2013 Acura MDX Owner Complaints

The car is giving external right head light issue. The light turns off suddenly at night which we need to turn on again after 2 minutes. This happens frequently and we have to turn on the lights very often. The dealer examined the issue and he expressed regret in repairing the vehicle and estimated price of $2.500.The Service Manager though stated that the issue is same as it pertains to the rear lighting issue for Acura 2014 to 2020 Models. We paid $100 just to examine the lighting issue to the dealer. We are senior citizens at advanced stage and it is becoming increasingly difficult to take out the cars at evenings for fear of proper and reliable lighting in the car.

NHTSA ID

11744051

Incident

Jan 15, 2026

Unknown

NHTSA ID

11668249

Incident

Aug 27, 2024

Warning message appeared 1/17/25. Inspected by Price Acura service department 1/20/25. Checked online recall for airbags. Multiple airbag recalls are mentioned for Acura, including my make and model. This vehicle has approximately 92,000 miles and I am the original owner. Would like to know if this $1800 charge would be covered under recalls already listed as this is apparently a problem existing in many other similar vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11637389

Incident

Jan 17, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Acura MDX. The contact stated that he was about to drive the vehicle when he noticed the front passenger-side headlight was flickering. The contact stated he decided not to drive the vehicle. The contact stated when he looked at the vehicle again he noticed the vehicle was on fire from the passenger side headlight. The contact stated a fire report was filed and the contact was informed that the fire origin was due to an electrical malfunction. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

NHTSA ID

11554069

Incident

Nov 4, 2023

Mileage

158,000 mi

The 2013 Acura MDX has a problem with the pistons in the engine which causes excessive oil consumption. This was the subject matter of a class action suit described in the website entitled Acura Oil Consumption Settlement. This defect should be subject to a recall and American Honda should be required to repair or replace the pistons.

NHTSA ID

11523749

Incident

Mar 8, 2019

I changed the oil in my car with synthetic 4k miles ago. About 1k miles ago I started getting an error that said low oil level. I went back into the lube shop to see what was going on, they said there was no leakage or issues there but there was hardly any oil in my car and that it was probably burning oil. I searched for issues with my 2013 MDX burning oil and an issue in 2019 with clogged oil control rings came up but said that the warranty extension would only be good to 2021. I found out this will be $5k to fix. I was never alerted of this issue and would like to submit a complaint about not being notified that this was even an issue in my car. I would like Acura to fix my vehicle since I never received the alert that this was a known issue in my car.

NHTSA ID

11492600

Incident

Nov 7, 2022

It is having oil consumption issues .

NHTSA ID

11490753

Incident

Jan 12, 2022

During driving, Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) will activate and "BRAKE" light will blink, indicating that you should apply brakes. This happened multiple times. Finally the CMBS warning light came on permanently. I took my car to Acura Dealership for repairs. They informed me that it was a software issue and update of the software should resolve this problem.

NHTSA ID

11475781

Incident

Jul 14, 2022

Internal vehicle fire started around front passenger seat and burned for an unknown amount time before it extinguished on its own while vehicle was off and parked. Fire department was contacted upon fire discovery and they confirmed it was out, could be electrically related, and disconnected my battery Vehicle is available for inspection for the time being (pending insurance). If I or any passenger was in the vehicle they could've been seriously injured or died. There were no warning lamps or issues of any prior problem.

NHTSA ID

11439625

Incident

Nov 4, 2021

I have a 2013 Acura MDX with an estimated 87k miles. Over the past 3 months, the engine will cut off while I'm driving and the steering wheel and brakes lock up. This has happened about 5 times in a three-month period. There are no warning lamps on my dashboard and no codes appeared during the diagnostic tests. My mechanic is unable to reproduce the issue. I have two young sons and am terrified of driving them in the MDX. The engine failure happens very randomly as it's cut off while driving at varying speeds.

