Acura MDX Complaints

319 consumer complaints on file.

#11738928May 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2022 Acura MDX Advance, currently with 71,007 miles. After completing the standard transmission fluid service around the 60,000-mile maintenance interval, I began noticing abnormal drivetrain/transmission behavior that was not present before. At times, the vehicle feels as if the transmission is slipping, hesitating, or failing to transfer power smoothly. Acceleration can feel delayed, uneven, or weaker than normal, and on some occasions the vehicle seems to surge or accelerate slightly in a way that does not feel consistent with normal pedal input. This is a safety concern because the vehicle may not respond predictably when accelerating from a stop, merging, passing, or driving at highway speeds. A delay, slip, surge, or loss of expected acceleration could increase the risk of a crash, especially in traffic. The symptoms appear to involve the transmission, drivetrain, torque converter, transfer case, software calibration, or related components, but I am requesting a proper investigation to determine the actual cause. My concern is that this issue could worsen or affect other 2022 Acura MDX vehicles if it reflects a broader defect. I am requesting that NHTSA document this complaint and review whether 2022 Acura MDX models may have a safety-related issue that can cause slipping, hesitation, surging, delayed acceleration, or loss of expected power after normal maintenance. Acura should evaluate whether owners need inspection, repair, software updates, or other corrective action.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738699May 19, 2026
POWER TRAIN
There was a loud noise from under the car, and the car suddenly started to experience wheel spin. It's AWD and should not be spinning the tires. Suddenly losing AWD is dangerous when you expect the car to perform like an AWD car. Dealership said the transmission spline is stripped and needs replaced under warranty. Car has currently been at the dealership for 50 days. There is no known ETA on replacement parts. No warnings on anything, the car's power distribution meter still shows power going to the rear wheels even though it is not. I believe there is already an active investigation into this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738536May 18, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Description of Incident: While stopped at a red light at a busy intersection near a shopping district, the vehicle's Auto Idle Stop (AIS) system engaged and shut off the engine. When I attempted to restart by pressing the brake pedal — as instructed — the vehicle failed to restart. The dashboard displayed an error message reading "Idle Stop Function: Press Brake to Restart." My foot was on the brake pedal at the time; pressing it did not restart the engine. I then manually shut off the vehicle using the Engine Start/Stop button and attempted to restart it. The vehicle would not start. I remained stranded at the intersection for approximately 10 minutes. I had to call the cops for a patrol car because other cars were piling up behind me and I had my 6 month old son in the vehicle. Safety Impact: During this time, I was unable to move the vehicle from a live traffic intersection. This created an immediate safety hazard to myself, my family, and other drivers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738526May 18, 2026
ENGINE
While stopped at a red light at a busy intersection near an airport, the vehicle's Auto Idle Stop (AIS) system engaged and shut off the engine. When I attempted to restart by pressing the brake pedal — as instructed — the vehicle failed to restart. The dashboard displayed an error message reading "Idle Stop Function: Press Brake to Restart." My foot was on the brake pedal at the time; pressing it did not restart the engine. I then manually shut off the vehicle using the Engine Start/Stop button and attempted to restart it. The vehicle would not start. I remained stranded at the intersection for approximately 10 minutes before the vehicle finally restarted and allowed me to shift into Drive. I was the first car in the lane, so people kept piling up and honking behind me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738489May 18, 2026
POWER TRAIN
2023 Acura MDX Sport looses AWD randomly and vehicle becomes only FWD. This has happened many times now and I have taken it to the dealership but they claim they can’t recreate it and would not do anything further unless I change rear end fluid.. I paid for the service but still have the problem. This is getting dangerous as it is unexpected and alters the expected performance of the vehicle in critical turning situations which has led to two close calls of a broad side accident when turning and loosing AWD. There appears to be many more reports of this exact issue, I’m officially adding my name to the list.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738302May 16, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
I am writing to report a severe manufacturing defect and safety hazard on my vehicle. The interior door panel trim has completely delaminated and peeled away from the door structure, creating an exposed, razor-sharp edge right near the door handle/window switches. This is a major safety hazard ("Safety Hazard") that poses a severe laceration risk ("Severe Laceration Risk") to any passenger or child attempting to open the door or touch the door panel. I have clear photo documentation of this sharp metal/plastic piece protruding dangerously out. I would like to request Acura Client Relations to look into this manufacturing defect immediately and provide a resolution/goodwill repair before a severe injury occurs. Please contact me via email to review the photos. Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738118May 15, 2026
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY, AIR BAGS:SRS MALFUNCTION WARNING LAMP/LIGHT
