Acura MDX Complaints (2017)

268 consumer complaints on file.

#11693912October 16, 2025
ENGINE
My 2017 Acura MDX with only 87,000 miles has suffered catastrophic engine failure. The vehicle has been properly maintained and all repairs recommended by the dealership where the performed since it was purchased new. While the dealership has confirmed the engine failure cause is exactly what is feared by the Recall Report 23V-751, Honda has refused to acknowledge their responsibility since my VIN does not fall within their "identified" inventory. The engine is currently at the dealership and will be maintained as evidence for the "to-be-filed" lawsuit that will be required to recover the repair costs. The engine seized while driving and had to maneuver the vehicle to a safe location. Had I been travelling on the highway at the time. the outcome would have been disastrous. The problem is described in detail in Recall Report 23V-251. There were no warning lights or issues other than a clunking sound the night before. I was driving to the dealership at the time the engine failure occurred.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693159October 13, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
The LKAS and Parking systems will randomly decide to cease functioning and express error messages. The car has not been in an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691608October 6, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
the camera keep going online/offline in a middle of a highway while I'm on cruise control LKAS, ACC, Camera, and ect warning lights keep coming on.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689105September 23, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The car has been experiencing roughness and shaking in reverse 50% of the time. Some times it shakes and jerks much more than other times, but either way it seems to be a common problem when searching forums and there doesn't seem to be any solution besides replacing the transmission. The dealership has recommended a full transmission replacement which costs more than the value of the car. There are no lights that come up, but the jerkiness in reverse seems dangerous and there's a chance that if it jerks at the wrong time it can cause an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686538September 11, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH on an interstate, the engine made an abnormal knocking sound, and the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart, but the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH, and the engine continued to make an abnormal knocking sound while driving. The contact drove to the nearest independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be serviced. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving out of State, which required the contact to stay in a hotel overnight. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, 500 miles away. The dealer determined that the cylinder #3 crankcase bearing had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to pay for the labor, while the contact would pay for the parts. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE25008 (Engine). The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685908September 9, 2025
ENGINE
On [XXX], while driving at approximately 50 mph on [XXX], the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of power accompanied by severe shuddering. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, including the check engine light. The vehicle would momentarily regain power before failing again. This created a significant safety hazard, as I was unable to maintain speed or accelerate safely in traffic. The vehicle was immediately taken to Team Gillman & then transferred to Sterling McCall Acura located at Houston, TX. The dealership diagnosed a catastrophic internal engine failure, originating from the bottom end, requiring a full engine replacement. The vehicle's mileage at the time of failure was approximately 142,250 miles. This critical failure occurred without any prior warning. I am aware of NHTSA Investigation Number ODI PE25008 regarding faulty connecting rods in certain Acura and Honda vehicles, which can lead to sudden engine failure. While my vehicle's VIN was not included in the initial recall population, its symptoms and failure mode are identical to those described in the investigation. I requested that Acura address this known defect through a goodwill repair, given the clear correlation to an ongoing federal safety investigation. This request was formally denied June 2025. Given that the NHTSA has expanded its investigation to include additional vehicles and model years, including that of my MDX, I am filing this complaint to ensure my vehicle and its specific failure data are included in the official NHTSA record. Urge the agency to compel American Honda Motor Co. to expand any subsequent recall to include my vehicle and others with identical failure patterns. The sudden nature of this engine failure presents an unacceptable safety risk to the driver, passengers, and the public. Thank you for your attention to this matter. 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
#11685265September 5, 2025
ENGINE
Crank shaft connecting-rod bearing I’m hearing knocking and stalling when driving especially when making a turn. I have been in que since March 2025
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683586August 28, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle hesitated before losing automotive power. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and the vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the local dealer needed to be contacted for assistance. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683330August 27, 2025
ENGINE
I took my car to get an oil change. When I left the dealership, I heard a rattle I turned around he told me to bring it back in the morning. I went back the very next morning and they told me my engine valves needed to be adjusted. It took them from Monday until Thursday to complete the work and when I picked it up on Thursday the same noise was occurring. I left it there, on Monday they asked if I could come ride with a technician on Tuesday. Technician heard the noise stated they will get it done it was the timing change. From Monday-Friday I went to retrieve my car and the same noise nothing change and I called and told. Took it back on Tuesday they told me it was a lower engine rod that I would need to replace my motor, later went to the store and the car never move out of park gear. Got it towed back to Acura and they wouldn’t help me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683535August 27, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
I was driving and all of the sudden I hear a pop and total engine failure. I was lucky to be traveling at 45 mph and could coast off the road safely. After the damage occurred the motor would not turn over again. I had it towed to Acura and they told me my motor was locked up and specifically that my camshaft bearing had failed. I asked about the recall and they said my vin was not selected for the damage therefore there was nothing they could do other than replace the motor at my expense. I have yet to repair this vehicle and it has been sitting untouched ever since it was towed back to my home.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11682930August 25, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Water has entered inner tail light causing it to stop working
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681618August 19, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for engine service, the mechanic discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy with the vehicle. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 135,316, however, the independent mechanic discovered that the actual mileage was 289,471.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678794August 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
