Table 1 shows one common power train related problems of the 2022 Acura MDX.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Power Train problems |
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.
The awd system failed and now its only fwd.
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.
My vehicle stopped handling as it usually had and I at a significant decrease in traction and slid off the road and slammed into a road sign. No injuries but significant damage to the vehicle. It seemed as though the all-wheel drive was not working. No warning lamps and computer system indicated that all four wheels were getting power. Took it to dealer and they confirmed that the all-wheel drive system has failed. Splines in the transfer case stripped and transmission needs to be replaced.
Please add me to the compliant pool. My transfer case/transmission went out - 2022, 80,000 miles. March 6, 2026 NHTSA campaign number: dp26001 open investigation all wheel drive allegation NHTSA action number: dp26001 components: power train opened from: March 6, 2026 – present summary the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition dated January 9, 2026, requesting an investigation into the loss of the optional all-wheel drive capability in model year (my) 2021-2023 Acura tlx and my 2022-2023 Acura Mdx vehicles. The petition contends that the interfacing splines between the transmission and the rear wheel drive power take off unit are failing. Failure of these splines prevents the transfer of drive power to the rear axle, making the vehicle front wheel drive only. The petition further alleges that this failure results in a reduction of vehicle directional control. The petitioner cites 48 complaints received by odi alleging the same failure. Odi will evaluate these complaints to determine if they are related to the failure cited in the petition and will conduct a technical review under 49 cfr part 552. This defect petition is being opened to evaluate whether to grant or deny the petition. The petition can be viewed at NHTSA. Gov under NHTSA number 11712885.
2022 Acura Mdx transfer case and transmission failure – spline shearing ?description of incident: I am reporting a catastrophic drivetrain failure on my 2022 Acura Mdx. This failure occurred at approximately 50,000 miles. The vehicle initially exhibited a leak at the front differential/transfer case gasket. Upon inspection by the dealership, it was confirmed that both the transfer case and the transmission require complete replacement. ?this failure matches the technical details in the recently opened NHTSA action number dp26001. The interfacing splines between the transmission and the power take-off unit (transfer case) have failed, which is a known defect currently under investigation. ?safety concern: this defect causes a sudden and unexpected loss of all-wheel-drive capability. This results in a significant reduction in vehicle directional control and traction, particularly in wet or slippery conditions, posing an unreasonable safety risk to myself and my family. This occurred well within the expected lifespan of a modern powertrain. ?resolution: the vehicle is currently undergoing a full transmission and transfer case replacement at the dealership under warranty.
The rear passenger door actuators have both failed. The rear hatch will not unlock using the touch button. We just received notice that our transmission/transfer case needs replacing. $13k for this.
The awd does not work on the vehicle. Multiple mechanics have been unable to diagnose any problems. We assume it has never worked until needed this season.
Driving on the interstate merging from a ramp to go into the highway , heard a loud bang and the car drivetrain started to wobble . Next noticed more torque in front wheels . Transfer case failed internally , all services done at the right mileage by dealer , transmission spline end got wiped out 66,000 miles on vehicle never was abused just going from point a to b.
My Acura service department notified me at my last oil change that they discovered (accidentally) my transmission / transfer case is damaged and is not transferring power to the rear wheels, rendering the vehicle as 2 wheel drive only. This requires a total replacement costing $16,000 +/-. My research indicates this is likely caused by a faulty splined shaft inside the transmission-transfer case assembly used in the early 2022 Mdx vehicles. The dashboard info system for sh-awd indicates that the car is in all wheel drive and there are no messages indicating a problem with the all wheel drive. This has not been a problem during non-snow or other slippery conditions, but recent storms have made this a major safety problem for me. The fact that the car sensing system does not detect this problem could cause serious driving danger for unsuspecting drivers. This also prevents Acura/Honda from acting on this issue publicly as owners of this vehicle have no way of knowing the problem exists until it is too late.
