Power Train Problems of Acura MDX - part 2

So my car had a torque converter recall at some point I was not notified of it to get it fixed. As such I drove it across the us and ended up making the transmission slip so bad that it would not go into gear anymore. Since this I have taken it a dealership where the recall was performed after the fat and now they want me to buy a new transmission.

See all problems of the 2010 Acura MDX 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving in comfort mode approximately 40 mph and attempting to accelerate to change lanes, the vehicle stalled for several minutes before accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle hesitated to start intermittently, and the failure was more frequent over time. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the battery had failed. The battery was replaced, and the vehicle was remedied under the NHTSA campaign number: 25v031000 (fuel system, gasoline, electrical system). The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, and the contact stated that the vehicle was shaking abnormally while accelerating; however, the dealer had not diagnosed the vehicle a second time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,193.

See all problems of the 2020 Acura MDX 🔎.

Our engine started making a loud knocking noise that was clearly not good. We had a friend who is a mechanic come put it on the computer and he diagnosed that the rocker arm took out some valves or lifters. He looked up the car and found a recall for our make and model (2017 Mdx with the 3. 5l engine) that matches our exact issue. But the VIN does not appear in the search so our car is not covered by the recall despite it clearly being caused by the defect. I understand that there is an investigation into this that the NHTSA opened and Honda has been pushing for extensions. I was encouraged to add our car to this list to help you all see that the problem is much larger than originally thought. We are in a very tough spot and do not have the $5-10k to replace the engine. If the recall is not expanded soon, our only hope is that we get a goodwill repair. We have requested this, but are waiting to hear back from the dealer. Thank you for looking into this. I’m sure we are not the only people in a tough financial spot being affected by this. We appreciate your efforts to protect consumers!.

See all problems of the 2017 Acura MDX 🔎.

Vehicle started having issues just a couple of years after purchase (acquired brand new as a lease which I later purchased when the lease was up), in the beginning it was mostly at low speeds, but it would occasionally happen at higher speeds as well. You could feel it having hesitation when shifting gears. Took it to the dealer at around the 30k miles due for service (may of 2019). Had the transmission fluid replaced, dealer noted some "debris" was found. The problem quickly showed up again soon after this service, so the vehicle was brought back to the dealer for further checkup a couple of times, the result was always the same, no problem found, and the vehicle was ok to drive. I have lived with this problem ever since and on occasion it got even worse at higher speeds (around 65mph) when the gears seemed to go to neutral for a few seconds and then re-engage again on its own. Knowing that the car had always acted funny and the fact that the dealer never found any issues, I thought it must be more of the same. Finally, a couple of weeks ago (March 25 of 2025) the transmission gave up completely while my wife was driving the car, luckily it was not in a highway, she had enough time to pull to the side of the road but once the car stopped, it would not get into gear again. I have called the dealer for assistance, but they tell me the car is not under warranty anymore and there is no recall pending for this VIN, they could take it in, but the repairs would not be covered by them. This has prompted me to look into the issue further and found out that Acura issued a service bulleting number 17-026 back in 2018 which describes the same symptoms as what I describe above, they extended the warranty to 10 years but when I called them they say that it does not apply to my VIN because of a different manufacturing location (despite the fact that the symptoms are the same). Came to find out that other owners have had the same issue over the years.

See all problems of the 2016 Acura MDX 🔎.

Engine noise on Monday sounded like thumping - didn't drive car on Tuesday and stated up today sounded like chewing metal in engine bay. 2020 Mdx advanced. Drove to dealership and they confirmed needs small block and is only 2k miles outside of powertrain warranty. Honda claims this isn't under their recall, but dealership is saying all signs point to the same bearing failure. 10k costs for the small block, but could lead to entire engine required.

At only 44,318 miles, my 2019 Acura Mdx began showing clear transmission problems in the lower gears — including delayed acceleration, gear slipping, and jerky movement when starting or turning at low speed. These symptoms posed an immediate safety risk, especially when merging into traffic or making turns across oncoming vehicles. I first brought the car to oakland Acura, which incorrectly diagnosed it as a transfer case issue. Their misdiagnosis delayed the repair process and added unnecessary cost and time. I then had the vehicle evaluated at Acura concord, where it was correctly diagnosed as transmission failure in the lower gears. An independent, certified mechanic also confirmed the same diagnosis. Despite multiple confirmations of premature transmission failure — and a full maintenance history — american Honda offered only a $900 discount on a $9,600 repair, citing the vehicle being just outside the time warranty (but with low mileage well under 50k). I believe this is a manufacturer defect, not a wear-and-tear issue. Safety concern: this transmission failure is not just inconvenient — it is dangerous. The vehicle hesitates when accelerating from stops or low speeds, which can lead to accidents at intersections, highway merges, or left turns. The misdiagnosis further delayed identifying and addressing this issue. I am filing this complaint to urge NHTSA to investigate whether this is part of a broader pattern with Acura Mdx transmissions, and to help prevent similar risks for other drivers and families.

