AcuraMDX2002Overview/acura/mdx/2002/base/

2002 Acura MDX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 MDX.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2002 Acura MDX is an SUV equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission and an engine requiring 5.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil, returning EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined. Across its life it has accumulated 221 owner complaints — led by power train issues — along with four recalls, placing it on the more heavily reported side of a model line whose annual complaint volume has ranged from 360 in 2016 to just 6 in 2026 over the 2001–2026 span. For a researcher, that means the 2002 model year represents a notably busier chapter in the MDX's reliability record than most of its successors, even as it stops well short of the 2016 outlier.

Model year20262024202320222020201920182002

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/21/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP235-65TR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length188.2 in
Overall width77.2 in
Overall height71.3 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight4392 lb
Track (front / rear)66.5 / 66.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)52/48

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 21 / 17 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the MDX of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.6–8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.60 sec — 2001 Touring w/Nav
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2001Touring w/Nav 3.5L V67.60 sec15.90 sec240 hpAWD
2001Touring w/Nav 3.5L V68.10 sec16.30 sec240 hpAWD
2001Touring w/Nav 3.5L V68.40 sec16.60 sec240 hpAWD
2003Touring w/Nav & Entertainment 3.5L V67.80 sec16.10 sec260 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil Capacity5.5 Pints
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Transfer Case Fluid80W-90 · API · GL-4 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity0.8 Pints

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts181 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts54 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23 ft-lbs
Main BearingsCap Bolts: 54 ft-lbs, Side Bolts: 36 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs9 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts8.9 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Driveshaft Flange to Transmission53.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug35.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug35.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (Secondary Under Load)730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (Secondary Under Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.9-1.1 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerHonda
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.56-1.62 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity6.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature169-176 °F
Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature169-176 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)48.0-55.0 psi
Engine Compression142

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket27 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle80 ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.060 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.098 in / 0.429 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.106 in / 0.437 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in / 0.354 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9014 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Final Drive (drain & refill)
At 60,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Final Drive (drain & refill)
At 105,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed) · Water Pump (inspect)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Seat Belt System (inspect)
At 180,000 miSeat Belt System (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2002 Acura MDX recorded 221 complaints, nearly matching the 2001 model’s 224, and both years had only 4 recalls and 1 investigation, placing them at the start of the generation’s complaint trend. The following year, 2003, saw a sharp rise to 13 recalls and 5 investigations, even as complaints dipped slightly to 212, indicating that issues were being formally addressed after the initial model years. The 2002 model’s top complaint area is the power train with 114 reports, alongside 11 crash complaints and 2 fire complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. This year falls before the recall surge, meaning many of the problems reported by owners may not have been remedied through official campaigns. Given the high complaint volume and its position just prior to a wave of corrective actions, the 2002 Acura MDX is a riskier choice compared to later years in the generation.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
165
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
221
Owner complaints
11 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 221 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train114
Air Bags15
Engine & Engine Cooling13
Vehicle Speed Control6
Electrical System6
Structure5
Tires4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V027000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 17/01/2020

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as…

05V385000Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil SpringsReported 01/09/2005

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS WITH IMPROVED SPRINGS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 11, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ACURA AT 800-382-2238.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 165 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
BTI&020720239012023-02-07Parking BrakeDealer Message- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for any & all 2022 MDX…
B21-0222021-05-28Power TrainService Bulletin - Case v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. BC 424169 (Third…
B18010I2018-01-10Electrical SystemServicenews article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of this…
B18010I2018-01-10EquipmentServicenews article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of this…
BTS1708012017-09-26EquipmentTech line summary article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific MDX. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 MDX take?

5.0 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 MDX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the MDX get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 21 highway / 17 combined mpg.