Acura MDX Complaints

3,381 consumer complaints on file.

#11730946April 13, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Complete drivetrain failure while accelerating from a complete stop in the middle of a busy intersection. No warning lights or hazard messages were activated before or after the failure. The car made a massive clunking/banging sound and continued to clunk on acceleration. The car had to be towed to the dealership. My children were in the car with me, and we had just driven on the highway for 45 minutes before this failure. Luckily, my husband was behind me, and I activated hazards until I could pull over safely. It was jerking and clunking so badly that I was barely able to steer. It was terrifying since my two young children were in the car, and they were both screaming from the noise. I believe I would have been rear-ended if my husband had not been behind me due to the sudden jerk from the failure, as I was the first car in the left turn lane. This is not the first issue I have had with the transfer case in this vehicle. The affected transfer case and drive train were replaced only 7 months prior due to a faulty transfer case and a severe clunking sound. This vehicle has had repeated drivetrain failures without warning, resulting in loss of traction and control. The recent failure reflects a completely stripped spline connecting the transfer case and transmission. This will be the 4th transfer case this vehicle has had at only 64K miles. All recommended maintenance and care have been completed at the certified Acura dealership since the vehicle was purchased. Recently, the 60K services were completed just 3 months prior to the current failure. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for repairs under warranty, as it needs a new transmission and another transfer case. I have not yet received the documentation, as the car is not in my possession, but I will provide it once I receive it. See the attached documentation from the previous failure, dated 6/3/2025, to establish a pattern of catastrophic drivetrain failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730700April 12, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, STRUCTURE:BODY
The factory‑applied exterior paint on the roof panel of my 2016 Acura MDX has experienced clear‑coat and base‑coat delamination, resulting in complete separation of paint layers and exposure of bare metal. This is not a cosmetic blemish or paint discoloration. The failure involves loss of adhesion between factory coating layers, causing large sections of paint to peel away unexpectedly. The exposed metal surface is at risk of corrosion, which may compromise the long‑term structural integrity of the vehicle’s roof panel. In addition, peeling paint has detached in rigid fragments that could become roadway debris, creating a hazard to other motorists if detachment occurs while driving. This condition matches a known manufacturing defect previously acknowledged by the manufacturer in a technical service bulletin addressing paint delamination on similarly built vehicles. However, the manufacturer has declined to correct the defect based solely on VIN exclusion, despite identical failure characteristics. The defect raises concerns beyond appearance, including corrosion risk, loss of protective coating, and potential safety hazards from detached exterior material.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730677April 12, 2026
POWER TRAIN
I was at a stop light, when the lights turned green, I accelerated and heard a loud bang underneath the vehicle. The sound was so loud I thought I had been rear ended. I got out to inspect the vehicle and did not see any damages. I got back into the vehicle and put it in drive to get to the closed gas station. When I started driving, I heard clunking sounds underneath vehicle. I put on my hazards and drove slow. After about 50-100 ft the clunking sounds went away. No lights on the dash or anything. I then got vehicle towed to my father’s shop to inspect what was going or what happened due to not feeling safe driving. One of his employees looked up the cause of the noise and had found that the differential splines or transfer case would strip and cause a loud bang. Which happens on a lot of these acuras. He put vehicle on lift, and put it into drive. The front wheels would spin, but not the rear wheels. He said that indicates the transfer case is bad
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730579April 11, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Front camera stopped working at 65 000 miles. Seems to be a faulty part as many Hondas and Acuras have the same problem and the dealer wants over $2000 to replace a $700 part that sounds like less than 45 minutes to replace.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730367April 10, 2026
POWER TRAIN
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Transfer case and yes, it is attached the vehicle. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? At this time there is a leak and the power is being redistributed which could lead to loss of power at any times. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yea both. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Manufacturer. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No. During a routine transmission service this was noticed that there was a leak, they did not fill the fluid in the vehicle up to monitor fluid levels.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730103April 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, PARKING BRAKE
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Acura MDX. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 85,000. The contact stated that on the day of the purchase; after refueling the vehicle and then attempting to pull out of the gas station, the Emissions, check engine, and parking brake warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to an auto repair shop, and had the vehicle scanned and then diagnosed, DTC: P0158 (Oxygen sensor Circuit High Voltage, DTC Severity 2 of 3, T0159 Oxygen sensor Circuit Slow Response (Bank2 and Sensor 2), and an Electric Parking Brake Failure were displayed. The scan indicated that the vehicle was subjected to odometer fraud. The contact reviewed the paperwork and received it at the time of sale and became aware that the mileage stickers, along with other indications that the documentations were false. The contact retrieved a Carfax Report and discovered that the actual mileage was 225,802. The contact reported the odometer fraud to the Police Department and was informed that the dealer was known for odometer fraud. The Police also informed the contact that there was a case and a warrant already issued.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730113April 9, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, INTERIOR LIGHTING
The contact owns 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that after the State Inspection was completed, the State Inspector informed the contact that the vehicle had failed the inspection due to an inoperable driver's side tailgate light. The contact was also informed that there was moisture inside the tailgate lid light assembly, and that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V259000 (Exterior Lighting, Interior Lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred the dealer for the repair. The contact was informed that there might be a reimbursement if the VIN became included in a future recall. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 99,217.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730121April 9, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and to exceed 5 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact did not agree with the diagnosis. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,692.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729871April 8, 2026
SEATS
