10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
19,932 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2017 Acura MDX electrical problems

electrical problem

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2017 Acura MDX Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #30

Jun 102024

MDX

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Dashboard lights are flickering and the headlights are intermittently turning on when the engine is off. This is a commonly reported failure and defect in the the Keyless Access Control Unit with Honda Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Pilot and Acura MDX and RDX models with keyless start. However, Honda would not recall the defect.

- Watchung, NJ, USA

problem #29

Mar 222024

MDX

  • miles
On highway and switching lanes. All of a sudden ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE AND ALL DRIVER ASSIST LIGHTS CAME ON. Pull over light came on as well. HIT ON LEFT REAR SYMBOL CAME ON. Was never hit just a close car on driver left rear side when switching lanes. Made it home and vehicle wouldn-??t switch back into drive mode. Acura didn-??t do its due process and assumed a new transmission was needed. Replaced and a month later ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE sign starts flashing again. Now dealership is saying I need a new catalytic converter. Refused as I believe Acura has been incorrect about the diagnostic. They also stated my vehicle was in a collision and it wasn-??t. They refused to check electrical issues and update software as these things are not in my control. It is my belief the car had a faulty collision warning which is causing other issues as well as Acura refusing to probably assist and diagnose without me continuing to be falsely diagnosed

- Norwalk, CT, USA

problem #28

Feb 212024

MDX

  • miles
The sensor under the hood malfunctions causing the car alarm system to go off and battery to get drained. Multiple batteries were changed because initially the thinking was that the battery needed to be replaced. Car alarm would go off in the middle of the night (with a new battery) when parked in the garage. All the electrical systems and lights would start turning off and on as if the car is possessed. Manufacturer is aware of the problem. Many others are complaining on the internet. There are variety of hacks including rigging the sensor that are suggested. Dealer said the entire control unit had to be replaced for $1122. Repair was made. They said when they run out of parts (control unit) they also disconnect the sensor. So you have cars on the highways that are no longer appropriately indicating when the hood is down (shut correctly or whether it is a false alarm. I called the manufacturer they didn't take responsibility (Case 14470102) with Acura/Honda.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #27

Jan 172024

MDX

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Backup camera stopped working.

- Newark, DE, USA

problem #26

Jan 142024

MDX

  • miles
While driving the car started to loose momentum and began stuttering until finally stopping abruptly and applying the electronic braking system. All warning alarms were illuminated on the dash. I was not even able to pull over completely off the road either putting me and my family in danger from not being off the road. Acura dealership service center informed me it was a bad high pressure fuel pump located on the engine block itself. There are recalls for this exact part neginnibg from 2018 on the acura MDX model. My model is a 2017 making me wonder if the recall should include earlier year models of acura mdx.

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #25

Oct 062023

MDX

  • miles
Ive brought my MDX to the dealership service department 6 times for this issue, my car has been with the service department this last time since Nov 28th consecutively. In September I brought it in because my car would shift to park when the auto start/stop engaged, I would have to hit the brakes, shift back in to drive before I could take off. I was told there were 2 recalls that we remedied at that time. I brought my car back in a couple weeks later because the issue was persisting, I also started to get transmission and blind spot monitoring system alerts in those 2 weeks. I was told by the service department that the recall update wasn't "completed" when I brought it the previous time. The shift to park still was not fixed. At the 3rd time to the service department they replaced my starter. After this was done the issues with the car got worse, the car would give me transmission alerts, emission system alerts, power brake, blind spot, etc. & the "D" for drive on the dash would blink. Park would also blink. On the 4th trip they replaced my shifter assembly. After this the issues with the car further worsened and I would get all of the previously mentioned alerts, then my car would shift to neutral and another alert would pop up saying "pull over and park when safe to do so". Thankfully I was never on the interstate when this happened. I have to coast until I can pull off the road. After turning the car off then back on I was still not able to shift in to gear. I had the car towed to Acura, this (5th trip) time they replaced my transmission computer module. The car did the same thing the day after I picked it up. I had it towed back to them again, this latest trip they replaced my powertrain computer module, it did not fix the issue. My MDX has been at the dealership since Nov 28th because they do not know what to attempt to fix next. Im not being given any recourse. There are class-action lawsuits regarding this issue on the internet, so it is not unique to