See all problems of the 2019 Acura MDX 🔎.

Start n stop button not working right shuts off and hard to start.

Vehicle stalls when accelerating from a stop. Has done this since first purchased. Acura charged me for transmission software but did not resolve issue. Vehicle hesitates and stalls when accelerating from a stop. My wife refuses to ever drive vehicle as we have had many close calls with accidents.

See all problems of the 2018 Acura MDX 🔎.

Front driver wheel has started to spin when power applied from a stop or from a slow roll. Tires are in great condition, further research indicates that this is a typical issue between the transfer case and differential. Splines get stripped and the car essentially becomes 2 wheel drive. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2022 Acura MDX 🔎.

My transfer case went out at an unknown mileage with no indication on my dash that there was a failure. It converted the vehicle to front wheel drive while indicating it was still having the back wheel spinning on the all-wheel drive indicator on the dash. During a recent snowstorm, there were multiple instances when I pulled out from an intersection thinking I had good traction I'm pulled out and then my wheels started spinning almost causing an accident. I thought that was weird so I brought it to my local Acura dealer and explained what happened and they tested it and found that the transfer case splines were bad along with the splines that attached to the transmission. They replaced both the transmission and transfer case under warranty. No police or insurance representatives were involved as there were no accidents.

While driving, Mdx loose power especially on freeway speed. Engine start jerking.

My vehicle has 80,000 miles. It has a popping sound when accelerating from stop. Dealership found metal chunks in the transmission and transfer case. Luckily I brought the problem to them before catastrophic failure while driving. Both are needing complete replacements.

While driving a 2022 Acura Mdx advance awd in snowy conditions, I noticed reduced traction and abnormal drivability. Dealer inspection confirmed a catastrophic failure: the front differential and transmission splines were stripped, causing the vehicle to operate in front-wheel drive only. The dealer verified the failure and documented it as a defect on the repair order. The vehicle was maintained exclusively at the dealership since new, and failure occurred at approximately 76,000 miles, outside the original powertrain warranty. There were no warning lights prior to the failure, but loss of awd in snowy conditions created a significant safety risk. This is a safety-relevant defect affecting traction and stability in adverse conditions.

Vehicle is 3 years old with 60k miles. Transfer case became defective under normal driving and with regular recommended maintenance. We did not know this occurred until a recent dealership visit for another issue. We do not know how long this has been an issue. When the transfer case malfunctioned, there were no warning lights and vehicle has been only functioning in front-wheel drive (designed to be awd) which is extremely dangerous during the midwestern winters as the weight of the rear of the vehicle leads to sway. Issue was detected by the dealership who states the fix is to replace the entire transmission and transfer case.

My 2019 Acura Mdx with 100k miles stalled on the road with several alerts on the dashboard and went into parking mode with no further movement. Had several alerts stating transmission failure, blind spot monitoring failure, auto break system failure and vehicle stalled on the road. Had similar issues previously where the steering jammed and vehicle was stalled on the signal, took it to Acura dealer and they had to fix some circuit / reset the circuit board. Was ok for few months and last week the car stalled with parking sign on. Towed the car to the dealer service center, they diagnosed and identified there is a failure with transmission. They quoted around 10000 dollars for replace new and 7000 for used transmission. This is huge money, hence called Acura customer care for any review/support but they claimed this issue is not in their current recalls or claims, so cannot support. Had to pay out of the pocket. Per google there seemed to be a lawsuit with transmission failures with Acura 2019 Mdx vehicle. Acura customer relations is asking to get into the law suit group and Acura as such cannot help the customers with these problems. Had Lexus for several years with no issues and very upset/annoyed with these type of repairs within 100k / 5year old.

Recall 23v-751 affecting certain or maybe all 2016 Acura Mdx sh-awd connecting rod bearing failure. The vehicle came to a sudden stop on the freeway after a loud terrible sound from the engine. This left my wife and child on a freeway exit ramp with no way to navigate the car to safety. The vehicle won't start, it makes a terrible clanging noise and stops. It has a seized connecting rod bearing and now a broken connecting rod and several holes punched from the broken rod. It was immediately towed to an Acura service center where it was confirmed. Recall 23v-751 described this failure exactly yet my car VIN is not included in the recall even though it is clearly affected by that recall. Acura client relations refused to add the VIN even after saying they would if the problem was confirmed by an Acura service technician which it was but they refuse to add the VIN and repair the SUV.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the motor's rod bearing spun. It is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the failure could have created enough friction between the bearing sleeve, rod and/or journal bearing to seize the motor and the drivetrain while driving. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes the vehicle was taken to the Acura dealership to be inspected, diagnosed and repaired. There is a recall for the same year, make and model but my vehicle's VIN is not included in the recall. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? the vehicle has only been inspected by the Acura dealership. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? there was a check engine light that produced code p0430 (catalyst system efficiency below threshold bank 2) and p0306 (cylinder 6 misfire detected). The vehicle had a loss of power and troubles accelerating under load. The first time the problem was noticed was January 18th, 2025.

