RoadVitals

2008 Acura MDX

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
49
Latest Jan 18, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Feb 5, 2008
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 49 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Acura MDX, most frequently naming the electrical, body & structure and suspension categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 41 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
08E013000

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK

Feb 5, 2008
2,032 units potentially affected
The defect: HONDA IS RECALLING 2,032 HITCH STYLE BIKE RACKS SOLD AS AFTERMARKET FOR USE ON MY 2003-2007 AND SOME MY 2008 HONDA PILOT, RIDGELINE, AND ACURA MDX VEHICLES. A PINCH BOLT EXISTS BETWEEN THE BIKE ARM BRACKET AND THE UPRIGHT ASSEMBLY OF THE "HITCH" STYLE BICYCLE RACK.
The risk: WHEN MOVING THE BIKE ARM BRACKET TO ITS DOWN POSITION, THIS PINCH BOLT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF CAUSING SEVERE LACERATION OR AMPUTATION TO THE USER'S FINGERTIPS OR HAND.
The remedy: OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT THULE AT 800-THULE91 (800-848-5391) TO OBTAIN A FREE REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS OR OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 49
Body & structure
Filed Jan 18, 2026

My car exterior paint has poor quality. It has been for years. It clear coat peeling and bubbling due to poor factory adhesion between paint layers, Fading & Chalking. This happens for so many years ago but I don’t know this happened because the manufacturers problem until recently a friend told me this

NHTSA ID
11711735
Incident
Jan 1, 2026
Filed Apr 30, 2025

About maybe 2 months ago my tailgate open light comes on. When the exterior light is left on when I get in the car. .. it will go out but the tailgate light open will come on while driving and you will a ding then the light comes on while drive ng. As a result the car alarm.goes.off several times. I have checked the tailgate and it is closed I have taken it in but they can't find the reason why this happening. I have been on other forums and this appears to have been a problem.with.other Acura 2008 MDX,s.

NHTSA ID
11657933
Incident
Mar 28, 2025
Electrical
Filed May 14, 2023

The clock in the 2008 Acura MDX stopped working over 18 months ago. This occurred after an Acura Day-light-Savings time update. In order to check the time now you have to take your eyes off the road. There are thousands of Acura vehicles with this problem. ACURA REFUSES TO HELP. They state there is no solution to the problem. They caused the problem!

NHTSA ID
11521945
Incident
Mar 1, 2021
Airbags
Filed Mar 26, 2023

I was at stoplight waiting to make a right turn and the Check Air Bag System turned on. No accident, just the error came on for no reason. This is safety issue and it should have lifetime warranty! I called the dealer and they told me that its will cost me $295 just to diagnose the error. I feel like this should be recall. I understand that it’s an electronic device and could failed. But it should have lifetime warranty.

NHTSA ID
11513871
Incident
Mar 6, 2023
Airbags
Filed Apr 11, 2022
Crash reported1 injury reported

Had front collision with another vehicle and hit their passenger side of the vehicle and their Airbags Deployed on that side but my Airbags didn’t Deploy in the Front. I suffered injuries because it didn’t work.

NHTSA ID
11460385
Incident
Apr 8, 2022
Body & structureEngine
Filed Mar 5, 2021
Fire reported

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING, IT SEAMS TO SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE.

NHTSA ID
11399293
Incident
Mar 2, 2021
Mileage
136,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 22, 2020

AN AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE WHEN I TURNED MY PARKED 2008 ACURA MDX ON IN MY DRIVEWAY. MY CAR HAD/HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR HIT. IT SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE POLICY FOR AN ACURA DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM FOR FREE BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD I'LL BE CHARGED FOR A DIAGNOSIS. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA ID
11340955
Incident
Jul 15, 2019
Mileage
60,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 29, 2020

"CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM" LIGHT CAME ON. NO ACCIDENTS, NOTHING THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE LIGHT TO COME ON. IT WAS STATIONARY WHEN IT CAME ON, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
11326506
Incident
May 29, 2020

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B23040A

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Service News - The navigation clock and date are incorrect. This is due to a limited GPS receiver capacity resulting in rollover of internal chip memory. The rollover occurred on January 1, 2022 at 12:00AM local time

B21120A

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ServiceNews Article - The clock shows the incorrect time. This issue is due to a limited GPS receiver capacity resulting in "rollover" of the internal chip memory; the "rollover" will occur on January 1, 2022, at 12:00AM local time. As a result, the navigation date and time will be incorrect.

DOR-M3J3F-07

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

These SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory due to a loss of CARB certification. These SKUs can no longer be sold as they do not meet CARB standards, but parts on vehicles are not effected.

BBOM05242018901

AIR BAGS; EQUIPMENT

Dealer message - Today, May 24, 2018, Acura is announcing a warranty extension for 2002-17 Acura vehicles. This warranty extension applies in cases where any of the replacement driver?s and/or front passenger?s airbag inflators have failed internally.

B05-018

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

SERVICE BULLETIN - NAVIGATION SYSTEM INFORMATION.

REIMBURSEMENT FO

SUSPENSION:FRONT; SUSPENSION:REAR

"REIMBURSEMENT FORM - ON SOME 2007–13 MDX AND 2010–12 ZDX VEHICLES LOCATED IN COLD AREAS, THE FRONT AND REAR ACTIVE DAMPERS MAY LEAK. WHILE LEAKS ON THE REAR ACTIVE SUSPENSION ARE VISIBLE, THE FRONT ACTIVE DAMPERS ARE MOUNTED IN AN INVERTED POSITION AND THE LEAK IS NOT VISIBLE ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE DAMPER. IF AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF DAMPER OIL HAS LEAKED, THE ACTIVE DAMPERS MAY MAKE A CLUNK OR A BANG SOUND WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH ROADS OR OVER SPEED BUMPS."

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Acura MDX by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026610—
2025783161.4
2024372161.0
2023362260.1
20221402265.0
2021001—
20202108366.3
20191839365.6
201816210367.8
20172498369.8
20163647368.4
2015708057.7
20141699056.1
2013291043.8
2012761047.6
2011700042.9
2010451047.7
2009520046.0
2008Viewing491040.0
2007991039.1
20068711562.8
200518013561.7
200417110462.8
200320613561.6
20022044154.6
20012244154.1

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.