Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Acura MDX - part 1

The contact owned a 2018 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while driving at 30 mph, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to several dealers but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

See all problems of the 2018 Acura MDX 🔎.

While driving on the freeway with my children, the vehicle started to shake and the emission system problem, transmission system problem and blind spot problem lights came on. The safety of myself and children were at risk due to being on the freeway and having to pull over on the side of the road. There were zero signs leading to this.

See all problems of the 2016 Acura MDX 🔎.

I own a 2020 Acura Mdx. The auto engine idle stop system failed to operate while depressing the accelerator pedal while at a stoplight. The vehicle shifted automatically to neutral and would not let me switch to drive. I just recently purchased this car (less than two weeks). Based on what I see online and all the complaints on here , this is a known issue. However when I contacted my local Acura they acted as if they never heard of this issue and they want to diagnose my car at my expense. The mileage on my vehicle is between 31,000 and 32,000. I purchased this vehicle to accommodate my newborn granddaughter. Now, I don't feel like its the safe vehicle its advertised to be. This is a very dangerous thing that is happening, how many complaints need to be submitted before the manufacturer is held accountable.

See all problems of the 2020 Acura MDX 🔎.

The contact's relative owns a 2020 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving approximately 25-30 mph, the check engine warning light started flashing, and the vehicle stalled and lost electrical function. The contact stated that the vehicle was only able to be locked manually, and the windows failed to roll up as intended. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was in the process of being towed. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the earliest availability for a diagnostic test was in 7 days. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

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.

1. The car accelerates by intself. The accelaration is like "hiccups". When reversing and changing to d gear, it takes longer than usual for the accelarion to take effect. Yes, car is available for inspections 2. It is dangerus because it gets the hiccups even at high speeds. If it is a serious egine problem, which seems like it is, could cause an accident. 3. The car was taken to the dealership for 3 recalls but it got worse after the recalls were fixed. Supposedly the recalls were supposed to fix the issues. We have not taken it back yet. 4. There is no lights or warnings when it does it.

Many times, when I drove the car on the road leaving the stop sign and it lost power or hesitated to go.

Idle stop causing engine to shut down. This has happened three times! it’s very dangerous.

The contact owns a 2020 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that on several occasions, while coming to a stoplight, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, there was loud popping noise coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the connecting rod inside cylinder #2 had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,311.

Connecting rod bearing failure confirmed by independent mechanic. No alerts or warning lights. Problem just showed up and engine started knocking on acceleration.

The contact owns a 2016 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, there were several unknown warning lights flashing on the instrument cluster. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was coasted over to the side of the road; however, while attempting to shift into park(p), the transmission was unable to be shifted into park(p). The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

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.

My 2023 Acura (VIN# [xxx] ) has experienced two separate incidents of sudden, total power loss while driving. In both cases, all dashboard warning lights came on, including the brake light, and the vehicle reduced speed to 20 mph and would not accelerate. The first incident occurred while I was driving on a 55 mph expressway, creating a major safety hazard. I had to maneuver to safety in high-speed traffic. The second incident occurred under similar conditions. The dealer has been unable to resolve the issue. I am filing this report to document the safety risk for investigation. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2023 Acura MDX 🔎.

The engine suddenly shut off when the vehicle was waiting for traffic light and at full stop. The vehicle would not restart after multiple attempts and had to be towed to dealership. Mechanic at the dealership said the "idle stop" feature can drain the battery quickly and had to replace a new battery. We consider this a reportable safety hazard and a potential design defect because 1. The "idle stop" feature is turned on by default, though it can be manually turned off. 2. The incident occurred in a very abrupt and unpredictable fashion. The vehicle was started normally about 30-40 minutes before the incidents and has been driven normally in a typical city traffic condition till the incidents occurred. During this period, the computer system did not give off any warning related to a total battery failure.

See all problems of the 2022 Acura MDX 🔎.

The contact owns a 2002 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while driving at 10 mph, the vehicle stalled while driving on an incline with the service and check warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The contact heard a grinding noise when the contact started the vehicle and attempted to shift gears. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The mechanic suggested that the failure could be attributed to a water pump failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,722.

See all problems of the 2002 Acura MDX 🔎.

The auto start/stop system failed to restart at a stop light. This was an issue on the older Mdx and tlx vehicles with the 3. 5l v6 which resulted in a large recall. The recall has not been extended to cover the 2025 Mdx and the dealership is refusing to fix the issue or acknowledge it despite having a video to prove it occurred. Acura is knowingly selling these vehicles with a dangerous safety defect that will occur at random. Please consider investigating this matter further as I am concerned for my safety and the safety of my passengers.

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.

While driving on the highway this vehicle shifted into neutral and lost power. Once pulled to the side of the road, the vehicle was able to be turned off and re started. This happened to my teenage daughter without warning.

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.