- New Orleans, LA, USA

problem #24

Jan 082024

MDX

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving on the interstate yesterday ([XXX]) and the transmission suddenly downshifted gears and also went to neutral. I managed to pull to the shoulder, but the sudden loss of power could easily have been life threatening at a more crowded time of day or in poor weather. The car was towed to McDaniel Acura in Columbia, SC (I was out of town) and problem confirmed. I also called my regular mechanic (a Honda specialist) and he said this was a known problem and referenced Acura service bulletin [XXX] which says to reload new software. Codes were: Transmission code P0716 Parking Brake System U0401-68 Parking brake warning light on Blind spot warning light on Why hasn't there been a recall on this"?" It's a known problem and I could easily have been killed and hurt others. If not a recall, at least at least do something to alert owners so they can get it fixed proactively if they want, as opposed to breaking down on the side of an interstate for hours. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #23

Oct 092021

MDX

  • miles
i bought new car in 2017 November and around over 2500k miles I heard engine chirping sound and if you're surrounded by wall you can hear it louder. took it to dealership several time but they said it's normal and show me another car to prove to me. Which it did had same sound. Then yrs go by I hear loud clunking sound underneath the car every time I reversed and when switching gear to reverse. also about 1-2 yr owning it I heard clunking sound on steering wheel so when mechanic looked at dealership they said it could have been air bag wires so they secured it and shouldn't have any more problem. on 3rd yr I went back to dealership because I know something is wrong with steering wheel clunking sound when turning low speed to right and felt much tighter to turn. they said one of suspension is problem so they replaced but 2wks later happen again. I was in rush for them to resolve before my 4yr warranty ends but they keep playing around saying initially by experience mechanic when we did test drive he heard the sound and thinks it's steering rack or pinion. so I was relived after yr of back n forth they figured out and tells me to wait for next step. but after 1hr waiting at lobby they told me after lifting car up can't manipulate the sound again so can't fix. I wanted to speak to that mechanic again and the way he looked at me and said sorry I don't know what's wrong with it seem like his been told by higher up to lie bc that day they had corporate person visit and that person refused my claim. I asked to fix steering rack or both and they said we can't bc its costing them money and what if that's not the case. I took it to local mechanic and whenever my vehicle is lifted its hard to find the sound but when on ground you can hear. Then recently I brought up that clunk sound to different mechanic during oil change they found out that my body frame was loose so he tighten the bolts. He said it's rare to have frame loose. after that no more clunking when reversing.

- Seattle , WA, USA

problem #22

Jul 202023

MDX

  • miles
Driving in rain and multiple systems failed at once without any reason. Car indicates brake systems, lane assistance, power steering, collision mitigation, stability control, etc all indicate problems. No reason for it to all go out at once.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #21

Sep 222022

MDX

  • miles
My 2017 Acura MDX has many issues with both the transmission and electrical. It has an issue shifting between gears, makes a loud sound like metal on wash board, then loses power for 3-5 seconds. I went to put the car in drive and it would not go in drive recently. I've now had to replace the transmission at 79,006 miles. The electrical system lights up when driving telling me my electronic parking brake has been engaged and also that there is emission system issues. My daughter was terrified and crying since i had a loss of power at the same time my dash lit up and I had to get across 5 lanes of traffic to the shoulder of road. The towing company had to remove battery cable to get my electric parking break to release. This is a dangerous and scary automobile

- Huntsville, AL, USA

problem #20

Oct 012021

MDX

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving suddenly all error warnings came up. It included Check Engine Light, Error messages included: Electronic Braking System error, Emission System error. The light indicative of parking P! kept blinking also the (P) came up on the dashboard. Interestingly after some time this all cleared on its own. Then came back again only this time it stayed on. I don't know if this has compromised the safety features of the vehicle including emergency braking (crash avoidance/vehicle proximity)

- Buffalo Grove, IL, USA

problem #19

Apr 012021

MDX

  • 80,000 miles
While driving on normal road with no other cars around, the emergency braking system/forward collision activated and immediately stopped my car with no danger present. This resulted in the car behind me swerve to avoid hitting me in the rear. No warning lights were on the dash or no audible warning either. This seems to be a malfunction in the system.

- Hoover, AL, USA

problem #18

May 282018

MDX

  • 36,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the vehicle started to shudder. The contact also stated that the gear shifter was unable to shift into park. The vehicle was taken to john Eagle Acura (16015 katy fwy, houston, tx 77094) where it was diagnosed with the ignition coil circuit cable needing to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #17

Mar 172021

MDX

  • 43,060 miles
Incident #2 driving down city street approaching an intersection. No car in front and no car behind. In the middle of the intersection the car auto brakes to a complete stop before releasing back to normal. If a car were behind me I would have most surely been rear ended.

