Electrical System Problems of Acura MDX - part 1

I was at a red light. My auto idle kicked in. I went to turn it off and either simultaneously or right before I hit the idle off button my car stalled. It took several attempts to turn back on and a bunch of codes threw. I almost got rear ended. This is a known problem. Ive contacted Acura / Honda via email as well.

This has happend twice in the past 2 months, I came to a red light and the auto stop/start engaged automatically. When the light turned green and the vehicle was supposed to engage it turned off completely, all lights on the dash came on and it and wouldn't restart. Had to open the drivers side door and try to restart the vehicle, it restarted after a few tries. Very dangerous intersection I was stuck in. I have informed Acura of both occasions, they tested the battery cells and confirmed the battery was okay, was told this is a "known" issue with no resolve.

Since the purchase of my Acura Mdx 2019, the following problems have been reported to the dealership and to Honda manufacturing inc. Without any resolution. The dealer shop has replaced recall parts, but the problems persist and have not gone away. The vehicle stalls and stops working while driving. The engine makes knocking/rattling noises upon becoming disabled while driving. The engine would randomly not start when turning it on. When car becomes disabled the dashboard lights up warning lights displaying messages intermittently of the following problems: anti-lock brake system problem (abs), vehicle stability assist (vsa), hill start assist, trailer stability assist, collision mitigation system, road departure mitigation system, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, brake system, brake hold system, electric parking brake, sh-awd, keyless start system and power steering system (eps) problems, while displaying acc and lwks codes. Additionally, the vehicle runs improperly and shuts down completely making the window, doors, etc, inoperable while passengers are inside locking me in and my entire family for long periods of time. A few times has left me either myself or with my children and dog inside. The only place where I take my car for services is where I purchased it (chevy chase Acura). The issues noted are the same reported by the recalls I have received, and I have not taken it somewhere else because of that reason. Nobody can fix them as the problems are manufacturing issues that even Acura/Honda cannot repair. This safety defect can kill or seriously injure me, my passengers, and other drivers on the road. As noted in one of the many recalls the fuel pump defect can cause the vehicle to stop in the highway and could prevent an engine from starting or cause a vehicle to stall while being driven, it potentially increases the risk of a fire, crash, or injury. My car continues to have these issues and nobody is helping me. Please help!.

See all problems of the 2019 Acura MDX 🔎.

As I was turning right (slowly accelerating from a complete stop) into a shopping center parking lot, I was entering into the lane behind a vehicle that had just passed in front of me (and was headed in the same direction I was going to turn). My 2022 Acura Mdx low speed braking control system engaged for no reason. The breaks slammed hard bringing the car to a hard, sudden stop, and I thought I had been rear-ended by the car behind me. I pressed the gas slowly again and was able to pull into a parking spot and checked my back bumper…perfectly fine! I googled the issues I experienced and found this is a common problem! this is a dangerous problem! please hold Acura accountable to fix this issue! for now, I have to remember to turn this low speed braking control system off every time I power on my Mdx! I am now scared to drive my car!.

See all problems of the 2022 Acura MDX 🔎.

Turned on my car last night and many lights appeared including emissions system problem, electronic brake problem and sh-awd malfunctioning. All the lights came on at once. According to forums, this is happening with many Acura rdx, Mdx models and manufacturer does not have a clear way to repair or resolve the issue. My car has had all the routine maintenance and is scheduled for the 2 recalls to be repaired next week.

The start/stop switch stalls the vehicle and will not restart after several tries for up to 5 minutes. We get a message during this time to "continue to drive, depress brake pedal and push switch" and even after then it still will not start for several tries. This has happened several times. One time my wife was on a heavily traveled two lane farm road at a four-way stop and it did it and was almost hit by 18 wheelers trying to navigate around her. This was not only a safety issue for her but also those trying to get around her with all the traffic coming in all direction. Took back to the dealer but it did not do it while they tried to recreate the issue. No warnings prior to the issue of dying and not re-starting. This was the latest occurrence, it had happened a couple of times before.

See all problems of the 2024 Acura MDX 🔎.

Electric parking break and emissions light keep popping up. They says it’s the catalytic converter many people having the same issue.

See all problems of the 2020 Acura MDX 🔎.

The roof sunshade motor has failed. It is a known issue with TSB 23-013.

The power and motor on the moonroof and sunshade has failed multiple times in the first year of owning the car.