NHTSA ID

11424043

Incident

Jul 9, 2021

BATTERY HAS HAD TO BE REPLACE THREE TIMES DURING OWNERSHIP OF CAR. ALSO CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING FOR THE THIRD TIME SINCE PURCHASE IN FALL OF 2013, TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. LIGHTS TURN ON AND OFF W/O PROMPTING, CAR DOESN'T TURN OVER WITH PROPER KEY USAGE. DASHBOARD LIGHTS WARNING FLASH, CHECK ENGINE, TPMS. MAJORITY OF ERROR CODES ARE LOSS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALL MODULES. ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND ELECTRIC SEAT ADJUSTMENT NON-RESPONSIVE.THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED AND IN THE "P" POSITION AND REMAINS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11405269

Incident

Mar 28, 2021

Mileage

135,000 mi

PER THE MECHANIC MANY ACURA'S HAVING ISSUES WITH HANDSFREELINK BLUETOOTH WHICH DOESN'T TURN OFF RESULTING DRAINING BATTERY. WE JUST REPLACED OUR BATTERY AND ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. I CALLED ACURA AND THEY SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT CAN NOT DO ANYTHING SINCE OUR VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THIS CAN BE A BIG SAFETY ISSUE SINCE PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED CARS STOPPED MID ROAD DUE TO NO POWER. PLEASE HELP SINCE ACURA IS IGNORING SAFETY OF THEIR CONSUMERS! REFERENCE LINK FOR THE ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY PEOPLE. HTTP://WWW.ACURAPROBLEMS.COM/HANDSFREELINK-BATTERY-DRAW/ HTTPS://TOPCLASSACTIONS.COM/LAWSUIT-SETTLEMENTS/LAWSUIT-NEWS/840256-ACURA-HANDSFREELINK-DEFECT-CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT-GETS-TRIMMED/ HTTPS://TERRELLMARSHALL.COM/CLASS-ACTIONS/HONDA-ACURA-CLASS-ACTION/

NHTSA ID

11389302

Incident

Jan 20, 2021

Mileage

80,000 mi

PROBLEM WITH JUDDER FROM THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCK-UP CLUTCH/UPDATE THE PGM-FI ORA/T SOFTWARE AND FLUSH THE ATF. ACURA SENT SERVICE BULLETIN 16-062 ON 09/28/2018 JUST FOR 8 YEARS/80,000 MILES I HAVE A 2103 ACURA MDX WITH 103,102 MILES WITH THE SAME BULLETIN ISSUE, THEY WANT ME TO PAY CLOSE TO $500.00 FOR AN ISSUE THAT THEY READY KNOW WITH OUT DOING A DIAGNOSTIC ON MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11364818

Incident

Oct 12, 2020

I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AFFECTING MY VEHICLE FROM ACURA (2013 MDX) I TOOK THE CAR AS INSTRUCTED TO BRIDGEWATER ACURA AND THEY PERFORMED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER THE CAR HAD TO CONSUME AT LEAST 1 QUART OF OIL PER 1,000 MILES. THE DEALER STATED THAT MY CAR SHOWED THAT MY CAR CONSUMED 1 QUART AT THE FIRST 1,000 MILES, AND 1/2 QUART EACH TIME AT THE FOLLOWING 3 -1,000 MILE MARK. SO ACURA WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR NECESSARY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER THIS I HAD AN NEW OIL CHANGE DONE AND AFTER TRAVELING 4,260 MILES AND BEFORE I WAS DUE FOR ANOTHER OIL CHANGE THE LOW LEVEL INDICATOR CAME ON. SURE ENOUGH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF DCH HONDA IN OLD BRIDGE, NJ VERIFIED THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF OIL. THE DIPSTICK WAS NOT REGISTERING ANY OIL ON IT. I HAD AT THAT TIME AN OIL CHANGE DONE TO SAVE MY ENGINE EVEN IF ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATION AND CAR COMPUTER I WAS NOT DUE FOR ONE FOR ANOTHER 3,000 MILES. MY CAR IS OBVIOUSLY BURNING MORE OIL THAN EXPECTED AT 77,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. I AM NOT AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER AND DON'T IDLE THE CAR. I SUSPECT THE TEST WAS NOT DOCUMENTED CORRECTLY SINCE I AM CONSUMING CLOSE TO 5 QUARTS OF OIL PER 4,260 TRAVELED MILES. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A NEW TEST DONE AND PROPERLY WITNESSED BY ME THIS TIME.

