Acura MDX Complaints

3,381 consumer complaints on file.

#11752746July 24, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
I am writing to report an urgent safety concern regarding my 2018 Acura MDX Tech SH-AWD. Upon starting the vehicle, all primary AcuraWatch driver-assist systems suffered a total failure. The center display continuously cycles through four warnings: Collision Mitigation System Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem Lane Keeping Assist Problem Road Departure Mitigation System Problem In addition, the Brake System, Crash Warning, and Lane Departure dash lights remain permanently illuminated. Diagnostic Findings An OBD-II diagnostic scan logged the following stored chassis code: DTC U3000-49: Internal Electronic Failure of Multipurpose Camera Unit / Millimeter Wave Radar I am aware of TSB #B23-008 regarding camera logic errors. However, clearing codes and software resets do not clear this persistent hardware failure within the monocular camera unit (Part # 36160-TZ6-A34). Safety & Request for Action The total shutdown of primary crash-prevention systems presents a clear safety hazard. Forcing owners to absorb $20,000+ out-of-pocket for camera replacement and mandatory dealer recalibration on a known hardware fault undermines Acura's commitment to safety and quality. Given NHTSA's oversight of active safety systems, I respectfully request: 1. Goodwill Repair: Acura/Honda assistance to replace and recalibrate the defective camera unit. 2. Quality Investigation: A broader review into premature failures of these Nidec monocular camera modules on 2017–2018 MDX vehicles. Thank you for your prompt attention to this critical issue. I look forward to your response. Sincerely,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752296July 23, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system unexpectedly deactivates during cold weather conditions, creating a sudden loss of traction and compromising vehicle stability control on winter roads."
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752240July 22, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car shifted on its own from drive to park right after warning lights stating Electrical Parking System then Emissions the Transmission came on while in stop and go traffic. Car had just come back from Acura mechanic 4 hours earlier as these warning lights had come when starting car. Immediately had car towed to dealership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752070July 22, 2026
POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The splines to the transmission and front transfer case are worn and stripped and that is causing a bad transmission fluid leak. The fix for this unfortunately is to replace the Transmission and the Transfer case assy. I am not getting any support from Acura, as this is a known problem according to the dealer. Acura is not cooperating and the cost to repair is $14,000. I noticed a transmission fluid leak, so I took the vehicle into the Acura dealership. No check engine light came on, no notification that there was a catastrophic failure occurring to my car. I've been reading that this is happening to several other Acura vehicles as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751832July 21, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2009 Acura MDX. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 117,500. At the time of the vehicle registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 140,223.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751971July 21, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
SUPPLEMENTAL — REFERENCE ODI 11742372 Follow-up to ODI 11742372, 2018 Acura MDX, VIN 5J8YD3H33JL******. Intermittent multipurpose camera failure, DTC U3000-49, causing simultaneous loss of CMBS, ACC, LKAS, and RDM. The defect remains unresolved and I have been unable to obtain diagnosis or repair through Acura's authorized service network. Acura Client Relations case 16409871 was opened. Acura declined to acknowledge the failure as a manufacturing defect and offered no coverage for diagnosis or repair. I then attempted to schedule service with AutoNation Acura, an authorized service center. Over approximately one month I left more than 25 voicemails on both the reception and service department lines. I received no return call and no acknowledgment. I have been unable to secure a service appointment. On [DATE] I sent written correspondence to Acura Corporate Relations documenting the failed scheduling attempts, restating the safety nature of the failure, and requesting referral to an alternate authorized dealer. [No response as of this filing.] The effect is that a safety-critical driver assistance system has been intermittently non-functional since at least April 2, 2026, and the manufacturer has neither acknowledged the defect nor made its service network available to diagnose it. The vehicle remains in service. Failures occur without warning during normal operation, disabling collision mitigation braking, lane keeping, road departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control at once. The vehicle retains its original factory windshield, never replaced, modified, or damaged, eliminating a common cause of camera misalignment. Mileage is low for the model year. Other Acura and Honda owners report comparable camera failures with similar codes. I renew my request that NHTSA evaluate whether this constitutes a safety-related defect and whether a broader pattern exists across vehicles using the same camera module and AcuraWatch/Honda Sensing architecture.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751959July 21, 2026
STEERING, SUSPENSION, STRUCTURE:BODY
