Total mess! Last shop really screwed up on this '07 Acura MDX. What does the CAR WIZARD find?

Customer just bought this '07 Acura MDX only to find that the last repair done at another shop was done totally wrong. What does the CAR WIZARD 🧙‍♂️ find and what options does the customer have now?
🔮🔧 AMAZON AFFILIATE STORE: www.amazon.com... 🔧🔮
🇬🇧🇬🇧 UK AMAZON STORE: www.amazon.co.... 🇬🇧🇬🇧
🧰 BENDPAK LIFTS: www.bendpak.com 🧰
👕 CAR WIZARD MERCH: teespring.com/... 👕
📷 INSTAGRAM @realcarwizard 📷
🎸 MUSIC BY CLAYTON CAGLE: / claytoncalifornia 🎸

[@jeffzekas]

“Not spend the next six months in Court” - Exactly, we gave a bad review to a local mechanic, and instead of addressing the problem, he threatened to take it to court, called us liars, threatened to take other, Less than legal actions, this is what you have to expect from dishonest or incompetent shops

[@s99614]

Complain online anonymously.

[@jeffzekas]

@@s99614 That might work in a big city, but here in a small town, especially when given the details of the incident, he knew exactly who wrote it

[@diverdave4056]

my local Honda shop is both Dishonest and Incompetent !

[@stansmith4054]

Let him take you to court. He will lose!! It is merely an opinion of yours. Free speech man!

[@bsgarey]

@@diverdave4056 Honda shops in this area i hear constant complaints about. I took my Honda to a private shop.

[@jimmywalters3071]

I drove my 2004 Acura MDX (bought new in June 04) till 330,000 miles and sold it to a family member in 2017 .. she still has it and it's approaching 400,000 miles. Same engine 3.5 and runs great. ... I loved the MDX , drove it for 13 years with little problems.

[@jd646]

How often did you adjust the valves??

[@jimmywalters3071]

@@jd646 I never recalled having that service done. I replace plugs.

[@clif1969]

People don't take care of their vehicle and then blame the manufacturer

[@doggedlydetermined7022]

Wild to think this generation goes all the way back to 2007. I remember these coming out like it was yesterday.

[@mrbond9882]

2012 they switched the headlights and taillights a bit but it's still the same thing lol

[@doggedlydetermined7022]

@@mrbond9882yes just a mid cycle refresh but still the same generation.

[@doggedlydetermined7022]

@@mrbond9882yes just a mid cycle refresh but still the same generation.

[@volvo09]

Yep, I was driving these into the lot off the truck brand new... I hated the 07 refresh with the "bird beak" grille. But they are great cars.

[@JPR3D]

I still think 1997 was 10 years ago.

[@robinroberts6373]

I used to work in aircraft maintenance (avionics). Intermittent issues are by far the worst to troubleshoot. Good job running this down!

[@mplslawnguy3389]

I was an AT in the Navy. Didn't particularly like the job. Troubleshooting was a bitch sometimes.

[@StevenLastname]

I work in IT and have to troubleshoot intermittent issues rather frequently (especially for VoIP problems). Yeah, they're the worst without a doubt!

[@myblujl7503]

I had a shop really mess up my car once. They would not fix anything they broke, and I took it to another shop. Without telling the new shop anything they said "wow. Whoever worked on this really messed up!" and I said "Can I have that in writing?" and they were like "Nope. Not going to touch a lawsuit". They would fix it (on my dime) but would not make any sort of statement of the findings. I understand that they didnt want to get involved, but this is literally protecting bad mechanics.

[@dunebasher1971]

If the second shop *had* got involved and the first shop decided to sue for defamation, it would be down to the second shop to prove that the first shop had been responsible. That's how defamation law works; it's not up to the first shop to prove their innocence, it would be up the second shop to prove the first shop's guilt. And yes, it can and does protect the guilty, especially if the guilty has the deepest pockets.

[@lukewalker1051]

Doctors do the same thing and its human health in the balance, not whether a car runs properly. Nobody wants liability in a litigious society.

[@mplslawnguy3389]

Prime example of why it's worth it to learn how to work on cars yourself. At the very least, arm yourself with the knowledge, so when you do take it to a shop, you have a better idea of what kind of shop they are and whether or not a repair is necessary or not.

[@goodday126]

Everything you described is caused by the system of liberal democracy adopted in the U.S. during the 1930's. The law sides with wrongdoers. Hopefully you found some random insurance solution to cover it, because fixing them the old fashioned way will land you in prison. It's called progress.

[@mplslawnguy3389]

@@goodday126 "Fixing them the old fashioned way will land you in prison." What do you mean by that and what do you mean by "them"? Also, what exactly will land you in prison?

[@GixxerRider1991]

It says a lot about the times we live in that people are buying daily drivers with over 200,000 miles on them with the intention to fix them. Before the car market went crazy, that was the kind of vehicle you bought from a neighbor for 500 bucks and ran into the ground. At least it's less wasteful I guess.

