2018 Acura MDX Driver assistance Problems

The car has started with an auto high beam, lane assist, lane departure, crash mitigation, adaptive cruise lights coming on one after the other noting there are issues with the systems and they are disabled. Code is U3000 using a scanner noting Multipurpose Camera Unit Internal Electronic Failure. Sometimes the code will clear, and sometimes not. If it clears an entire drive cycle may be completed just fine, sometimes it pops back up before even moving the car and sometimes during the drive. This is a safety concern as these systems not working or stopping working mid drive and affect safety. The repair for this is not clear and a failure of a safety system should not be occurring on cars without an inmediate and covered fix. The average car on the road is over 12 years old so this failure is occurring on cars well newer than the average car and compromising safety of the driver and surrounding cars especially features intended to prevent crashes that drivers rely heavily on. The fact it can stop working mid drive is a huge hazard since one may be relying on a system and it suddenly fails (like adaptive cruise control) and cause a crash. Please investigate his widespread issue and please fix it.

NHTSA ID

11755732

Incident

Jul 24, 2026

I am writing to report an urgent safety concern regarding my 2018 Acura MDX Tech SH-AWD. Upon starting the vehicle, all primary AcuraWatch driver-assist systems suffered a total failure. The center display continuously cycles through four warnings: Collision Mitigation System Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem Lane Keeping Assist Problem Road Departure Mitigation System Problem In addition, the Brake System, Crash Warning, and Lane Departure dash lights remain permanently illuminated. Diagnostic Findings An OBD-II diagnostic scan logged the following stored chassis code: DTC U3000-49: Internal Electronic Failure of Multipurpose Camera Unit / Millimeter Wave Radar I am aware of TSB #B23-008 regarding camera logic errors. However, clearing codes and software resets do not clear this persistent hardware failure within the monocular camera unit (Part # 36160-TZ6-A34). Safety & Request for Action The total shutdown of primary crash-prevention systems presents a clear safety hazard. Forcing owners to absorb $20,000+ out-of-pocket for camera replacement and mandatory dealer recalibration on a known hardware fault undermines Acura's commitment to safety and quality. Given NHTSA's oversight of active safety systems, I respectfully request: 1. Goodwill Repair: Acura/Honda assistance to replace and recalibrate the defective camera unit. 2. Quality Investigation: A broader review into premature failures of these Nidec monocular camera modules on 2017–2018 MDX vehicles. Thank you for your prompt attention to this critical issue. I look forward to your response. Sincerely,

NHTSA ID

11752746

Incident

Jul 16, 2026

SUPPLEMENTAL — REFERENCE ODI 11742372 Follow-up to ODI 11742372, 2018 Acura MDX, VIN 5J8YD3H33JL******. Intermittent multipurpose camera failure, DTC U3000-49, causing simultaneous loss of CMBS, ACC, LKAS, and RDM. The defect remains unresolved and I have been unable to obtain diagnosis or repair through Acura's authorized service network. Acura Client Relations case 16409871 was opened. Acura declined to acknowledge the failure as a manufacturing defect and offered no coverage for diagnosis or repair. I then attempted to schedule service with AutoNation Acura, an authorized service center. Over approximately one month I left more than 25 voicemails on both the reception and service department lines. I received no return call and no acknowledgment. I have been unable to secure a service appointment. On [DATE] I sent written correspondence to Acura Corporate Relations documenting the failed scheduling attempts, restating the safety nature of the failure, and requesting referral to an alternate authorized dealer. [No response as of this filing.] The effect is that a safety-critical driver assistance system has been intermittently non-functional since at least April 2, 2026, and the manufacturer has neither acknowledged the defect nor made its service network available to diagnose it. The vehicle remains in service. Failures occur without warning during normal operation, disabling collision mitigation braking, lane keeping, road departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control at once. The vehicle retains its original factory windshield, never replaced, modified, or damaged, eliminating a common cause of camera misalignment. Mileage is low for the model year. Other Acura and Honda owners report comparable camera failures with similar codes. I renew my request that NHTSA evaluate whether this constitutes a safety-related defect and whether a broader pattern exists across vehicles using the same camera module and AcuraWatch/Honda Sensing architecture.