The contact owns a 2024 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a loud banging sound was heard coming from the vehicle. The contact discovered that the sunroof had unexpectedly shattered. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, a supplemental restraint system warning message intermittently displayed, advising the contact to contact the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failures could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was also contacted regarding the shattered sunroof; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,112.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737958May 14, 2026
POWER TRAIN
While driving my 2023 Acura MDX at approximately 40 mph in rainy conditions, the vehicle experienced a sudden catastrophic failure without any prior warning lights or dashboard messages. The vehicle abruptly decelerated and felt as though the drivetrain or wheels were binding / locking. The vehicle lost the ability to accelerate normally and became effectively inoperable in traffic. After stopping, the vehicle resisted rolling freely even when shifted into neutral and required towing to the dealership. The dealership has since informed me that the front transfer case / transfer box experienced a catastrophic internal failure. Root cause and failure sequence are still being diagnosed by the dealer. The sudden nature of the failure, lack of warning indicators, and apparent driveline lockup behavior created a significant safety hazard and increased risk of crash, particularly given the wet road conditions and speed at the time of the incident. There were several near misses with other cars putting me and my family at significant risk. The vehicle is currently at the dealership pending full diagnosis and repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737684May 13, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The auto idle stop feature will kick in at red lights, shutting the engine down. However, every approximate 1 out of 10 times the engine and electrical system fully shut down when I try to start the car moving again. The car can then not be restarted for close to a minute. This results in not being able to move when the light turns green and is dangerous is heavy traffic areas.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737467May 12, 2026
POWER TRAIN
I own a 2022 Acura MDX SH-AWD with approximately 85,000 miles. The issue began suddenly while driving around 5 mph when two loud bangs were heard from the rear drivetrain/transfer case area. After the initial incident, the vehicle was driven home, and the problem became consistently noticeable during any acceleration from a stop or low speed. The drivetrain would clunk/slip during acceleration and exhibited abnormal engagement behavior. Due to concern about causing further drivetrain damage or a potential safety issue, the vehicle was subsequently towed to an Acura dealer for diagnosis. The Acura dealer confirmed that both the transfer case and transmission require replacement due to “worn teeth on splines.” The repair estimate specifically states: “REPLACE TRANSFER CASE AND TRANSMISSION DUE TO WORN TEETH ON SPLINES.” Estimated repair cost is approximately $11,400. I have photographs and repair documentation related to the failure. This failure created a potential safety concern because the drivetrain was no longer operating normally and produced loud clunking/slipping during acceleration from stops and low speeds. A drivetrain or power transfer failure could increase the risk of loss of propulsion or inability to accelerate normally into traffic. The issue was reproduced and confirmed by the Acura dealer. The vehicle has been regularly maintained, including drivetrain fluid services, through Acura/Honda service facilities. There were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or electronic indications before or after the failure event. The only indication was the loud banging noise from the drivetrain/transfer case area and the resulting abnormal drivetrain behavior during acceleration. The service manager also indicated they had seen several similar cases involving this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737037May 11, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the all-wheel drive (AWD) system became inoperable. The contact stated that when attempting to engage the AWD function, the system failed to operate and the vehicle would transition into four-wheel drive operation. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance and advised the contact not to contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736850May 10, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Car engine turns off at a red light, by turn off I mean completely turned off, not just silent. And takes a couple of attempts to restart the car before the engine turns on again. This has happened over 5 or 6 times over the last 3 months, however yesterday (May 9, 2026) it happened twice within the hour. Luckily, I have not been involved in an accident because of this, but I'm concerned that it's easy to imagine a scenario where someone will be rear-ended. Please issue a safety recall for Acura to fix this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735656May 4, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
Last year, my 2025 Acura MDX was repaired under warranty for a known starter issue that is affecting all 2025+ MDX models. The issue is that the vehicle will stall or fail to start on random occasions leaving drivers stranded or stopped in traffic unable to move their vehicle. Honda and Acura are well aware of the fact that this is an issue, yet they continue to produce these vehicles with the same parts. This repair took several attempts and the dealership refused to even diagnose the issue for several months causing me to have to record each instance on my phone for proof. Once they eventually replaced the starter, the issue went away for approximately 10 months. Today, however, I was temporarily left stranded at a gas pump as my vehicle would not start. Honda and Acura dealerships are replacing these parts with the exact same part number, so the no-start condition comes back in about a year or less. It is incredibly dangerous to have a vehicle that you cannot move as anticipated, or if you’re in an area that you cannot leave or get away from potential danger because your vehicle won’t start. This is a less-than two-year-old vehicle that has now left me stranded on several