Power Train Problems of Acura MDX - part 1

No restart after auto idle stop - car fails to restart automatically after stop and releasing the brake pedal. This has happened on a number of occasions in the last few months. This can cause a dangerous condition that can can cause an accident if stopped in an intersection or a rear end collision as the driver behind assumes the vehicle will move but does not. Car has to be shut off to restart.

See all problems of the 2025 Acura MDX 🔎.

Component or system failure: awd - all wheel drive failure, dealership stated the transcase is leaking causing the failure. Safety: this has impacted the vehicles traction, especially on wet roads reproduced: the dealer found the issue and reproduced it inspected: yes, by the dealer warning lamps or messages: none 2022 Mdx advance.

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I accelerated from a complete stop and heard a loud bang from the transmission at 10 mph. No warning lights came on, but car now only operating in front wheel drive mode instead of awd. Front wheels will spin under hard accelerating confirming loss of power to rear wheels. Local mechanic confirmed issue by putting vehicle on lift and showing rear drive shaft spins freely. This is a know issues for this vehicle and NHTSA has open investigation into splines connecting transmission to transfer case sheering off under load. Investigation number 11712885. . This should result in a recall for Acura at no cost to customer.

Driveshaft spinning freely no power transfer , vehicle is currently all-wheel-drive condition indicate severe connections between transmission and transfer case . Both components are damaged vehicle need replacement of transmission and transfer case . Serviced at mcgrath Acura morton mgrove, illinois. 06/19/26.

The transfer case on my 2024 Acura Mdx type s failed with under 30,000 miles. I believe there's a public investigation from the NHTSA, I wanted to ensure my case was reported.

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While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden internal mechanical and electronic transmission failure. Without warning, the vehicle shifted itself directly into park while navigating the busy intersection of [xxx] and [xxx]. This caused a complete loss of propulsion and left the vehicle entirely immobilized in the middle of a high-speed junction. The vehicle could not be moved, creating an immediate, severe highway safety hazard that required an emergency 911 police response to manage traffic and protect the vehicle from being rear-ended. The dealership scan tool later pulled diagnostic code p0730 (incorrect gear ratio) along with multiple clutch performance failures (p07a4, p07a2, p07a8). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2019 Acura MDX 🔎.

Noticed fluid was leaking from bottom of car. Took to dealership and they found the transmission output shaft was twisted leading to destruction of transmission seals leading to fluid leak. They recommend full replacement of the transmission and transfer case. It appears NHTSA is already investing this known problem for the 2022 Mdx where the transfer case fails and the vehicle loses its awd function and becomes a fwd car.

I was driving down the highway and a passerby notified me that my car was smoking. There were no indicators on the car notifying me of any issue. We pulled over and saw the car was leaking oil heavily. When taken to the dealership, they notified us that there was a leak in the transfer/transmission case and the whole transfer case would need to be replaced. The car is well maintained and had been recently serviced and no issues came up. It's very scary that there were no indicators of issues on the dashboard and my family and I could have been endangered while driving on our family vacation. Acura knows of this transfer case issue and has had to replace many of them in recent Mdxs. This is a safety issue that needs to be investigated immediately.

Under medium acceleration vehicle shuddered a lot. Currently it’s only driven by the front wheels and it will torque steer a lot. I’m assuming my splines are stripped to transfer case. Thankfully, I am under warranty and I’m going to get this repaired.

2023 Acura Mdx sport looses awd randomly and vehicle becomes only fwd. This has happened many times now and I have taken it to the dealership but they claim they can’t recreate it and would not do anything further unless I change rear end fluid. . I paid for the service but still have the problem. This is getting dangerous as it is unexpected and alters the expected performance of the vehicle in critical turning situations which has led to two close calls of a broad side accident when turning and loosing awd. There appears to be many more reports of this exact issue, I’m officially adding my name to the list.

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I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2022 Acura Mdx advance, currently with 71,007 miles. After completing the standard transmission fluid service around the 60,000-mile maintenance interval, I began noticing abnormal drivetrain/transmission behavior that was not present before. At times, the vehicle feels as if the transmission is slipping, hesitating, or failing to transfer power smoothly. Acceleration can feel delayed, uneven, or weaker than normal, and on some occasions the vehicle seems to surge or accelerate slightly in a way that does not feel consistent with normal pedal input. This is a safety concern because the vehicle may not respond predictably when accelerating from a stop, merging, passing, or driving at highway speeds. A delay, slip, surge, or loss of expected acceleration could increase the risk of a crash, especially in traffic. The symptoms appear to involve the transmission, drivetrain, torque converter, transfer case, software calibration, or related components, but I am requesting a proper investigation to determine the actual cause. My concern is that this issue could worsen or affect other 2022 Acura Mdx vehicles if it reflects a broader defect. I am requesting that NHTSA document this complaint and review whether 2022 Acura Mdx models may have a safety-related issue that can cause slipping, hesitation, surging, delayed acceleration, or loss of expected power after normal maintenance. Acura should evaluate whether owners need inspection, repair, software updates, or other corrective action.

