Front spring failure on 2001 MDX

[GordonD]

My wife's 2001 Acura MDX just had to have the front suspension redone at a cost of $1300 due to TWO broken front springs Eek! This vehicle has never been in accident and never used offroad but Honda just says it is out of warranty and therefor it's my problem. The Dealership - Erin Mills Acura - also say there is nothing they can do although we bought it there for $50,000 and have had every service done there - they didn't even offer to cover part of the costs so i guess they have lost a customer. I am going to go to Transport Canada and see if i can start the ball rolling on a recall in Canada and the USA. I will be posting on all the Acura forums i can find I see at least a couple of other people who have had this problem but i welcome input from anyone who has had spring failure on a Honda of any type. I am going to go a metalurgy(sp?) lab and get the springs checked out for crystalization and if it is found I'm going to make their lives a misery - anyone know Ralph Nader's phone number. This really pisses me of as SPRINGS DON"T JUST BREAK - even in an accident and it is a huge safety issue if something lets go. KWKSLVR

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[honda guy]

Broken springs or leaky struts?

[01usjdmr]

I have never had any hondas with broken springs, even out of our body shop cars. I guess you have these springs in hand? I can't believe Acura wouldn't have said anything about this I don't mean the dealer I mean acura customer service.

[AcuraFanatic]

We've been seeing a lot of them in our dealership with broken front springs too.

[GordonD]

Originally Posted by honda guy

Broken springs or leaky struts?

ust got the car back last night with the parts and both springs are broken near the top with a clean diagonal break - almost like they were cut with a knife.

The shocks are not damaged as far as i can tell but we had them replace the whole strut.

[GordonD]

Originally Posted by AcuraFanatic

We've been seeing a lot of them in our dealership with broken front springs too.

This interesting - can you tell me what Honda is saying to dealers?

[01usjdmr]

Did they happen to rust or anything?

[AcuraFanatic]

Originally Posted by GordonD

This interesting - can you tell me what Honda is saying to dealers?

This is still a pretty new thing, most of them that I've been seeing are '01's with at least 80K-90K on them.

We'll have to see and wait what Honda's official response is.

[GordonD]

Originally Posted by 01usjdmr

Did they happen to rust or anything?

The springs are rust covered as you would expect from exposure to winter salt etc but they are clearly not rusted through - if that is the problem it is very clever rust which works in straight lines

[01usjdmr]

Rust will weaken your springs it don't matter if its "clever". Weakened metal in your springs will cause cracks and eventually breaking.

[GenXer]

I couldn't tell if you contacted Honda directly but you need to. Forget the dealer, they're nobody. Call and complain directly. Honda is usually pretty good (at least they used to be) about listening to complaints.

There has to be a material defect. I bet they were cracked when you drove it off the lot new. Probably a supplier cheaped out somewhere. An SUV not even taken off-road and they break? Hmm.

AcuraFanatic, how many have you seen? 2 or 3, 10? Heck, just the fact that you've seen more than 1 of them makes for pretty damning evidence. IMHO a recall is probably likely due to the potential for litigation.

[sherwood]

lol.. did you check with your teenager that it was never taken off road?

[prelude97]

what were the symtoms as a result of broken springs? maybe the dealer wanted to make a few $$ off you and said they were bad, then cut them somehow.

I can understand possibly 1 of the springs going bad and as preventitive maint, replace both. something doesn't sound right. Not easy to cut a spring, hacksaw / bandsaw half way, then bend.

goto www.bbb.com and see what other complaints this dealer has.

[AcuraFanatic]

I highly doubt Acura is cutting the springs.

They all look slammed in the front when they break.

[GenXer]

The dealer would have to be an idiot to cut the springs. GordonD would end up owning the dealership if that was the case.

[GordonD]

Sorry for disappearing for the last few days.

I don't for a second suspect any sabotage just poor materials. I've been talking to some guys at a metalurgy lab and am bringing the springs to them next week for a look see. I will let you know what they say.

Now that we have the new springs/shocks installed you can see a difference in the ride height but both side had broken in the same place - around the 2nd turn - and I think the new end just jammed into the coil above and stayed fairly stable - hate to think what would have happened in an accident avoidance situation if one had jumped out of its 'seat'

[hondatech]

I've worked for Honda for the last 7 years as a technician on both the Acura and Honda side and I've never seen a spring break let alone two at the same time. I think if you spent half as much time on the phone with the 800 number instead of going to a
metalurgy lab you would have got the repair covered for free.

