Acura MDX

Where it stands out against its peers

• Lane departure: more complaints than 95% of 2016 cars — 4% of its 366 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 1%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ENGINE — 105 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash, 2 involving a fire
• POWER TRAIN — 61 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 14 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE — 13 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 10 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 9 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 8 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 6 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

62% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 12V063000

  AS A RESULT, FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE TANK, INCREASING THE RISK OF FIRE.

  HONDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VSF ASSEMBLY DATE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 13, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-999-1009.

• 13E040000

  If the trailer brake controller is not powered, when towing a trailer, longer stopping distances could be required, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Honda will notify owners and Acura dealers will correct the trailer hitch subharness wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 23, 2013. Owners may contact Acura Customer Service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this campaign is JB2.

• 13V571000

  If the drive shaft detaches while driving it could cause excessive noise and possibly damage the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the drive shaft attaching bolts as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 3, 2014. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 or visit their website at www.recalls.honda.com. Honda's recall number is JC8.

• 14V639000

  A seatbelt that does not function increases the risk of injury in a crash.

  Honda has notified owners, and dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belts, free of charge. The recall began in November 2014. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this recall is JK7 for the MKX, and JK8 for the RLX.

• 15V301000

  If the CMBS unexpectedly applies emergency braking force while driving, there is an increased risk of a crash.

  Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the CMBS software, free of charge. The recall began on July 6, 2015. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's numbers for this recall is JQ4, JQ5 and JQ6.

• 15V417000

  If a bolt was not coated, it may corrode and break as a result. If the bolt breaks, the compressor clutch plate may separate from the vehicle, possibly becoming a road hazard.

  Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolt and install a new clutch plate if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 7, 2015. Owners may contact Acura client relations at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this recall is JQ7.

• 16V417000

  A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

  Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda/Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. The recall began on July 29, 2016. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA9 (Honda vehicles) and KB0 (Acura vehicles).

• 18V221000

  In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the floor, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

  Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver seat frame assembly in Acura MDX vehicles, and replace the driver and front passenger seat slide rail frames in Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall is D0S, and T0T.

12 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• All wheel drive allegation

  Defect petition, opened March 2026, closed August 2026.

• Engine failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2025, still open.

• No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages

  Engineering analysis, opened March 2025, still open.

• Engine failure

  Recall query, opened November 2024, closed August 2025.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2015, still open.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Preliminary evaluation, opened June 2014, closed March 2015.

• Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment

  Preliminary evaluation, opened June 2013, closed January 2014.

• Vehicle Stability Assist Malfunction

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2013, closed March 2013.

• Ignition Interlock Failure - Rollaway

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2012, closed January 2013.

• Front coil spring breakage

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 2005, closed September 2005.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Acura filed 7 bulletins about the 2026 MDX.

• Electrical system: 4
• Engine: 2
• Fuel/propulsion system: 1

• Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System… · May 2026
• Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System… · April 2026
• Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System… · April 2026
• Tech Line Summary - The vehicle's infotainment system displays previously viewed SMS messages upon each ignition cycle, when the customer's Android phone is connected via Bluetooth. · April 2026
• Over The Air System Updates - Vehicles equipped with the System Updates application are capable of downloading and installing Over the Air System updates (OTA). A connection to a Wi-Fi network is… · April 2026
• Over the Air System Update - System updates contain upgrades that fix operational errors and/or provide a variety of enhancements, which adds new functionality. Information about the various software… · February 2026
• Tech Line - Customers may experience error code S001 with their audio unit. The vehicle may also have DTC B2B05-92 CAN Gateway error stored due to the dealership’s wi-fi settings. · August 2025

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.