KnownCarProblems2017 Acura Mdx Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 260 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Acura Mdx, most often about the engine (37% of complaints, typically around 86,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about Mdx model year since 2000 and has 8 recalls.
Most common 2017 Acura Mdx problems
Engine
97 complaints · 37%Half of these problems showed up before 86,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 35 MPH and approaching a stop light, the vehicle lost automotive power and shut off. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was coasted to a stop and towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the…
The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was a sound as if the engine was choking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rod bearings had failed. The dealer informed the contact that the engine…
Transmission
64 complaints · 25%Half of these problems showed up before 37,000 miles.
The transmission in the car decelerates unexpectedly, the vehicle stalls when trying to accelerate, it also jerks when shifting gears, all of these issues are extremely dangerous when driving on the highway, switching lanes and simply driving and trying to maneuver from a stop. We have also had a warning pop up on the…
The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the vehicle started to shudder. The contact also stated that the gear shifter was unable to shift into park. The vehicle was taken to john eagle Acura (16015 katy fwy, houston, tx 77094) where it…
Electrical
46 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 36,000 miles. Parts named most often: adas, instrument panel.
The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. While driving approximately 75 MPH on a busy interstate highway, the vehicle suddenly failed to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. In addition, the electric parking brake, blind spot, and "stop driving" messages and indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to…
The contact owns a 2017 Acura Mdx. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the vehicle started to shudder. The contact also stated that the gear shifter was unable to shift into park. The vehicle was taken to john eagle Acura (16015 katy fwy, houston, tx 77094) where it…
Driver assistance
42 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 43,000 miles. Parts named most often: adaptive cruise control, warning, automatic emergency braking, warnings.
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.
Driving on the highway at about 80 MPH and as I was rounding a band the car automatically started breaking with no cars in front of me. The car almost came to a complete stop before it out of alleviated the breaking and allowed me to continue to accelerate.
Other or unspecified
30 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 12,000 miles.
Occassionally, the yellow brake alert goes off when driving around a right hand bend with a car coming the other way. There was absolutely no chance of a collision where braking was necessary. Also, I have had once instance where the car applied the brakes and brought the car to a complete stop when it was unnecessary.
Starting, seat pushed forward against steering column moving down radio blaring driver climate control went to low passengers to 80 degrees blower to high and car lunged forward. Dealer said previous complaints were discovered and addressed to be two fobs entering vehicle at same time and and vehicle confused they…
Brakes
23 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 12,500 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…
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…
Speed control
21 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 27,000 miles. Parts named most often: accelerator pedal.
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 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…
Fuel system
19 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 17,000 miles.
I own a 2017 Acura Mdx. The VIN is []. On sunday january 13, 2019 my wife was pulling into our drive way when she noticed smoke coming from under the hood. She got our kids out of the car just before the car burst into flames. It?s amazing no one was hurt. The car, however, is completely destroyed. The fire destroyed…
Dangerous loss of power while accelerating on the highway! There have been three separate incidences over the last 2 years. While I was trying to accelerate on the highway, the car severely lost power and the "check engine" light started flashing. The car seemed to operate normally after turning off and on the engine.…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2017 Acura Mdx recalls
Suspension: rear
Risk: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed july 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are aou and aot. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning june 10, 2026.
Full defect summary
American honda motor company (honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 honda pilot, 2017-2023 ridgeline, 2019-2023 passport, and 2014-2020 acura mdx vehicles that were sold in connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, or wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Air bags: front passenger
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed july 7, 2026. Owners may contact honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are bol, wo9, ooa, wom, xoh, noc, pod, boe, uof, pob, eog, aoi, qo8, toj, do7, and sok. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24v064. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning may 29, 2026.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 acura tlx, 2019-2024 rdx, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 mdx, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 honda ridgeline, 2017-2022 pilot, 2019-2021 passport, 2018-2026 odyssey, 2019-2022 insight, 2019-2021 hr-v, 2018-2020 fit, 2020-2022 cr-v hybrid, 2017-2022 cr-v, 2017-2018, 2021 civic type r, 2017-2021 civic hatchback, 2016-2020 civic coupe, 2016-2022 civic, 2017-2022 accord hybrid, and 2016-2022 accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Lights: interior lighting
Risk: Vehicle lights that fail to illuminate can decrease visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the wiring and install a fuse harness, replace the lid light, and repair the body dust sealer, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed may 30, 2025. Owners may contact acura's customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Acura's number for this recall is fli. Vehicles included in this recall that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 19v-256 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2014-2020 acura mdx vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid light assembly and wiring harness, which can cause the interior and exterior lights to fail, including the lid lights, position lights, license plate lights and taillights.
