10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
16,207 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #14

Jul 182022

MDX

  • miles
When applying brakes, irrespective of speed at which I am traveling, I experience a distinct vibration/judder in the front brakes when applying the brakes on my 2017 Acura MDX.

- Eastchester, NY, USA

problem #13

Dec 152021

MDX

  • miles
This morning I read that you were investigating the automatic braking for certain Honda models. I have had this same thing happen with my 2017 Acura MDX several times over the past few years. I would be driving (not following another car), and my car would suddenly brake and flash "Brake" on the screen, without my doing anything. Both times, I attributed the issue to driving into a bright sun, but I am not sure. It did not cause an accident and it was not a big deal, but the last time (about 3 months ago) I remember braking and being nervous about someone else read ending me...when I tried to accelerate I was unable to do so.

- Northbrook, IL, USA

problem #12

May 152018

MDX

  • miles
Cruise control set to 37 mph, vehicle accelerates to almost 50 mph on downhill without braking.

- Chapel Hill, NC, USA

problem #11

Nov 212021

MDX

  • miles
The vehicle put emission system and electronic parking brake warning lights on panel, allowed vehicle to be placed in drive "D", then suddenly switched to a flashing "P, " stalled in parking lot, and would not allow the vehicle to be changed to any other gear.

- Florence, SC, USA

problem #10

Oct 012021

MDX

  • miles
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 #9

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 #8

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 #7

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 #6

Aug 312019

MDX

  • 27,000 miles
Speed control would not engage. This has happened before. Auto brakes engaged while driving down city street at 40 mph in outside lane of 4 lane road. No cars in front or immediately to my left. Fortunitly there were no cars/trucks behind me. Car came to suddened stop engaging the seat belts. After stopping I put put on gas again and drove 2 more blocks before I parked car for 2+ hours. Called dealership & drove to service department for repair. Dealer kept car overnight and said there were no issues they could find by driving or checking diagnostic computer records. So there was nothing they could do. These electrical issues have appeared and could not be duplicated in the past 20 months......1 - suddended emergency braking - 1X, speed control not engaging - 3 times, passenger side mirror not closing - 10+ times, car locking or not unlocking doors with key inside car - 3 times. Once will at airport and with car running.

- Weston, FL, USA

problem #5

Feb 012017

MDX

  • 7,946 miles
I have been complaining for two years that my car intermittently hesitates when accelerating. I have pulled out into traffic and my car has hesitated long enough that I've almost got slammed in the back by another car. The car feels like it is about to stall. I will press the gas pedal down to the floor and finally the car starts moving again. Brought the car in on several occasions to Acura and since they could not reproduce the hesitation, they decided there was nothing wrong with the car. Another issue I've had is with my brakes. At 13,000 miles both of my front brakes were worn down to the metal. When I brought the car in, it was noted that both calipers seized. The brakes and calipers were replaced. About 14,000 miles later, my right front brake was down to the metal. My left front brake was fine. After keeping my car for a week and consulting with the engineers in California, Acura decided there was nothing wrong with the brakes and that it was my driving. I asked how I only put the right front brake on and not the left. They did not have an answer. But because they couldn't find anything wrong, I had to replace both brakes again.

- Landenberg, PA, USA

problem #4

Aug 212018

MDX

  • 12,431 miles
On August 21, 2018 I pulled into a parking stall, and realized I was not aligned properly. I clicked on reverse so that I could realign within my designated space, and the car lunged forward jumping the curb and hitting the building approximately 4-5 feet in front of me. Both driver side airbags deployed. $13,000 worth of damage to my car. Within the first week of getting this car is 2017, I've had many issues such as failure to start and brake warning light coming on randomly while driving. Had to have the vehicle towed at least 3X to the dealer, for which they could not replicate the issues.

- Camarillo, CA, USA

problem #3

Jun 032018

MDX 6-cyl

  • 5,000 miles
Sudden unexpected breaking of vehicle. The vehicles collision avoidance system kicked in and breaked from 30 mph to a complete stop for no reason. There was no vehicle or object in front of my vehicle. Clear dry day. Traveling on a 4 lane local roadway. The consumer stated the dealership advised the E-Z pass toll transponder, which is placed at the top of the windshield, caused an interference with the collision avoidance system. The consumer found that difficult to believe.

- Exton, PA, USA

problem #2

Nov 112017

MDX

  • 9,256 miles
We were traveling on a three-lane road (center turn lane) in our 2017 Acura MDX going approximately 35 mph and following the vehicle in front of us at the normal 4-car length distance. The car in front of us signaled for a right turn off the main road and began to slow. I applied our brakes to slow as well. We were still at least 3 car lengths behind when the car in front of us turned off the main road. I moved my foot off the brake to accelerate back to the normal speed. The collision mitigation braking system activated, bringing our vehicle to a sudden stop in traffic. The vehicle that had made the right turn was completely off the main road when our brake system activated. We were rear-ended by a Jeep Wrangler traveling at or near the speed limit. Our vehicle was totaled. I want to note that this was not a case of us following too closely or approaching too fast! our MDX had 9,256 miles on it, and there had been no prior problems or warnings. We had no idea that the electronic brake system could activate without cause and bring the vehicle to a complete stop!

- Glencoe, MO, USA

problem #1

Feb 152017

MDX

  • 1,300 miles
Going about 20 miles an hour in traffic a vehicle in front of me at a distance of about 2 car lengths started to turn right into a gas station lot unexpectedly. The automatic braking system detected a potential for collision and warned me. I pressed the brake pedal and slowly attempted to apply the brakes as the situation was not critical. The critical brake indicator did not go away, and the car immediately felt as though it depressed the break fully as if a collision was imminent. The driver behind me was following very close and collided with me. Though the accident was probably unavoidable, I feel the Acura overestimated the urgency to stop given the distance of the vehicle in front of me and the speed at which we were moving.

- Park Ridge, IL, USA