NHTSA ID

11751971

Incident

Mar 1, 2026

The forward facing camera in the windshield went out causing all these systems to stop working and dash light up like a christmas tree. I cant even use normal cruise control. Dealer wants $1700 to replace it. From what I am reading online this is a very common problem and Acura even superseeded the part. Was that due to failures? I have yet to get this repaired as it is so expensive but i would really like these safety features. 36160-TZ6-A36

NHTSA ID

11747656

Incident

Feb 12, 2025

ACC and LKAS light come on and blink non-stop in sequence

NHTSA ID

11745792

Incident

May 4, 2026

The multipurpose camera on my 2018 Acura MDX intermittently fails and stores DTC U3000-49. When the failure occurs, multiple AcuraWatch/Honda Sensing safety systems become unavailable, including Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), and Road Departure Mitigation (RDM). The vehicle displays numerous safety-related warning messages on the dashboard. The issue is intermittent and appears to occur randomly. In many cases, the warnings disappear after the vehicle is shut off and immediately restarted. This behavior can be observed in the attached video, where the warnings clear following a restart at approximately 1:08 into the recording. The vehicle retains its original factory-installed windshield and related components. The windshield has never been replaced, modified, or damaged, eliminating a common cause of camera calibration or alignment issues. I contacted Acura Client Relations and opened case number 16409871 regarding this issue. Acura declined to acknowledge the problem as a manufacturing defect and did not offer coverage for diagnosis or repair. Because the multipurpose camera is a critical safety component responsible for advanced driver assistance and collision avoidance functions, its intermittent failure raises significant safety concerns. The fact that the issue temporarily clears after a restart suggests a potential defect in the camera hardware, software, or related vehicle systems rather than normal wear and tear. I understand that other Acura and Honda owners have reported similar multipurpose camera failures. Given the safety implications of losing collision mitigation, lane-keeping, and driver assistance features while operating the vehicle, I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether this condition constitutes a safety-related defect and whether a broader pattern exists among affected vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11742372

Incident

Apr 2, 2026

Front camera stopped working at 65 000 miles. Seems to be a faulty part as many Hondas and Acuras have the same problem and the dealer wants over $2000 to replace a $700 part that sounds like less than 45 minutes to replace.

NHTSA ID

11730579

Incident

Aug 15, 2025

While driving the car, several warning lights turned on all at once, saying that the following components were disabled: Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic High Beams, and Collision Mitigation Braking System. Not being able to use these features is more dangerous, not to mention that the warning lights associated with their disabling are distracting (making it likely that, if a more serious warning was flashing, it would not be noticed by the driver) and cannot be turned off without an expensive replacement. Yes, the problem was confirmed by a trusted mechanic (the warning lights will not turn off so it's not hard to confirm), who indicated that the radar camera needed to be replaced. No, the component has not been inspected by others. There was no warning of the problem.

NHTSA ID

11730022

Incident

Feb 1, 2026

Emission systems problem and parking brake problem lights came on simultaneously. Mechanic has not been able to figure out the problem Replaced vent valve

NHTSA ID

11729168

Incident

Jul 16, 2025

Warning lights for Collision Mitigation System, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control. Lane Keeping Assistance, Auto High Beam. Features are now disabled causing safety issue. Dealer confirms issues and recommends repairs that have not not been solved by others online. Errors appeared before battery Failure in March 2026. Battery was replaced. Common complaint by many online. Need recall to fix.

