Two problems related to engine have been reported for the 2003 Acura MDX. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2003 Acura MDX based on all problems reported for the 2003 MDX.
State inspection failed due to defective motor mounts 86,000 miles on vehicle that otherwise runs like new, we're the original owners, find it unusual to need motor mounts replaced, never needed to replace in other vehicles, I think this is a manufacturers defect.
I have a very well kept 2003 Acura Mdx touring luxury SUV that retails at more than $45,000 when new. The engine is mounted on 3 engine mounts and I just discovered that 2 of the 3 engine mounts are broken. If the 3rd mount had broken, the engine could shift position resulting in serious consequences. This vehicle was used for normal highway and city driving (no off highway driving). After doing some research, it appears Acura under-designed this part making these engine mounts very prone to failure. Some people reported having to replace engine mounts every 30,000 miles. To make the problem worse, the cost of repair is about $1,000 which makes it likely for people to postpone repairs until a crash happens. I firmly believe that this problem should be part of a safety recall campaign.