Power Train Problems of Acura MDX - part 1

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.

See all problems of the 2022 Acura MDX 🔎.

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 contact owns a 2020 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while attempting to leave a parking lot, the contact was unable to shift the vehicle to drive (d). The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and retrieved information associated with transmission failure for the year and model vehicle. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,400.

See all problems of the 2020 Acura MDX 🔎.

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.

While driving at highway speed, the vehicle suddenly lost the ability to accelerate. Immediately prior to this, the vehicle was making an abnormal engine noise, which continued until the failure. "drive" light turned off and the "neutral" turned on its own. I tried to get it to shift back to "drive" and it wouldn't. I pulled off to the side of the highway. The engine stalled and the vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was towed from the highway and we were told to have it towed to Acura dealer in the morning. This incident occurred while recall 23v-751 (engine connecting rod bearing defect) was open and incomplete.

See all problems of the 2019 Acura MDX 🔎.

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.

Transfercase fluid eaking observed at 38000 +- miles, this could lead to a binded transfercase thus damage transmission permanently.

See all problems of the 2023 Acura MDX 🔎.

There were several instances where my vehicle either accelerated or decelerated while I was driving. I first noticed the issue about a week after I purchased the car in may 2022. I took it back to Acura of brookfield, and they said they couldn’t replicate the issue. I also took my car to Acura of brookfield in September 2023 for the same jerking issue. They charged me for an update, but the issue did not change. I continued noticing the problem over the years, but it happened more frequently in 2025. In may 2025, I was driving down a hill in brookfield, wisconsin, when my car jerked aggressively and then accelerated on its own. Throughout the rest of the year, it would either accelerate or decelerate while I was on the highway. On January 20, while I was on my way to the gym, my car jerked and decelerated while I was on the highway. I was able to pick up speed again and continue driving to the gym. When I came back out, my car started, but it would not shift out of park. I had the car towed to Acura of brookfield, and they said something about the hydraulics inside the transmission being bad, and that they had to replace the entire transmission.

See all problems of the 2017 Acura MDX 🔎.

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).

This has happened twice while on a drive, cruising along on a highway and go to pass a car in another lane, transmission down shifts and then lose all power, transmission repair light comes on as well as emission controls, vehicle is still running but no power to the wheels, trying to get back across three sometimes four lanes to get to the shoulder due to the loss of power, this happened once back in the summer and again today about 96k and now 110k, there are a lot of forums talking about it as well.

See all problems of the 2016 Acura MDX 🔎.

I want to say that the engine or transmission is faulty. Sometimes while at a complete stop, the car will not advance and tries to stall or lose power. It takes about 2 or 3 seconds to finally go after I push the accelerator pedal almost 3/4 throttle. No it has not been reproduced at the dealer. I took it may of 2024 for the engine recall repair. They said that the repairs should fix the problem but it has maybe even worsened. No warning lamps appear when the problems happen.

See all problems of the 2018 Acura MDX 🔎.

The transfer case is blown, with metal debris collected in it. This has caused the all wheel drive to not work because the transfer case is not sending any power to the rear wheels. The car dashboard doesn't register that that transfer case isn't working, so it it thinks the all wheel drive is working, when it isn't. A bad transfer case can cause the car to lose control or traction when it needs to use the all wheel drive system or completely stop while on a highway because it can lead to damage to other parts of the power train. This has been confirmed by an independent service center. There are no warning lights telling me the transfer case is blown or that there are any issues with the power train. The only sympton I noticed was a high pitched sound when driving. These symptoms first appeared about 3 weeks ago.

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.

The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while driving at 50 mph, the transmission system error message displayed. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and turned off, and attempted to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to respond. A local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the transmission sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall and suggested that the failure be reported to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was 92,000.

When car is started, attempting to slowly accelerate in reverse or forward you will experience a loss of drive power, transmission does nothing. Then all of a sudden transmission responds and you lurch forward or reverse. Very unsafe situation. Other cars not sure if your moving or stationary.

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.

While making a left turn into a parking lot my car exhibited a loud bang noise. It felt as if the car had been hit from the rear. While applying the gas the car jerked and popped in the rear. I had the car towed to a dealership where I was informed the transfer case had " destroyed itself". The gears broke apart internally. I was also informed that the transmission power take off was destroyed. The car only has 87000 miles on it and has been serviced at recommended intervals. The dealership quoted 19000. 00 dollars to repair. The car was out of Acura"s powertrain warranty. I had a third party warranty that I used to repair the car. I was 5 hours away from home when this occurred. I was without a car for 4 weeks. I believe that this is a manufacture problem and is dangerous. There were no warning lights before or after the event. The car has been repaired. I have a video of the dealerships diagnosis of the transfer case and transmission failure.