occasions including in the middle of traffic on a motorway. I know for a fact that several other owners of the Acura MDX are having the exact same issue and ask that you please launch an investigation into this as Honda is well aware of it and still refuses to address the blatant safety risk it poses to its customers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735602May 4, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Engine stalls when at intersection and the engine cuts off at idle and fails to start back up when you remove your foot from the break. Can have keep lane assist enable. KLAS mode narrow, you have to fight the wheel to maintain control of the vehicle, formal mode is a 50/50 chance it works, wide you can sift right off the road for 5-10 secs before to realize your off the road. Steer wheel control button intermittently fail and stop being able to control the midi instrument panel and infotainment system. I believe there is a systematic electrical issue in the car. They attempted to fix this by replacing a starter which hasn’t because the engine stalled at an intersection again and on cold start this morning 5/4 at the same intersection as this is by my girlfriends apartment.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735584May 4, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle had auto shut off normally. However when I released the brake and pushed the gas it unexpectedly stalled and shut off without warning. When attempting to restart the vehicle, it would not start again. There were no prior warning indicators or messages suggesting an imminent issue. This created a hazardous situation as the vehicle was disabled in an active traffic lane. After several attempts, the vehicle either restarted after having set the emergency brake. The failure appears to be sudden and without driver input, raising concerns about reliability and safety in traffic conditions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735372May 3, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle is equipped with start stop system and we have had multiple instances where we come to a stop , and the car will not restart. In the latest instance, we pulled up to stoplight, the start stops system engaged shutting off the engine then wouldn't restart. Car also wouldn't turn completely off, so I had to hit the flashers at the busy intersection, try to get the car into park, then shut completely down, then restart the car. It also struggled to restart as if the battery was dying. In this instance most dash lights come on, but it appears to be an engine, electrical, and software issue. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer multiple times, and in once instance they said the issue was caused by a bad battery, mind you the car is slightly over a year old. This latest time, they claimed that the battery was good and no issues were found. This issue continues to put me and my family at risk by leaving us disabled in the middle of traffic especially when it has happened near exiting the freeway,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735169May 1, 2026
STEERING
The contact owns a 2025 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while having routine maintenance, the power steering was making an unknown abnormal noise. The steering was turning on and off. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 15,027.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735131May 1, 2026
ENGINE
I am reporting a serious safety defect involving repeated engine stalling and failure to restart associated with the auto idle stop/start system on a 2025 Acura MDX. The vehicle was leased in December 2024. Beginning in late summer and early fall of 2025, the vehicle intermittently shut off at stops and failed to restart when releasing the brake. This resulted in the vehicle becoming unresponsive in active traffic conditions, creating a significant safety hazard. The vehicle was presented to an authorized dealer for this issue on multiple occasions: August 15, 2025 September 9, 2025 October 31, 2025 After repeated unsuccessful attempts to diagnose and repair the condition, the dealer ultimately replaced the starter on October 31, 2025. This repair did not permanently resolve the issue. In April 2026, the vehicle again began exhibiting hesitation and delayed engine restart following auto idle stop events. On April 30, 2026, the vehicle stalled again, demonstrating that the defect persists despite prior repair efforts. This condition is intermittent and unpredictable, which increases the risk, as the vehicle may fail to restart when entering or crossing intersections or when moving with traffic. The inability of the vehicle to reliably restart creates a clear safety concern. Given the repeated repair attempts and recurrence of the defect, this appears to be a systemic issue rather than an isolated component failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734918April 30, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Our infotainment system stopped working and when we took it one of Acura’s authorized dealers they told us that back half of the car is flooded and that has shot down all the electronics including the infotainment system. They also gave me a bill of $10K USD to fix the leak and replaced damaged electronics. Their argument is that the car was parked outside and that caused this issue. This has never come up in any of our previous maintenance visits where Acura certified dealerships always check our car and tell us that everything is okay.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734615April 29, 2026
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, STRUCTURE:BODY
Iam having numerous problems with the start stop function of my 2022 MDX. See attached letter and documentation for full details. I also attached the documentation from my dealership for the repair order history. There have been numerous of times that this problem occurred that I didn't bring it in for service. The dealership acknowledges that there is a problem, but they are unable to correct. They also have told me that they know of this problem with the Acura MDX, but there is still no recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Acura MDX