Fuel system: fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed september 6, 2024. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are kgc and kgd. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21v-215 and 20v-314.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 honda accord, civic coupe, civic sedan, civic hatchback, civic type r, cr-v, hr-v, ridgeline, odyssey, acura ilx, mdx, mdx hybrid, rdx, rlx, tlx, 2019-2022 honda insight, passport, 2020 honda cr-v hybrid, 2018-2019 honda clarity phev, fit, and 2015-2020 honda accord hybrid, pilot, acura nsx vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed march 28, 2024. 2016-2017 acura mdx owner letters were mailed november 1, 2024. 2016-2020 acura mdx owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-december 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of march 18, 2024. 2015-2016 acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-december 2024, 2018 acura tlx owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of march/early april 2024, 2019 acura tlx owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-may 2024, 2020 acura tlx owner let
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 acura tlx, 2016-2020 acura mdx, 2016 and 2018-2019 pilot, 2017 and 2019 ridgeline, and 2018-2019 odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
Lights: exterior lighting
Risk: Loss of the taillights reduces the vehicle's visibility, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Acura will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate lid lights and install updated gaskets and a wiring sub-harness or will replace both tailgate lid lights. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began may 7, 2019. Owners may contact acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is m49.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 acura mdx and 2017-2019 acura mdx sport hybrid vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid lights, possibly causing a loss of the tailgate lid lights and the taillights.
Fuel system: fuel pump
Risk: Reduced fuel pump performance can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the fuel injection engine control unit (fi-ecu) software and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began march 25, 2019. Owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's recall number for this recall is p3w. Honda's recall number for this recall is n3x.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 acura mdx, 2015-2019 acura tlx and 2015-2017 honda accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5l v6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance.
Brakes: caliper
Risk: A reduction of braking performance increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners will be notified, and honda or acura dealers will bleed the brakes, free of charge. The recall began december 11, 2018. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are c31 and l30.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 acura mdx, 2017-2018 acura mdx sport hybrid, 2018-2019 honda hr-v and honda odyssey, and 2016 honda hr-v vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating, causing gas pockets to form, reducing brake performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 135, "light vehicle brake systems."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Engine failure
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5l v6 engine used in the following vehicles: model years (my) 2018-2020 acura tlx, my2016-2020 acura mdx, my2016-2020 honda pilot, my2018-2020 honda odyssey, and my2017-2019 honda ridgeline.â the subject engine failures were analyzed as part of a recall query (rq24013).â it was determined that these engine failures are outside the scope of honda recall 23v-751. Further, evidence gathered in conjunction with rq24013 does not suggest this failure is caused by the same crankshaft manufacturing defect that is addressed by honda in recall 23v-751.â based on analysis of data from rq24013,
No restart after auto start/stop engages
Summary
On june 3, 2022, the oï¬ce of defects investigation (odi) opened preliminary evaluation pe22005 after the agency received voqs and several ï¬eld reports concerning the auto idle stop (ais) feature on 2016-2019my honda pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traï¬c light or road intersection with the ais function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5l engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On january 6, 2023, honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019my honda pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 acura tlx, 2016
Engine failure
Summary
On november 8, 2024, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened recall query rq24013 to assess the scope of honda recall 23v-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23v-751. In november 2023, honda recalled 248,999 various model year (my)2016â2020 honda and acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5l v6 engine. Honda recalled these vehicles due to a crankshaft manufacturing defect that caused premature connecting rod bearing wear and engine seizure. While the out-of-scope failures involved in these complaints appear to have a very similar failure mechanism as the recalled engines, a thorough analysis o
Questions about the 2017 Acura Mdx
- What are the most common problems with the 2017 Acura Mdx?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (97 complaints, typically around 86,000 miles); transmission (64 complaints, typically around 37,000 miles); electrical (46 complaints, typically around 36,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2017 Acura Mdx have?
- 8 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 4, 2026 (suspension). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2017 a bad year for the Acura Mdx?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about Mdx model year since 2000, with 260 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.