[@philroder4878]

in 1974 My first job out of college was Regional Manager for SUBARU. Just getting starting in those days. My dealer in Huntsville Alabama was also a Citroen repair shop. I was fascinated by the cars especially the DS. He told me you had to be part mechanic and part plumber to work on these. Can't wait to see your Citroen episode.

[@Drewbmw07]

The 07-09 mdx are super reliable. Those earlier j37 are a beast if the maintenance is kept up. 230k on the original drivetrain still going strong.

[@BryanW916]

8:18 You really are a wizard! I have a '09 Acura TL SH-AWD with the 3.7 and i had the low oil warning pop up on the nav screen many times while driving. This definitely is a common problem with the oil pressure sending unit. I replaced it with the updated part number sending unit and the warning has never came back. Also, you are 100% right on the transfer case. Everyone i know with either a Honda/Acura AWD never services it! I do my transmission drain and fill, transfer case, rear diff service every 20k miles. I always love watching your videos. Been here since you first started producing them when Hoovie was recording with an iphone on a tripod.

[@shafferjoe1962]

Question, why are you replacing those fluids every 20K miles? Most of the fluids you are replacing have 50K miles life time or more. I'm not calling you out, just wondering why, because these fluids will live so much longer.

[@homesold]

@@shafferjoe1962 Probably because of that V6 Acura/Honda infamous transaxle limited lifespan, lol! With no serviceable filter, I don’t know that they ever lived this one down…that is unless you drive it annoyingly gentle

[@shafferjoe1962]

@@homesold I don't know anything about these SUV. But with that said, that would make since. Thank you

[@gabevillarreal96]

​@@shafferjoe1962 Probably for peace of mind. Fluids are cheap... transmissions engines and transfer cases are not👍🏼

[@BryanW916]

​@@shafferjoe1962 Because the manual states: "Driving in mountainous areas results in higher level of mechanical (sheer) stress to fluid. This requires differential fluid changes more frequently than recommended by the maintenance minder. If you regularly drive your vehicle under these conditions, have the differential fluid changed at 7,500 miles , then every 15,000 miles." i drive my car pretty aggressively when im on my favorite winding mountain road fairly often. i forgot about the transfer case maintenance interval but i know it's roughly around the same mileage. Honda/Acura has been known for their weak auto transmissions so i just do all 3 every 4 oil changes. All of the fluid is cheap, a new trans, rear diff, or transfer case isn't.

[@michaelstrongbow2336]

I got a used RL with the 3.7L and I knew the previous owner ditched the car when all the timing components needed to be replaced. The dealer I bought the car from gave me a phone number to a mechanic they use. I called the guy after doing my own research on the 3.7L. I told him it needed a timing belt kit installed. He argued with me that that Honda motor has a timing chain, argued with me. After I was able to get off the phone with him, I called the local Acura shop and had the timing belt service done right by ppl trained specifically in Honda/Acura cars.

[@KamalaTheClown]

These aged really well and look modern even to today’s standards. They’re all around great vehicles and have seen some with 200 plus K miles

[@jfkusa123]

230,000 on mine no major issues

[@StevenLastname]

Acuras in general are usually pretty good. 228k miles on my 03 TL and still going strong! The most expensive fix I've had on it was replacing the timing belt, pully tensioner, and water pump.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

​@@StevenLastnameThat's not a fix, that's just maintenance.

[@strawberryw.3950]

160k on my 09 MDX. Hoping for 250k.

[@groovymoon]

125K on my 2012 TSX Wagon. Had to replace the half shafts at 62K. The starter makes a grinding noise every few starts when disengaging from the ring gear. The switch for the passenger front over head map light broke and had to be fixed. Every once and a while the rear window wiper behaves strangely, moves really slow, doesn't return to home position when switched off. Nice driving car, engine ruins good and trans shifts smooth and I am going to keep it till the wheels fall off but... not entirely impressed.

[@rbkahuna8192]

I had this local shop I had a great relationship with, always had done good work and generally quick. We took in a Camry for a timing belt and it came back leaking oil. We took the car back and all of a sudden they were rude as hell. They finally agreed to fix their screw-up and it came back leaking again and that was that. Any shop can make a mistake but owning it and making it right is what keeps customers.

[@marlu6373]

it leaked because they did not do the seals.rush.

[@hunkajunkaautomotive9870]

I can only imagine the number of techs at the edge of their seats wondering if it was them, lol

[@johngaither9263]

How many could there be in the Wichita, Newton, Ks area and how many of them are not already under Tyler Hoovers video wing?

[@Cheepchipsable]

Could have been a temp hire by the shop, or some trainee. Sometimes you get people who seem OK, but after a while their sloppy ways come back to haunt the shop owner. You can't look over everyone's shoulder 24/7.