The vehicle developed repeated front‑end structural and steering problems shortly after purchase. During normal driving, it produced loud popping, creaking, and clunking noises when turning, entering driveways, or driving over small inclines. Steering felt inconsistent and the front suspension felt unstable. These symptoms created a serious risk of loss of control. A dealer confirmed the problem multiple times and replaced several major components, including the left front strut, the left front lower control arm, and the front shock absorber fork. The most serious finding was cracked welds in the front subframe, requiring the entire subframe to be replaced. A cracked subframe weld is a structural failure that can affect steering stability and crashworthiness. The issues were reproduced and documented by the dealer on multiple visits. The manufacturer’s engineering team was involved due to the severity and difficulty of diagnosis. Despite repeated repairs and extended time out of service, the same steering and suspension symptoms continued, and the vehicle was returned multiple times with ongoing issues. There were no warning lights or messages before the failures. The defects occurred during low‑speed maneuvering and normal driving conditions. The vehicle did not perform like a safe, structurally sound new vehicle, and the repeated structural and steering failures pose a safety risk to occupants and others on the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751644July 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
While making a left turn from an on-ramp, I heard a loud crunch from the drivetrain and experienced a momentary loss of power. Immediately afterward, the front tires began spinning under acceleration. I realized the vehicle was no longer sending power to the rear wheels and had effectively lost its all-wheel-drive capability. The instrument display continued to indicate that power was being sent to the rear wheels even though the rear wheels were not receiving power. This gave an inaccurate indication of the vehicle’s operating condition. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Acura dealer. The dealer confirmed that the splines between the transmission and the front power takeoff unit had stripped. The transmission/front differential assembly and power takeoff unit were replaced under warranty at approximately 52,280 miles. The dealer stated that this is a problem they have been seeing on the MDX Type S and also commented on the number of revisions that have been made to the power takeoff unit. The replacement unit installed was part number 29000-61E-070. The failure created a safety concern because it caused a momentary loss of propulsion while turning into traffic, followed by unexpected front-wheel spin and loss of all-wheel drive. There were no warning lights or advance warning before the loud crunch and loss of power. The failed components were replaced by the dealer; whether they remain available for inspection is unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751559July 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Began to notice a knocking noise from lower engine compartment in late May 2026. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms. Dealer (Zimbrick Acura, Middleton WI) confirmed on 06/30/26 that noise was coming from transmission assembly. Dealer identified that the transmission was leaking fluid from the output shaft seal, and upon disassembly identified that the interfacing splines between the transmission and the rear wheel drive power take off unit (PTU) were failing. Dealer ultimately replaced transmission and PTU. This is the same issue as described in a previous petition (no. 11712885) but was identified prior to complete loss of all-wheel drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751144July 17, 2026
ENGINE
Catastrophic Engine failure. Engine shook, then loss power. Multiple lights went off. Repair shop found metal shavings in the oil pan. Later diagnosed by specialist with cam/rocker engine issue. Recommended action was engine replacement.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751202July 17, 2026
ENGINE
Four times in 18 months, with the most recent happening last month and today, I was at a stoplight and turned my manual idle off. The light changed and the car would not move despite me stepping on the gas. It told me to restart the car which I did but the first attempt didn’t work to restart. After a few minutes I tried restarting again and it struggled but did. I was very worried as there was a car behind me who thought we were moving with the green light and fortunately he moved to the other lane to avoid a collision as it took me a minute to figure out the car had stopped before putting in my hazards.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750952July 16, 2026
ENGINE, STRUCTURE:BODY
I have a 2012 MDX and it burns an extreme amount of oil. We took our MDX back to the dealership where we purchased it and had the oil issue fixed. Or so we thought. The problem was supposed to be fixed 3 months ago but the car is still burning a lot of oil. We have to add oil every 2 weeks. We did not drive the car much after "getting the oil issue repaired" so we did not realize that the problem still exists. Acura should know how to repair this issue and there should be a recall for this excessive oil consumption. Acura is a luxury brand but they are not taking care of their customers. Also the paint is peeling off our MDX badly. We had a couple of paint touch up jobs but it just keeps getting worst. I am embarrassed driving this car with the continuing paint peeling off. We cannot keep shelling out money to get this vehicle repainted. There should be a recall for the paint peeling also. I had a Honda and the Honda had a lot less issues and cost a lot less. We will not purchase another Acura unless Acura does right by their customers and put recalls out and fix the oil consumption and paint peeling issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750945July 16, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Humming noise from drivetrain. Took vehicle to Acura dealer and was diagnosed as: Loss of all wheel drive due to interfacing spline failure between transmission and transfer case resulting in only front wheel drive. Found open investigation NHTSA with other vehicles experiencing the same failure. DP26001
