Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Acura MDX - part 1

When driving at highway speeds there randomly is a full loss of engine power for 3 to 5 seconds. Each time this has occurred I was on the highway and depressing the gas pedal further to either pass another car or because I'm driving up and incline. For several seconds the car looses all power and begins slowing. Traffic approaching rom behind may have to apply brakes. I am unsure whether it's the transmission disconnecting from the engine, or the engine dropping to idle speed, I have tried pressing the gas pedal further and also tried the paddle shifters to force a downshift, and neither has any effect. I have been to the dealer multiple times and they can't re-create the issue so they dismiss it.

See all problems of the 2016 Acura MDX 🔎.

While driving my 2020 Acura Mdx, the vehicle developed an intermittent check engine light and a noticeable engine knocking noise coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an Acura dealership for diagnosis. According to the certified Acura technician, no diagnostic trouble codes were found stored in the vehicle’s system. However, the technician confirmed there was an audible knocking noise present from the engine during inspection. The technician stated "no engine oil leaks found at this time. Engine. I did verify the noise that you are talking about far as knocking noise goes. Right now, it sounds like it's a lower end noise, possibly crank shaft related. Engine teardown would need to be in place to verify which cylinders are bad and to confirm if the bearing is gone or not. ". The vehicle has all service records, including routine oil changes at recommended intervals. The technician also confirmed that the vehicle had oil in it. The vehicle is not part of the existing recall, but the symptoms and description match the known crank shaft rod bearing issue.

See all problems of the 2020 Acura MDX 🔎.

Car engine turns off at a red light, by turn off I mean completely turned off, not just silent. And takes a couple of attempts to restart the car before the engine turns on again. This has happened over 5 or 6 times over the last 3 months, however yesterday (may 9, 2026) it happened twice within the hour. Luckily, I have not been involved in an accident because of this, but I'm concerned that it's easy to imagine a scenario where someone will be rear-ended. Please issue a safety recall for Acura to fix this issue.

See all problems of the 2025 Acura MDX 🔎.

A connecting rod bearing is failing in my 2014 Acura Mdx which could have led to complete engine failure while driving my family. Absolute auto center of berlin, CT confirmed the issue and noted that Acura has recalled 2016-2020 Mdx models due to connecting rod bearing defects but have not expanded the recall to include earlier model years that are also impacted. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to or during the issue, it was identified due to a loud knocking with the engine around 3-4,000 rpms.

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Last year, my 2025 Acura Mdx was repaired under warranty for a known starter issue that is affecting all 2025+ Mdx models. The issue is that the vehicle will stall or fail to start on random occasions leaving drivers stranded or stopped in traffic unable to move their vehicle. Honda and Acura are well aware of the fact that this is an issue, yet they continue to produce these vehicles with the same parts. This repair took several attempts and the dealership refused to even diagnose the issue for several months causing me to have to record each instance on my phone for proof. Once they eventually replaced the starter, the issue went away for approximately 10 months. Today, however, I was temporarily left stranded at a gas pump as my vehicle would not start. Honda and Acura dealerships are replacing these parts with the exact same part number, so the no-start condition comes back in about a year or less. It is incredibly dangerous to have a vehicle that you cannot move as anticipated, or if you’re in an area that you cannot leave or get away from potential danger because your vehicle won’t start. This is a less-than two-year-old vehicle that has now left me stranded on several occasions including in the middle of traffic on a motorway. I know for a fact that several other owners of the Acura Mdx are having the exact same issue and ask that you please launch an investigation into this as Honda is well aware of it and still refuses to address the blatant safety risk it poses to its customers.

While stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle had auto shut off normally. However when I released the brake and pushed the gas it unexpectedly stalled and shut off without warning. When attempting to restart the vehicle, it would not start again. There were no prior warning indicators or messages suggesting an imminent issue. This created a hazardous situation as the vehicle was disabled in an active traffic lane. After several attempts, the vehicle either restarted after having set the emergency brake. The failure appears to be sudden and without driver input, raising concerns about reliability and safety in traffic conditions.