NHTSA ID

11728245

Incident

Mar 1, 2026

Front multipurpose camera is starting to fail intermittently. Multiple warnings pop up (LKAS, Auto High Beam, Forward Collision Warning)

NHTSA ID

11718388

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

Got multiple warnings, systems don't work: Collision Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Asist, Road Departure Mitigation System. All those additional systems designed for safety are no longer working. The front camera failed, as confirmed by the dealer. Part is available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11705456

Incident

Aug 1, 2025

When trying to accelerate from a stop the car has a noticeable lag in throttle response. 2+ seconds. This does not always happen but is intermittent. Much more often when the engine is colder. This makes a left turn in front of traffic or any move where you need to merge with traffic go from safe to dangerous, this also confuses other drivers as they wonder why you are not moving. Someone who was unfamiliar with my car ended up in the middle of an intersection blocking because they didn’t accelerate. Looking into the problem it seems to be reported quite often and is “normal”. Honda does not see this as a problem and anyone who has “fixed” the problem has used aftermarket parts. The car does not have auto engine stop/start so the car is always running.

NHTSA ID

11703507

Incident

Dec 6, 2025

When at a complete stop at a stop light or stop sign and ready to press the gas to accelerate, there’s a delay for the car to even start moving. It doesn’t want to go when pressed on. Which can cause the person behind me to hit the back of the car. It nearly came to that. There’s sudden fast movement when accelerating to get the car to move forward. It’s been happening numerous times where the gas pedal isn’t recognizing the acceleration part. I’ve read plenty forums about this issue with this vehicle and still not enough complaints for a recall? Can we look into this as this is a safety issue. The car won’t accelerate when you want it to.

NHTSA ID

11698973

Incident

Nov 12, 2025

When you press the accelerator pedal there is a significant delay in the pedal response particularly at low speed. As you press accelerator pedal nothing happens for a second or two. Then the vehicles accelerates not a gradual rate but at the rate of where the accelerator pedal is at when the vehicle begins to speed up. This causes sudden and hard acceleration. This delay and or sudden acceleration is dangerous when trying to pull into traffic. The Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Was brought to dealer and after a very short inspection, was told nothing was wrong. They did do a transmission software update. This did not change anything. This is an issue reported in on-long blogs frequently. No warning lamps to error codes related to this issue according to the dealer. This has been an ongoing issue for as long I have owned the vehicle but gets worse as the vehicle gets older.

NHTSA ID

11698756

Incident

Nov 1, 2025

The front camera seems to be faulty and is throwing warning lights on the Dash. Lane keep assist system, front collision and adaptive cruise control lights show up. These warnings disappear when the car cools down, but does appear again

NHTSA ID

11694334

Incident

Mar 3, 2025

The front camera failure. Needs replacement. Camera apparently is used for the ACC , lane departure assistance.

NHTSA ID

11694079

Incident

Oct 12, 2025

While operating the vehicle, multiple driver-assist warning indicators illuminated on the dashboard, including LKAS (Lane Keeping Assist System), ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), and CMBS (Collision Mitigation Braking System). The systems either disengaged or functioned erratically during normal driving conditions. At times, the vehicle failed to maintain lane position, abruptly disengaged adaptive cruise control, or displayed collision alerts when no obstruction was present. Now it is constant. Safety Impact: The failure of the LKAS, ACC, and related systems can cause unexpected loss of vehicle assist functions, leading to abrupt speed changes or compromised lane control, increasing the risk of collision if not promptly corrected.

NHTSA ID

11692504

Incident

Jun 1, 2025

My 2018 Acura MDX experiences a persistent and unsafe delay in acceleration from a complete stop. When pressing the gas pedal, there is often a hesitation of approximately one second before the vehicle responds. This throttle lag creates a serious safety concern, especially when attempting to merge into traffic, turn across intersections, or respond quickly in emergency situations. The dealership has been unable to resolve the issue despite applying all available software updates. Based on online reports, this appears to be a widespread issue affecting multiple model years and drivetrains.

NHTSA ID

11677890

Incident

Jun 2, 2025

5 waning lights on : Adaptive Cruise Control , Lane Departure Warning , Lane Keeping Assistance , front light, and the emergency braking . Service crew at Acura Dealer told me that the front multipurpose camera has internal error. It is very dangerous since all these functions must be fixed before I can drive it on road.