I recently took my vehicle in for service due to a noise coming from the oil pan area. Upon further inspection from my mechanic is appears that my vehicle had metal shavings in the oil pan and seems to be related to the connecting rod bearing issue that a recall was issued for. Unfortunately my vehicle was not part of the recall for this issue and perhaps should be included in potential expanded recall. I was told by my mechanic that I would need to either buy a used motor or new motor however my concern with a used motor is that I could potentially have the same issue again and be dealing with engine failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678438August 5, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The front lane assist camera has failed internally and now the lane assist, forward collision and adaptive cruise control no longer work. This has been a known issue and has happened to other Acura MDXs. The warning lights are now coming on saying the vehicle had a brake system error. It also states that all systems related to this camera are inoperable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676235July 25, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. There was no warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was not provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened and immediately closed a case for the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 137,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675284July 22, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Hi, I have a 2017 Acura MDX. My Transmission Shifts to Neutral Unexpectedly. It happens when I'm driving. Most of the time it shifts back to Drive. Therefore, it never bothered me, it happened since I bough the car. It didn't happen often so I didn't think anything of it. However, lately it started to happen more often. Now when it shifts to Neutral it doesn't want to shift back do Drive. My concern happened when I was on a highway driving in a middle lane. I had to pull over and when it shifts to Neutral. When it shifts to Neutral you can't add gas and the vehicle starts slowing down. I received warning on my dashboard ((P))! - Electric Parking Brake Problem and (transition picture)- Emission System Problem came on. I turned the car off and then on. After, I turned on and Press D or R the car doesn't want to go forward or reverse. I have to turn the car off for about 15 min and then when I turn the car on and press Drive it drives without a problem. Recently, it started to happen more often. I happened to me today. I was on 2 line road on a left lane. My car stated to slow down. I was lucky nobody was on right lane, so I was able to change lanes and then I had to pull over and turn the car off. I waited 5 min turned the car on and it drove. I'm scared that I might not be as lucky as I was and get in an accident when the transmission shifts to neutral. My VIN is not on recall but there is a recall on 2016-2020 Acura MDX with same problem. 16V640/KC2 recall. I already contacted my dealer with no luck. They told me to contact Acura. I made a case # [XXX] with Acura. I was told they can't do anything and the bounce the ball again this time to NHTSA. Here I'm looking for help. My dealer found a Par 573 Safety Recall Report on NHTSA site. I love the car. I was hoping you can help me with this problem or maybe you can tell me who can help me. Thank You, [XXX] 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
#11671463July 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
On [XXX], while driving from Orlando, FL to Atlanta, GA, I experienced one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I was traveling on the freeway at approximately 80 MPH, in lane 3 or 4, when my vehicle suddenly began to hesitate and lose power without any warning. In that moment, fear and panic took over. Cars were flying past me, and I could feel my truck rapidly decelerating. I immediately turned on my hazard lights and began honking to alert other drivers, praying they would give me space to move over. Thankfully, I was able to carefully navigate across lanes and reach the far-left shoulder. Once I got into the acceleration/deceleration lane, the vehicle suddenly lurched forward and began accelerating again—completely on its own. I knew I couldn't risk staying on the road, so I exited at the next ramp and pulled into a gas station, still shaken. After refueling, I attempted to restart the truck, but it would no longer shift into Drive or Neutral. The truck was stuck in Park and completely inoperable. A roadside mechanic responded to my call for help and made several attempts to restore mobility, but nothing worked. I spent the evening stranded and alone, unsure of what to do next. The following day, [XXX], I had the vehicle towed to Honda South near Atlanta, GA. After inspection, I was informed that the issue was a complete transmission failure. In addition to needing a new transmission, the vehicle also required replacement of critical sub-assembly components, including the transmission control module (TCM). This situation was not just a mechanical failure—it was a serious safety event that put my life and the lives of others at risk. I’m still shaken by what happened and deeply concerned about how such a failure could occur so suddenly and without warning. 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
#11671407July 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
While travelling at highway speeds, I removed my foot from the accelerator to adjust speed for a lane change. When changing lanes and acceleration was then needed, there was no response from the engine for ~5 seconds. I depressed the accelerator several times with no response, which nearly caused an accident during the lane change. The engine did not stall. Eventually, the engine responded to the accelerator input. This has occurred multiple times under similar circumstances.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667009June 15, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Phone: [XXX] VIN: [XXX] Vehicle : 2017 Acura MDX Dealership: DCH Montclair Acura, Bloomfield NJ 07103 Warranty: Extended Warranty Active Previous Case No: [XXX] Subject : Formal Complaint-Dashboard Errors and Inadequate Warranty Support Dear Acura Client Relations, I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding ongoing dashboard error messages in my 2017 Acura MDX and the poor handling of the situation by both your Customer service and DCH Montclair Acura in Bloomfield, NJ. The errors occur intermittently during my work commute. When I contacted customer service, I was told by Case Manager (Andrew) on [XXX] @ [XXX] pm that nothing could be done unless I brought the vehicle in while the warning lights were actively on. This is unrealistic and dismissive. It is not always possible or safe to divert immediately to a dealership and I do not believe that Acura expects its customers to drive around hoping a warning light stays on long enough to be seen by a technician. I understand that modern vehicles like the MDX store fault codes even after warning lights disappear. That Is the purpose of diagnostic equipment. Denying a warranty repair based on whether a technician witnessed an error live undermines the value of the extended warranty i paid for raises serious concerns about safety and accountability. I plan to visit DCH Montclair and attempt to schedule an appointment in advance. I expect a full diagnostic scan to be performed, with no fee applied unless the issue is clearly outside of warranty. I am requesting the following: A complete diagnostic of stored fault codes, regardless of whether the dashboard errors are active at the time of service. Full written documentation of the findings and action taken A clear explanation of any charges and why they would apply under my extended warranty. If this matter is not resolved appropriately, I will escalate it through the BBB 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
#11666861June 13, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was driving on the road and an electronic parking error light came up, along with emissions error. I pulled over to the side and I could not start the vehicle and the gears won’t shift
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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