Acura MDX engine problems, 2016–2026
581 of the 1,605 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Acura MDX 2016–2026 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2016 (171), 2020 (101), 2017 (97). Filed under the same heading across these years: 13 manufacturer bulletins, 2 recall campaigns, 3 NHTSA investigations. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Acura MDX engine problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the engine | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 14% | — | 3 TSBs | the year → |
| 2025 in depth | 65 | 61% | — | 7 TSBs · 1 investigation | the record → |
| 2024 | 6 | 14% | — | 10 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2023 | 0 | — | — | 19 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2022 | 9 | 5% | — | 23 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2021 | 0 | — | — | 4 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2020 in depth | 101 | 45% | 55k | 51 TSBs · 1 recall · 3 investigations | the record → |
| 2019 in depth | 77 | 39% | 42k | 47 TSBs · 2 recalls · 3 investigations | the record → |
| 2018 in depth | 54 | 32% | — | 47 TSBs · 2 recalls · 3 investigations | the record → |
| 2017 in depth | 97 | 37% | 86k | 71 TSBs · 1 recall · 3 investigations | the record → |
| 2016 in depth | 171 | 46% | 65k | 108 TSBs · 1 recall · 3 investigations | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.
When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2015: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 6 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 17 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 15 · 2022: 19 · 2023: 34 · 2024: 167 · 2025: 166 · 2026: 137
Across the model years, half of the 142 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 28,000 and 98,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine, from the model years with the most to say. 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.
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.
2020 Acura MDX, bought this in February of 2021. Issue with the auto-idle completely turning off the engine, when you pull up to a red light or stop sign and the engine goes into Auto-idle, then go into neutral, sometimes showing the battery sign. The car is completely disabled, have to shut off the engine and restart.
Its a known issue with my 2020 Acura MDX it has an issue with the autoidle completely turning off the engine, so you pull up to a red light and the engine goes into Autoidle mode and then completely turns OFF the engine so you are stuck in the middle of the road for a few minutes and then you have to wait for the car to allow you to turn…
The vehicle stalls and loses all power when coming out of auto idle stop. This is a default feature that shuts the engine off when the vehicle stops to create fuel efficiency. But it is creating a terrible safety issue of having vehicles unexpectedly stopped on the roadway. The feature cannot be permanently turned off.
What is on file about the engine, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year
- 23V751000 HighNov 13, 2023 · 248,999 vehicles
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
- 19V298000 HighApr 12, 2019 · 93,946 vehicles
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
NHTSA investigations
- EA25004 No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engagesopened Mar 26, 2025 · open
- On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject …
- PE25008 Engine failureopened Aug 20, 2025 · open
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5L V6 engine used in the following vehicles: Model Years (MY) 2018-2020 Acura TLX, MY2016-2020 Acura MDX, MY2016-2020 Honda Pilot, MY2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, and MY2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline. The subject engine failures were analyzed as part of a Recall Query (RQ24013). It was determined…
- RQ24013 Engine failureopened Nov 8, 2024 · closed Aug 20, 2025
- On November 8, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ24013 to assess the scope of Honda recall 23V-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23V-751. In November 2023, Honda recalled 248,999 various Model Year (MY)2016–2020 Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine…
13 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading, any model year
- May 13, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
- Apr 29, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
- Apr 20, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 MDXs with a client complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
- Dec 3, 2025
- Dealer Message - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically restart. Typically, the client can immediately restart the vehicle by selecting Park and pushing the ENGINE START/STOP button.
- Aug 12, 2025
- Dealer Message - Acura is also implementing an additional (1) twenty-four (24) month period for 2015 model year Acura TLX vehicles, commencing at the expiration of the 10-year warranty extension period for each vehicle, and (2) eighteen (18) month period for 2016 model year Acura TLX/MDX vehicles, commencing at the expiration of the 10-year warranty extension period for each vehicle, for valve adj
- Aug 1, 2025
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2023-2025 MDXs with a client complaint of a no auto re-start condition after going into an auto idle stop. The push button ignition may or may not restart the engine. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
- Jul 15, 2025
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2023-2025 MDXs with a client complaint of a no auto re-start condition after going into an auto idle stop. The push button ignition may or may not restart the engine. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
- Jul 7, 2025
- Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the client can immediately restart the vehicle by selecting Park and pressing the ENGINE START/STOP button.
The 8 newest are listed; each model year’s page lists every one filed on that year. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Other systems with a record on the Acura MDX
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Acura MDX problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Acura MDX years have the most engine complaints?
2016, 171; 2020, 101; 2017, 97. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2025 (61%).
Is there a recall for the engine on the Acura MDX?
Yes — 2 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 23V751000 (2020), 19V298000 (2019). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the Acura MDX?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 60,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 28,000 and 98,000. 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.