[@mattmayo3539]

My mom bought one of these back in 2010. The seller worked worked at google here in the Bay Area. Google maintained the car. It was a company car serviced at the dealership. Mom still drives it and loves it. 200k miles and runs like a champ.

[@DONCHILLS]

Great video yet again. Very professional and informative. Great job Wizard.

[@lutomson3496]

except he never checked the upper and lower control arm bushings nor ball joints fingers dont do crap..

[@bobbyknox4881]

David, love your channel, and the fact you always do the tight thing. Also ,I enjoy Mrs Wizard's commentary. Just purchased a beautiful, well serviced 2014 MDX. Out of n abundance of caution I had the timing belt,tensioner,water pump,and sparkplugs replaced. After one week all kinds of codes started being set And the vehicle had a misfire code. I called the shop who never returned my call. I got a towing service to take my vehicle to a trusted shop 50 miles away. He fixed the misfire in about two hours when he detrrmined the other dhop had not correctly replaced the connector on the fuel injector controller. He checked and made sure none of the pins were bent and sprayed the connectors with silicone, erased the codes now it runs as it should. Haste makes waste and now I will never use that shop again. Thank you for your channel!

[@fuse8052]

What you found is why I take my time and double check my own work. I will not do anything that can ever come back on me. We have very high integrity at my current shop

[@thomasfarley6052]

Thank you Wizard definitely a good video on how these kinds of problems manifest and why it is hard to diagnose. Looking forward to the next video they have become a fix i need to make thru the week.

[@tyeeslayer]

He's the WIZ and nobody beats him!!

[@ericdolby1622]

Aww. Seinfeld

[@fortunatedad7695]

As soon as I saw what warning indicators came up, I knew it was the Rocker arm actuator. A couple years ago I ran some marvel mystery oil in my 2010 mdx to see if it would help the oil consumption issue I had, which wasn't terrible at the time. After I did the oil change after the MMO, when accelerating full throttle I had those same warning lights and a p 2648 code. I changed the actuator and the screen filter, haven't had an issue since. Also significantly fixed the oil consumption, I rarely need to add oil now. I LOVE my MDX! 250,000km and going great! It even endured the abuse of being a leased car previously.

[@marcusdamberger]

So these have a timing belt? At least that's what it sounded like from the Wizard.. I recently found out the Honda Pilot also has a timing belt, I was considering that vehicle when my girlified was looking for a new auto. But there were no local ones available in her price range, now I'm sorta glad didn't end up with one. But the MDX was another one I was looking at, but again nothing in the price range, this was when car's were at their peak, have come down some since then. However, why did Honda use timing belt's all the way into the mid 2000s? My old 98' Honda Accord 2 door (6th gen) had a timing belt, made sure I replaced it at 100k and 200k before it finally died at 265k. 7th Gen Accord 4 cylinder finally got timing chain, but it seems all V6 Hondas/Acura's always have a timing belt?

[@fortunatedad7695]

@marcusdamberger5175 Yes, they have belts. From what I was told it is because they run quieter. My buddy is a honda tech and he said unless they are starting to getting noisy, they can be changed every 150,000km. When we did mine after 120,000km it had no cracks and could have gone longer. The reason why I changed it was because the tensioner was leaking and just swapped since I had it all open anyways.

[@jamesfederer5592]

No need to change the whole unit. Just replace the control valve and oil pressure sensor.

[@Matt_from_Florida]

​@@jamesfederer5592 Yeah I don't get it (what The Wizard said). The solenoid assembly by itself is Acura part 36171-RYE-A01 ($51.36). The Wiz said they only sold the entire Variable Valve Timing-Valve Assembly, Acura part 15811-RYE-A01 ($162.36). Prices from ACURAPARTSWAREHOUSE.

[@robertshaw7289]

​@@marcusdamberger i

[@jimharrington7532]

Always enjoy and appreciate your honesty Weeeeeeeeeeeeezard. You have helped so many of us viewers out. Acura is a great vehicle and will last and last, unlike junkRovers. You are amazing

[@seanm2511]

I like the Car Wizard. And I enjoy the debug process used on this channel. Work is not done prior to knowing what is being done or why. The "shotgun" approach aka the theory of "replace everything to run up the bill" is not used.

[@philbrutsche8928]

@10:17 nearly everyone neglects the transfer case/power transfer unit fluid, on everything. It's not specific to Honda/Acura cars, trucks and SUVs.

[@Steverz32]

That was the 1st thing I had done while they were doing my timing belt on my 2005 Lexus rx330. Who knows when the all wheel drive system was serviced last🤷🏽‍♂️ 203K on the clock and still runs like a champ! 👍

[@godzillanola]

One of the best SUVs I've ever owned was the MDX. Loved it

[@JavierCR25]

I don’t know why but watching these videos just relaxes me so much. The Wizard is so didactical when it comes to explaining.