2025 Acura Mdx aspec advanced - experienced 3 instances of failure to restart after engine idle shutoff or normal shutoff. Periodically starting the vehicle makes a buzzing or resistance type of sound, but usually will start. 1) 8/8/2025 returning from shopping turned off vehicle in driveway to open hatch to unload items. Upon re-entering the vehicle (~5 mins) the push start failed to start - engine sounded sluggish first attempt and failed to start. Subsequent button presses just made a clicking sound. Had to fully turn off vehicle and back on and it started. 2) 10/10/2025 returning from a wedding and getting off the expressway to a traffic light the auto stop/idle stop turned off the engine. Once the light turned green the vehicle failed to restart multiple times. Had to fully turn off vehicle and back on to get it to start 3) 10/30/2025 after parking for shopping, upon returning to the vehicle it failed to start from off. Any subsequent repress of the start button would make a click and starter failed to engage. After turning off vehicle and back on it started vehicle was taken to dealership and notified of issues - they checked the battery and it was fine, no trouble found.

When the auto idle stop system is enabled my Acura will shut down completely when the vehicle comes to a complete stop and the idle stop system will not reengage as it should when your foot comes off the brake and the car shuts completely off and goes into park. This has happened 3 times, the last one occurring on a very busy highway, and I'm thankful I wasn't rear ended by the car behind me. Traffic had to go around me which caused quite a hazard pulling out into a fast moving lane. It finally responded, restarted and I was able to move forward. It was taken into the dealership and they weren't able to recreate the occurrence for the short time that they had it (one week). There was no warning prior to failure. I have called Acura client relations and they turned it over to their management team, gave me a case number and I haven't heard from them as of this complaint. Reading your website I see many others having and reporting this same dangerous experience with their 2025 Acura Mdx.

There was an active recall on this car from Acura for the auto start system malfunctioning. When the car auto stops at a signal or stop sign it does not turn back on sometimes. We took the car to Acura 3 times for the same issue and they keep saying that it is fixed but the recall was never fixed. This is highly dangerous in traffic situations when the car does not turn back on when you take your foot off the brake.

The front camera failure. Needs replacement. Camera apparently is used for the acc , lane departure assistance.

See all problems of the 2018 Acura MDX 🔎.

When driving and the stopping the auto start/stop feature does not rengage and the car places itself in park and becomes disabled and difficult to restart. When driving on a major highway when I was in traffic the car shut down, put itself into park and would not restart upon removing my foot from the brake. It then gave numerous error messages and would not respond to any commands. Traffic started moving and cars were then needing to go around my disabled vehicle. It finally responded to me trying to restart it. We had the car checked the week before it happened due to it being slow to re-engage when the auto start stop would be used. The dealership reported that there was nothing wrong. Brought it back after is was disabled on the highway for 5 minutes and they are still saying there is nothing wrong if they do not see it happen themselves. It is a danger to drive.

On 9/12/2025 driving on the highway in stop and go traffic, the idle stop feature engaged, but the engine would not restart upon taking foot off break. Put vehicle into park and held start/stop button for couple seconds to turn off, then was able to restart vehicle by pushing start button. Couple days later went to start vehicle while parked and accessories came on, but engine wouldn’t start. After a few attempts, got vehicle to start.

See all problems of the 2016 Acura MDX 🔎.

Loss of power steering and braking assist reduced. My spouse was driving our 2023 Mdx approximately 45mph when she ran over a recessed manhole cover which created a bump. The Mdx lossed power steering and brake performance reduced. The vehicle was very difficult to turn at that point. The car began to cycle through errors that would not clear until the car's engine could be stopped and restarted: hill start assist problem, trailer stability assist problem, adaptive cruise control problem, lane keeping assist problem, collision mitigation braking system problem, road departure mitigation system problem, low speed braking system problem, electrical power steering system problem steering assist is not available do not drive, awd system problem front wheels may only be powered, brake system problem brake performance may be reduced. All these errors said see your dealer. We took the vehicle in to our local Acura dealer's service department 2 times over the course of 3 days. Both times diagnostics were ran and the car was deemed without problem. The Mdx's alignment was ok as well, so the impact of the road hazard was not severe.

See all problems of the 2023 Acura MDX 🔎.