The contact owns a 2016 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that upon start of the vehicle, the engine entered limp mode as a check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle failed to accelerate above 35 mph as the contact was forced to restart the vehicle. The vehicle resumed normal driving after restart and the contact called the dealer for an appointment. While driving the vehicle to the dealer, the failure returned as an abnormal, banging sound began to emit from the vehicle. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with rod bearing connector failure which resulted in engine failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA action number:pe25008(engine) which the contact linked to the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure where he was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall and was offered the chance to apply for a goodwill financial assistance for the repair of the engine. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the dealer's possession. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.

Vehicle is equipped with start stop system and we have had multiple instances where we come to a stop , and the car will not restart. In the latest instance, we pulled up to stoplight, the start stops system engaged shutting off the engine then wouldn't restart. Car also wouldn't turn completely off, so I had to hit the flashers at the busy intersection, try to get the car into park, then shut completely down, then restart the car. It also struggled to restart as if the battery was dying. In this instance most dash lights come on, but it appears to be an engine, electrical, and software issue. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer multiple times, and in once instance they said the issue was caused by a bad battery, mind you the car is slightly over a year old. This latest time, they claimed that the battery was good and no issues were found. This issue continues to put me and my family at risk by leaving us disabled in the middle of traffic especially when it has happened near exiting the freeway,.

I am reporting a serious safety defect involving repeated engine stalling and failure to restart associated with the auto idle stop/start system on a 2025 Acura Mdx. The vehicle was leased in December 2024. Beginning in late summer and early fall of 2025, the vehicle intermittently shut off at stops and failed to restart when releasing the brake. This resulted in the vehicle becoming unresponsive in active traffic conditions, creating a significant safety hazard. The vehicle was presented to an authorized dealer for this issue on multiple occasions: August 15, 2025 September 9, 2025 October 31, 2025 after repeated unsuccessful attempts to diagnose and repair the condition, the dealer ultimately replaced the starter on October 31, 2025. This repair did not permanently resolve the issue. In April 2026, the vehicle again began exhibiting hesitation and delayed engine restart following auto idle stop events. On April 30, 2026, the vehicle stalled again, demonstrating that the defect persists despite prior repair efforts. This condition is intermittent and unpredictable, which increases the risk, as the vehicle may fail to restart when entering or crossing intersections or when moving with traffic. The inability of the vehicle to reliably restart creates a clear safety concern. Given the repeated repair attempts and recurrence of the defect, this appears to be a systemic issue rather than an isolated component failure.

Engine stalls when at intersection and the engine cuts off at idle and fails to start back up when you remove your foot from the break. Can have keep lane assist enable. Klas mode narrow, you have to fight the wheel to maintain control of the vehicle, formal mode is a 50/50 chance it works, wide you can sift right off the road for 5-10 secs before to realize your off the road. Steer wheel control button intermittently fail and stop being able to control the midi instrument panel and infotainment system. I believe there is a systematic electrical issue in the car. They attempted to fix this by replacing a starter which hasn’t because the engine stalled at an intersection again and on cold start this morning 5/4 at the same intersection as this is by my girlfriends apartment.

The vehicle is designed to shut off at a stoplight and restart when your foot leaves the brake, or the steering wheel is moved. On multiple occasions, the vehicle turns itself off (typically at a red traffic light) only to not restart. Driver must manually put the vehicle into park, and try to restart it using the traditional push button (in traffic). This is horribly dangerous even if it takes just a few seconds to do. The Acura dealership maintains that there is nothing they can do. Simple internet searches indicate that it's a wider issue than my own vehicle, so I am reporting my issue to you.

Interstate driving 70mph. Sudden engine power loss, vehicle slowed to 50mph. Check engine light came on. Engine knocking noises. Drove car 2 miles to our Acura dealership. Service dept says we have rod bearing failure. Currently deciding how to proceed. . . Used or reman motor repalcement.

We have had multiple incidents when the car is at a stop light with the idle stop not active, the vehicle engine will just die. The light turns green and the vehicle is not running, it will take multiple times pushing the start button for it to start back up. This has resulted in multiple almost rear end incidents due to other drivers assuming we would go when light turned green. More recently this weekend on a trip from columbus OH to st. Louis mo; stopped to get gas east of indianapolis, after pumping gas the vehicle would not restart. It took multiple tries to get it to restart; this happened again the following day at a stop during the day at a shopping center, we ran in to get subs for lunch, came back out, would not start, I have a video of the sound and flashing lights but I can't upload a video here.

