2019 Acura MDX Problems & Owner Complaints
Age-normalised, this year draws ~22.9 complaints per year on the road — ranking 5 of 14 Acura MDX years we track (1 = most complaints per year).
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What owners report
Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2019 Acura MDX, cited in 46 of 183 filed complaints (25%).
Electrical System is next (39 complaints, 21%), followed by Power Train (31), Engine And Engine Cooling (30), Fuel System (21).
Across all complaints, 4 report a crash, 3 report a fire, 3 report injuries.
The most safety-critical cluster is Vehicle Speed Control: 1 crash, 3 injury report(s).
Complaints by vehicle system
Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2019 Acura MDX, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 183.
Engine 46 1 fire
“THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY IN THE PARKING AREA. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE BRIGADE TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR TO GET THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL. WE HAD GONE TO CHICKFILA (ABOUT 6 MILES TOTAL DISTANCE) AND THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR MAYBE 5 MINUTES WHEN WE SAW A FIRE ENGULF THE FRONT PORTION. I PUT WATER ON IT WHILE WAITING FOR 991 RESPONSE.”
NHTSA complaint #11389557, 2021 · fire
“I am reporting a recurring safety issue following the Acura rod bearing recall repair on my 2019 Acura MDX SH-AWD. The original recall resulted in catastrophic engine failure and Acura replaced the long block assembly. Since that repair, the vehicle has repeatedly failed and returned to the dealership multiple times for the same issue pattern. Symptoms include: * “Emissions System Problem” warning * SH-AWD, brake, and traction control warnings * strong raw gasoline odor * vehicle becoming undriveable/no-start Timeline: * Recall repair completed with long block replacement * Vehicle failed…”
NHTSA complaint #11736180, 2026
“My car has stalled while driving on the highway multiple times now. The first time it happened, it lost power, stopped accelerating, and cycled through multiple warning lights, causing a significant safety risk. I pulled over and it restarted within minutes. I took it to a repair shop and they could not find a problem with it, even with the codes provided. Nothing pointed to a solution. It happened two other times while I was driving my child on a highway where it lost acceleration and then kicked back in. Again, this post, a significant safety risk as always in a fast lane on a highway with m…”
NHTSA complaint #11728714, 2026
Electrical System 39 1 crash 1 fire
“WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THERE WAS SINGLE "POP" SOUND THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM INSIDE THE DASHBOARD BETWEEN THE ON DEMAND MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY (ODMD) AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE NAVI SCREEN THEN BECAME SOLID BLACK. AFTER A VERY SHORT TIME AND WHILE STILL AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE NAVI SCREEN BRIEFLY SHOWED THE VIEW FROM THE BACKUP CAMERA. AFTER A FEW SECONDS BOTH THE NAVI SCREEN AND THE ODMD SCREEN BECAME SOLID BLACK AND REMAINED THAT WAY. THEN, WITHIN SECONDS, LIGHT COLORED, GRAYISH SMOKE BEGAN FLOWING OUT INTO THE VEHICLE FROM THE CD SLOT ON THE ODMD. IMMEDIATELY, THERE WAS AN ODOR IN…”
NHTSA complaint #11349561, 2020 · fire
“Starting having an issue over the last few weeks where the car will shut off as it should with the idle start/stop enhanced but when I release the brake, the car goes into neutral and doesn’t start… have had this happen 4 times already and was finally rear ended today due to this fault.”
NHTSA complaint #11532591, 2023 · crash
“Car shifted on its own from drive to park right after warning lights stating Electrical Parking System then Emissions the Transmission came on while in stop and go traffic. Car had just come back from Acura mechanic 4 hours earlier as these warning lights had come when starting car. Immediately had car towed to dealership.”
NHTSA complaint #11752240, 2026
Power Train 31 1 crash
“Starting having an issue over the last few weeks where the car will shut off as it should with the idle start/stop enhanced but when I release the brake, the car goes into neutral and doesn’t start… have had this happen 4 times already and was finally rear ended today due to this fault.”
