INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) 2007 ACURA MDX 34,000 PREDOMINANTLY HIGHWAY MILES FRIDAY EVENING, AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF A CAR WASH, I HEARD A CLUNK, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIT UP WITH A "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM ALARM" AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND FOUND A BELT PULLEY (LATER IDENTIFIED BY ACURA AS A "CRANK PULLEY) LAYING IN THE ROAD JUST BEHIND THE CAR. I OPENED THE HOOD AND THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS NOT TURNING, EXPLAINING THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED THAT THE OUTER RIM OF THE PULLEY IS COMPRESSION FIT ONTO THE HUB AND THAT THE PULLEY CAME APART AT THIS COMPRESSION FIT. THE HUB REMAINED CONNECTED TO THE CRANK, BUT WITHOUT THE HUB THERE IS NO TENSION PROVIDED TO THE SERPENTINE BELT AND, HENCE NO POWER STEERING (OR ALTERNATOR OR A/C FOR THAT MATTER). THE LOCAL ACURA DEALERSHIP PROVIDED A SIMPLE REPAIR REPLACING THE PULLEY, BUT COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY IT FAILED. I CONTACTED ACURA'S REGIONAL CASE MANAGER [XXX] AND ASKED FOR A CASE NUMBER [XXX] )TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM AN ANALYSIS OF THE FAILED PART. WHY DID IT FAIL (ROOT CAUSE) AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES? [XXX] REPLIED "THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN", "I'M CLOSING OUT THIS CASE". I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. HAD MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER OR OTHER WEAKER PERSON BEEN DRIVING IN A MORE CRITICAL SITUATION, LOSING THE POWER STEERING WHILE MOVING COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC EVENT. THE CAR CARRIER DRIVER TOLD ME THAT HE PICKED UP AN MDX WITH A MISSING BELT PULLEY JUST LAST WEEK. I UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS NOT THE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE, BUT ITS IS ENOUGH TO INCREASE MY LEVEL OF CONCERN. *TR
2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE 2003 ACURA MDX WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ITS AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL STOPPING THE CAR IN MID TRAFFIC IT HAS HAPPEN ON NUMEROUS OCCASION, NO REPAIRS LIGHTS TO INDICATE THERE IS A PROBLEM. I HAD 2 TAKE THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES BEFORE THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND THAT WAS ONLY AFTER MECHANIC TRIED 2 DRIVE IT HOME WHEN IT HAPPENED 2 HIM. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED PERIODICALLY AT ANY GIVEN TIME. MY VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN SERVICE FOR ITS 90,000 MAINTENANCE AT $560 I TOLD THEM THEN I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ASSURED ME VEHICLE WAS FINE. NEXT WEEK TOOK IT BACK THEY TOLD ME THE MAT WAS CAUSING THE ACCELERATION TO STICK REMOVED MATS DROVE HOME NEXT DAY SAME PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING CAR JUST STOP IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. TOOK VEHICLE BACK THAT'S WHEN MECHANIC TRIED TO HOME WITH IT HAPPENED TO HIM HE BROUGHT BACK INTO SHOP SHE'S RIGHT IT IS DANGEROUS. NOW THEY WANT $4700 TO FIX IT.. THERE ARE STILL NO WARNING SIGNALS THAT THIS VEHICLE NEEDS SERVICE COMPUTERS STILL SAYS ITS FINE. I ALSO JUST REPLACED ALTERNATOR A FEW MONTHS AGO COULD NOT SIT IN PARK POSITIONS WITH LIGHTS ON OR KEY HANGING IN IGNITION CAR WOULD JUST STOP AND WOULD NEED A HOT SHOT. *TR