NHTSA ID

11291712

Incident

Dec 9, 2019

Mileage

13 mi

BACKUP CAMERA HAS EXTREMELY POOR PERFORMANCE IN LOW LIGHT OR NIGHT TIME SETTINGS IF THERE IS NO OTHER AMBIENT LIGHT LIKE STREET LIGHTS. REVERSE LIGHTS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO BE ABLE TO SEE OBSTACLES OR DANGERS IN THE BACKUP MONITOR. BODY PANELS PRODUCE A BLIND SPOT REQUIRING THE BACKUP CAMERA TO SEE BEHIND YOU. THE BACKUP CAMERA HAS SHIFTED ANGLE SLIGHTLY CAUSING THE MARKINGS INTENDED TO ALLOW BACKUP INTO PARKING SPACES TO BE OFF CENTER AND GUIDE THE VEHICLE TO AN INAPPROPRIATE PARKING ANGLE. THIS LOW LIGHT PERFORMANCE ISSUE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO OWNERS FOR SOME TIME, IN LIGHT OF ACURA'S NEW RECALL RELATED TO BACKUP CAMERAS THIS WARRANTS INVESTIGATION AS WELL.

NHTSA ID

11132688

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

80,000 mi

AS I PULLED THE CAR INTO THE PARKING LOT SLOWLY AND WAS ABOUT TO PUT IT IN PARK I REALISED THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND JERKED UP ON THE CURB/WALKWAY. AS THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR ME TO MANOUVER I TRIED TO TURN IT TO THE LEFT AND HIT A WALL TO STOP THE CAR. DURING THIS WHOLE PROCESS THE ENGINE NEVER STOPPED.

NHTSA ID

10970361

Incident

Mar 25, 2017

Mileage

50,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 2013 ACURA MDX FROM HONDA OF BOWIE ON JULY 1, 2O16. THAT SAME DAY I HAD TO BRING IT BACK BECAUSE THE AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT WORK. ON FRIDAY, JULY 9 I HAD TO BRING IT BACK BECAUSE THE NAVIGATION DOES NOT WORK, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE UNDER THE CAR AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED. I BELIEVE THIS CAR HAS SEVERAL ISSUES AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD TO ME. THE CAR HAD JUST COME IN (AS I WAS TOLD)AN D IT HAD NOT GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS REQUIRERD FOR USED CARS BEFORE BEING SOLD. I INITIALLY WENT THERE TO TRADE MY KIA AND BUY A USED CAR. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO BUY A NEW CAR BECAUSE OF THE NEGATIVE EQUITY. SO I DID NOT TRADE MY KIA AND BOUGHT A USED ACURA FOR 40,000. THIS CAR HAS MANY ISSUE WITH IT,

NHTSA ID

10883911

Incident

Jul 1, 2016

Mileage

28,999 mi

TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM...... I BOUGHT A USED 2012 MDX WITH 4300 MILES 5 MONTHS LATER I HAD THIS ISSUE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A ACURA DEALER AND THEY FIXED IT BUT I DID FEEL SAFE SO I TRADED IT IN FOR A NEWER MODEL THINKING IT WOULD BE BETTER...LONG BEHOLD THE 2013 MDX I GOT DID THE SAME THING 5 MONTH LATER. THE DEALER NEVER TOLD ME AFTER BRING THE FIRST CAR BACK THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS. AND SOLD ME A SECOND ONE , WHICH BY THE WAY I LOSS $8000 ON THE FIRST CAR FOR TRADING IT IN SO SOON.I ONLY TRADED IT IN BECAUSE I DID FEEL SAFE AND I TOLD THEM THAT..LUCKY I BOUGHT WARRANTY BECAUSE THE 2013 MDX HAD 6700 MILE AND WARRANTY WAS UP......