[@jstanovic]

Wizard...pointing out how some shops screw up jobs is a breath of fresh air! I have experienced it more than once. A shop broke the tabs on a plastic cover on a Passat that I owned. I only found that months later!

[@afellowinnewengland6142]

As a retired technician who took great pride in his work I want to tell this “Wizard” that a pre-purchase inspection is not a “cursory glance.” I took a minimum of 1 to 1.5 hrs to pull plugs, inspect gear and trans fluids, run system scans, test calipers, run the vehicle on the lift and look for anything suspicious. An experienced Honda specialist would have caught that (but not a generalist). Also, if I knew the shop that did the work I’d probably give them a friendly call and try to explain what I found. If they care about their work and it wasn’t done too long ago they’ll make it right.

[@danielhn93]

I’m a shade tree mechanic and I agree with what you said. Yeah it won’t be quick, but it’ll be thorough enough to tell you the overall condition of the car, so for example, if you pull the transmission drain plug out for just a brief moment and dark fluid comes out, then you know it probably was never serviced. Or with the spark plugs - if you pull them out and they look really black, then the engine could be burning oil or running real rich. It’s good to know the deeper details of the cars, and for a bit more time, it’ll pay off.

[@archangel3237]

Thats what they do, they just don't go back through the entire inspection on video, just a few of the problems they found and the specific problem for the video. No one would watch if it was 2 hours long.

[@afellowinnewengland6142]

@@archangel3237 We weren't referencing the content/video- it was the comment he made during the video. I suspect you didn't watch the whole thing carefully.

[@jimsmalleimb7709]

Your explanation of the pre-purchase inspection expectations at the end was illuminating. Thank you.

[@dillonkoch72]

I got my girlfriend a 2010 MDX Oct of 2020 we still have it 40,000 miles later and it's nothing but maintenance. The only thing outside of maintenance was a ac compressor. It's coming up on 170,000. Oil change every 5k miles and transmission drain and fill every 30k miles. I haven't touched transfercase or differentials. K&N air and cabin filters.

[@bbodinejr]

Have had three of these MDX’s from new to 200k miles. All bulletproof engines; transmissions and torque converters not so much….

[@s40volvoguy]

Nothing wrong with the torque converters. Regular fluid changes and a software update fix all converter issues.

[@dariodjakovic1600]

You are talking 2003-2006 mdx transmission old body style

[@rposton919]

Reminds me of some boat motor work in the past. Guys would show up with a multi-cylinder outboard that wouldn't start. " I already did the carburetors so they right." Nine times out of ten those 'right' carburetors were the problem.

[@matthewwilliams3575]

The undercarriage on that mdx is clean! I’ve got a 2013rdx with 124k and most of the undercarriage is spotless as well! Honda makes a great vehicle!

[@sulmanhafeez3148]

@11:20 in Houston , very rear and hard to find shops able to service the U joint. Not many shops like to take liabilities that’s why everyone tells you that buy the whole drive shaft. I had honda CRV 98 back in a days, was able to service it. I bought the u joints from Canada and went to local shop and they replaced it. My Honda crv Drive shaft is non serviceable in American but once you break open then you should be able install replace UJoint.

[@michaelwillis2436]

That shiny aluminum Timing belt tensioner usually comes from dayco, gates or Continental. Very high failure rate in my experience. We only use OE Honda or Aisin as they usually go the whole 100k interval versus 20 to 30 k

[@mongo64071]

I had mine done at Honda dealer with presumably OEM parts. Didn’t last 65k miles.

[@homesold]

Yeah well, if you can’t even count on it going 30k mi, it isn’t even worth doing *or worst case, trashing your engine (when a good belt lasts 150k)

[@homesold]

@@mongo64071 Could it have been the labor then? *It won’t even necessarily last 1-day if the workmanship is crappy. Parts mean a lot, but they’re not everything

[@mongo64071]

@@homesold well I ca t see that was labor. It worked from 100k to 165k. 7 years ago. The dealer certainly would not stand behind their work.

[@2URLex]

Aisin for the win.

[@rl2905]

Did my own timing belt/water pump on my 09 MDX about a year ago and it's still running great! My 2nd timing belt job I've done, and my first on a V6. It was fun! It's scary turning the engine on though when you're done.

[@brandonbogart7195]

Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish will clean those frosty/foggy headlights in a couple minutes. Wax on wax off. Some come out as if you replaced the headlights. Others 50-75 more clarity.

[@EyeMWing]

You technically can service (most) staked U-joints. In the vast majority of circumstances, if you actually do remove the staked joint, there is a surface suitable for a snap ring joint. Of course, this isn't something you really want to be doing as a business while you can still get replacement driveshaft assemblies, but as they become unavailable, it's a another option on the table instead of going to a custom driveshaft and new transmission/diff yokes.