The contact owns a 2022 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the all-wheel drive (awd) system became inoperable. The contact stated that when attempting to engage the awd function, the system failed to operate and the vehicle would transition into four-wheel drive operation. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance and advised the contact not to contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

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 2023 Acura Mdx at approximately 40 mph in rainy conditions, the vehicle experienced a sudden catastrophic failure without any prior warning lights or dashboard messages. The vehicle abruptly decelerated and felt as though the drivetrain or wheels were binding / locking. The vehicle lost the ability to accelerate normally and became effectively inoperable in traffic. After stopping, the vehicle resisted rolling freely even when shifted into neutral and required towing to the dealership. The dealership has since informed me that the front transfer case / transfer box experienced a catastrophic internal failure. Root cause and failure sequence are still being diagnosed by the dealer. The sudden nature of the failure, lack of warning indicators, and apparent driveline lockup behavior created a significant safety hazard and increased risk of crash, particularly given the wet road conditions and speed at the time of the incident. There were several near misses with other cars putting me and my family at significant risk. The vehicle is currently at the dealership pending full diagnosis and repair.

The component system that has failed is the front diff/transmission area. Driveshaft spinning freely in park with rotations to rear wheel. I was driving home and heard a noise that sounded like something broke. Immediately pulled over and had vehicle towed. I had my kids and husband in the vehicle with me. I'm glad we weren't driving on the highway. The vehicle was brought to friendly Acura in middletown, NY. They were able to diagnose the problem. I had an aftermarket warranty (endurance warranty CO. ) awesome refused to pay for my vehicle starting it was a "pre-existing" condition. When I tried to explain to them this was not the case, they still wouldn't approve my claim after my vehicle was at Acura for 5 weeks and having 2 of their inspectors come out. Due to the amount of the repair (approximately $15,000), I am unable to pay for this repair. I had Acura out my vehicle back together and the vehicle is currently sitting in my drive way. There were no warning lights at any time prior, during or after failure of components.

I was at a stop light, when the lights turned green, I accelerated and heard a loud bang underneath the vehicle. The sound was so loud I thought I had been rear ended. I got out to inspect the vehicle and did not see any damages. I got back into the vehicle and put it in drive to get to the closed gas station. When I started driving, I heard clunking sounds underneath vehicle. I put on my hazards and drove slow. After about 50-100 ft the clunking sounds went away. No lights on the dash or anything. I then got vehicle towed to my father’s shop to inspect what was going or what happened due to not feeling safe driving. One of his employees looked up the cause of the noise and had found that the differential splines or transfer case would strip and cause a loud bang. Which happens on a lot of these Acuras. He put vehicle on lift, and put it into drive. The front wheels would spin, but not the rear wheels. He said that indicates the transfer case is bad.

My car was purchased from impex auto greensboro, nc one owner with 71,000. The car fax never stated any major accidents or damage. March 2026 after having my car for 1. 5 years I now need a new transmission that costs $15k. I filed a goodwill claim with Acura since all warranty’s have expired and I did not purchase an extension. The claim was denied and I’m responsible for the repair of a 4 year old car’s transmission.

The awd system failed and now its only fwd.

Complete drivetrain failure while accelerating from a complete stop in the middle of a busy intersection. No warning lights or hazard messages were activated before or after the failure. The car made a massive clunking/banging sound and continued to clunk on acceleration. The car had to be towed to the dealership. My children were in the car with me, and we had just driven on the highway for 45 minutes before this failure. Luckily, my husband was behind me, and I activated hazards until I could pull over safely. It was jerking and clunking so badly that I was barely able to steer. It was terrifying since my two young children were in the car, and they were both screaming from the noise. I believe I would have been rear-ended if my husband had not been behind me due to the sudden jerk from the failure, as I was the first car in the left turn lane. This is not the first issue I have had with the transfer case in this vehicle. The affected transfer case and drive train were replaced only 7 months prior due to a faulty transfer case and a severe clunking sound. This vehicle has had repeated drivetrain failures without warning, resulting in loss of traction and control. The recent failure reflects a completely stripped spline connecting the transfer case and transmission. This will be the 4th transfer case this vehicle has had at only 64k miles. All recommended maintenance and care have been completed at the certified Acura dealership since the vehicle was purchased. Recently, the 60k services were completed just 3 months prior to the current failure. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for repairs under warranty, as it needs a new transmission and another transfer case. I have not yet received the documentation, as the car is not in my possession, but I will provide it once I receive it. See the attached documentation from the previous failure, dated 6/3/2025, to establish a pattern of catastrophic drivetrain failure.

