UsedScore

2013 Acura MDX: Best bet

Owners filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Acura MDX in its first five years on the road, about 27 for every 100,000 sold: 0.3× the rate of a typical MDX year. That's among the fewest of any MDX year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the engine (29% of complaints).

Complaint index
0.3×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical MDX year
Rank
1st of 13
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
14
first five years; 27 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
1
campaign
2nd generation, 2007–2013 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2010 Acura MDX (facelift)

Photo: 2010 Acura MDX (facelift) · IFCAR, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Engine29% · 4 complaints
  2. Electrical21% · 3 complaints
  3. Steering21% · 3 complaints
  4. Speed control21% · 3 complaints
  5. Powertrain14% · 2 complaints
  6. Brakes7% · 1 complaints
  7. Lights7% · 1 complaints
  8. Seats and belts7% · 1 complaints
  9. Other29% · 4 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Engine

Owners of the 2013 Acura MDX report the engine burning oil faster than expected, sometimes needing quarts added between changes, and some describe the engine suddenly stalling while driving. A few also mention cabin fumes, smoke, or a warranty extension related to oil consumption.

Warning signs:
Some notice a low oil level warning light, strange fumes inside the cabin, or smoke from under the hood before the failure; others report no warning at all.
What shops did:
Dealers performed oil consumption tests, sometimes declining to cover repairs, while other shops could not find or reproduce the stalling issue; one owner was told the engine needed replacement.

“the engine will cut off while I'm driving and the steering wheel and brakes lock up”

“there was hardly any oil in my car and that it was probably burning oil”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (1)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 23V858000December 20232,490,460 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump

    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.

    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.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Acura sent NHTSA 88 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2013 MDX. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • DOR-M9J4S-07 · June 2020These SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters.
  • B19-052 · October 2019Due to high demand for repairs under this warranty extension, pistons and rings required to complete this repair are currently backordered.
  • BBOM08312019 · August 2019Dealer Message - On January 16, 2019, Acura announced a warranty extension for certain 2009-14 Acura vehicles equipped with a 3.7L V6 engine to address client concerns related to excessive oil…
  • B19-006 · August 2019The oil control rings may become clogged with carbon deposits.
  • B18-009 · April 2019The oil control rings may become clogged with carbon deposits.
  • ONL6C502142019 · February 2019Owner Notification Letter - On certain 2009-14 Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.7L V6 engine, the oil control rings may become clogged with carbon deposits during normal engine operation.
  • BBOM01162019901 · January 2019Dealer message - Today, January 16, 2019, Acura is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2009-14 Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.7L V6 engine to address client concerns related to excessive…
  • B16-063 · September 2018After the software update, some vehicles, based on how they are driven (extreme conditions), may still experience ATF deterioration after updating the PGM-FI or A/T system and the shudder may return.

All 2013 MDX bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2013 Acura MDX reliable?
Owners filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Acura MDX in its first five years on the road, about 27 for every 100,000 sold: 0.3× the rate of a typical MDX year. That's among the fewest of any MDX year. Ratings compare MDX years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2013 MDX problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the engine (29%), the electrical system (21%) and the steering (21%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2013 Acura MDX been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2013 Acura MDX, the most recent in December 2023 (fuel system, gasoline). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Acura. The 2013 Acura MDX on NHTSA.gov · How we rate