Catastrophic power take-off unit (ptu) and transmission spline failure on a 2022 Acura Mdx type-s vehicle. Had dangerous loss of traction and unexpected handling characteristics with rough shifting, rpm surges, sensor problem loss of power, delayed shifting with jerky ride, and a smell of burning oil or rubber, also would move into reverse and the drive letter "d" was blinking. The problem was confirmed by independent service center and it was inspected by the manufacturer. Messages indicating engine/transmission issues appeared on Jan 4, 2026; *transmission system problem. Paddle shifters not available. See your dealer. *emissions system problem. Power may be reduced. See your dealer. * transmission system problem. Avoid heavy acceleration and high speed. See your dealer. * awd all wheel drive system problem. Only the front wheels may be powered. See your dealer. Notes: (a. ) transmission system errors and infotainment warnings appeared upon concluding a round-trip 3,000+ miles from southern California to east texas and back home to yuma az. (b. ) after Honda motor CO gave a 75% goodwill offer to replace control box and valves, they indicated that the transmission also need to be replaced. Furthermore, they rescinded the 75% goodwill coverage which appears to be based solely on the incorrect assumption that third-party transmission repairs were performed and that the transmission was overfilled.
In January of 2026, when driving under normal conditions, the 2022 Acura Mdx made a loud clunking noise and power was temporarily disrupted. The vehicle had to be stopped on the side of the road as the clunking noise persisted. This occurred on a major highway and put the driver and passengers at risk as we had to quickly get to the shoulder. After inspecting the vehicle for any visible signs of damage we continued home without issues. Now, March of 2026, we took the car for routine service and was contacted by the dealership and informed the transfer case and transmission needed to be replaced. The dealership indicating they were in contact with Honda USA to see what they could do for us. A quick search of the internet revealed NHTSA dp26001, so we now know this issue has occurred on many Acura Mdx's of the same year. No warning lamps illuminated. We were unaware that the vehicle was running in 2erwd instead of 4wd. There were no warnings leading up to the event.
While driving in snow and in light rain noticed the Mdx pulling and slipping. I realized that only the front tires were trying to drive the vehicle which was causing the car to pull sideways and slip all over the road. I made an appointment with the Acura dealership and they found the transmission splines stripped out that drive the rear wheels. There was no warning lamps or indication that anything was broke other than very hard to drive in any kind of snow or rain. Talking with the dealer and looking online this seems to be happening to other Mdx s also. My car was fixed under the manufacturer warranty and the transmission and transfer case were replaced.
The component that malfunctioned was the transfer case, the vehicle was already repaired so an inspection isn't possible anymore. The vehicle behaved as normal until the accelerator was pressed enough to make the front wheels lose traction, in which the vehicle couldn't send power to the rear, because the transfer case was shredded up. When needing to accelerate quickly in traffic, the vehicle would completely spin up the front tires, not being able to put the power down. The dealer reproduced the problem, but initially stated that it was most likely due to the salt on the road (it was winter). As spring arrived, the problem still persisted, in which the dealer checked the transfer case and found it was shredded. They replaced the transmission and transfer case under warranty. There were no warning lights, but accelerating quickly would cause the car to spin up the front tires uncontrollably. In corners, this meant severe understeer that could be dangerous in the wrong circumstances.