NHTSA complaint #11532591, 2023 · crash
“While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden internal mechanical and electronic transmission failure. Without warning, the vehicle shifted itself directly into Park while navigating the busy intersection of [XXX] and [XXX]. This caused a complete loss of propulsion and left the vehicle entirely immobilized in the middle of a high-speed junction. The vehicle could not be moved, creating an immediate, severe highway safety hazard that required an emergency 911 police response to manage traffic and protect the vehicle from being rear-ended. The dealership scan tool later pulled diagnostic code…”
NHTSA complaint #11746202, 2026
“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.…”
NHTSA complaint #11730121, 2026
Engine And Engine Cooling 30 1 fire
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated while her nephew was driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed smoke coming from the front and rear of the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The contact’s nephew pulled off the road to lift the hood of the vehicle where he saw flames. The Fire and Police Department arrived at the scene however, the fire had already been extinguished. The contact was unaware if a Police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed…”
NHTSA complaint #11572992, 2023 · fire
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
NHTSA complaint #11640730, 2025
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at various undisclosed speeds, an abnormal sound could be heard coming from the engine and a fuel-burning odor leaked into the interior and exterior of the vehicle. The transmission jerked while driving. The failure occurred on several occasions. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) and 23V751000 ( ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or…”
NHTSA complaint #11634814, 2024
Unknown Or Other 25 1 crash 1 injury
“THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY FEATURES WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO ALERT YOU IF BRAKING IS REQUIRED AND TO BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS ACTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WHICH IS DESIGNED TO SLOW YOUR VEHICLE WHEN A VEHICLE ENTERS YOUR LANE WITH IN A PRE SET DISTANCE. CRUISE CONTROL: WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY USING ACTIVE CRUISE CONTROL MY VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN FROM 70 TO 45 NO VEHICLES ENTERED MY LANE I WAS PASSED ON MY LEFT BY A VEHICLE DOING 80 PLUS. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITH IN TWENTY MINUTES. I DROVE THROUGH COSTCO AT UNDER 5MPH NO VEHICLES INFRONT OF ME MY SAFETY SYSTEM STOPPE…”
NHTSA complaint #11318129, 2020 · 1 injury(ies)
“I WAS IN A DRIVE THROUGH WAS ASKED TO PULL FORWARD AND PARK AT CURB AS I BRAKED MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN STRIKING THE CURB AND DAMAGING MY LEFT FRONT WHEEL AT THE TIME OF THE FALSE ACCELERATION I WAS IN DRIVE IDELING FORWARD”
NHTSA complaint #11322129, 2019 · crash
“Car shifted on its own from drive to park right after warning lights stating Electrical Parking System then Emissions the Transmission came on while in stop and go traffic. Car had just come back from Acura mechanic 4 hours earlier as these warning lights had come when starting car. Immediately had car towed to dealership.”
NHTSA complaint #11752240, 2026
Fuel System 21
“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11649460, 2024
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at various undisclosed speeds, an abnormal sound could be heard coming from the engine and a fuel-burning odor leaked into the interior and exterior of the vehicle. The transmission jerked while driving. The failure occurred on several occasions. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) and 23V751000 ( ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or…”
NHTSA complaint #11634814, 2024
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
NHTSA complaint #11626125, 2024
Forward Collision Avoidance 20 1 crash 2 injury
“The contact owned a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle experienced a sudden jolt. The contact immediately depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle erroneously accelerated to a high rate of speed. The contact depressed the brake pedal, shifted to neutral, and to the park position but the vehicle continued to increase speed eventually crashing into several vehicles that were stopped at a red light. The vehicle then crashed into a moving vehicle where it came to a stop. The contact indicated that during the incident four vehicles were crashed…”
NHTSA complaint #11635640, 2025 · crash · 2 injury(ies)
“The subject 2019 Acura MDX model includes the tech package which adds several safety features that function through a windshield mounted camara/radar. The system has malfunctioned and none of the safety features are working. The dash displays the following messages: Collision Mitigation System Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem Lane Keeping Asist Problem Road Departure Mitigation System Problem automatic headlight system problem At the bottom of the dash, I see Brake System, Crash Warning and Lane Departure lights on as well. Acura is charging $2,319 to replace this unit in addition to a…”
NHTSA complaint #11746803, 2026
“On 04/03/2026, 6:04 PM, Acura MDX 2019, Base, SH-AWD, at 105,254 miles on the odometer, posted U3000-49 control module internal electronic failure. The fault appears to be at the 36160-TYS-A02 camera assembly monocular results in a series of cascading errors on the dash with indicators on for LKAS (Lane Keeping Assist), ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), CMBS (Collision Mitigation Brake System), brake and transmission warning lights that blink continuously. The sudden lost of safety system especially at highway speeds places extreme risk to occupants of vehicle and other drivers sharing the roadwa…”
NHTSA complaint #11744263, 2026
Fuel/Propulsion System 20 1 fire
“THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY IN THE PARKING AREA. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE BRIGADE TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR TO GET THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL. WE HAD GONE TO CHICKFILA (ABOUT 6 MILES TOTAL DISTANCE) AND THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR MAYBE 5 MINUTES WHEN WE SAW A FIRE ENGULF THE FRONT PORTION. I PUT WATER ON IT WHILE WAITING FOR 991 RESPONSE.”
