Dealer message - Today, November 8, 2016 Acura is announcing four warranty extensions for model years 2007-2013 Acura MDX and model years 2010-2012 Acura ZDX vehicles to address Active Damper System(ADS) dampers from failures in cold regions.
Basic Problem
Dampers with ADS use metal particles in the damper oil to control movement/recoil. In cold temperatures the oil inside
the dampers has reduced viscosity and a gap is generated between the main seal and the rod guide. The iron
particulates in the ADS oil are then deposited in this gap blocking the path of the moving oil which damages the seal
resulting in an oil leak. Cavitation occurs once enough oil is lost and the damper cannot keep up with operation of
wheel up and down movement.