2018 Acura MDX

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Acura MDX has 268 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: starter failed with auto start/stop while stopped in traffic. since engine wouldn't start, car shifted to park automatically and can not shift to neutral with the engine off and unable to start. the battery was fine and could go into aux mode, but still won't shift to neutral. aside from quality iss. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 4 crash reports 1 injury

268

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

52 complaints

19%

• STARTER FAILED WITH AUTO START/STOP WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. SINCE ENGINE WOULDN'T START, CAR SHIFTED TO PARK AUTOMATICALLY AND CAN NOT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND UNABLE TO START. THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND COULD GO INTO AUX MODE, BUT STILL WON'T SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. ASIDE FROM QUALITY ISS
• TICKING NOISES COMING FROM ENGINE. CONFIRMED WITH DEALER ACURA IS LOOKING INTO THIS. I'M ALSO EXPERIENCING BRIEF LOSS OF POWER DEALER STATES THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH ENGINE.
• In San Diego on 11/15/2021, my daughter side swiped a parked vehicle in residential area driving about 30 miles. No airbags deployed. A minute later the car stopped and would not start and started to have smoke and flames come from under hood and through inside windshield and dash. My daughter was a

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“STARTER FAILED WITH AUTO START/STOP WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. SINCE ENGINE WOULDN'T START, CAR SHIFTED TO PARK AUTOMATICALLY AND CAN NOT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND UNABLE TO START. THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND COULD GO INTO AUX MODE, BUT STILL WON'T SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. ASIDE FROM QUALITY ISS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

50 complaints

19%

• GAS STATION FUEL GAS NOZZLE STUCKED/STICKING IN CAPLESS GAS TANK FILLER
• MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNDER MY CAR PORT IMMEDIATELY AFTER RETURNING FROM THE GROCERY STORE. AS I WAS UNLOADING THE CAR I SAW AND SMELLED SMOKE WHICH THEN ERUPTED INTO A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WE CALLED 911 AND WHEN THE FD ARRIVED THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED AS WAS MY BUILDING. SUS
• MULTIPLE TIMES I HAVE BEEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DECREASE IN SPEED AND STALL OUT. I WOULD GO FROM 75MPH TO 45MPH VERY QUICKLY. IT WOULD THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AGAIN AND GO BACK TO NORMAL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO A DEADLY ACCIDENT.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“GAS STATION FUEL GAS NOZZLE STUCKED/STICKING IN CAPLESS GAS TANK FILLER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

36 complaints

13%

• My vehicle has similar behaviors to the most recent investigation that is happening with the investigation of the Honda Accord and CRV noted in this article: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2022/INOA-PE22003-5540.PDF. On a handful of times while driving on the freeway, my car has unexpectedly decel
• My vehicle has similar behaviors to the most recent investigation that is happening with the investigation of the Honda Accord and CRV noted in this article: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2022/INOA-PE22003-5540.PDF. On a handful of times while driving on the freeway, my car has unexpectedly decel
• 2018 purchased a little more than a month ago as a certified used Acura. Twice now we have been overridden by the automatic forward collision detecting something in front when NOTHING was there. Once on the freeway went from 70mph to 15 quickly and almost got rear ended. Just now on city street car

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“My vehicle has similar behaviors to the most recent investigation that is happening with the investigation of the Honda Accord and CRV noted in this article: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2022/INOA-PE22003-5540.PDF. On a handful of times while driving on the freeway, my car has unexpectedly decel”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

26 complaints

10%

• [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM
• AFTER SWITCHING TO DRIVE FROM REVERSE THE NAV DISPLAY WOULD NOT SWITCH BACK FROM THE BACK UP CAMERA WHILE DRIVING AHEAD, WHEN A CAR WOULD BE ANYWHERE NEAR MINE ON THE ROAD, STILL IN DRIVE, WHETHER IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT OR IN MOTION ON THE STREET, THE BACK UP SENSORS THAT RESPOND TO PASSING CARS DID N
• TAKATA RECALL: REVIEW CAMERA REMAINS ON WHEN I SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. CONSEQUENTLY, I AM DRIVING LOOKING AT THE ROAD BEHIND ME ON THE SCREEN.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

22 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL A CAR APPROX 1000 FEET AHEAD OF ME WAS SLOWING DOWN TO TURN RIGHT WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL TURNING BUT COMPLETELY OUT OF THE INTERSECTION THE AUTOMATIC BRAKES CAME ON AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CAR THAT TURNED RIGHT WAS DOWN THE STREET IT HAD TURNED ON COMPLETELY OUT OF S
• THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGES AND THE CAR TAKES OFF FROM A DEAD STAND STILL WHEN RESUME BUTTON IS BUMPED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING CRUISE CONTROL SHOULD NOT ENGAGE FROM A STANDSTILL OR SLOW SPEED. I DISCOVERED THIS AFTER THE DEALER SERVICED THE CAR AND THE TECH HAD TURNED ON THE CRUISE THE RESUME BUTTON
• When the car accelerator pedal is pressed, from either a stop or slowly rolling from a stop, there is no response from the vehicle, no transmission downshift, no sounds - it just sits as if the car is off for 1-3 seconds and THEN accelerates/lunges. This happens everyday, intermittently throughout

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL A CAR APPROX 1000 FEET AHEAD OF ME WAS SLOWING DOWN TO TURN RIGHT WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL TURNING BUT COMPLETELY OUT OF THE INTERSECTION THE AUTOMATIC BRAKES CAME ON AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CAR THAT TURNED RIGHT WAS DOWN THE STREET IT HAD TURNED ON COMPLETELY OUT OF S”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 268 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: STARTER FAILED WITH AUTO START/STOP WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. SINCE ENGINE WOULDN'T START, CAR SHIFTED TO PARK AUTOMATICALLY AND CAN NOT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND UNABLE TO START. THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND COULD GO INTO AUX MODE, BUT STILL WON'T SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. ASIDE FROM QUALITY ISS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: GAS STATION FUEL GAS NOZZLE STUCKED/STICKING IN CAPLESS GAS TANK FILLER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: My vehicle has similar behaviors to the most recent investigation that is happening with the investigation of the Honda Accord and CRV noted in this article: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2022/INOA-PE22003-5540.PDF. On a handful of times while driving on the freeway, my car has unexpectedly decel
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)