NHTSA complaint #11389557, 2021 · fire
“On [XXX], while traveling at highway speeds on [XXX], the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of engine propulsion. The vehicle rapidly decelerated, refused to respond to accelerator input, and forced itself into a dangerous "Limp Mode" in live traffic, creating an immediate highway safety hazard. Multiple warning messages illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle was towed to Mile High Acura under Repair Order #[XXX]. Diagnostic testing pulled stored Code P0087 for Low Fuel Pressure at the Fuel Rail. An inline fuel pressure gauge confirmed that the low-side fuel pressure was rapidly flu…”
NHTSA complaint #11745700, 2026
“Under normal driving conditions warning lights for "electric parking brake" and "emissions system problem" came on the dashboard and the 'brake' light began flashing. No change in performance. Auto parts store diagnostic indicated EVAP valve as the possible problem code, along with two other unrelated codes - none connected to brakes or emissions. The 12-volt battery tested strong. Drove another 100 miles with lights still on, but the 'brake' light would turn off after about 5 mins of highway driving/no braking. The next day the warning lights continued. After normal city driving I shut…”
NHTSA complaint #11744197, 2026
Lane Departure 12
“The subject 2019 Acura MDX model includes the tech package which adds several safety features that function through a windshield mounted camara/radar. The system has malfunctioned and none of the safety features are working. The dash displays the following messages: Collision Mitigation System Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem Lane Keeping Asist Problem Road Departure Mitigation System Problem automatic headlight system problem At the bottom of the dash, I see Brake System, Crash Warning and Lane Departure lights on as well. Acura is charging $2,319 to replace this unit in addition to a…”
NHTSA complaint #11746803, 2026
“When I was at 41,528 miles, May 18, the LKAS, ACC & RDMS errors all turned on at the same time. So those systems just stopped working randomly. When I restarted the car, all errors turned off but it turned on again after 10 days, May 28 with 91,966 miles. I brought it to the Acura dealership and they couldn't replicate it. I think this is an issue because one of the highlights of this car is safety but at random times, those safety systems suddenly stops working and the dealership couldn't do anything about it.”
NHTSA complaint #11741836, 2026
“The front camera mounted near the rear view mirror stopped working which caused several systems to fail. Acura was slow to respond and was not able to complete the repair because the camera was backordered for several months.”
NHTSA complaint #11725506, 2025
Vehicle Speed Control 10 1 crash 3 injury
“The contact owned a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle experienced a sudden jolt. The contact immediately depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle erroneously accelerated to a high rate of speed. The contact depressed the brake pedal, shifted to neutral, and to the park position but the vehicle continued to increase speed eventually crashing into several vehicles that were stopped at a red light. The vehicle then crashed into a moving vehicle where it came to a stop. The contact indicated that during the incident four vehicles were crashed…”
NHTSA complaint #11635640, 2025 · crash · 2 injury(ies)
“THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY FEATURES WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO ALERT YOU IF BRAKING IS REQUIRED AND TO BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS ACTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WHICH IS DESIGNED TO SLOW YOUR VEHICLE WHEN A VEHICLE ENTERS YOUR LANE WITH IN A PRE SET DISTANCE. CRUISE CONTROL: WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY USING ACTIVE CRUISE CONTROL MY VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN FROM 70 TO 45 NO VEHICLES ENTERED MY LANE I WAS PASSED ON MY LEFT BY A VEHICLE DOING 80 PLUS. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITH IN TWENTY MINUTES. I DROVE THROUGH COSTCO AT UNDER 5MPH NO VEHICLES INFRONT OF ME MY SAFETY SYSTEM STOPPE…”
NHTSA complaint #11318129, 2020 · 1 injury(ies)
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while his wife was traveling on Interstate 75 and driving 85 MPH, the vehicle independently slowed down, failed to accelerate, and shut off. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11590063, 2024
Service Brakes 9 2 crash 2 injury
“The contact owned a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle experienced a sudden jolt. The contact immediately depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle erroneously accelerated to a high rate of speed. The contact depressed the brake pedal, shifted to neutral, and to the park position but the vehicle continued to increase speed eventually crashing into several vehicles that were stopped at a red light. The vehicle then crashed into a moving vehicle where it came to a stop. The contact indicated that during the incident four vehicles were crashed…”
NHTSA complaint #11635640, 2025 · crash · 2 injury(ies)
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 3-4 mph, he depressed the brake pedal but it failed to respond. The contact drove into a pole. The brake message was displayed. There was no reported injuries, fire or air bag deployment. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11430987, 2021 · crash
“Under normal driving conditions warning lights for "electric parking brake" and "emissions system problem" came on the dashboard and the 'brake' light began flashing. No change in performance. Auto parts store diagnostic indicated EVAP valve as the possible problem code, along with two other unrelated codes - none connected to brakes or emissions. The 12-volt battery tested strong. Drove another 100 miles with lights still on, but the 'brake' light would turn off after about 5 mins of highway driving/no braking. The next day the warning lights continued. After normal city driving I shut…”
NHTSA complaint #11744197, 2026
Visibility/Wiper 7
“We just got into the vehicle and was driving down the road when the sunroof exploded. Nothing hit it and nobody was around us when it happened. I about went off the road. Didn't know what happened. Very scary that a sunroof can just explode on its own with nothing hitting it.”