I was driving down the interstate, the engine started making noise, a saw big puff of blue smoke in the vehicle. Lost all power.

Emissions system failure warning power shifting / power shifting see dealer all wheel drive (awd) power may be reduced - see dealer.

See all problems of the 2022 Acura MDX 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph the engine seized. All the warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was due to NHTSA campaign number: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined there was an internal engine failure. The local dealer was contacted, where it was diagnosed that there was rod bearing and engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The claim was denied. The failure mileage was approximately 122,220.

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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.

See all problems of the 2018 Acura MDX 🔎.

My vehicles motor is internally destroying itself. The rod bearing has gone and the motor is none functional. The car only has 98k miles. I have gotten the oil changed every 3k-4k miles and used 0w-20 oil as the manufacturer desired. It seems as though there has been 1. 4million cars with this same issue as mine. I think a recall is in order. Oem new motor is $25. 7k.

When the auto start stop engages my car will shut down and then it takes a minute or two for it to restart. This has happened several times. I reported it to Acura previously and no action was taken. It’s difficult to replicate because it doesn’t happen every time. It’s unsafe and scary because it will happen at stop signs, or in traffic and with my children in the car. It just happened about 5 mins ago while in traffic and I remembered to report this.

My car has 39200. Miles Acura Mdx 2020 tech package. Has a rod knocking sound. There was a recall number 23v751000 that I was never notified about. I cant drive car under this vondition may harm engine further. Question is this recall still valid even if I was mot informed or does my cars Acura/Honda warranty covers repairs or replacement.

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.

See all problems of the 2019 Acura MDX 🔎.

My 2016 Acura Mdx (purchased new January 2016) has a confirmed failure of the 9-speed automatic transmission warmer (atf warmer), causing engine coolant and atf fluid to cross-contaminate. The failed warmer is still in the vehicle and available for inspection. In the last week of March 2026, I noticed the engine cooling fan continuing to run after shutting off the vehicle — an abnormal symptom that prompted me to bring the car in for service. No check engine or transmission warning lights were illuminated. On March 28, 2026, blue sky tire and auto (cumming, GA) performed a diagnostic inspection confirming coolant and atf cross-contamination. The technician also physically inspected the transmission warmer manufacturing date stamp, confirming it falls within the defective manufacturing date range identified in Acura service bulletin 17-009 (October 6, 2017), which states that improperly manufactured warmers allow coolant and atf to mix, potentially causing permanent engine and transmission damage. The vehicle has not been inspected by an Acura dealership for this failure. However, an american Honda customer relations case has been opened (case # xxx) with a case manager assigned to evaluate the warranty claim under the 10-year/unlimited mileage warranty extension issued by american Honda for this exact defect. This failure poses serious safety risks — loss of transmission lubrication can cause sudden transmission failure at speed, and coolant-atf mixing can cause engine overheating, both potentially resulting in loss of vehicle control. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Customer reports: - vehicle will not start - died while backing up and wouldn't restart - no warning in car and safety at risk as a result - towed car to auto mechanic who provided this information below check and advise: - found starter motor tries to crank the engine over but never completes more than a partial engine revolution during each starting attempt, using jumper packs do not help, fully charged and tested battery and found battery tests bad, installed tester battery for diagnostic purposes and found engine still wont crank, attempted to rotate engine via crank pulley bolt and pry bar and found engine will not rotate indicating engine is seized due to some sort of internal engine issue, suspect possible connecting rod bearing failure but cannot confirm without significant engine disassembly. - this issue (apparently its a widely known problem on this engine and there is an active recall campaign developing): Acura Mdx 2016 has a recall but my VIN # is not showing up in it. However, I strongly believe it is the same issue and Acura should expand their recall to include more vehicles, including my own.

The contact owns a 2025 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle bucked for approximately 3-seconds before the vehicle stalled. The hazards were activated, the vehicle was turned off, and the contact waited before restarting the vehicle. While restarting the vehicle, several warning lights quickly flashed, and the vehicle failed to exceed 4 mph while driving to the nearest parking lot. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact became aware of NHTSA campaign number: 25v031000 (fuel system, gasoline, electrical system); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000. The VIN was not available.