- New Smyrna Beach, FL, USA

problem #16

Feb 152021

MDX

  • 76,000 miles
Loses power and unable to accelerate while driving at higher speeds. Has happened 4 times in 2 months

- Lexington, SC, USA

problem #15

Jun 192020

MDX

  • 51,231 miles
After receiving the vehicle from Acura in March 2020 with approximately 49,500 miles and noticed the vehicle was slipping around 20 to 30 miles per hour. My fiancee drove it as well and felt it slipping in a city stop and go under the same speed. We called Acura to complain about the slipping as well as the battery malfunctioning. They told us to bring it in and we did. The battery end up being dead a few weeks after receiving the vehicle. It was changed. We then were told that the vehicle needs a transmission fluid change and that this maybe causes the problem. We noticed with the vehicle records the fluid was changed at 42,376 miles prior. The transmission fluid ended up being changed and we were told that we would need to drive the vehicle a lot for the slipping to go away. Thousands of miles later the vehicle is still slipping with 53,000 miles. We feel Acura knows the is an issue but doesn't want to fix it. We need help. I'm not the only won having this issue with this particular vehicle when it involves slipping. I have a few documents supporting my case about the transmission fluid and the current issues with the vehicle.

- Bridgeport, CT, USA

problem #14

Jul 182020

MDX

  • 37,000 miles
Rear back up camera has up to 1 minute delay in activating when I selected reverse. Also delays the safety systems associated with it like cross traffic warnings and collision avoidance.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #13

Sep 242019

MDX

  • 40,900 miles
Since owners and on 4 specific occasions. While driving at high speed upon acceleration at 70 mph auto went dead. Lost all power. After eight minutes auto restarted. 9 months ago, while placed into reveres to auto self accelerated T high speed. After brakes applied and vehicle placed into drive vehicle accelerated at a hgh rate of speed. Lock brakes put vehicle into neutral restarted. One month ago while turning left into traffic at a major intersection, car brakes applied awaiting left turn against traffic. Went to accelerate, car dash lights went wild all begin bling rapidly, dash went black, ABS brakes and brake pedal went to floor car went by itself into neutral. Took over 8 minutes to restart. On 9/24.19 Tuesday at 1:41 pm while traveling West bound on interstate 90, at 74 mph while passing a semi truck as I passed the truck, with a clear distance and proceeded to turn into the right driving lane in front of the truck as I pulled right the vehicle dash went black, the ABS and brake peddle went to the floor and the car decelerated rapidly from 74 to 50 mph within a second. The semi locked the brakes to avoid a serious rear end collision. As I reached 50 mph the dash re lite and all instrumentation appear to function and as I pushed down on the accelerator the vehicle regained speed. I can report perhaps 15 to 20 other major items with collision avoidance and electronic dash abnormalities. The vehicle has been in the Acura shop minimally 15 to 20 times over 24 months to no avail. Acura reports software updates or bad battery causing low voltage signals. This vehicle is dangerous and if not addressed will cause death.

- Williamsville, NY, USA

problem #12

Aug 132019

MDX

  • 10,000 miles
While driving, I received the message "advanced driver support system: U3000-49". this is the second time this error has appeared on the console. First time this had occurred was on 9/28/18 and again on 8/13/19. The dealer says I dont drive the car enough and in turn the battery for the camera does not have sufficient charge. Every time I bring this car in for an issue they reset the error message and inform me to let them know to come back if the issue appears. This happened with my trunk and my jerky transmission. On another note, I have had issues with a choppy transmission. The car jerks from 1st to 2nd everytime. They know about the problem but refuse to fix it. The 2019 models dont have this problem as I test drove. It is a safety issue because when you press the accelerator it gives a jerk and in the winter if you are not prepared it can catch you off guard.

- Glenview, IL, USA

problem #11

Jan 132019

MDX 6-cyl

  • 17,000 miles
I own a 2017 Acura MDX. The VIN is [xxx]. on Sunday January 13, 2019 my wife was pulling into our drive way when she noticed smoke coming from under the hood. She got our kids out of the car just before the car burst into flames. It?S amazing no one was hurt. The car, however, is completely destroyed. The fire destroyed our other car in the driveway, the garage door, the gutters, windows, the front door and a large part of the roof. All four tires exploded and flaming pieces of rubber went all over our home and drive way. The car left an oil stain across our entire driveway. The car was still under the one year manufacture end to end warranty. The only service ever performed on the vehicle was done at john Eagle Acura in katy, Texas. We purchased the service package from john Eagle Acura which cost roughly $300 and was a complete waste of money. The car had no warnings and had no indication of a service engine soon notice. The car was reduced to smoking rubble. The car is a pile of broken glass and ashes. Thank you.

- Friendswood, TX, USA

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