2017 Acura MDX Complaints

POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE — Filed 07/12/2026

On my 2017 Acura MDX SH-AWD with approximately 112,000 miles, the engine experienced a sudden catastrophic failure while I was traveling at highway speed. The vehicle abruptly lost power, the accelerator became unresponsive, smoke came from the vehicle hood and exhaust area, and multiple warning lights illuminated. The failure occurred with no advance warning and created a serious safety risk because I suddenly lost propulsion while traveling approximately 75 mph in highway traffic. An independent repair facility inspected the vehicle and reported that connecting rod/bearing failure resulted in catastrophic engine damage. I was advised that two connecting rods/bearings failed and caused holes in the engine block, with a rod/component also damaging the A/C compressor. Oil subsequently leaked from the damaged engine. Prior to the sudden failure, I did not have warning lights or other indications suggesting an imminent engine failure. The warning lights appeared during or immediately after the loss of power. The vehicle has been inspected by a repair facility and the engine requires replacement. The vehicle/failed components can be made available for inspection upon request. I am particularly concerned because Acura has previously recalled certain vehicles for connecting rod bearing failures that can result in engine damage, stalling, or loss of motive power. My vehicle is the same model year and has experienced an apparently similar catastrophic connecting rod/bearing failure, but my VIN is not currently included in the recall 23V-751. I am submitting this complaint so NHTSA can evaluate whether the affected population may extend beyond the VINs currently covered in that recall. This is also linked to NHTSA’s new investigation PE25008.

SUSPENSION — Filed 07/21/2026

I am filing an official complaint against American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and the local dealership regarding their handling of a mandatory safety recall on my 2017 Acura MDX (VIN: [XXX] / Manufacturer Case # XXX). The manufacturer and dealership are failing to provide a $0-cost remedy for this safety recall by attempting to impose conditional out-of-pocket charges on me: 1. Conditioning Recall Completion on Paid Repairs: The dealership/manufacturer verbally informed me that while the recall procedure itself is covered, I will be required to pay out-of-pocket for any corroded, rusted, or damaged hardware/parts that must be removed or replaced during the disassembly process to complete the recall. They stated that if the vehicle fails their post-repair safety inspection due to these rusted components, I must pay for the new parts before the vehicle is deemed complete/safe. 2. Refusal to Provide Written Estimates: I have repeatedly requested an itemized written estimate detailing these potential charges via email for several weeks, but the manufacturer and dealer have failed to provide one, insisting instead that I bring the vehicle back to the dealership without written terms. 3. Denial of Safe Transportation: The dealership has demanded that I return the vehicle for inspection/repair without guaranteeing a loaner vehicle, while simultaneously stating the vehicle may not pass safety inspection unless I agree to pay for non-covered rusted parts. A safety recall repair mandated by federal law must return the vehicle to a safe condition at zero cost to the owner. Requiring the consumer to pay for rusted components that must be removed solely to execute the recall repair defeats the purpose of the recall remedy. I request that the NHTSA intervene to ensure American Honda Motor Co., Inc. completes the recall repair in full at $0 cost and provides appropriate replacement transportation during the service. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 08/06/2025

The forward facing camera or monocular attached to the windshield has malfunctioned and is a wide spread issue across multiple models and years. When this item fails due to high heat which causes the camera (CMOS Image sensor) to degrade, the owner is given a slew of warnings and loses a lot of functionality. The dealership quotes an enormous amount of money to replace/calibrate the camera typically between $1500-2500 depending on location. Functionality that is lost includes cruise control, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance and most importantly adaptive braking. There are also numerous dash lights and repetitive warnings that pop up for each bit of functionality that is broken. So while driving the user will see changing text and hear beeps to inform the driver of these deactivated features which is a major distraction and takes away from the drivers concentration on safe driving. Looking online this issue has been reported by drivers of multiple models and years of both Honda and Acura which means it is wide spread and should be classified as a recall. Just some of the models mentioned are Acura MDX, RDX, TLX, Honda Civic, Accord, CR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey and potentially others. There is no reason that a camera should fail across all these models spanning over a decade at such high numbers outside of an engineering failure that Honda does not want fork out money for to keep their drivers safe. A couple example part numbers would be 36160-TYS-A02-M1 and 36160-TJB-A040-M1.

LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 08/06/2026

I am reporting repeated failures of the front safety camera / Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) on my 2017 Acura MDX Tech (FWD). The vehicle has experienced intermittent and sudden loss of all ADAS safety functions, including CMBS, Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Road Departure Mitigation. The failures occur without warning, while driving at normal speeds. The dash displays “Safety Support System Problem,” “Collision Mitigation System Problem,” “Lane Keeping Assist Problem,” and related alerts. When this happens, all forward‑facing safety systems shut down, increasing the risk of collision. The issue is persistent and unpredictable. It has occurred in clear weather, dry roads, and normal driving conditions. The vehicle does not have the Advance package or surround‑view system; this is the standard Tech‑package front camera. Multiple Acura service departments have confirmed the problem is caused by a faulty front monocular camera module (part number 36160‑TZ5‑A36). Acura has superseded this part several times (A63, A64, A65, A66), indicating an ongoing design or reliability issue. Replacement cost is extremely high, and the failure disables federally‑relevant safety systems. This is a safety‑critical component. When the camera fails, the vehicle loses collision‑avoidance capability, lane‑keeping assistance, and adaptive cruise control. The failure happens while the vehicle is in motion, creating a risk of rear‑end collisions or lane‑departure accidents. I am requesting NHTSA review this issue for potential defects in the Acura MDX front safety camera system.