On Sunday, while driving approximately 70 mph on the highway with my two young children in the car, the check engine light began flashing, the vehicle suddenly lost power, and would not accelerate past 60 mph. The engine then began producing loud clanking or knocking noises. I pulled over as quickly as I could and had the vehicle towed to my local Acura dealership. The technician who inspected the vehicle indicated it is in the early stages of catastrophic engine failure—likely due to a spun rod bearing. These symptoms are nearly identical to those described in NHTSA recall 23v751000, which addresses rod bearing failure, sudden loss of power, and potential engine seizure in certain Acura models. A less severe version of this issue occurred a few days earlier, on Thursday, also while driving on the highway. The check engine light began flashing and the vehicle experienced a noticeable loss of power. I pulled over and restarted the vehicle, and that resolved the issue. I drove the vehicle multiple times—including on the highway—between Thursday and Sunday with no further issues until the much more severe failure occurred. Despite the clear safety concerns—and the fact that both incidents closely mirror the description in recall 23v751000—my VIN is not currently included in the recall. The vehicle has fewer than 90,000 miles and has been maintained exclusively at Acura dealerships. I’ve reported this to Acura, and my case has been escalated for internal review. An Acura representative encouraged me to contact NHTSA directly, as your agency is responsible for determining whether the scope of the recall should be expanded. This is a serious safety issue that occurred without warning—at highway speeds, with children in the car – and put my family at risk. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate and consider expanding recall 23v751000 to include similarly affected vehicles like mine. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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.

See all problems of the 2019 Acura MDX 🔎.

Catastrophic engine failure occurred while driving on July 4, 2025, resulting in the car briefly stopping at 60mph skidding tires on I-70 (a major highway in colorado), then tires unlocked and now engine moving again but with a check engine light, and acceleration was sluggish. It freaked out the family and we pulled over at the next exit to find the engine was knocking like crazy. No injuries occurred, but the sudden engine failure while driving created a serious safety hazard. Complete loss of power could have resulted in accident if this had occurred in traffic, on highway, or during emergency maneuver. We later found out engine the rod bearing failed on cylinder 4 and shattered in several pieces. We took it to both independent auto repair shop, then the dealer, both confirmed rod bearing problem, and engine replacement now required. Dealer is quoting us $24000. Failure was due to connecting rod bearing failure - a known defect currently under NHTSA investigation rq24-013. This failure is consistent with NHTSA investigation rq24-013 covering connecting rod bearing failures in 1. 4 million Honda/Acura vehicles including 2016 Mdx. The failure appears related to unaddressed atf warmer defect covered under Acura's kg9 warranty extension (service bulletin 17-026) that compromised cooling system in December 2024, leading to thermal stress and bearing failure. Acura was aware this defect was serious enough to warrant 10-year unlimited mileage warranty coverage but failed to honor it. We had the car serviced June 25th 2025 at the dealer just 9 days prior to the July 4th 2025 incident for its regular maintenance oil change, brake fluid flush, and valve adjustment.

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.

See all problems of the 2017 Acura MDX 🔎.

Driving on freeway at 65mph and check engine light flashed as vehicle started to studder and turned off while driving. Vehicle would not even try to start afterwards. Vehicle got towed off freeway to my home. I continued to try to start, it sounded like a bad starter or dead battery, so I charged the battery and got the vehicle to crank and start. Engine was knocking and squealing and pinging. Immediately turned off and did some research. Found out about recall and my engine is not on it . I found a local shop and had it towed there. It ended up being a bad rod/bearing in the engine. I had to have the engine replaced.

My 2019 Acura Mdx which was owned for less than two years, broke down due to a transmission failure. The vehicle had an open recall (one of many recent) delayed by Acura for months, which research shows can cause engine and transmission damage. Acura of reno denied the recall link and misattributed the failure to “incorrect fluid,” despite admitting the fluid was correct to myself and other businesses. I believe this breakdown was directly related to the open recall and request an investigation into Acura’s handling of these failures. There have been many legal cases against Acura regarding this matter previously.

The contact owns a 2016 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the engine and low oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated the vehicle was shaking abnormally, and the vehicle failed to exceed 30 mph. The vehicle was driven to a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic to be inspected. The contact was informed that the engine was covered in engine oil. The contact stated that the vehicle had recently received an oil change. The contact was advised to have the vehicle towed to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with fractured bearings and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine and the bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

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.

On multiple occasions when the car is stopped at a light, in traffic or at a stop sign and the auto idle stop feature is engaged the car will shut off and not restart for up to 1 minute. We have always been able to get it to restart but feel it is dangerous to be stopped so long in moving traffic.

When idle stop is on and I come to a stop, the car shuts off and switches to neutral. It has to be put in park to start it back up. This is a safety concern because the vehicle is essentially stalled until you're able to put it in parked and restart it, which could cause an accident. The dealer is aware of the problem as it's been discussed the last two times that I've taken my vehicle in for recalls. According to the dealer, there is a recall for this issue but it's not for 2020 Mdx, it's for 2022-2025.

The engine has developed rapidly increasing knocking sound. Acura has been notified and has suggested I get an official diagnosis from dealer. I have done so at a cost of $1,300. The dealer's head mechanic has confirmed that I have an engine failure which exactly resembles the connect rod bearing recall found on the same engine type and of vehicles of the same year. Acura has denied any assistance in resolving this, even after receiving a written opinion from a dealer. I am lucky to have taken the steps to diagnose, prior to failure.

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).

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.