Acura MDX Transmission / powertrain problems
142 of the 923 complaints about the Acura MDX (15.4%) concern Transmission / powertrain, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 1.3× the Transmission / powertrain share across all tracked vehicles.
Analysis
By model year, Transmission / powertrain complaints peak with the 2022 model (76, 45% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2025 model (1). 83 Transmission / powertrain complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 29 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
Owners most often describe: “transfer”, “transmission”, “splines”, “wheels” and “awd”. 2 of these reports (1.4%) describe a crash or fire, with 0 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.
By model year
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 83 · Previous 12 months: 29
Common terms in reports
- transfer57
- transmission88
- splines24
- wheels27
- awd23
- stripped14
What owners report
My vehicle stopped handling as it usually had and I at a significant decrease in traction and slid off the road and slammed into a road sign. No injuries but significant damage to the vehicle. It seemed as though the all-wheel drive was not working.
Starting having an issue over the last few weeks where the car will shut off as it should with the idle start/stop enhanced but when I release the brake, the car goes into neutral and doesn’t start… have had this happen 4 times already and was finally rear…
Lost all wheel drive rear wheels not turning front wheel drive only. Out of warranty
While driving home on a Sunday afternoon, out of nowhere, a very loud pop sound happened followed by grinding. We were so worried that my husband pulled over thinking we had done major damage to the car somehow.
Factory seal allows water to seep into the internal coupling cavity. The water mixes with the factory grease, creating a rusty, muddy brown fluid that eventually washed out and leaks from the casing.
The auto shutoff and restart system has failed multiple times causing the car to shutoff in the middle of traffic. This has happened in traffic on the interstate, on surface streets and in the drive thru line.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.
Problem areas · Acura MDX
Related reading
- Transmission problems explained: shudder, harsh shifts, CVTs and what to test on a driveHow the main automatic transmission types fail, why some designs generate far more owner complaints than others, and a practical test-drive checklist built from what owners report.
Frequently asked questions
How common are Transmission / powertrain problems on the Acura MDX?
142 of the 923 complaints about the Acura MDX (15.4%) concern Transmission / powertrain, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 1.3× the Transmission / powertrain share across all tracked vehicles.
Which Acura MDX model years have the most Transmission / powertrain complaints?
By model year, Transmission / powertrain complaints peak with the 2022 model (76, 45% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2025 model (1).
Is there a recall for Acura MDX Transmission / powertrain problems?
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.