Model year
2003 Acura MDX
NHTSA lists 11 recalls and 206 complaints for the 2003 Acura MDX (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). The components listed on the most complaints are POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (56), POWER TRAIN (49), AIR BAGS (42). NHTSA lists 5 investigations, including 2 investigations with no close date in the file. NHTSA star ratings from before model year 2011 use an older method and are not shown here. EPA rates it 17 mpg combined (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $4,850, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2001 224 complaints
- 2002 205 complaints
- 2003 206 complaints
- 2004 171 complaints
- 2005 180 complaints
- 2006 87 complaints
- 2007 99 complaints
- 2008 49 complaints
- 2009 52 complaints
- 2010 45 complaints
- 2011 70 complaints
- 2012 76 complaints
- 2013 30 complaints
- 2014 172 complaints
- 2015 71 complaints
- 2016 377 complaints
- 2017 260 complaints
- 2018 169 complaints
- 2019 190 complaints
- 2020 224 complaints
- 2022 157 complaints
- 2023 43 complaints
- 2024 41 complaints
- 2025 112 complaints
- 2026 9 complaints
Recalls
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 Pilot, and 2006-2014…
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 Pilot and 2006…
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, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid,…
16V344000 · May 23, 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 have ever been…
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 vehicles manufactured…
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 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura…
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 control module may…
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 originally sold, or…
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 vehicles originally…
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 deploy…
1 more recalls are in the NHTSA file for this name and are not listed here. Campaign numbers above link to NHTSA.
Complaints
206 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 11, fire flag on 5, injury field 9, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Investigations
| Action | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE12026 | Ignition Interlock Failure - Rollaway · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | Oct 2, 2012 | Jan 14, 2013 |
| PE13020 | Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS | Jun 6, 2013 | Jan 6, 2014 |
| PE14016 | Air Bag Inflator Rupture · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS | Jun 11, 2014 | Mar 2, 2015 |
| EA15001 | Air Bag Inflator Rupture · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS | Feb 24, 2015 | No close date in the file |
| EA21002 | Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | Sep 17, 2021 | No close date in the file |
Safety ratings
NHTSA star ratings from before model year 2011 use an older method and are not shown here.
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDX 4WD · 3.5L · Automatic 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 15 | 21 | 17 | — | — | $4,850 |
Open this model year in the fuel-cost calculator. The calculator starts with no fuel price filled in.
Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2003 Acura MDX at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.