I hear a high-pitched whistle when I the speed reaches around 57-63mph. I've taken it to the dealer a couple of times, and they said it's normal. I am really disappointed that Acura didn't fix it. . .

See all problems of the 2023 Acura MDX 🔎.

There were two major failures in my vehicle within a couple of weeks. The first was a lower ball joint failure. The passenger side lower control arm was replaced. The second major failure was the transfer case seal on the transmission failed and the transmission is being replaced. The vehicle has been serviced since its new purchase at Acura dealerships.

I reported these issues to Acura corporate and to jackson Acura, dealership I purchased the vehicle from in February 2024. Beginning in July 2024 the vehicle would stall, DE-accelerate then the automatic brake would engage, and the vehicle would go into "n" mode, neutral and lock up. I was able to press the gas pedal a few times, and the vehicle would come back online and drive. This issue happens about every 100 miles driven. On [xxx] the vehicle suddenly DE-accelerated, went into auto brake mode and then shifted into neutral. On this date the vehicle locked up suddenly to an abrupt stop, we were almost impacted in the rear with two other vehicles having to take evasive action to avoid hitting us. My wife and I were lucky not to injured by the sudden brake, or transmission lock up. There were no other issues with the vehicle until this date, other than the stall issue. It seems the system had a sudden catastrophic failure. The car has been maintained with oil changes, new battery and transmission service. The car was shutdown then restarted. All the lights on the dash were on and the vehicle was unable to shift to any gear. The vehicle had to be towed to my home address. I was advised to have the vehicle towed to a dealer for diagnostics at my expense. It is currently at nalley Acura, marietta, GA being diagnosed for the issues. The vehicle has 74,000 miles currently. It was purchased with 57,700 miles from jacson Acura as a certified Acura used vehicle. The Acura dealer and Acura corporate both stated my VIN # was not included in the recalls. It should be included in the recalls as it has the same issues as other Acura models. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The automatic transmission on the vehicle failed without warning. Vehicle was driven on the highway without issues; exited highway to a city street, stopped at a stop light, and turned onto another street. Upon turn onto another street, transmission did not upshift as it should; it was noticed the engine was revving high, but transmission did not shift. Tried to manually shift, with no luck. There were no warning lights or messages present at any time. Vehicle was stopped in a safe area and turned off, restarted, and tried again. Transmission still would not shift correctly; when it tried to shift, it would clunk, and it sounded like something dragging under the vehicle. Drove vehicle home and parked it. Later when transmission was shifted into gear, it did not move, and made a terrible clunking noise, then a squealing sound. Called dealer and had vehicle towed in for inspection. After inspection, manufacturer replaced failed transmission under warranty. Per dealer rep, transmission failed, and registered two internal codes, one for incorrect gear ratio, and other for torque converter issue. While the codes registered internal, unfortunately there were no warnings issued to driver. Safety was put at risk because if the failure happened while on the highway three miles earlier, there was no warning to driver who was driving in heavy traffic, and they may have been involved in an accident. The only reason the driver was aware of the issue was because they could hear the engine revving high, and they pulled over to inspect. A less experienced driver may not notice the same issues. Additionally, it's concerning that transmission codes were stored internally but did not trip any transmission issues or loss of power warning; this could prevent drivers from noticing issues prior to failure. Lastly, the vehicle health report we received from Acura on 12/31 (and states as of 12/12, day after failure), stated there are no transmission issues present.

Many attempts in the last 5k miles made to diagnose unsafe uncomfortable front vibrations. Vehicle erratically shaking above 50mph. Returned vehicle to carmax (where vehicle purchased), and 3 separate individual Acura dealers made attempts. Rotated and rebalanced tires several times with a scan tool connected as a technician drove vehicle with no results finally Acura dealer an hour away from my home diagnosed faulty front transfer case pending anything further. Conveyed the shaft splines into transfer case and other end to transmission may be faulty, rounded out, and will report findings. After inspected, transmission output splines for shaft going to front transfer case have been found rounded out as well. Dealer reported this again under warranty and ordering transmission. Coming up on 30 days front transfer case, transmission, and possibility of further repairs. Compiling written documentation. Vehicle repair attempts at carmax newport news, va, southern Acura newport news, va, hall Acura virginia beach, va, and crown Acura richmond, va.