NHTSA complaint #11686949, 2025
“WHILE DRIVING MY 2019 MDX I NOTICED THAT THE BACK-UP CAMERA WAS ON REMAINING ON, AND I COULD SEE THE ROAD BEHIND BY VEHICLE. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN RESTARTED THINKING THIS WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM; HOWEVER IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE LIGHTS THAT INDICATE THAT I AM BACKING UP REMAIN ON EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK. INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THE CLIMATE CONTROL ISN'T WORKING. THE CAR APPEARS TO BE "SAFE" TO DRIVE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DISTRACTION FROM THE BACKUP CAMERA REMAINING ON; AND, NOT BEING ABLE TO DEFROST/DEFOG THE WINDOWS…”
NHTSA complaint #11307893, 2020
“DISTORTED WINDSHIELD ON THE RIGHT PILLAR.”
NHTSA complaint #11243118, 2019
Exterior Lighting 5
“The taillights on this vehicle are defective. I have already had one taillight replaced and now the other side needs to be replaced. These taillights are $300 each for parts only.”
NHTSA complaint #11712057, 2026
“The headlight assemblies to my vehicle have become defective. The headlight assembly, both right and left, has moisture intrusion within the headlight assembly, creating condensation build-up inside the housing. This issue also caused the headlights to become white and hazy in appearance. I was advised by the dealer that this would lead to failure with the lighting and would have to be replaced. I purchased a certified used vehicle with Tustin Acura in August of 2022 and also purchased an extended warranty for piece of mind. In the 2 1/2 years that I have owned the vehicle, I have added a…”
NHTSA complaint #11645250, 2025
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the rear tailgate lid light failed to illuminate as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the rear tailgate lid lighting assembly was faulty due to water intrusion and that the assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V256000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced…”
NHTSA complaint #11607034, 2024
Steering 5
“Loud clunking noise when steering, possibly the rack and pinion. Control arms and struts have been replaced.”
NHTSA complaint #11696675, 2025
“Two recalls outstanding from November 2023. Parts not available to fix the problems until April 2025.”
NHTSA complaint #11592501, 2024
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated that occasionally while accelerating, at a stop, or while driving, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. While driving at approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 80 MPH. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes activated independently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon returning the vehicle, the warning lights were flashing or beeping without a light. The steering wh…”
NHTSA complaint #11557192, 2023
Wheels 3 1 crash
“I WAS IN A DRIVE THROUGH WAS ASKED TO PULL FORWARD AND PARK AT CURB AS I BRAKED MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN STRIKING THE CURB AND DAMAGING MY LEFT FRONT WHEEL AT THE TIME OF THE FALSE ACCELERATION I WAS IN DRIVE IDELING FORWARD”
NHTSA complaint #11322129, 2019 · crash
“Factory wheels on Acura MDX cracking at low mileage under normal driving conditions. Structural failure concern.”
NHTSA complaint #11712458, 2024
“THEIR INFLATABLE SEALANT DOES NOT WORK. WE WERE ON THE ROAD AND HAD A FLAT, PULLED OVER GOT THE COMPRESSOR OUT HOOKED TO FLAT ALL THAT HAPPENED WAS AIR BLOWING OUT THE HOLE IN THE TIRE. BY THE GRACE OF GOD A MAN STOPPED AND HE WAS A TIRE REPAIR MAN THAT WAS GOING TO ACALL ON A BIG TRUCK TIRE PROBLEM HE PATCHED OUR TIRE AND INFLATED IT AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY HOME. WHAT IF HE DID NOT COME ALONG, WE WERE IN AN AREA WITH POOR PHONE RECEPTION, MY WIFE FINALLY GOT WITH ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY WERE GOING TO SEND SOMEONE TO TOW IT TO CLOSEST DEALERSHIP. MY WIFE TOLD THEM THAT THE TIRE MAN HAD SOL…”
NHTSA complaint #11205446, 2019
Seats 2
“The drivers seat is lose and can be felt and heard making noise when driving, even at low speeds. It shifts back and forth upon acceleration and deceleration. Ive had a mechanic look at it and determine it is in fact shifting around while driving, which is extremely unsafe. Upon further research found that many othet Acura/Honda users have had the same issue especially in the MDX model mentioned here. Its even been reported by dealers in brand new, still in the showroom MDX. It is clearly not a wear and tear issue and needs a recall to be addressed.”