[@hyruleworrier3021]

I have a 2009 w 114k miles on it. Was getting a Check Emissions alert, which tripped the Check SH-AWD System & Brake System. Pulled two codes that were related to Bank1 Sensor. Had Acura replace it today, drives fine now. Just had to spend 3k in repairs (resealing oil pump, rebooting inner cvs, O2 sensor) but these are literally the only repairs I’ve ever had done. These suvs are tanks!

[@dicoypowell3908]

Love the intro wizard. My vtech ain’t kicking in bro. Absolutely funny. I’m still laughing

[@mattbrown5511]

I hope the customer can get financially set and get that car fixed properly. There are many going through tough times, and it is only going to get worse.

[@cobydog456]

That's funny. I was just looking through you're channel yesterday because I was curious if you've ever reviewed one of these 2nd gen MDX's and I wake up today and find this!

[@Daemonarch2k6]

Omg, this beautiful car wizard and his beard of gold is making the world literally better every day. Thanks!

[@lakeforkwiring]

I've owned 2 MDX cars and pretty sure they did not make the 3.5 for 07 year model Wizard only the 300 hp VTEC. 275 K miles on my 07 still runs and drives great ... Original trans and motor.

[@E90_335xi]

When I used to work at Acura like 4 years ago I used to do timing belts on those mdx’s in 20 mins flat. About an 1 hour if I was doing the oil pump seals and timing belt cover seals.

[@CRAPO2011]

You were a pro watched my mechanic do it on my J35A4 and it was about 5-7 hours. One of the water pump bolts were stripped.

[@GeraldPUR]

Real pro uff sounds like a mess to deal with

[@onodagreat]

What state are you in

[@willdavids7075]

I knew the culprit as soon as you started describing it. Didn’t suspect the cause though. Tensioner should be torqued on not zipped on as well as everything else under the timing cover. You’re right folks do forget about that transfer case. The awd Honda’s didn’t always have those, but then again many folks don’t even change any fluid other than oil.

[@stickit2theman1]

I know the feeling with intermittent issues, my 03 Bravada gives me a service AWD light maybe once or twice a month and it turns off when the engine shuts off. Only parallel I can draw is it happens more often when it's raining so it could be a wiring issue but otherwise I'm completely clueless...

[@md2k8]

The first-generation and the second-generation of the Acura MDX will hopefully be on one of the six used vehicles that you should not buy list, as well as the Mazda CX-7 with the 2.3 L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and the early model years of the first-generation, 2002 and 2003 Saturn VUE with the 3 L V6 engine. The second-generation, Mitsubishi Outlander with the 3 L V6 engine and the first-generation and the second-generation of the Mazda CX-5 will not be on the do not buy list, because they are currently great vehicles to buy. Thank you very much and have a great week ahead.

[@Da.Onus.Burger.618]

You know, I can honestly say that I don't blame the customer for not wanting to do the full repair at this time. With the price of "everything" rising steeply over the past couple of years, you gotta take care of home/family FIRST in most cases and just live with whatever car problems you have until you can scrape up enough money to cover the repair cost(s). I just had an issue with my '05 Highlander where she started slowly leaking power steering fluid at this past summer. I started saving up for repairs after asking my mechanic the cost of the "worst case scenario" some time around November. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I finally was able to put the car in the shop, had the problem fully diagnosed (second-to worst case scenario; it just needed a new pump and hoses not a full rack replacement), and I was comfortable paying the cost of the repairs because I prepared for it. OH, and yes...that MDX is still a great looking SUV and I'd TOTALLY buy one if I were in the market for a new vehicle.

[@kellingtonlink956]

A least he was lucky enough, or smart enough, to get this MDX into the Car Wizard’s Lair. Thanks for the video.

[@TheNismo777]

Nice catch at the end :D

[@gdubya83]

When the Gmc z71 All Terrain first came out my friend's truck lost almost all the power after the warranty expired. His friends had the same kind of truck and that one had oil consumption issues and both trucks were bought new

[@CRAPO2011]

If v8 prolly cause by displacemnt on demand

[@Jmdp.94]

I like how wise the Car Wizard is by effectively staying out of any legal troubles, backlash and any unwanted feuds because he simply leaves the other shops anonymous.

[@Cheepchipsable]

It's common sense, plus he has no way of really knowing if it was the other shop. Gotta be careful when accusing someone of something.

[@troy510]

Yeah the intermittent issues like this are the worst to track down. It took me months to figure out I had a bad fuel pressure regulator because the pressure was perfect every time I would test it. Then the truck would run perfect most of the time then bog down out of nowhere and run like crap the rest of the day and throw 02 sensor codes. Everyone kept saying "Replace the 02 sensors" I finally figured out the fuel pressure regulator was just getting stuck shut sometimes, And the 02's were doing what they were supposed to, Lol it was so simple but if you don't have experience with that stuff it's not so easy to figure out. That was really smart checking where the last shop worked on the Acura. I don't know how he even noticed that wire lol. Definitely a wizard!