While accelerating, the vehicle to decelerated rapidly, the gas pedal became unresponsive when pushed down. Numerous warning lights started additionally, the vehicle shifted into neutral while the vehicle was being driven and would not shift out even after stopped. I was on a very busy 6 lane highway going 80 mph in thanksgiving traffic, my wife, 1 year old and 3 year old were in the vehicle. This appears to be a known issue from Honda, please see [xxx], et al. V. American Honda motor company inc. , et al. , case no. [xxx], information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicle engine started making noise . Called Acura customer service . They advised have taken to Acura dealership for examination. Did so ($450. 00 tow bill) there is a motor recall on 2016 Acura Mdx. The Acura garage advised ( in writing ) that they felt this was the same engine problem ( rod bearing ) as in the 2016 Acura Mdx under recall. . Acura corporate advised mine was not listed as recalled .

The car suddenly shut off when I was on the red light wit the idle stop.

In front of the red light on the way to work in a morning, I stopped my Mdx, then when the red light changed to green, I pressed gas pedal to cross over the street, but unfortunately, my car was pulled backward, and meanwhile, I heard a loud sound of bang from my Mdx. I suspect that the loud sound must be from the gears conflicting in the transmission when automatic transmission shifts. Moreover, the car jerks at around 45 mph speed sometimes. Acura must recall fixing this issue.

Engine failure due dealership refusal to fix recall items. Engine completely stop working in between drive.

The car is un safe to drive, the rpm fluctuations, gos up and down at low speed, doesn’t potential problems with the torque converter clutch, is juddering and unstable rpms, noticeable during acceleration or deceleration.

See all problems of the 2014 Acura MDX 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that the vehicle shifted to park while driving at an undisclosed speed. The engine and evap system warning lights were illuminated. There was a leak from the evaporative emission control (evap) system. The vehicle was previously taken to the local dealer for NHTSA campaign number: 23v858000 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that after a routine transmission flush, while driving approximately 40 mph, the transmission was hesitating before shifting. The contact stated that vehicle was jerking into gear and made an abnormal banging sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, and the transmission started to jerk while shifting into gear, while shifting lanes. The contact pulled off the highway and observed that numerous warning lights were illuminated. The check transmission message was displayed. The contact was able to shift to park(p) and turned the vehicle off several times. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to be shifted to drive(d); however, when the accelerator pedal was depressed, the engine revved, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that numerous warning lights were illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the same dealer where the service was performed. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

I was in a stop and go traffic on the highway. When at a complete stop car shifted into neutral, I know that I didn’t push neutral because both of my hands were on the steering wheel. Step on gas pedal and car will not go. Tried putting into drive but will not shift into drive. Lots of vehicle behind me. It was very scary and dangerous, I could have been rear ended. I had to turn the engine off and restarted again then I was able to put it drive and go. This issue happened twice, once at a stop sign about a month earlier.

Hello, so far 4 to 5 times my Mdx automatically shifted to neutral gear at traffic signals. Then vehicle stops and not moves, I wouldn't be able to change the gear, the vehicle just seems stuck. Couple of times the cars behind almost crashed with my family in the car. Only options is to power off the car and restart. I took to the dealer, they ran all the tests and nothing found in the debugging. Looking online, looks like many customers have experienced the problem with Acura vehicles [xxx] ). This is a huge safety concern as I feel we are sitting ducks for any fast moving vehicle. Can you please get Honda/Acura to rectify this problem for existing cars and not to play with customer lives information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

From a stop, the vehicle will lurch forward after 1 second of acceleration without a change in the amount of pressure on the gas pedal, as if there is a delayed input to the throttle position. This only happens from a complete stop, such as at red lights, stop signs, or in heavy stop and go traffic. On multiple occasions I have almost rear ended the vehicle in front of me as a result of this. There are no warning lamps or error messages displayed in the gauge cluster. I have not been able to have this inspected by any of the Acura dealers in a 25 mile radius, because when I called to make an appointment for the connecting rod bearing recall, the earliest opening was March of 2026.

The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that previously the vehicle was parked and when the vehicle was started, the gear shifter was inoperable. 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 manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

I was driving and all of the sudden I hear a pop and total engine failure. I was lucky to be traveling at 45 mph and could coast off the road safely. After the damage occurred the motor would not turn over again. I had it towed to Acura and they told me my motor was locked up and specifically that my camshaft bearing had failed. I asked about the recall and they said my VIN was not selected for the damage therefore there was nothing they could do other than replace the motor at my expense. I have yet to repair this vehicle and it has been sitting untouched ever since it was towed back to my home.