[01usjdmr]

Originally Posted by hondatech

I've worked for Honda for the last 7 years as a technician on both the Acura and Honda side and I've never seen a spring break let alone two at the same time. I think if you spent half as much time on the phone with the 800 number instead of going to a
metalurgy lab you would have got the repair covered for free.

LOL ,true.... I've seen springs break after morons heat them up to lower their cars.

[GordonD]

Originally Posted by hondatech

I've worked for Honda for the last 7 years as a technician on both the Acura and Honda side and I've never seen a spring break let alone two at the same time. I think if you spent half as much time on the phone with the 800 number instead of going to a
metalurgy lab you would have got the repair covered for free.

Trust me I have been hounding Honda but their attitude is that it's my problem because of the vehicle's gone 122,000kms.

I know have an open file at Transport Canada about the spring failures - would anyone who has had a failure contact them 1-800-333-0510 and ask for a defect investigator.

They are in close contact with the US safety agency so hopefully they will act together.

If people start reporting this problem hopefully a recall will be started and the problem will get solved and those of us who are out of pocket will get reimbursed.

[GordonD]

Well I got a reply from Acura last night on my problem and they have asked me let them look at the springs.

Obviously not an admission of guilt - YET - but an encouraging step in the journey.

[MDXMan]

What were your inital symptoms? How did you know there was a problem?

[gregory parker]

The front right spring on my 2001 Acura MDX just broke, I immediately suspected inferior material, as there was very little rust, no off-road driving, or other stress applied to the vehichle.

[prelude97]

I'm not sure if that's a "symptom". How did you know to look at your springs? I normally never look down there. Did it start to squeek, knock, or make some funny noise? Or was it the the side the spring was on dropped by an inch???

[gregory parker]

Noise and a couple inch drop on one side. This MDX only has 51,700 mi. on it, just outside of warranty, and has always been well maintained. Acura said repairs are out of my pocket, and would not even cover the cost to have it towed to a dealer to be looked at.

[GordonD]

I just got a phone call from the dealer on behalf of Honda Canada offering to give me a dealer credit of the costs of the new struts (about 60% of the whole bill).

Any thoughts?

[01usjdmr]

That sounds like what usually happens if a pretty decent honda customer has concerns like that and notifies them.

[GordonD]

After some more negotiation Honda Canada has agreed to give me a credit at the dealer of 100% of the cost to fix. I would have preferred cash but this will do - we have a CRV as well as the MDX so I will start taking it there for services

[jollyrancherman]

My right front spring broke on my 2001 MDX last winter while I was traveling down the freeway at 60 mph. The top of the spring sliced through my tire and I skided to a stop on the side of the road. Really shook me up. Acura dealer told me "it happens." Any recent insight on breaking springs?

Today, I learned both front end struts are leaking. At 125,000 this will be my third set. Acura dealer told me this is common on SUVs. Is this true? I only drive city streets.

[GenXer]

Originally Posted by jollyrancherman

My right front spring broke on my 2001 MDX last winter while I was traveling down the freeway at 60 mph. The top of the spring sliced through my tire and I skided to a stop on the side of the road. Really shook me up. Acura dealer told me "it happens." Any recent insight on breaking springs?

Today, I learned both front end struts are leaking. At 125,000 this will be my third set. Acura dealer told me this is common on SUVs. Is this true? I only drive city streets.

I don't beleve that just happens. I'd guess there is a design flaw in the MDX, and they're trying to give you the brush-off. I'm surprised Honda is not being proactive fixing this. Spring steel is extremely tough. That's the one component that I would expect to never fail on a reasonably driven vehicle.

[MDXMan]

I had both of the springs on the front of my 1988 Honda Accord sedan to break when I hit a curb at 35 mph. I didn't even relize it until I took the car to have the front end aligned. I did have over 200,000 miles on it at the time.

On my 2001 MDX, I have 83,000 miles and haven't hit a curb yet.

Honda told me when I complained about them on the 1988, that it can also happen if you hit anything big like a pothole or rock.
go figure