The vehicle is experiencing a catastrophic mechanical failure of the transfer case/transmission splines, resulting in a 'loss of motive power. ' on two occasions while merging into high-speed highway traffic, the engine revved to high rpms, but the vehicle failed to accelerate for approximately 5 seconds (mechanical neutral drop). These incidents resulted in near-collisions. The vehicle also exhibits violent torque steer and unpredictable handling. The issue was initially reported to an authorized dealer at 70,320 miles but was misdiagnosed as 'no codes were present. ' subsequent inspection by a second dealer confirmed a mechanical failure of the drive splines. This is a purely mechanical failure that does not trigger dashboard warning lights or diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs), leaving the driver unaware of the impending drivetrain failure until power is lost. First signs of a problem: late August 2025 first loss of motive power incident: early October 2025 second loss of motive power incident: [xxx] initial dealer report: October 28, 2025 (metrowest Acura) confirmation video from Acura of boston: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
The transmission and transaxle malfunctioned. Evidence was a leak from the transaxle. The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was operating in 2wd mode even though it did not detect any issues from its onboard sensors, and the car thought it was still sending power to all 4 wheels. There were no warning lights that the vehicle was no longer driving in 4wd mode, so the driving dynamics would've been unexpected in conditions that 4wd would normally help, like rain and snow. Unexpectedly experienced tire spin in the rain, for example. The dealer confirmed that both the transmission and transaxle need to be replaced, under the powertrain warranty. The spline between the transaxle and transmission were worn, causing the transaxle to not spin the rear wheels.
When the vehicle decelerates—either from high speed or while already moving slowly—it frequently jerks just before coming to a complete stop. This issue is especially noticeable at very low speeds or during final braking, where the vehicle may lurch forward by a few inches unless the brakes are applied firmly. Despite multiple visits to the dealership, including transmission resets and software updates, the problem persists. The dealer has not provided a resolution or adequate follow-up. This behavior poses a serious safety risk, particularly in high-traffic areas where precise stopping is critical.
Upon normal highway driving a couple of months ago, began to notice shifting that was not smooth and rpm "surges" on hills despite constant throttle. Upon taking car to dealer, inspection revealed an internal spline failure between transmission and transfer case. Lead mechanic explained it was not the first he had seen of this model and that it was clearly internal and caused by a manufacturing and/or assembly defect. I caught the problem early enough to not have a complete car failure; however, left untreated, it would lead to a transmission failure. The remedy was a full transmission and transfer case replacement, with repair costs exceeding $13,000. Given car had 84,000 miles, it was not covered by 70,000 power train warranty from Acura. Pictures of parts below.
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.
The transfer case spline stripped preventing power to be sent to the rear wheels.
Acura headquarters USA 1919 torrence boulevard torrence, California 90501 mr. [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] email: [xxx] dear sir or madam, I am writing your company to the attention of whomever oversees the product development and design of the 2022 Acura Mdx and to warn them that certain system features and design flaws of this make and model vehicle will undoubtedly lead to the death of someone in the near future as was nearly the case with myself and spouse very recently. On Sunday [xxx], my spouse and I attended church services that morning. Fortunately, after services our Acura Mdx did start as usual, and we began our journey home. Upom arriving home, we backed our car into our garage and during that process thankfully I had the wits to unlock the passenger and driver side door mechanisms. Once we enteredthe garage and at thta point, our car went absolutely dead. Our car stayed dead for the next 5 1/2 hours. Had I not unlocked those doors, we would have been trapped inside for that duration of time, only to be found dead fron suffocation and asphysxiation from being in a car with all the windows rolled up, no power to the vehicle and no way to get out, while beingdeprived of oxygen. At that point, your manufactured vehicle became a death trap for us. We're the fortunate ones who lived through the experience and to be able to tell the story. Others may not be so lucky to tell theirs and there will be others. We wanted the manufacturer to understand the full implications of our letter and to stress in the strongest terms possible that this is a very serious matter that will eventually cost lives, as it nearly cost us ours. The vehicle in question is VIN# [xxx] and was last serviced at vandergriff Acura in arlington, texas on 6/13/2025 information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
We were at a stop sign. I went to hit the gas and then a warning flash on the screen that there is a problem with the rear axle of the all wheel drive and that it was switching to front drive only. During that 5-10 seconds we went through the intersection on creep mode, 2-5 mph max. I felt helpless. My wife has had it happen to her 2 times. My first experience was tonight and it could have been bad if there was a car on the road we were crossing.