NHTSA complaint #11729871, 2025
“THE INTERNAL GUTS OF THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SEAT ARE LOOSE AND COMING APART. WHENEVER YOUR BACK MOVES AGAINST THE SEAT THE INTERNAL WORKINGS JIGGLE. THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE THE MORE YOU USE THE SEATS. THE JIGGLING IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT FEELS LIKE THE INSIDE OF THE SEAT IS COLLAPSING. *TR”
NHTSA complaint #11330038, 2019
Structure 2 1 fire
“THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY IN THE PARKING AREA. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE BRIGADE TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR TO GET THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL. WE HAD GONE TO CHICKFILA (ABOUT 6 MILES TOTAL DISTANCE) AND THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR MAYBE 5 MINUTES WHEN WE SAW A FIRE ENGULF THE FRONT PORTION. I PUT WATER ON IT WHILE WAITING FOR 991 RESPONSE.”
NHTSA complaint #11389557, 2021 · fire
“Rear tail gate lift motors are overheating and won't open rear hatch. The motors will lift the gait for about 5 or 6 openings, then the gate will not lift at all. The vehicle has to sit overnight for the system to "cool down". Once it cools down, the tailgate will operate the next date, but will operate only once. The car has to once again, sit overnight, in order to lift the tailgate 1 time. If the motors of the gate are overheating, this is a safety potential fire issue. At this time I am being told the motors are on back order, and I have no manual override in this vehicle to lift the t…”
NHTSA complaint #11464161, 2022
Suspension 2
“Clunking or Looseness in the Outer Tie Rod. The issue is related to TSB-B23-019 Bulletin. The exact same issue is occurring that has happened with years 2022-2023. I have had at the dealership to fix the issue and they never mentioned the outer tie rod cotter pin or castle nut loosening.”
NHTSA complaint #11740641, 2025
“SINCE TAKING DELIVERY OF MY 2019 ACURA MDX I STARTED TO NOTICE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING AND BRAKING. THE ISSUE CAN BE HEARD ALSO WHILE MAKING A TURN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED THE LEFT STRUT BUT THE ISSUE DID NOT GET FIXED. THIS IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES. THIS CLICKING NOISE IS ANNOYING AND EMBARRASSING TO BE DRIVING A NEW VEHICLE THAT MAKES CLICKING NOISES.”
NHTSA complaint #11254766, 2019
Visibility 2
“The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving or while the vehicle was parked, during inclement weather, there was water seeping through the sunroof of the vehicle. The floor in the front of the vehicle had been accumulating water. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11602439, 2024
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS DISTORTED ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE PILLAR AREAS. WHEN LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AT THESE POINTS, THE GLASS WAS EXTREMELY DISTORTED AND CAUSED NAUSEA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO METRO ACURA (9377 AUTOPLEX ST, MONTCLAIR, CA 91763, (909) 626-6000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WAS WORSE OFF THAN THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAI…”
NHTSA complaint #11282474, 2019
Air Bags 1
“While driving at 25 miles an hour on a smooth curving road out of a housing area my wife who was driving and my grand daughter in the front passenger seat heard a loud boom that sounded like somthing hit the roof. My grand daughter looked into the back passenger area and said she saw a large buldge in the headliner near the back window on the drivers side. My wife continued driving saftly to the nearest parking lot and parked the vehicle, she got out and inspected the roof and found no dammage of any kind. she opened the back window tail gate and saw a large fist size buldge in the headliner n…”
NHTSA complaint #11725634, 2026
Tires 1
“Continental Crosscontact LX Sport 265/45R20 104H Tires have about 33,275 miles on them (rotated regularly) and one of the tires has a huge bump in the tread. The belt has separated from the sidewall. From what I've read, there are recalls on this tire, but not for this particular date that these tires were made. With it being on the front, it makes the steering wheel shake and I'm scared to drive it anywhere except to the tire store.”
NHTSA complaint #11547089, 2023
How we read this (methodology)
How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2019 Acura MDX draws about 22.9 complaints per year on the road, ranking 5 of 14 among the Acura MDX model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).
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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.