While driving in traffic, my vehicle suddenly shut down without warning. The engine stalled, and I lost power to steering and braking, creating a serious safety risk for myself and other drivers around me. The problem has occurred more than three time. At the time of the failure, there were no warning lamps a message display showing to continue to drive depress brake pedal and push switch there was no check engine light showing. I had to shut the whole car off open the door and re start the car. The issue has been inspected on 08-13-25 by a Acura dealer / mechanic. I was told it was the battery and it was covered under warranty. They found no other issues. The car shut down on me again on 08-19-25 and on 08-30-25 with my family in the car. This unexpected shutdown placed me in danger of a potential collision, and I am concerned that this may indicate a larger defect affecting this vehicle. I can get a receipt from the Acura service department if needed.

The contact owns a 2018 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with the engine auto start-stop feature. The contact stated that while at a complete stop and releasing the brake pedal, the engine failed to restart. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart. The contact then noticed that the gear shift indicator displayed that the transmission was in neutral(n). The contact shifted to park(p) and was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring, almost causing the vehicle to be rear-ended. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and recommended a diagnostic testing to determine the cause of the failure, but the contact declined due to the cost. The contact stated that the starter was previously replaced under an unknown recall, which the contact related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

On Aug 8th at 3:32pm (81f and sunny), I stopped at a red light with the auto idle engine feature on. When I lifted my foot off the brake to drive the car, the car shifted into neutral and completely shut down and would not restart immediately. I attempted approximately 8 times to restart the car for 3 minutes before it successfully restarted. This poses a significant safety hazard for myself, my children, and others on the road. This is the 6th time this has happened and I have previously filed a NHTSA report # 11533671 with the same issue. Acura has been unable to diagnose and recreate the problem and is refusing to do any further work. It has been brought into their dealership on 3 separate occasions (July 2023, September 2024, August 2025). Prior to this occurring, there were no warning symbols, the car started fine without issue, and the battery has been checked and confirmed in working order.

I was driving my car on the interstate and momentarily stopped due to traffic congestion. My engine idle stop feature was on and engaged as expected for the short stop, but the vehicle then stalled when I attempted to drive. There seemed to be an electrical issue with various lights coming on the dash to indicate a problem. I could not get the car to restart and was stuck in the left lane with cars then going around my stalled vehicle. I called 911 for help after I could not restart the car after 3 attempts. After approximately 5 minutes, I pressed the ignition button again, and this time my car was able to restart and drive normally so that I could exit the highway.

I own a 2020 Acura Mdx. On two separate occasions, the auto engine idle stop system failed to operate while depressing the accelerator pedal while at a stop. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle shuts off and the I had to manually restart the vehicle after the failure. I have not contacted the dealer yet but based on what I have found here I am not the only one that this is happening too. It is awful to be stopped in rush hour traffic and having people honking at me and potentially be the cause of an accident. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000 and 38,000 miles.

The contact owns a 2005 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vsa (vehicle stability assist) warning light illuminated. The contact pulled to the side of the road and turned off the engine. After several attempts, the vehicle was able to restart. However, the failure recurred a short distance afterward. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the og sensor and the pmp sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure is worsening and the 4wd warning light would be on all the time.  most recently, the contact stated that while driving at a slow speed and coming up to a traffic signal light, the vehicle downshifted and almost stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was pending repairs for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

See all problems of the 2005 Acura MDX 🔎.

Vehicle is getting errors for emssions controls, parking brake, and sh-awd system faults all at the same time. Car will still function normally and codes will go off and come back intermittently. Also while reading the codes it will get a u3006-16 code for low voltage on the ecm. Confirmed battery is good under load test and alternator is charging at 14. 2 volts.

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.

See all problems of the 2017 Acura MDX 🔎.

On [xxx] I headed out for an event. I had been driving for 8 minutes when I lost the ability to steer, the brake, tsa, and steering system warning lights flashed on the dashboard and I immediately turned onto a side street. One message stated to contact dealership immediately, do not drive. The car was towed to mungenast st louis Acura. It was scheduled for service on Monday, June 23, already, so this was perfect. It was determined the battery failed. My concern is that prior to this event the vehicle's warning system gave no indication the battery needed attention, was low in power, or anything else related to the battery. I was on a busy street however, this event could have been very much different had I decided to take the highway to my event. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The car sometimes brakes on its own, and sometimes it brakes more or less than normal. Also, sometimes when I try to turn it on, it struggles to do so.