Driving on highway car suddenly lost power check engine light came on. Was able to coast off to an exit on the highway. Car eventually unable to move. The car was towed to the dealer. The transmission and power take off unit was replaced.
Front driver wheel has started to spin when power applied from a stop or from a slow roll. Tires are in great condition, further research indicates that this is a typical issue between the transfer case and differential. Splines get stripped and the car essentially becomes 2 wheel drive. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
My transfer case went out at an unknown mileage with no indication on my dash that there was a failure. It converted the vehicle to front wheel drive while indicating it was still having the back wheel spinning on the all-wheel drive indicator on the dash. During a recent snowstorm, there were multiple instances when I pulled out from an intersection thinking I had good traction I'm pulled out and then my wheels started spinning almost causing an accident. I thought that was weird so I brought it to my local Acura dealer and explained what happened and they tested it and found that the transfer case splines were bad along with the splines that attached to the transmission. They replaced both the transmission and transfer case under warranty. No police or insurance representatives were involved as there were no accidents.
My vehicle has 80,000 miles. It has a popping sound when accelerating from stop. Dealership found metal chunks in the transmission and transfer case. Luckily I brought the problem to them before catastrophic failure while driving. Both are needing complete replacements.
Starting hearing issues late 24 of Mdx and tlx losing all-wheel-drive due to splines stripping between the transmission and transfer case. Had car thoroughly inspected and fluid samples taken in December of 24. In February on 25 with a frame rattling bang as I was pulling out onto a street, rear wheel drive went out at 64k. No warning lights and no indicators, dash showed all 4 tires pulling. Dealership verified system was stripped as rear tires were not turning. Also discovered connection between the two units failed allowing water to get in and wash all grease out around the spines. New transmission is two parts number newer than original and transfer case is one parts number newer than original. Also noted transmission and transfer case take less fluids than original. Car feels a lot tighter and smoother on shifting with new units.
While driving a 2022 Acura Mdx advance awd in snowy conditions, I noticed reduced traction and abnormal drivability. Dealer inspection confirmed a catastrophic failure: the front differential and transmission splines were stripped, causing the vehicle to operate in front-wheel drive only. The dealer verified the failure and documented it as a defect on the repair order. The vehicle was maintained exclusively at the dealership since new, and failure occurred at approximately 76,000 miles, outside the original powertrain warranty. There were no warning lights prior to the failure, but loss of awd in snowy conditions created a significant safety risk. This is a safety-relevant defect affecting traction and stability in adverse conditions.
Vehicle is 3 years old with 60k miles. Transfer case became defective under normal driving and with regular recommended maintenance. We did not know this occurred until a recent dealership visit for another issue. We do not know how long this has been an issue. When the transfer case malfunctioned, there were no warning lights and vehicle has been only functioning in front-wheel drive (designed to be awd) which is extremely dangerous during the midwestern winters as the weight of the rear of the vehicle leads to sway. Issue was detected by the dealership who states the fix is to replace the entire transmission and transfer case.
During a winter freeze event, the vehicle was unable to climb a slight incline despite being equipped with all-wheel drive. The rear wheels did not appear to be receiving power, and the vehicle experienced significant wheel slip under light throttle input. This occurred in normal driving conditions and was unexpected given the vehicle’s awd system. There were no warning lights, diagnostic messages, or fault indicators displayed on the instrument cluster at the time of the incident. The lack of any driver notification made it difficult to identify that the awd system was not functioning properly. After experiencing the issue, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership for inspection. The initial assessment did not identify a problem. However, after further review and comparison with a properly functioning vehicle, the dealership confirmed a failure within the sh-awd system. The affected components were replaced under warranty. The failed components should be available for inspection upon request. The safety concern stems from the absence of warning indicators combined with the loss of intended awd functionality. In low-traction conditions, the inability of the system to properly distribute power can increase the risk of loss of control, reduced acceleration capability, or inability to safely merge or climb inclines. No prior warning lamps or alerts were presented before the incident.
