Power Train Problems of Acura MDX - part 2

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.

See all problems of the 2023 Acura MDX 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2022 Acura MDX 🔎.

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.

I am writing to formally escalate an unresolved matter regarding my 2026 Acura Mdx technology, purchased on xxx, from piazza Acura of [xxx]. As a loyal Acura customer of over nine years and currently on my fourth lease, this experience is both unexpected and unacceptable. Since shortly after purchase, the vehicle has exhibited persistent and unresolved performance issues, most notably harsh and inconsistent gear shifting and a pronounced vibration in the accelerator pedal. Despite multiple service visits and significant time invested, these concerns remain unresolved. I have repeatedly been advised that these conditions are “normal characteristics” of the vehicle due to adaptive transmission behavior—an explanation that is inconsistent with my prior ownership experience across multiple Mdx models (2017, 2020, and 2023) and does not align with reasonable expectations for a vehicle in this class. To be clear, the vehicle in its current condition fails to meet reasonable standards of quality, reliability, and merchantability for a $62,000+ luxury vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle did not exhibit these issues during pre-purchase test drives, indicating these conditions are neither inherent nor acceptable. The service history is summarized below: April 18, 2026 – piazza Acura of ardmore issues: installation of a sport heated steering wheel (contractually owed), slow acceleration, harsh shifting, vibration in the accelerator pedal, gps inoperable service time: 1 day April 24, 2026 – piazza Acura of ardmore issues: installation of the correct heated steering wheel, continued transmission and vibration in the accelerator pedal concerns service time: 6 days may 11, 2026 – elite Acura (NJ) issue: accelerator pedal vibration service time: ~1. 5 hours June 15, 2026 – piazza Acura of ardmore issues: ongoing vibration in the accelerator pedal, blind spot information system problem warning service time: 2+ days (ongoing) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

See all problems of the 2019 Acura MDX 🔎.

The contact owns a 2023 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds over a bumpy road surface or a pothole, there was an abnormal metallic sound coming from underneath the passenger’s side of the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a technician informed the contact that the sound was common after 50,000 miles. The contact was later informed that the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but the assigned case manager failed to help. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

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.

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

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.

When about to make a left turn since oncoming traffic on to highway I hit the gas quickly after stopping and heard a loud bang. Drove till I got off the highway at a red light I hit the gas and noticed the front wheels was spinning and realized it wasn't a awd. Took it the dealer and they realzied the driveshaft was spinning by hand.

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.