[@Cheepchipsable]

Probably just looked around the S-belt, knowing there were sensors there, or perhaps just looking at the oil level problem and noticed it. Not uncommon for wires to get damaged by pulleys or caught in the belt and ground intermittently if they are not secured properly.

[@CarlosValdez-nu4gn]

Finally a video on a car I own except it’s a 2010 with oil consumption due to clogged piston rings 😔

[@Darealmalik23]

Typical for honda engines to burn oil they all do

[@mtnman1984]

@Malik Fickling I must be an outlier. 2013 Crosstour, 125K-ish miles, keeps it's oil level between services. I did disable VCM when I got it at 37K miles. The vibration drove me up the wall and then I read about the lawsuits. Such a stupid piece of technology.

[@Darealmalik23]

@@mtnman1984 cylinder deactivation is one of the worst ideas ever and the small increase in mpg is not even worth the extra engine wear from turning off cylinders

[@mtnman1984]

@Malik Fickling at least it's a simple process to deactivate in the Hondas. I run the system once per service period to cycle the solenoids a few times, but it's otherwise inactive. Probably one of the best things I did proactively for the car's longevity.

[@BryanW916]

@@mtnman1984 If you deactivate the VCM like you have, that stops the oil burning issues in the 3.5. Those engines are very reliable. The 3.7 is the only J series engine with oil burning due to the piston design.

[@seanthomas2906]

If I was in the good old US of A. I'd work for ya. Knowledge is cool. Thanks for all your time

[@SilverScarletSpider]

that 2007 Acura MDX is honestly kinda beautiful (headlights aside)

[@thebigguy8306]

Thank you, Wizard and Mrs. Have been to dealerships and private shops for crapy service. Hard to find a good mechanic you can trust.

[@ThrawnFett123]

Could you not pull the wire out from behind the tensioner at all? Back out the solenoid and retighten after? Wouldn't save it by any means, but buy time perhaps? We all know how temporary becomes permanent, and I'm no expert on that vehicle by any means, but seems like the sort of thing "we can try this, may buy more time, may not, it'll be a cheap and dirty attempt" would cover for a half hour labor

[@hatchetdog]

I have 2007 MDX technology package it has 157,000 mi on it right now and it has never skipped a beat one of the best cars I've ever had

[@SergioLambo777]

i had a same generation mdx 2011 that was in limp mode aswell and it was the o2 sensor that was bad.

[@hamiltonasseiro6671]

Love your videos. You are such a good communicator to your audience. Thank you.

[@AcuraAddicted]

Looks like it's time to reseal the oil pump (and the pan, of course, as you can't do one without the other). It's a shame, because you need to take the TB off for this, which means it should have been done alone with the TB. Ah, well.

[@obsoleteprofessor2034]

Plastic wood trim and Corinthian leather headliner.. marvelous!

[@isaac24]

I don't know if anyone else noticed, but the 2 tires on the left of the car are Hankook Dynapros, and the back one that the Car Wizard looked at was a Firestone Destination. Just something interesting to note.

[@jhoag2577]

Acid tone from lowes and paper towel swipe once will clean the head laps. Cost 8 dollars. Last one year.

[@Peeqkd]

The 3.5 was for the FWD models. The 3.7 Only came in all of Acuras "SH-AWD" Models at the time. Super notorious for the piston rings going bad causing excessive oil consumption. There was a recall for that issue. Hopefully this vehicle had that done at some point in its life.

[@jtp336]

The early 2nd gen MDX'S (07-09) did not suffer from that issue, the later face-lift 10-13's did. This one should be safe from the oil burning issue.

[@waterloo123100]

@@jtp336 The 07 09 capable of burning oil also. It’s just not as common. Seen quite of few of those torn down for piston rings

[@johnb1658]

Lol another wrong answer 🤣😂🤣🤣 all 07-13 MDX HAD 3.7 liter engines lol! 3.5 was used in 14+ 😂🤣😂🤣

[@peterouuu]

@@johnb1658exactly !! and they all came standard w SH AWD 😌

[@wrenchesinmotion3282]

@@johnb1658 also used in 03-06. But sadly, nobody cares about the early MDX's. j/k

[@hilow4125]

As far as the oil light. I noticed with mobile one oil the light would flicker. But with penszoil, the flickering would stop. Thus I stopped using mobile one.

[@BryanW916]

The issue isn't oil brand specific. Like car wizard stated twice, these are a well known issue. My 09 TL SH with the 3.7 did this sporadically regardless of the oil brand. As soon as i replaced it, the light never came back on. I've used mobile, pennzoil, and castrol. There's an updated part number for the sending unit that fixes the problem. I believe there was a TSB out for it as well.