There were two major failures in my vehicle within a couple of weeks. The first was a lower ball joint failure. The passenger side lower control arm was replaced. The second major failure was the transfer case seal on the transmission failed and the transmission is being replaced. The vehicle has been serviced since its new purchase at Acura dealerships.
Many attempts in the last 5k miles made to diagnose unsafe uncomfortable front vibrations. Vehicle erratically shaking above 50mph. Returned vehicle to carmax (where vehicle purchased), and 3 separate individual Acura dealers made attempts. Rotated and rebalanced tires several times with a scan tool connected as a technician drove vehicle with no results finally Acura dealer an hour away from my home diagnosed faulty front transfer case pending anything further. Conveyed the shaft splines into transfer case and other end to transmission may be faulty, rounded out, and will report findings. After inspected, transmission output splines for shaft going to front transfer case have been found rounded out as well. Dealer reported this again under warranty and ordering transmission. Coming up on 30 days front transfer case, transmission, and possibility of further repairs. Compiling written documentation. Vehicle repair attempts at carmax newport news, va, southern Acura newport news, va, hall Acura virginia beach, va, and crown Acura richmond, va.
Transmission issue… grinding and not accelerating…. When it is at a stop and moving again . . Turning with accelerating. . It moves really slow.
I own a 2022 Mdx type-s. I recently read about complaints about tlx and Mdx models losing their awd system and only resulting to fwd. I was a victim of this in montana and it was a long fight with Acura / Honda to look at the problem. It was also very dangerous as I worked up in big sky and would rely on the awd system in snowy conditions. This system would always fail. After a long fight, they finally towed my vehicle back to salt lake city, where it was purchased from, and replaced a "sensor. ".
The vehicle makes noise while shifting from park to reverse to drive. Transmission fluid and oil fluid leaking while I had driven only 450 miles. Had reported the issue to the service department. They informed that since the engine is new it will take a while for the transmission gear to quiet it down. They can't find any leakage for the first two times when I brought the vehicle for them to inspect. Their service manager was able to identify the issue and assigned the technician to trace it down. My car is currently in their shop for the third time since I just purchased it on August 19th, 2021.
After 4 times of taking the vehicle to two dealerships for the same concerns, I am having the following problems with my vehicle at this time:: wind/whistling/whining noise heard while driving and has gone unresolved. The car consistently makes a whining/whistling noise when reaching speeds between 40-65mph and has been a known issue with this year make and model per documentation provided to me by the dealership.
A transmission error popped up on the car and the vehicle would not accelerate past a few miles per hour. The issue is happening intermittently and the dealer and Acura service claims it’s a random issue. A sign that says brake fault keeps popping up as well and it’s really scary to drive the car. Acura service said it’s normal and working as designed and there is no fix at the moment.
I purchased the new Mdx 2022 on may 27th 2021. On may 31st, while driving on the interstate 287 at 65mph, the car suddenly stop accelerating. When I pushed the gas pedal, the engine only revved up but the car continued to slow down. I pulled the car on the shoulder lane, shut the engine off and restarted. The problem continued. The dashboard had the warning sign "transmission system problem. Avoid heavy acceleration and high speed. See your dealer". It also showed the sign "emission system problem, power may be reduced. See your dealer". The problem occured on the busy interstate 287 in central jersey without any prior warning, on a brand new Mdx 2022. We were lucky since it was 11pm and we were in right lane, so could pull over the shoulder. In the online forums, I have found one more user with the similar problem. The Acura dealer has inspected the car and requested the transmission system change. The car has 1071 miles only and 4 days out of the dealer's parking lot.
Transmission failed right as I drove off the lot. The car initially started to jerk and then was revving to 7000rpms and would not speed up past 25mph. The car also stopped moving when I put it in reverse. When I tool it back to the lot within the hour, around 3 days later they told me the transmission failed ln the car. This was a brand new car and should not have happened.