The car alarm started going off randomly after the car was locked and armed. This would happen periodically. The car was locked using the indoor lock and then left unlocked and the lights would go off and on periodically. The internal dash periodically would flicker off and on (dash lights/screens). The car eventually drained the battery one night cycling down to 4. 25v and had to be replaced (it was too damaged to be jumped). Upon replacing the battery codes were read, cleared and the car driven. The alarm and light issue came back, and the hood latch was disconnected. This stopped the alarm, but after rain events or humid days the lights would still come on (as if someone unlocked the car or walked up with the key) and the dash lights would occasionally flicker. The wireless control unit was removed and inspected and dendritic growth was noticed on one location of the board. This was cleaned with alcohol and this has appeared to solve the issue so far. The part of the board with the growth is not sealed and looks like it is right on the edge of the factory sealing.

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.

I am writing to formally express my concern regarding a recurring issue with the auto start/stop feature in my 2020 Acura Mdx. This feature, which is intended to improve fuel efficiency, has instead caused unexpected and unsafe engine shutoffs while the vehicle is in operation. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has failed to restart promptly after the engine shuts off at a stoplight or in traffic, creating a serious safety hazard. The delay or failure to restart can leave the car temporarily disabled in active traffic, placing both myself and other drivers at risk.

The contact owns a 2020 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that on three separate occasions, the auto engine idle stop system failed to operate while depressing the accelerator pedal while at a stop. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle shut off and the contact had to manually restart the vehicle after the failure. The contact called and informed the dealer of the failure. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer for assistance with the repair. The contact was provided a case number and referred to the dealer to order the part for the repair. The contact made multiple attempts to reach the dealer but had not received a response. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.

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).

I purchased the vehicle March of 2025. Since I have been to the dealership on multiple occasions. I was there less than a week after purchase because there was a noise coming from the front tire the dealership balanced the tire. The noise was still there so I returned and the next time they replaced the front wheel bearings. I still have issues with the steering wheel shaking so they replaced all 4 tires. The problem still persists but they don’t know why. The car feels unsafe to drive especially on the highway and in rain. I have had the recall for the brake pin assembly addressed and fixed. I also have issues with the audio shutting off or not responding the dealer did a hard reset and an update to the software that has not resolved the issue. The car would turn off at random times and struggle to turn back on when the idle shut off was activated. The dealer replaced the starter. I have had issues with the car randomly braking when there is nothing in front of me and other safety features either not working at all or working when not needed. Dealer advised it was a faulty battery and replaced it. I currently am still having shaking with loud noises especially at higher speed. The engine is very hesitant when accelerating and I struggle to merge onto the highway. It is also extremely jerky at lower gears and its most noticeable in stop go traffic. The brakes are squealing already and the mileage is low. I also sometimes need to press the brakes hard to even stop. The screen often goes black or will not connect to anything and I am unable to see directions or hear music. I feel extremely unsafe in this car and have anxiety every time I need to have anyone in the car with me.

Vehicle will suddenly shut the engine off and shift into park, even when the auto engine shut off is not active. Typically happens when stopped at a stop light. You will feel the engine shut off, and the car shift into park. It is very scary and unsafe. It has also caused the vehicle to shut off and shift into neutral while it was moving, and the vehicle gave a transmission warning. It sounds very similar to NHTSA recall 25v-031, however, my vehicle was not included in the recall as it is not a type s. I took it to the dealership and they said that Acura has opened an investigation due to the number of complaints, but there is no solution yet. I have not other option but to dry the vehicle, but I am worried that it is unsafe and not good for the vehicle to keep stalling the way it is.

Lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning all stopped working and received error codes. Dealership stated camera was faulty and needed to be replaced at my cost. Continued issues with electrical systems where the car alarm will go off intermittently, and vehicle will not lock unless manually locking. Dealership stated Smart control unit needs to also be replaced at my cost. Part number for control unit #38320 was issued by Honda motor company service bulletin 21-055 for their Honda ridgeline. Acura dealer will not honor since part number does not specify Acura. Part issued in service bulletin is 38320-t6z-a11 (Honda ridgeline) part needed to be replaced by Acura is 38320-trx-a11. Other service bulletins related to original issues: 20-015, 19-005, 23-008, and 24-022 and safety recall report 23v-751. Dealership is still placing responsibility of repair of defective parts on car owner.

The contact owns a 2024 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving approximately 10-15 mph and coming off an off-ramp, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact noticed that the instrument panel had flashed red. The contact called for aaa roadside assistance. The contact stated that aaa roadside assistance arrived on the scene and inspected the vehicle and became aware of corrosion on the copper wire terminal connected to the battery. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,000.