NHTSA ID

11666753

Incident

May 28, 2025

While driving at freeway speeds (70–85 mph), I experience a sudden and complete loss of acceleration when pressing the gas pedal fully. The vehicle stops responding to throttle input entirely for 1–2 seconds. To regain power, I must take my foot off the pedal for a moment and then press it again. This has happened multiple times and presents a severe safety hazard when merging, passing, or trying to avoid collisions. •Frequency & Reproducibility: This has occurred at least 3 times over the past year, under similar conditions. It is intermittent, but consistently happens during high-speed acceleration. •Dealership Response: I’ve reported the issue to the dealership, but they claim they cannot replicate the problem and do not consider it a concern. No resolution or inspection has been offered beyond a basic check. •Why It’s Dangerous: This issue could lead to a deadly accident if I’m unable to accelerate in time to avoid a crash. It creates a sudden and unexpected loss of control at highway speeds.

NHTSA ID

11662989

Incident

May 24, 2025

Lane Keep assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning all stopped working and received error codes. Dealership stated camera was faulty and needed to be replaced at my cost. Continued issues with electrical systems where the car alarm will go off intermittently, and vehicle will not lock unless manually locking. Dealership stated smart control unit needs to also be replaced at my cost. part number for control unit #38320 was issued by honda motor company service bulletin 21-055 for their honda ridgeline. Acura Dealer will not honor since part number does not specify acura. Part issued in Service bulletin is 38320-T6Z-A11 (honda ridgeline) part needed to be replaced by acura is 38320-TRX-A11. Other service bulletins related to original issues: 20-015, 19-005, 23-008, and 24-022 and safety recall report 23V-751. Dealership is still placing responsibility of repair of defective parts on car owner.

NHTSA ID

11656721

Incident

Apr 25, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was attempting to pull over to the side of the road and depressed the accelerator pedal, but the pedal went to the floorboard, and the vehicle jerked and suddenly stopped. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for an unknown recall for the fuel pump to be repaired and the contact informed the dealer of the failure the vehicle was experiencing. The vehicle was repaired under recall; however, the failure persisted. The local dealer was contacted two more times for the same failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided the contact with a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11646964

Incident

Mar 1, 2023

Mileage

50,000 mi

Bought vehicle new in 2018. Starting in 2020, brought car to dealership complaining that car, at times, did not accelerate when prompted. Vehicle pauses, then lurches forward. Very dangerous when making left turns and when merging with traffic. My wife (who used to be primary driver of this vehicle), refused to continue to drive it ...and neither I nor my wife would allow our now age 21 daughter to drive it. So this vehicle (as unsafe as it was) became my back and forth to work vehicle. Vehicle was brought to the dealership on at least 4 or 5 times with this complaint - from 2020 through 2024...One time it was at dealership for almost 2 weeks Dealership would never fully admit to the issue - often times one service person, through test driving would notice the issue, only to then be told it was "normal driving" of this vehicle. On a regular basis, car would stop (pause) "in the face of oncoming traffic - my heart would skip a beat, only for the car to then resume accelerating On many occasions, I discussed with service team - always to be told that there were no known issues Fast forward to 2024 - when Acura notified me of a Recall regarding the Fuel Pump....I quickly scheduled an appointment, brought the car in this past week and had the Recall done. Speaking with the Serviceperson when checking the car in, I brought up the past issues that I have had and asked if this Recall was the likely reason.....the service person - without hesitation said "absolutely"......I then asked him, so was "Acura lying to me ll these past visits".....his response was "sounds like it to me" Since getting the car back - the hesitation has stopped. I have paperwork from all my previous visits - with responses from their technicians I am certain there was consumer fraud conducted by the dealership I bought and serviced this vehicle from (Open Road Acura - Wayne NJ). Add to it , the inconveniences I experienced and the fear that my wife and daughter had of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11639987

Incident

Sep 19, 2020

We experienced multiple/many warning lights all at the same time. Systems not working. Repeated every time. The Acura dealer diagnosed the problem to the DTC U3000-49 Multipurpose Camera internal electronic failure. Replaced the unit and they performed a couple of calibrations. Thank You, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11619471

Incident

Oct 12, 2024