura MDX complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 model year, filed between 2002 and 2025. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Powertrain / transmission | 104 | 49% |
| Air bags | 44 | 21% |
| Electrical system | 18 | 8% |
| Engine & cooling | 16 | 8% |
| Seat belts | 12 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 10 | 5% |
| Unknown or other | 10 | 5% |
| Engine | 10 | 5% |
2003 Acura MDX recalls
13 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2003 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08E013000 | Feb 5, 2008 | Equipment — mechanical / carrier/rack | Honda is recalling 2,032 hitch style bike racks sold as aftermarket for use on my 2003-2007 and some my 2008 honda pilot, ridgeline, and Acura MDX vehicles. A pinch bolt exists between the bike arm bracket and the upright assembly of the "hitch" style bicycle… |
| 12V573000 | Dec 11, 2012 | Electrical system — ignition / switch | Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Pilot and Odyssey and 2003 through 2006 Acura MDX passenger vehicles manufactured from November 26, 2001, through August 30, 2006. The interlock lever of the ignition switch may deform, which can allow the… |
| 13V412000 | Sep 19, 2013 | Air bags | Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Odyssey and model year 2003 Acura MDX vehicles. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail causing the front air bags, side curtain air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to… |
| 14V353000 | Jun 20, 2014 | Air bags | American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline… |
| 14V700000 | Nov 4, 2014 | Air bags | American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles… |
| 15V045000 | Jan 28, 2015 | Air bags — frontal | Honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured February 13, 2002, to August 13, 2004, and 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to September 23, 2003. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag… |
| 15V320000 | May 28, 2015 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura… |
| 15V370000 | Jun 15, 2015 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid… |
| 16V344000 | May 24, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that… |
| 19V182000 | Mar 6, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic,… |
| 19V499000 | Jun 27, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008… |
| 19V501000 | Jun 27, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008… |
| 19E068000 | Oct 10, 2019 | Speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal | Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2007-2011 Honda… |
How the 2003 compares with nearby MDX years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year MDX analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 224 | 4 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2002 | 222 | 4 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2003 (this page) | 212 | 13 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2004 | 171 | 10 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2005 | 180 | 13 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2003 Acura MDX
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 13 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2003 Acura MDX can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2003 Acura MDX reliability FAQ
Is the 2003 Acura MDX reliable?
The 2003 Acura MDX has 212 owner complaints and 13 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and air bags. Compared with nearby MDX model years (2001–2005), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the MDX's typical year.
What are the most common 2003 Acura MDX problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Acura MDX are powertrain / transmission (104), air bags (44), electrical system (18), engine & cooling (16). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2003 Acura MDX have recalls?
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2003 Acura MDX, including 08E013000 (equipment — mechanical / carrier/rack) and 12V573000 (electrical system — ignition / switch). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2003 Acura MDX compare with the 2002 and 2004 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2002 has 222 complaints and 4 recalls (avoid); the 2004 has 171 complaints and 10 recalls (avoid). The 2003 has 212 complaints and 13 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2003 Acura MDX?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Acura MDX research
Other Acura MDX model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2003 MDX, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.