ENGINE — Filed 06/21/2026

I was driving home late at night with my family in the car. The car suddenly loss power and the check engine light came on and began flashing. I pulled over and turned the car off and back on. The light went away. I began driving again and after a short while, a bunch of lights popped up on the dashboard and the car began to loose power again and started making weird rattling noises from the engine. Just moments before pulling over again I realized the car was on fire and evasively pulled over and frantically got my sleeping children out of the car and we created distance from the vehicle since it was on fire underneath. We called the fire department and they responded very quickly and put out the fire. We secured a few belongings and the children’s car seats and my brother in law picked us up. The car was towed from the scene. I called the incident into the insurance the next day and filed a claim. After a few days once the adjuster came out, it was determined that the insurance company would not be covering the claim because the cause of the fire was internal engine failure. It had shot a bearing cap through the oil pan and that is what caused the fire. I contacted Honda about the issue and have yet to hear back from them. This was over a month ago. I am now stuck repairing the vehicle on my own since I cannot afford to take the car to the dealer and I am mechanically inclined as it is what I do for a living. The car is currently in my garage and after taking the engine apart, I found that the main bearing for cylinder #6 had failed and in turn fell apart and broken the piston for that cylinder and the broken debris destroyed the engine block and even bent the valves on the from head for that cylinder. I now have to rebuild my entire engine with no warning whatsoever that this was going to happened. The car was maintained on schedule and nothing was ever overlooked or not performed. It was a great car until the engine decided to grandad itself out of nowhere.

ENGINE — Filed 07/25/2026

I was merging onto the highway and when I attempted to accelerate, the engine warning light began to flash and the car could not accelerate. The engine began to make a rattling noise. I called the dealer and they asked if I could make it there (it was about 25 miles away). I said I would try. As I got about 10 miles away the noise grew louder and the oil light came on. I immediately pulled over. The dealer said the engine blew the connecting rod and destroyed the engine and the engine would need to be replaced. The car just had all the fluids replaced by the dealer 3 weeks prior. All service work over the 10 years was done by the dealer.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 07/18/2026

Problem Description: I am reporting a safety-related issue affecting multiple driver assistance systems on my 2017 Acura MDX. While driving, the vehicle displays several warning messages at the same time, including: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Problem Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) Problem Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) System Problem Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) Problem When these warnings appear, all of these safety systems become unavailable. The warning indicators remain on, and the systems do not function even after restarting the vehicle. The 12-volt battery was replaced approximately one month before this issue began, and the engine starts and runs normally. Despite the new battery, the warnings continue to appear, making the vehicle's advanced safety features unusable. This appears to be a widespread issue reported by many owners of the 2017 Acura MDX. Since multiple critical safety systems fail simultaneously, I believe this may be related to a defect in the vehicle's electrical system, charging system, control modules, wiring, or communication network. Because these features are designed to help prevent accidents, their sudden loss creates a significant safety concern. I respectfully request that Acura investigate this issue and consider issuing a recall or extending warranty coverage if a common manufacturing defect is identified.

SEAT BELTS — Filed 07/02/2026

The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated that the second-row passenger’s side seat belt became stuck and failed to retract as needed, causing the seat belt to become inoperable. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 08/12/2024

We are asking for your assistance and getting our reimbursement back from Acura/Honda automotive for a safety recall for our rear tail light which had moisture which was an NHTSA safety recall We purchased and had replaced the rear tail plate that had been recalled prior to the recall coming out. We have given them all this information and they still have not provided us with a refund for the safety recall on the tail light on our vehicle this has been going on for a couple years. The individuals at Honda automotive corporate are very disrespectful and as a handicap woman who uses this vehicle as a family vehicle it was a great essence to get the taillight part repaired and purchased because I almost got into a couple accidents because the tail lights were not working. We have submitted all our reimbursement paper to them as well as the receipts and proof of payments and they still have not refunded us we ask for your help in this matter as it is greatly appreciated because this was a safety recall and they know that, and they still have disregarded reimbursing us for the parts that we purchased prior to the recall, if you need anything else from us, we have submitted our reimbursement form our payment proof, as well as the proof that it was purchased and done at the Acura certified dealership. Our car is a certified vehicle that we purchased from Acura and we always get our work for service done at certified Acura dealerships. Any assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated as this has been going on for a couple years and I tried to work with them, but they are very difficult in getting our money back every time they ask for something we send it and they say they need more. It is like back-and-forth. It has been an extremely stressful situation for something that is a safety issue and that was a defect by our automotive maker and we should not have to go through that as a consumer.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 05/01/2026

I am reporting a severe safety defect regarding the sudden, unprovoked failure of the AcuraWatch driver-assist camera system (affecting LKAS, ADAS, and the Collision Mitigation Braking System), which directly and unexpectedly alters the vehicle’s powertrain and driving dynamics without driver input. While driving, the front windshield monocular camera module experienced an internal electronic failure, immediately lighting up multiple critical safety warning indicators on the dashboard and permanently disabling all forward collision prevention and lane-keep capabilities. I urge NHTSA to open a safety defect investigation into 2016–2019 Acura MDX models regarding camera system degradation and its hazardous, cascading impact on transmission shift timing and vehicle deceleration behavior.