NHTSA ID

10882413

Incident

Feb 19, 2016

Mileage

69,000 mi

PURCHASED THIS A AT A USED CAR FROM ACURA OF LOS GATOS AN PICKED THE CAR UP LATE ON JAN 27TH 2016. AT NOON ON FEB 5TH (JUST ABOUT 7 DAYS) THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP WHEN TRYING TO PULL UP TO THE DRIVE WAY OF MY FRIEND HOUSE. THE ENTIRE CAR IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SMALL STREET, BLOCKING CARS FROM MOVING. CAR CAN'T GET STARTED EVEN WITH JUMPER FROM A TOWING COMPANY. THE CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO LOS GATOS ACURA AND FEW HOURS LATER WE WERE TOLD THE THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS GONE. WE PURCHASE THIS USED CAR BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A NEW CAR JUST ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD AND DRIVEN JUST ABOVE 25,000 MILES AND SUPPOSED TO RUN THROUGH ALMOST 200 POINTS CHECK FROM LOS GATOS ACURA, BUT IT FAILED IN OUR FACE AND WE ARE FEAR FOR OUR LIVES DUE TO THE REASON THAT WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THE CAR BROKE DOWN IN A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN A LIGHT TRAFFIC AREA. IF THE ENGINE DID BREAK DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF FAST AND HIGH TRAFFIC FREEWAY, OUR LIVES COULD BE IN SERIOUS DANGER.

NHTSA ID

10836993

Incident

Feb 5, 2016

Mileage

25,913 mi

HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DELAYED ACCELERATION MAINLY WHEN I ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC. WHILE DRIVING MAINLY ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR WILL RANDOMLY AND RHYTHMICALLY START ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING BETWEEN 1500-2000RPMS

NHTSA ID

10818247

Incident

Jan 5, 2016

Mileage

55,000 mi

EMERGENCY FLASHERS WERE STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. WE HAD PULLED OVER BRIEFLY ON THE FREEWAY AND TURNED ON THE HAZARD FLASHERS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WANTED TO RESUME DRIVING BUT THE FLASHERS WOULD NOT TURN OFF FOR A COUPLE MINUTES, SO WE DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE. THE SWITCH DID NOT RESPOND, DURING A COUPLE MINUTES OF PRESSING THE SWITCH. UNKNOWN WHY THE SWITCH BECAME STUCK OR HOW IT BECAME UNSTUCK.

NHTSA ID

10731925

Incident

Jun 26, 2015

Mileage

49,520 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL MOVED UPWARDS INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,200.

NHTSA ID

10693695

Incident

Feb 25, 2015

Mileage

68,200 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10680786

Incident

Jan 30, 2015

Mileage

36,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REBOOTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,800. UPDATED 12/01/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STAED A NON-ACURA DEALER IDENTIFED THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY AS DEFECTIVE. UPDATED 01/20/15

NHTSA ID

10640928

Incident

May 23, 2014

Mileage

4,800 mi

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE, THE IGNITION ON, WHEN IT SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND DECELERATED. I MANAGED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN ONTO MY STREET, ALTHOUGH THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED IT WITH NO PROBLEM. I DID HAVE A SMALL WALLET (DIMENSIONS WERE @ 4IN BY 5IN, WEIGHT @ 3 OZ) ATTACHED TO THE KEY WHILE IT WAS IN THE IGNITION. I CONTACTED THE ACURA DEALERSHIP THE SAME DAY AND WAS TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH OR RECALL ON THE IGNITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10627877

Incident

Aug 23, 2014