UsedScore

2018 Acura MDX: Solid

Owners filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Acura MDX in its first five years on the road, about 76 for every 100,000 sold: 1.0× the rate of a typical MDX year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the brakes (18% of complaints, median 4,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.0×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical MDX year
Rank
7th of 13
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
40
first five years; 76 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
10
campaigns
3rd generation, 2014–2020 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2017–2020 Acura MDX (facelift)

Photo: 2017–2020 Acura MDX (facelift) · Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Brakes18% · 7 complaints · median 4,000 miles
  2. Electrical20% · 8 complaints · median 12,000 miles
  3. Fuel and propulsion10% · 4 complaints
  4. Engine10% · 4 complaints
  5. Powertrain20% · 8 complaints
  6. Speed control13% · 5 complaints
  7. Visibility15% · 6 complaints · median 1,000 miles
  8. Body and structure5% · 2 complaints
  9. Steering5% · 2 complaints
  10. Wheels and tires5% · 2 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 describe the automatic braking system unexpectedly slamming on the brakes at speed, sometimes while merging or driving downhill, which some say nearly caused a collision. Others report brake rotor vibration or recurring electric parking brake failures that dealers had trouble diagnosing or resolving.

Warning signs:
Owners noticed steering wheel vibration when braking at highway speeds, sudden unexpected braking while driving downhill or merging, and a persistent brake squeak.
What shops did:
Dealers rotated tires and replaced front rotors for vibration complaints, but for sudden automatic braking events the dealer found no stored error codes and could not duplicate the problem.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 30,000 miles, among 9 complaints that give it

“The cmbs slammed on the brakes. Speed went from 60 to 25mph on a congested highway at rush hour”

Electrical

Owners of this MDX describe a range of electrical glitches, from a rearview camera that won't turn off to alarm systems and dash lights activating on their own. Some also report sudden stalling or power loss, and dealers have had mixed success diagnosing or fixing these issues.

Warning signs:
Owners report warning lights illuminating, dashboards flickering, alarms sounding, headlights turning on by themselves, and the car briefly losing power or shifting into neutral.
What shops did:
Dealers sometimes replaced cameras, control units, or batteries, but several owners say the dealer could not find a fault or the part was on backorder.
Mileage:
most between 10,000 and 45,000 miles, among 7 complaints that give it

“Review camera remains on when I shift from reverse to drive. Consequently, I am driving looking at the road behind me on the screen.”

“Vehicle randomly behaves where all dash lights blink on and off, head lights turn on, car alarm intermittently alarms”

Fuel and propulsion

Owners of this MDX commonly describe the vehicle hesitating or stalling when accelerating, sometimes followed by a sudden lunge, especially at stops or while merging. Many say dealers linked this to fuel pump or engine recalls but could not get parts to complete repairs for a long time.

Warning signs:
Many report a delay after pressing the gas pedal followed by a sudden lunge forward, jerking, rattling noises, or dashboard warning lights during the hesitation or stall.
What shops did:
Dealers often could not duplicate the issue or confirmed a recall applied but said replacement parts were not yet available, leaving vehicles unrepaired for extended periods.
Mileage:
most between 45,000 and 85,000 miles, among 9 complaints that give it

“When I depress the accelerator from a stop and take my foot off the brake the vehicle does not respond.”

“The vehicle stops responding to throttle input entirely for 1–2 seconds.”

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

Recalls (10)

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 26V332000May 202698,892 vehicles

    Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger

    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.

    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.

  • 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 23V751000November 2023248,999 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical

    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.

    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.

  • NHTSA 19V298000April 201993,946 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: belts and associated pulleys

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.

    Risk: Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt 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 19V060000January 2019437,032 vehicles

    Fuel system, other: delivery: fuel pump

    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.

    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.

  • NHTSA 18V777000November 201864,785 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper

    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."

    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.

  • NHTSA 18V221000April 20185,810 vehicles

    Seats

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles and 2018 Acura MDX vehicles. The front driver and passenger powered seats in the Honda vehicles and the driver powered seats in the Acura vehicles may have been assembled with improperly manufactured rivets. In the event of a crash, the rivets can break causing the seats not to be secured to the floor. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

    Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the floor, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver seat frame assembly in Acura MDX vehicles, and replace the driver and front passenger seat slide rail frames in Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles, 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 145 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2018 MDX. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • ONL6T603102023 · March 2023 · Warranty extensionWarranty Extension reimbursement form for engine idle stop repairs made before the warranty extension notice date.
  • ONL6T603102023-3 · March 2023 · Warranty extensionUnder certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically restart.
  • ONL6AX01302026 · January 2026Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engaging, the vehicle may not automatically restart.
  • B23-035 · December 2023Due to variations in the purge control solenoid valve spring, the valve wears unevenly and intermittently sticks.
  • B23-002 · March 2023Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque.
  • B23-001 · January 2023Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically restart.
  • BBOM01062023 · January 2023Dealer Message - During development, the idle stop enable criteria was mis-set allowing idle stop to improperly engage while battery health is low.
  • ONLJ8F20220830 · August 2022Owner notification - Our records indicate that a Emissions Recall has not been completed on this vehicle.

All 2018 MDX bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2018 Acura MDX reliable?
Owners filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Acura MDX in its first five years on the road, about 76 for every 100,000 sold: 1.0× the rate of a typical MDX year. That's close to a typical 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 2018 MDX problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the brakes (18%), the electrical system (20%) and the fuel or propulsion system (10%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2018 Acura MDX been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2018 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 2018 Acura MDX on NHTSA.gov · How we rate