The drivers seat is lose and can be felt and heard making noise when driving, even at low speeds. It shifts back and forth upon acceleration and deceleration. Ive had a mechanic look at it and determine it is in fact shifting around while driving, which is extremely unsafe. Upon further research found that many othet Acura/Honda users have had the same issue especially in the MDX model mentioned here. Its even been reported by dealers in brand new, still in the showroom MDX. It is clearly not a wear and tear issue and needs a recall to be addressed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730022April 8, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
While driving the car, several warning lights turned on all at once, saying that the following components were disabled: Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic High Beams, and Collision Mitigation Braking System. Not being able to use these features is more dangerous, not to mention that the warning lights associated with their disabling are distracting (making it likely that, if a more serious warning was flashing, it would not be noticed by the driver) and cannot be turned off without an expensive replacement. Yes, the problem was confirmed by a trusted mechanic (the warning lights will not turn off so it's not hard to confirm), who indicated that the radar camera needed to be replaced. No, the component has not been inspected by others. There was no warning of the problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730005April 8, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
The contact owns a 2023 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 71,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729954April 8, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Experienced loss of all wheel drive with no notification, warning lights, etc. Vehicle is only in front wheel drive. Issue caused the vehicle to perform very poorly in inclement weather and myself, wife and children became stuck in the snow. The problem has been confirmed with Acura dealership. Currently it is in the shop awaiting further info.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729911April 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Stopped for a red light at a busy intersection with the auto start/stop feature turned on. After releasing the brake pedal to begin driving after the light turned green, the vehicle attempted to start the engine, but struggled and in doing so, the vehicle stalled out. After two or three attempts of placing the foot onto the brake and pressing the start ignition button, the vehicle finally started and we were able to drive away.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729848April 8, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The AWD system failed and now its only FWD
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729475April 6, 2026
ENGINE
On March 3, 2026 my son was driving our 2020 Acura MDX when we lost power in the middle of an intersection. The following day we had it towed to Montanto Acura in [XXX] where we were told we had a blown engine due to a bad crank shaft and possibly engine bearings. Prior to this the car drove fine with no warning signs. My son who was [XXX] old was at a dangerous intersection and had to wait for help to arrive to move the vehicle out of the intersection. We had to pay to replace the engine a total of $8,747.36 for a used engine. Now fearing for our son's safety we decided to sell the car at a loss and buy him something we can reply on and that won't put him in danger. Although Acura has recalled many engines, our VIN did not come up in that recall, however we have now been affected by the same issue many others had the recall performed on. I have all service records from our dealership to prove the condition. It is unacceptable that a Honda Engine would fail with 105,374 miles and all service work done at the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729385April 6, 2026
SUSPENSION, SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Air suspension/vehicle height Brake systems were taken away (adaptive cruise, anti collision and lane mitigation) Yes confirmed by dealer Yes Yes warning lights
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729168April 4, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Emission systems problem and parking brake problem lights came on simultaneously. Mechanic has not been able to figure out the problem Replaced vent valve
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729196April 4, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My 2017 Acura MDX unexpectedly shifts into neutral while I am driving, specifically when slowing down approaching stop signs. When this happens, the vehicle loses power and will not accelerate, creating a dangerous situation in traffic. I have to manually press the Drive button to put the vehicle back into gear while still on the road. This has happened multiple times without warning and no recall exists for this issue. This is a serious safety hazard because the vehicle can lose power in traffic or intersections.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729170April 4, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Incident 1 (Loss of Propulsion in Traffic) - 12/16/25 The vehicle failed to restart immediately after the auto start-stop system attempted to re-engage the engine. Upon attempting to accelerate, the engine did not restart, resulting in a complete loss of propulsion while in active traffic. The vehicle became temporarily inoperable and unresponsive, creating a hazardous condition with elevated risk of rear-end collision and inability to safely clear traffic or intersections. Incident 2 (Failure to Start – Reliability Concern) - 4/1/26 On a separate occasion, the vehicle failed to start entirely upon initial startup (first use of the day). The engine did not turn over as expected, rendering the vehicle inoperable. This incident raises significant concerns about system reliability and dependability, particularly given its occurrence independent of the auto start-stop event. Safety Concern: The first incident demonstrates a critical safety defect involving unexpected loss of propulsion in live traffic conditions. The second incident, while occurring at startup, indicates a broader pattern of failure affecting the vehicle’s ability to reliably start and operate. Together, these incidents suggest a potential defect in the starting/ignition or auto start-stop system that may compromise safe vehicle operation and increase the risk of crash or stranding.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728714April 2, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
My car has stalled while driving on the highway multiple times now. The first time it happened, it lost power, stopped accelerating, and cycled through multiple warning lights, causing a significant safety risk. I pulled over and it restarted within minutes. I took it to a repair shop and they could not find a problem with it, even with the codes provided. Nothing pointed to a solution. It happened two other times while I was driving my child on a highway where it lost acceleration and then kicked back in. Again, this post, a significant safety risk as always in a fast lane on a highway with my child cars behind me had to hit their brakes to avoid me after this incident. Other times it doesn’t lose power, yet it cycles through warning lights randomly. I took it to the dealer instead of a local shop. They texted me about items that should be fixed per an inspection, including struts and a battery replacement. Complete with a large bill just for diagnostics. Yet, nothing was found having to do with the main problem at hand. Losing power while driving. . My battery is less than six months old. I had it tested and it is fine. My vin is not listed in the recall, but, all of the symptoms match the other recalls of the same year make and model.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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