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750848July 16, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The vehicle will turn off when it comes to a stop without being put in park. This has happened on busy city roads, highways in traffic and residential areas at stop signs. The vehicle will also periodically not turn on, with multiple indicators lighting up on the dashboard. This has been reported to the dealership, who states if there are no active error codes or indicators at the time of service there is nothing they can do. I have opened a case with Acura client relations more than 3 weeks ago and have escalated multiple times with no response. This has created numerous safety problems, also with children in the vehicle. This vehicle is not safe to operate and the manufacturer refuses to respond to my intervention requests although it is under warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750629July 15, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 ACURA MDX. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 45 MPH an abnormal sound was emitted from underneath the vehicle, and the vehicles steering was being pulled to the right, no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that that the PTU/PTO was faulty as metal shavings were found in the transfer case and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750652July 15, 2026
ENGINE
My 2015 AcuraMDX engine seized while driving creating an unsafe condition as it occurred on a busy roadway. I suspect a rod bearing failure. It has been reported to Honda. The same parts listed in the 2015 RDX recall are used in my MDX but the 2015 is not part of the recall. My engine had a knock and had taken it for inspection at an independent Honda specialist. I had learned that the recall covers the 2015 model year for the Acura TLX, the official recall documentation only includes the 2016–2020 model years for the Acura MDX. There were no check engine lights prior to the stall and seizure of the engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750239July 14, 2026
SUSPENSION, WHEELS
A federal safety recall was performed on the vehicle to install a rear subframe reinforcement kit. Before the recall repair, the vehicle operated normally and had no vibration at highway speeds. Immediately after the recall repair, a new vibration developed above approximately 60 mph. The vibration is felt primarily from the rear of the vehicle, occurs only while accelerating, becomes most noticeable between 60 and 80 mph, and disappears immediately when the accelerator is released while maintaining the same speed. The condition is repeatable and remains unresolved. The vibration creates concern for loss of vehicle stability and control at highway speeds because it occurs while the drivetrain is under load. No warning lights or diagnostic messages appeared before or after the repair. The vehicle has been inspected by both the dealership that performed the recall repair and an independent repair facility. To eliminate other possible causes, the front hub and bearing assembly were replaced and all four tires were remounted and dynamically balanced. Those repairs did not eliminate the rear vibration. The dealership attributed the condition to unrelated maintenance items, including tires, wheels, and brakes, but did not identify a defect with the recall repair or determine whether the rear subframe installation, rear differential mounting, driveshaft, or other components disturbed during the recall procedure contributed to the new vibration. The timing of the failure is significant because the vibration began immediately after completion of the federal recall repair and was not present beforehand. The component is available for inspection upon request. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether the recall remedy or repair procedure may have introduced a drivetrain or rear suspension condition affecting vehicle safety.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750292July 14, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated that the second-row passenger’s side seat belt became stuck and failed to retract as needed, causing the seat belt to become inoperable. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750455July 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I just got back home from Walmart, went in my house to get a few things and head to my camper. I had to get one last thing ,so I started to drive over town I noticed a plastic burning smell ,I thought someone was burning trash, so I keep going ,the smell got worse,so I stopped and was going to check what it was and smoke started coming out of the vents,so I turned around drove car home,as I was pulling into my drive ,I noticed the wiring harness fell from behind glove box ,on fire on the floor. We got car in driveway and got out,tried to extinguish the fire but couldn't, so grab everything out of the car,and the car became totally engulfed in flames,the car was totally gone from this electrical short.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750386July 14, 2026
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal vibration coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The abnormal vibration persisted, and there was a grinding sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the power transfer case spline had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall, and the vehicle was not under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Acura MDX