The Acura Mdx, which had always been serviced at an Acura dealership, had 121,007 miles on it when the transmission completely failed without prior warning. I was driving with the d cruise control on at around 70 mph when I took the car off cruise by touching the brake to take the exit ramp onto I-10. I suddenly lost power, the engine still runnning, the car was on the exit ramp, which was uphill and exiting from i75 south. I had to coast to a stop and stopped between in a trouble area between the exit ramp and the fast lane on i10 east, which the wrecker driver said left the car exposed in a “kill zone. ” after stopping, the car would start but all four wheels were locked and the wrecker drivers could not roll the car into a safer location to retrieve the car. They nevertheless pulled the car onto the wrecker while in what they described as a “kill zone,” and I also thought the spot I had to stop was extremely dangerous. The dealership, key Acura in gainesville, florida, advised the transmission needed to be replaced at a cost of $7,200. After that I sold the car to an online site at a price that was basically for junk.

This submission supplements my existing NHTSA complaint regarding recall 17-010 and the 9-speed automatic transmission atf warmer defect. My vehicle received recall / product update 17-010 service on March 10, 2017, at which time the transmission was replaced. The final redesigned atf warmer did not exist at that time. The atf warmer installed with the replacement transmission was an earlier design. The vehicle returned for a second recall 17-010 service visit on December 9, 2017. The service record from that visit explicitly states that the atf warmer was not replaced, noting that it had been replaced during the prior visit. As a result, the recall was initiated but not completed with the final redesigned atf warmer. Acura later issued TSB b17-026, extending warranty coverage to 10 years from original in-service date with unlimited mileage, because damage from atf/coolant contamination may occur years after initial exposure, even if fluids later appear normal. In 2025, the vehicle developed transmission noise. An independent transmission specialist advised that the vehicle exhibits bearing failure, with the extent of damage unknown until teardown. Bearing failure is a known delayed consequence of atf/coolant contamination associated with the atf warmer defect. The vehicle was delivered to an authorized Acura dealership for evaluation under the warranty extension. However, the dealership has refused to perform the warranty inspection unless payment is made, and has stated that the vehicle is outside the warranty period, despite the warranty extension remaining in effect through January 2026. This supplement is submitted to document that: •recall 17-010 was started but not completed with the final redesigned atf warmer; •the final corrective part was never installed on this vehicle; and •corrective action and inspection related to this incomplete recall and warranty extension are currently being denied.

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.

While driving my 2017 Acura Mdx sh-awd, I began hearing a tapping or knocking noise coming from the engine. The noise gets noticeably louder and faster as engine rpm increases during acceleration. There were no warning lights, check-engine light, messages, or any other symptoms on the dashboard before the noise started or afterward. I took the vehicle to an authorized Acura dealership for inspection. The dealer diagnosed significant wear on the connecting rod bearings in the 3. 5l v6 engine and stated that a full engine replacement for $11,000+ is required due to connecting rod bearing wear. The engine is still installed in the vehicle and is available for further inspection upon request. The dealership has fully inspected and documented the issue. Because of the known risk of connecting rod bearing failure leading to sudden engine seizure, loss of power while driving, stalling, or fire, this puts the safety of myself and other road users at serious risk of a crash or breakdown. The symptoms and diagnosis exactly match the type of engine failures covered under safety recall 23v-751 as well as the ongoing NHTSA investigation pe25008 for similar 2016–2020 Acura Mdx vehicles that are outside the original recall population.

Check engine light continues to come on after repair, lack of power and transmission skip at times. Reverse light dark, unable to see at all.

See all problems of the 2011 Acura MDX 🔎.

I was driving at about 65mph on the NJ turnpike at 7:45pm on 8/28/25 when suddenly the accelerator pedal was non-responsive over a period of about 3-5 seconds. The rpms dropped (engine did not stall) and the vehicle speed began to diminish. No warning lights showed and the dashboard remained lit as usual. The road was wet from a recent downpour. This was a very scary moment as my vehicle was surrounded by trucks. I further depressed the accelerator pedal and was able to regain control of the vehicle. This is the one and only time this happened with this vehicle as far as I am aware. I have scheduled to bring it to Acura service next week regarding this issue. A google search has revealed several class action lawsuits regarding this issue.

When the vehicle stops and the idle auto-start/ stop engages, the vehicle will automatically go into neutral and cannot be restarted until the vehicle is turned off then back on. This has happened at both stop lights and on the highway and almost caused a very serious rear end accident.

Transfer case became defective and fluids started mixing in with it and in the result of all of that I needed a new transmission as well.

The transfer case spline stripped preventing power to be sent to the rear wheels.

I recently took my vehicle in for service due to a noise coming from the oil pan area. Upon further inspection from my mechanic is appears that my vehicle had metal shavings in the oil pan and seems to be related to the connecting rod bearing issue that a recall was issued for. Unfortunately my vehicle was not part of the recall for this issue and perhaps should be included in potential expanded recall. I was told by my mechanic that I would need to either buy a used motor or new motor however my concern with a used motor is that I could potentially have the same issue again and be dealing with engine failure.

When cruising or coming off a stop, my car is incapable of accelerating promptly if I am trying to get out of the way or even merge into oncoming traffic on a highway. There is a severe acceleration delay perhaps with the throttle body. I have seen online complaints but the dealership said there has to be an actual recall number to correct this. My car has been in several times to fix this. A computer reset did not work. My car is one year old.

See all problems of the 2024 Acura MDX 🔎.