My 2022 Acura awd Mdx with 95795 miles lost the power to the rear wheels. The spline between the transmission and the transfer case stripped. The transmission and transfer case had to be replaced for $14,442. 37. I had assurant for extended warranty, and they reluctantly paid most of the repair. The shop said this was the first non-turbo (sport) model they have heard of breaking. I believe there are several complaints filed about this issue. I'm retired and travel a fair amount in the mountains.

Transfer case failure limiting all wheel drive system. Needs new transmission and transfer case at 83000 miles.

There was a loud noise from under the car, and the car suddenly started to experience wheel spin. It's awd and should not be spinning the tires. Suddenly losing awd is dangerous when you expect the car to perform like an awd car. Dealership said the transmission spline is stripped and needs replaced under warranty. Car has currently been at the dealership for 50 days. There is no known eta on replacement parts. No warnings on anything, the car's power distribution meter still shows power going to the rear wheels even though it is not. I believe there is already an active investigation into this issue.

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.

The contact owns a 2019 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and to exceed 5 mph. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact did not agree with the diagnosis. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,692.

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.

My 2022 Mdx purchased new in 2021 experienced an unexpected loss of awd functionality at 5 years old with 77000 miles when the splines of the transfer case sheared with the transmission. The failure reverted the car to fwd and became very easy to lose traction in anything but ideal road conditions. There were no signs of this failure. No warning lights, no indication on the awd power distribution monitor, and no sounds or other indications. I rigorously followed all maintenance schedules and performed all regularly scheduled maintenance at the Acura dealership. There have been numerous times when I am attempting to accelerate from a stop while turning onto a busy road where the unexpected loss in traction resulted in me nearly causing an accident. I took in my vehicle for service on 5/22/26 and they confirmed the issue is the transfer case spline failure as noted by many other Acura sh-awd vehicles with the active NHTSA investigation. I would like to add my complaint to that filing and highlight the insidious danger that comes with the failure when the vehicle suddenly does not perform as expected. Given that my vehicle was barely behind the powertrain warranty period when the failure occured, I am now expected to cover an enormous bill that covers the replacement of the transmission and transfer case.

Reporting an additional case in support of ongoing defect petition investigation dp26001. 2022 Acura Mdx type s sh-awd, currently at 63,700 miles. While driving and making a turn, I heard a grinding noise with no warning lights illuminated. I stopped immediately and shut off the engine but noticed no abnormality. I restarted the vehicle and drove with no further issues or noises. Later, during a scheduled oil change, I discovered that the area between the transmission and ptu was covered in oil. The Acura dealership diagnosed a bad ptu seal and replaced the ptu under powertrain warranty, but completely disregarded my concern regarding investigation dp26001 and the known issue with stripped splines. The leak was repaired, but several weeks later while driving in the rain, the vehicle felt very unstable during acceleration on wet pavement. I raised the vehicle on a lift and engaged drive to inspect awd function. The rear wheels were not spinning while the front wheels were, and the driveshaft was also stationary. When I brought this to the dealership’s attention, they stated this is normal sh-awd behavior — however, I have personally observed all four wheels spinning under identical conditions in another Acura of the same model and configuration. I am confident the transmission-to-ptu splines are stripped and am escalating this to Acura corporate for further investigation.

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.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? transfer case and yes, it is attached the vehicle. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? at this time there is a leak and the power is being redistributed which could lead to loss of power at any times. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yea both. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? manufacturer. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no. During a routine transmission service this was noticed that there was a leak, they did not fill the fluid in the vehicle up to monitor fluid levels.

My wife has felt for quite some time that the traction on our 2022 Acura Mdx is lacking. She first attributed it to tires, but after replacing them in November of 2024 she said that the issue was still present. She mentioned it to the service advisor at bloomington Acura but we don't recall the exact timing of that and don't have a record of it. In February of 2026, while driving in snowy conditions we arrived at a vacation property. In driving up the driveway, the Mdx got stuck. We got out of the car to try to push it and noticed that the rear wheels weren't rotating (I would expect them to on an awd vehicle when the front wheels spin). We were able to put wood pieces under the front tires and get the vehicle up the driveway. We reported it to the dealer, who told us that if there were no warning lights there was no issue. We asked if they could test it because awd wasn't working. We didn't get far but asked during a recent oil change if they could test the awd. We had to push for that but they did test. They indicated that the rear drive rotated freely, indicating that "splines" between the transmission and transfer case had failed and it would cost $14,000 to repair (our Mdx is now beyond the mileage threshold of the power train warranty. I then researched and learned that this issue is under NHTSA investigation dp26001. Customers don't have a reasonable way to know that awd isn't working; we have brought it up previously with no way of "proving" that it isn't working (no warning lights). We believe that Acura should extend the power train warranty and repair our vehicle. The dealer let us know that they have another customer with the same issue right now. I don't believe that dealers file reports to NHTSA and imagine this issue is bigger than the number of complaints filed. Awd isn't needed by many, but it affects our safety in snowy conditions.

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.

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.