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Home›Acura›2016 Acura MDX› engine problems
Owner complaints · Engine

2016 Acura MDX engine problems

171 of the 374 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Acura MDX name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 108 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 3 NHTSA investigations. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.

171 complaints 46% of this model year’s 2 reports a crash 2 a fire typically at 65k miles

What owners filed about the engine

Source: NHTSA complaint database
171complaints name the engine

2 of the 171 reports a crash · 2 a fire · 2 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.

Filed per year: 2015: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 11 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 45 · 2025: 57 · 2026: 32

65kmiles, typically

Half of the 53 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 36,000 and 109,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

46%of this model year’s complaints

374 complaints in all about the 2016 Acura MDX, 32 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →

Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.

Across model years: Acura MDX engine problems, every year on file →

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In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

The contact owned a 2016 Acura Mdx. While driving 40 MPH on the highway, the contact smelled smoke when the heater was activated. The contact exited the highway, parked, and exited the vehicle. Smoke and flames engulfed the vehicle from underneath the front passenger side. The police arrived shortly and called the fire department.
Engine at 89,000 miles Mar 5, 2019 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2016 Acura Mdx. When the vehicle accelerated after slowing down, the transmission slipped and the vehicle stalled several times when making turns. In addition, the vehicle made an abnormal chirping sound from the engine compartment, which distracted the driver. There were no warning indicators illuminated.
Engine at 34,000 miles Feb 5, 2019 NHTSA owner report
The vehicle shifted to neutral while driving at 70 MPH and the dash started showing transmission and fuel system errors. The vehicle would not shift back to drive mode. After pulling over to the shoulder and turning the vehicle off and on the vehicle could not be put in drive.
Engine at 39,500 miles Jan 21, 2019 NHTSA owner report
The car overheated and was leaking blue fluid, started smoking and had a weird chirping noise coming from the engine. The car was parked and was jumping another car with a dead battery
Engine at 16,000 miles May 26, 2018 NHTSA owner report
I was mailed a letter about a warranty extension for my associated VIN. I definitely have experienced associated issues with my Mdx. After calling the Acura dealership on 11/24/17, I was given an appointment for 11/28/17 and I was told they would inspect my car over 2 days and provide a loaner car.
Engine at 36,000 miles Nov 28, 2017 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the engine

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall filed under this heading

NHTSA investigations

108 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading

The 2 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

Trouble codes named on this system

P0171 P0174 P219A P0430 P0301 P0306 P0369 P0716

Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Acura MDX names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.

Other systems with a record on the 2016 Acura MDX

Source: the same files
From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Are engine problems common on the 2016 Acura MDX?

They are documented: NHTSA holds 171 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (46% of everything owners filed about it), and 108 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 3 NHTSA investigations are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.

Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Acura MDX?

Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 23V751000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Acura MDX?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 65,211 miles; half of them between 36,000 and 109,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?

The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.