[@hilow4125]

@@BryanW916 true. I'm just sharing my experience. I've owned 2 mdx's both with flickering oil lights. I never replaced the sensor on either. I assumed it was based on the oil used because at the time I would find deals and go to different shops. So the light would come intermittently. I switched to full synthetic penszoil each time the light came on and the issue went away. Drove the car to 195,000 before I traded it in with the original sensor.

[@BryanW916]

@@hilow4125 Oh nice, that's so strange! idk how a different brand would cause the sending unit to fix itself. The part is pretty cheap tho so i just changed mine because i was tired of the fault. Sometimes it would turn on and off about 15 times in the span of 5 seconds lol! It drove me nuts. Did you ever notice the engine burning more oil with Mobile? im on an acura forum and some people said Mobile made their engine burn more, but pennzoil made it burn less.

[@hilow4125]

My 08 MDX didn't burn any oil. I have a 13 zdx and with mobile one I did notice more oil burnt between oil changes than with pennzoil.

[@BryanW916]

@@hilow4125 oh that’s right, the ‘07-‘08 Acuras with the 3.7 didn’t burn oil. I think they went with a different piston lining in ‘09 that caused the engines to burn a lot of oil. There’s a TSB about it and I think Acura will replace the piston rings under warranty.

[@goodday126]

On my son's 11' Escape the transfer case is also notoriously crammed right up against the exhaust like this, and also Ford insists that it's a lifetime fill. No. It is actually a 30k mile item on that vehicle. Fortunately my son's transfer case was not smoked when we bought it, so changed it with a top quality fluid, and will be doing it on short intervals. It's not difficult or expensive.

[@bradhaughton6698]

I'm glad I found a shop in my area that found me a used engine for my car that has a two-year warranty after owning the car for a year with the original going bad at 190,212 miles after buying the car at 180,000 miles. It was $8,000+ to replace the engine including some of the accessories, now it's leaking it's just one of the accessories that was not the right part and now the control arm is cracked and the cv joint is leaking after driving for 4 hours to get my new tires.

[@luismarty1685]

Thank you, Car Wizard.

[@ferdinand9103]

Little note you may have missed, while it's not the end of the world, that 1 tire you checked is mismatched from the rest of them. The 3 hankooks are looking to be getting a little low on tread. Its not the greatest for an AWD system but it should survive.

[@unstablebobgable]

The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on KZbin! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs with Pantera's WALK as the background music!

[@edwardgreenjr167]

That and the P2646 error on the K24 engine are pretty much the same. Same symptoms if that screen gets clogged and/or if a defect happens in that unit. That V-TEC Solenoid should be considered a consumable part for all Hondas/Acuras made in the 00s.

[@jacquesc3166]

Hey, same for the 09-15 Infiniti 3.7 VVEL solenoids. Mine was done at around 80K miles IIRC.

[@benmullins9540]

I have an '07 MDX with 274k miles and they are solid cars. In my experience, the electrical issues are a headache, typically its something cheap and easy to fix just a pain to find. Also, these engines need VERY clean oil. I change the oil around 50% oil life, ~4k miles, to keep it running good. It'll start idling rough and accelerate sluggishly and adds fuel to bank two, change the oil and it fixes all of it.

[@senseofstile]

I think the pre purchase inspection could be a good idea although I haven't ever done it. I know there are at least a hundred or more videos of people suggesting one. Oddly enough I have not seen a video of a "buyer" (making the video) having a pre purchase inspection done in his (the buyer) presence.

[@Cheepchipsable]

They are basically visual inspection to get obvious problems, oil leaks, vibrations while driving, worn bushes, etc. They won't tell you if the big ends will fail next week. If you have absolutely no knowledge about cars, and the car you are buying has a lot of miles on it it's probably not a bad idea.

[@senseofstile]

@@Cheepchipsable I agree. I am not a mechanic but, used to a lot of work on my own cars and have a basic knowledge. The interesting thing is there are no (that I know of) videos of a buyer taking a car to a shop for a pre purchase inspection.

[@Expressionistix]

I have an 07 MDX - is the 3.7 the biggest engine Honda made ? VTEC on this size engine is a monster. 300 Hp and 275 lb-ft tq are still good numbers today.

[@johnlarkin549]

Hey wizard your improving not overly repetitive with your descriptions, or Mrs Wizard has edited well👍

[@corey4109]

If the customer doesn't wanna dump a bunch of money into it just tell them to get the Sylvania headlight restorer kit. Only takes maybe 20 to 30 minutes each side and works a treat.

[@gabevillarreal96]

The Cerakote one is much better and pretty cheap on Amazon.

[@Belal_SF]

How do you check and see the pad thickness from behind the wheel without taking it away ?

[@JohnnyDes]

3.7 Shawd has known issues with the low oil level warning. I'm pretty sure it's just a sensor that gets replaced, and the pump/sending unit could be fine. Could be one issue fixed easily. Doesn't help with the busted solenoid, unfortunately.

