2016 Acura MDX
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2016 Acura MDX has 504 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (31% of all complaints), specifically: on 9/3/15, i was pulling into my garage when all the warning lights on the dashboard went off - transmission, check engine, lane detection light etc. since i was going out of town the next morning, i put it in reverse and drove directly to the dealer. the car was in "limp mode" and i could only dr. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.
504
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
6.3x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
155 complaints- • ON 9/3/15, I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE WHEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OFF - TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE, LANE DETECTION LIGHT ETC. SINCE I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN THE NEXT MORNING, I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS IN "LIMP MODE" AND I COULD ONLY DR
- • VERY SIMILAR TO NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10762375. AFTER 3-4 DAYS OF DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH TRANSMISSION SYSTEM U0401, VSA PROBLEM, HILL START ASSIST PROBLEM ETC ETC ETC. THE SUV WOULD NOT SPEED ABOVE 35-40 MILES AND SHAKE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED CRACKED SPARK PLUG, IGNITION C
- • TRANSMISSION FAILED. THIS 9 SPEED TRANSMISSION HAS A FLUID HEATER IN IT THAT HAS RADIATOR WATER SUPPLIED TO IT. CAR WAS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY AND MAKING A BEEPING NOISE AT 20 TO 25 MPH. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON 06/11/16 WITH 8,800 MILES ON IT. THEY CALLED TO TELL ME THAT THE 2 WAY VALVE BETWEEN T
“ON 9/3/15, I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE WHEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OFF - TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE, LANE DETECTION LIGHT ETC. SINCE I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN THE NEXT MORNING, I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS IN "LIMP MODE" AND I COULD ONLY DR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
110 complaints- • THE 9 SPEED ZF TRANSMISSION HAS UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOR INCLUDING: DELAYED SHIFTING LEADING TO PAUSES IN POWER, DELAYED DOWN SHIFT DURING ATTEMPTS AT HIGHWAY SPEED ACCELERATION, JERKY SHIFTS, CAR REMAINS IN NEUTRAL WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE. VERY UNSAFE CONDITION DUE TO UNPREDICTABLE EFFEC
- • WHILE DRIVING, THE MDX SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL AND CANNOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF NEUTRAL. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY MULTIPLE TIMES. THE INFORMATION DISPLAY SHOWS FIRST EMISSIONS PROBLEM, THEN TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. ACURA HAS A TSB OUT FOR THIS B15-034, BUT WON'T APPLY IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM APPEARS. HAVI
- • I GOT MY 2016 ACURA MDX IN JULY. SINCE THEN, I AM HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. OFF-THE-LINE SHIFTS ARE ERRATIC, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THROTTLE I GIVE THE ENGINE. GIVE IT 3/4 THROTTLE AND ACCELERATION IS GREAT, BUT MILEAGE SUFFERS BADLY. GIVE IT ANY LESS THROTTLE AND ACCELERATION IS MEAGER, PLUS THE
“THE 9 SPEED ZF TRANSMISSION HAS UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOR INCLUDING: DELAYED SHIFTING LEADING TO PAUSES IN POWER, DELAYED DOWN SHIFT DURING ATTEMPTS AT HIGHWAY SPEED ACCELERATION, JERKY SHIFTS, CAR REMAINS IN NEUTRAL WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE. VERY UNSAFE CONDITION DUE TO UNPREDICTABLE EFFEC”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
41 complaints- • THE ACURA LANE KEEP ASSIST SYSTEM (LKAS) MIS-READS SOME INTERSECTIONS AND JERKS THE WHEEL TOWARD A SIDE STREET ONLY TO QUICKLY TRY TO COMPENSATE BY JERKING BACK. THERE IS ONE INTERSECTION IN PARTICULAR THAT THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY. THE DEAL SAYS THE SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A
- • FORWARD/FRONT COLLISION MITIGATION BRAKING SYSTEM DIDN'T ENGAGE ENOUGH TO REDUCE OR AVOID IMPACT OF THE COLLISION. MY VEHICLE TOOK A RIGHT TURN AT ABOUT 20-25 MPH AND TRAVELLED LESS THAN 2-2.5 CAR LENGTH BEFORE GETTING ONTO THE CURB AND HITTING AN IRON PILLAR ABOUT 2 FEET HIGH ON SIDE WALK. IT WA
- • VERY SIMILAR TO NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10762375. AFTER 3-4 DAYS OF DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH TRANSMISSION SYSTEM U0401, VSA PROBLEM, HILL START ASSIST PROBLEM ETC ETC ETC. THE SUV WOULD NOT SPEED ABOVE 35-40 MILES AND SHAKE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED CRACKED SPARK PLUG, IGNITION C
“THE ACURA LANE KEEP ASSIST SYSTEM (LKAS) MIS-READS SOME INTERSECTIONS AND JERKS THE WHEEL TOWARD A SIDE STREET ONLY TO QUICKLY TRY TO COMPENSATE BY JERKING BACK. THERE IS ONE INTERSECTION IN PARTICULAR THAT THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY. THE DEAL SAYS THE SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