A rod bearing inside the engine failed and created metal shavings inside the engine. The vehicle has not been fixed yet, so it is available for inspection currently, but I will be having the engine replaced in the next 2 weeks. With the metal shavings inside the engine it could cause a catastrophic failure of the engine while driving at any point the dealer has inspected and diagnose it as a rod bearing failure I reached out to Acura customer service to make them aware and ask for assistance in reviewing for coverage in the ongoing recall, but since my vehicle was not manufactured in the plant covered under the recall, they are unable to help. I asked for a good will credit and after they conferred with the dealer they stated the failure was not due to a manufacturing defect, therefore they cannot help. There were no warning lamps or messages from the vehicle. The only symptom was a ticking sound, that got louder at higher rpms, coming from the front of the engine on the passenger side. I’ll also add that based on carfax report and our service records since we bought the vehicle, all recommended maintenance has been performed as recommended by the manufacturer.

Car stalls at idle. Auto idle does not allow engine to restart from stop. Creating dangerous situations when on highway traffic, traveling around town and more. 2025 Mdx, 21,000 miles Nov 2025 at 14,500 miles reported issue after experiencing intermittently for a few months. Filters replaced, software updated Dec 2025 issue still occurring battery replaced March 2026 issue still occurring starter being replaced technician at dealership did not seem confident that replacing the starter will remedy this issue.

My car shuts off when idling and goes into neutral when stopping at stop signs or yeilding in a rotary.

Engine has 97,000 miles and has been meticulously maintained with current rod bearing failure.

While driving my 2020 Acura Mdx a-spec at approximately 63,744 miles, the vehicle suddenly lost all engine power without warning while passing through a busy multi-lane intersection. The loss of propulsion prevented acceleration and forced us to coast across traffic lanes to reach the shoulder, creating a significant safety hazard. The engine would not restart. The vehicle was inspected on 3/17/2026 by lyle pearson Acura (boise, id). The dealership diagnosed catastrophic internal engine failure with the following findings: spun rod bearing in cylinder #6, excessive metal debris in the oil pan, and bearing seizure to the crankshaft. The technician stated the failure pattern is consistent with the rod-bearing defect described in Acura safety recall / service bulletin 24-001. Although my VIN is not currently included in the recall population, the confirmed failure mode matches the known defect. This suggests the issue may extend beyond currently identified vehicles that are included in Acura service bulletin 24-001 and NHTSA recall 23v-751. The vehicle has a salvage title from prior cosmetic damage only; no engine, drivetrain, or structural components were affected. The vehicle has been properly maintained with documented service history. This failure represents a serious safety risk due to sudden loss of power in active traffic conditions, increasing the risk of collision or injury. I request NHTSA review this incident to determine whether additional vehicles should be included in the recall and to assess the broader safety risk.

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.

2004 Mdx had digital screen problems where the screen remained black upon starting, which was hazardous as I couldn’t tell how fast I was going. After 3 visits to the dealership they identified the problem and fixed it also, in a separate instance, car stalled after trying to start up after stop signs or while waiting in traffic several times. Could have been rear ended or worse. Dealer replaced the starter at 30k miles. Still had the same issue after this and they say the car is fine.

See all problems of the 2024 Acura MDX 🔎.

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).

The motor through a misfire code and began making a noise while vehicle was sitting at a red light. Vehicle lost all power and had to be towed. Was quoted my the Acura dealership $9k. Main reason for addressing this concern is because numerous Acura j35 series motors have already been recalled for engine connecting rod issues. While this motor doesn't apparently fall under that recall, odd that it would essentially had the same issue, when it only had 136k miles and has been maintained to factory standards (or better).

The auto idle stop feature will kick in at red lights, shutting the engine down. However, every approximate 1 out of 10 times the engine and electrical system fully shut down when I try to start the car moving again. The car can then not be restarted for close to a minute. This results in not being able to move when the light turns green and is dangerous is heavy traffic areas.

There are times when my car comes to a stop shuts off ( auto off) then will not turn back on. This has happened numerous times. The dealers states that this a battery problem.