UsedScore

2014 Acura MDX: Avoid

Owners filed 100 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Acura MDX in its first five years on the road, about 160 for every 100,000 sold: 2.2× the rate of a typical MDX year. That's more than twice a typical year, across more than one problem area.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the brakes (27% of complaints, median 10,000 miles).

Complaint index
2.2×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical MDX year
Rank
12th of 13
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
100
first five years; 160 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
8
campaigns
3rd generation, 2014–2020 (first year of the generation; redesign years often run worse) · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2014 Acura MDX

Photo: 2014 Acura MDX · Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Brakes27% · 27 complaints · median 10,000 miles
  2. Speed control16% · 16 complaints · median 10,000 miles
  3. Steering22% · 22 complaints · median 12,000 miles
  4. Electrical21% · 21 complaints · median 6,000 miles
  5. Powertrain13% · 13 complaints · median 5,000 miles
  6. Engine16% · 16 complaints · median 5,000 miles
  7. Air bags1% · 1 complaints
  8. Body and structure5% · 5 complaints
  9. Visibility4% · 4 complaints
  10. Suspension3% · 3 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

Brakes

Owners of this MDX commonly describe brake rotors warping and causing noticeable shaking when braking, sometimes along with warning lights for the brake or stability systems. A few also report the brake pedal becoming stiff or unresponsive, or the vehicle braking or accelerating unexpectedly, which some found alarming.

Warning signs:
Many report a shimmy or shaking in the steering wheel and vehicle when braking, along with brake, VSA, or stability warning lights illuminating before or during the issue.
What shops did:
Dealers most often resurfaced the warped rotors, sometimes repeatedly, and several owners say technicians could not duplicate or permanently fix the warning-light or sudden-braking issues.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 20,000 miles, among 26 complaints that give it

“The brakes rotors warped from overheating”

“The vehicle start shaking violently when braking at high speeds or with emergency braking”

Speed control

Owners describe episodes of sudden acceleration, hard unexplained braking, and lurching or hesitation while driving or parking, sometimes leading to collisions. Many say dealers struggled to diagnose or permanently fix the issue, and a few mention software updates or recalls related to speed control.

Warning signs:
Owners report dashboard warning lights, forward collision warnings, tachometer/RPM fluctuation, jerking, and sudden speed drops or surges before the failure.
What shops did:
Some owners say dealers could not find or diagnose the problem; one owner reports a software upgrade that fixed jerking only temporarily.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 30,000 miles, among 13 complaints that give it

“The vehicle unexpectedly revved up while I was still holding the brake pedal firmly and shifting into drive. The vehicle jolted into drive”

“With acceleration, the vehicle hesitates and then lurches suddenly. The vehicle fails to maintain a constant velocity”

Steering

Owners describe the power steering intermittently locking up or becoming very hard to turn, often preceded by a grinding or buzzing noise, most commonly at low speeds like parking or turning. Dealers frequently cannot reproduce or fix the problem, leaving owners uncertain if or when it will recur.

Warning signs:
Many report a grinding, buzzing, clicking, or rubbing noise from the steering column or dashboard, plus vibration or resistance in the wheel before it locks or stiffens.
What shops did:
Dealers often could not duplicate or diagnose the issue, cleared error codes, or in some cases replaced the EPS motor or system, sometimes after long waits for parts.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 75,000 miles, among 28 complaints that give it

“While driving at low speeds, the power steering failed. The steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and made a high pitched buzzing sound.”

“The power steering stopped working (car was stopped or going <3 MPH). It was extremely difficult to turn the wheel.”

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

Recalls (8)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 26V365000June 2026880,514 vehicles

    Suspension: rear · Structure: frame and members

    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.

    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.

  • NHTSA 25V259000April 2025152,800 vehicles

    Interior lighting · Exterior lighting

    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.

    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.

  • 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.

  • NHTSA 19V256000March 2019322,897 vehicles

    Exterior lighting · Exterior lighting: tail lights

    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.

    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.

  • NHTSA 15V417000July 2015106,439 vehicles

    Equipment: appliance: air conditioner

    American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX and MDX AWD vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to December 16, 2014. The affected vehicles have air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolts that may not have received the proper anti-corrosion coating.

    Risk: If a bolt was not coated, it may corrode and break as a result. If the bolt breaks, the compressor clutch plate may separate from the vehicle, possibly becoming a road hazard.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolt and install a new clutch plate if necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 15V301000May 201519,502 vehicles

    Forward collision avoidance: crash imminent braking

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX 2WD and AWD, RLX and 2014 Acura RLX Hybrid vehicles. In certain driving conditions, the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) may incorrectly interpret certain roadside objects such as metal fences or metal guardrails as obstacles and unexpectedly apply the brakes.

    Risk: If the CMBS unexpectedly applies emergency braking force while driving, there is an increased risk of a crash.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the CMBS software, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 14V639000October 201443,481 vehicles

    Seat belts

    American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to August 25, 2014, and 2014 Acura RLX vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to November 25, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and front passenger seat belt may not extend or retract in low temperatures.

    Risk: A seatbelt that does not function increases the risk of injury in a crash.

    Fix: Honda has notified owners, and dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belts, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 13V571000November 201319,197 vehicles

    Power train: automatic transmission

    American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Acura MDX AWD vehicles manufactured May 6, 2013, through October 14, 2013. The bolts that attach the drive shaft to the automatic transmission transfer assembly may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the bolts could loosen possibly allowing the shaft to detach.

    Risk: If the drive shaft detaches while driving it could cause excessive noise and possibly damage the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the drive shaft attaching bolts as necessary, 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 270 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2014 MDX. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • B19050B · May 2019ServiceNews Article - When removing and installing a cable reel, you need to keep both the cable reel and the steering angle sensor in position.
  • B18-033 · February 2019In high ambient temperatures, the steering column screeches or squeals when it is adjusted in or out.
  • BPaS10172018901 · October 2018Dealer message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • BER18090C · September 2018Engineering request for investigation - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • BPaS09212018901 · September 2018Dealer message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • BTS160704 · June 2017Tech line summary article - Are you feeling a vibration in the steering wheel while braking?
  • B14-031 · June 2017In high ambient temperatures, the steering column screeches or squeals when it moves in or out.
  • BTS170201 · February 2017Techline summary article - We?re currently looking at an issue concerning a disruption of AM reception when sharply turning the steering wheel.

All 2014 MDX bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2014 Acura MDX reliable?
Owners filed 100 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Acura MDX in its first five years on the road, about 160 for every 100,000 sold: 2.2× the rate of a typical MDX year. That's more than twice a typical year, across more than one problem area. 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 2014 MDX problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the brakes (27%), speed control (16%) and the steering (22%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2014 Acura MDX been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2014 Acura MDX, the most recent in June 2026 (suspension). 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 2014 Acura MDX on NHTSA.gov · How we rate