36 complaints- • ON 9/3/15, I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE WHEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OFF - TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE, LANE DETECTION LIGHT ETC. SINCE I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN THE NEXT MORNING, I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS IN "LIMP MODE" AND I COULD ONLY DR
- • VERY SIMILAR TO NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10762375. AFTER 3-4 DAYS OF DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH TRANSMISSION SYSTEM U0401, VSA PROBLEM, HILL START ASSIST PROBLEM ETC ETC ETC. THE SUV WOULD NOT SPEED ABOVE 35-40 MILES AND SHAKE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED CRACKED SPARK PLUG, IGNITION C
- • THIS IS ALMOST BRAND NEW 2016 ACURA MDX AWD (WITH TECH AND ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGES). WHEN ACCELERATING ON A FREEWAY/ROAD, SUDDENLY LOTS OF THE WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON AND THEN THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE ANY MORE. THE SPEED SUDDENLY DROPS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A HAZARD - ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I AM
“ON 9/3/15, I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE WHEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OFF - TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE, LANE DETECTION LIGHT ETC. SINCE I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN THE NEXT MORNING, I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS IN "LIMP MODE" AND I COULD ONLY DR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
31 complaints- • WHILE DRIVING, THE MDX SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL AND CANNOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF NEUTRAL. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY MULTIPLE TIMES. THE INFORMATION DISPLAY SHOWS FIRST EMISSIONS PROBLEM, THEN TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. ACURA HAS A TSB OUT FOR THIS B15-034, BUT WON'T APPLY IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM APPEARS. HAVI
- • NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE I BOUGHT IT. PURCHASED JAN 2016. HAS REPLACED --- NAVIGATION, AMPLIFIER & FUEL PUMP!!! OWNED 2016 MDX FOR LESS THAN A WEEK- VEHICLE JOLTS FORWARD-GIVES ITSELF EXTRA GAS EVEN WHEN YOUR FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE! TRANSMISSION NOT SMOOTH. BEEN IN FOR SERVICE OVER 40 DAYS NOW (TO
- • ENGINE DOES NOT START AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS COME UP ON DASHBOARD. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, EACH OF THE SYSTEM COMES UP AS FAILED. DASHBOARD SHOWS AS ACC FAILED, LANE WARNING FAILED, EMISSION FAILED, ENGINE CHECK FAILED. THIS IS A SECOND FAILURE IN LAST 45 DAYS. FIRST FAILED ON NOV 20 AND CAR WAS IN
“WHILE DRIVING, THE MDX SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL AND CANNOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF NEUTRAL. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY MULTIPLE TIMES. THE INFORMATION DISPLAY SHOWS FIRST EMISSIONS PROBLEM, THEN TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. ACURA HAS A TSB OUT FOR THIS B15-034, BUT WON'T APPLY IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM APPEARS. HAVI”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 504 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: ON 9/3/15, I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE WHEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OFF - TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE, LANE DETECTION LIGHT ETC. SINCE I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN THE NEXT MORNING, I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS IN "LIMP MODE" AND I COULD ONLY DR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: THE 9 SPEED ZF TRANSMISSION HAS UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOR INCLUDING: DELAYED SHIFTING LEADING TO PAUSES IN POWER, DELAYED DOWN SHIFT DURING ATTEMPTS AT HIGHWAY SPEED ACCELERATION, JERKY SHIFTS, CAR REMAINS IN NEUTRAL WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE. VERY UNSAFE CONDITION DUE TO UNPREDICTABLE EFFEC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: THE ACURA LANE KEEP ASSIST SYSTEM (LKAS) MIS-READS SOME INTERSECTIONS AND JERKS THE WHEEL TOWARD A SIDE STREET ONLY TO QUICKLY TRY TO COMPENSATE BY JERKING BACK. THERE IS ONE INTERSECTION IN PARTICULAR THAT THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY. THE DEAL SAYS THE SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: ON 9/3/15, I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE WHEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OFF - TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE, LANE DETECTION LIGHT ETC. SINCE I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN THE NEXT MORNING, I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS IN "LIMP MODE" AND I COULD ONLY DR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Acura MDX — Year Comparison
How does 2016 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 504
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 2
- Crash reports
- 8
- Injury reports
- 8
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2016 Acura MDX