[@xipxip3784]

I wouldn’t have guessed that much mileage, car is in good shape.

[@InternetDude]

Yeah, because Honda quality.

[@trainwreckthomas_]

@@geogmz8277 I drove a GMC Sierra 2008 wit a 5.3 for 423k till it gave out was a beast for the usual GM family of cars

[@mplslawnguy3389]

@@geogmz8277 It's a 200K mile car. I would be pretty happy with that purchase. Those problems aren't the end of the world. That's what you get with a 200K mile vehicle, you're going to have to fix stuff.

[@waterloo123100]

@@trainwreckthomas_ That’s because it’s a 5.3 those traverse/ equinox’s are completely trash

[@scottimusgarrett15]

The tension! The suspense! How will it all end?! Leaving the diagnosis for the middle! Not too bad for the amount of miles on it. The previous owner must have had it serviced regularly. Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard! ✌️❤️🙂

[@iboswell]

Without knowing that engine I'd ask the question what would happen if the timing tensioner was released just a little such that the cable could be pulled back around the end of it so no longer under tension. Just added a reply from CW to another comment - makes sense although good luck to the customer... "And ruin the chances for warranty work for the customer? The other shop could claim that I broke it by moving the wire."

[@boggsty]

Sunday video? Hell yeah!

[@jake321able]

2007 Civic...4 years ago cleaned up headlights and still as good today. Simply went to local chain, selling auto parts, etc. Asked for guidance, was recommended the 'expensive' cleaning kit (~$35)...followed the instructions and about 1 1/2 hours to complete. All these alternatives to cleaning the headlights...why? I think common sense is to talk to local auto stores, buy what they recommend & done. One potential key may be that my vehicles are always in garage when not in use...unless traveling, which I do 2-4 months a year...then not garaged. And yes, I am one of those that sees vehicles as point A to B...nothing more. I maintain them well, cost is not an issue for me, reliability is...just my experience.

[@Bratfalken]

Turtle has kits for making the headlights shine again, it really makes a difference at least for a year or two!

[@charlesaloha9232]

Wizard, I bought a 2003 for $1300, 247k miles. I did change the transfer case oil myself! I had to pay the dealer to change the differential and trans fluid because I couldn't break the fill hole plugs. I shave my head too, what do you use? Cartridge? safety? straight razor?

[@CRAPO2011]

Use a pipe for leverage on the trans plug, also blast it with penetrating oil a few times.

[@LymezoidMusic]

My family has an '09 MDX with 285K miles, owned from new. Drives great; only issues are failing suspension struts and a check englinr light stemming from catalytic converter failures. I think it'll get us to 350K+.

[@chrismayer3919]

My Akkie TSX was wiped out in a high speed highway crash. My Integra type R was put to death in a multi-car pileup. I really miss both those cars; they both saved my life.

[@Virtualhangover999]

You’re a hell of a great guy wizard!!

[@taelorwatson9822]

I work with a girl that had a 2004. It has the nav screen, DVD player, felt so ahead of its time.

[@christianheidt5733]

Nice find wizard! Sad it was incompetence, but at least u found the issue!!!

[@IslandMediaStudio]

Had a low oil warning light on my 2004 Honda Pilot. Replaced the battery and solved the problem

[@michaellegg9381]

Clearly the VTEC solenoid valve is working when there's no tension on the wires so it works and once the tension is gone it will probably work fine for years but leaving it in that state is 100% going to destroy it eventually.. it's worth a try at least.

[@petedunn2638]

I have 2008 MDX 241,000 just had a bunch of maintenance work done to it...i love my MDX....i look at it this way the money that people think its a waste to put into an older vehicle i have a perfectly running vehicle for a few thousand where can you get a perfectly used vehicle for that?

[@Chip_Gardener]

I had a truck with a low oil light that would start to act up when it was time for an oil change. It would only do this when making a left turn.

[@GeraldPUR]

The back diff oil changes are a must for that awd MDX. Done every 50k miles as well as the transmission oil every 40k miles, failure to maintain = expensive repairs. I own a 2015 with the 3.5L engine with 80+ k miles and still drives like new

[@johnb1658]

Literally never saw a rear diff fail in an mdx in my life. Where do you people get your info lol. The 07-09 are literally built like rocks! They run forever even when poorly maintained.

[@shahrukhbakar3248]

Nice video. Is it possible to buy a VTEC solenoid and an oil pressure sender from a breaker's yard separately or does the whole unit have to be changed with a new part? Seems like a straightforward fix. As a separate question, what are your thoughts on the RTV issue on the 2022 GR86/BRZ?

[@BryanW916]

You can replace them separately. Both are still available at the Acura stealership... i mean dealership.

[@steveauston6020]

Could try and pull the wire back, take the stress off of it. The sensor may function for awhile

[@Grunt49]

True Wizardry! Love your channel.