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Luxury SUVs are meant to impress and enthrall the consumer. With the 2022 Acura MDX, the automaker claims that it offers “performance for every challenge.” Yet, customers aren’t sure that this SUV can withstand driving out of the driveway without breaking down. Some of the top problems include a glitchy electrical system, a defective fuel system, a malfunctioning powertrain with transmission issues, and terrible steering.
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Contents
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2022 Acura MDX
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power Train | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Electrical System | |
| Steering | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Suspension | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Structure:body |
Most Common Problems with the 2022 Acura MDX
The most common problems owners of the 2022 Acura MDX are experiencing relate to powertrain issues, particularly problems with transmission. Based on complaints made to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA), electrical system problems are also high on the list along with brakes, suspension, and forward collision avoidance issues.
We have focused on the most serious of these.
Problems with the Electrical System
There’s no reason for a luxury model to suffer from electrical system problems, but that’s all the MDX seems to deal with.
One Edmunds review says, “We extended our previous MDX lease so we could wait for this 2022. Three days after getting it home, the car started calling Onstar emergency. We couldn’t stop it. It just kept calling. Police called us, Sirius XM was alerted and it went on all night til next morning when my husband got in it at 5am and drove over an hour to dealer. A week later the infotainment system malfunctioned with warnings and continues to do so and they say they don’t have a fix. Now the AC isn’t working well.”
At this time, Honda has simply sent out Service Bulletin #BTI&10302021901, which asks the dealerships to get more information from customers about a malfunctioning sunshade that is reversing and opening on its own. This is just one more electrical issue that can’t get resolved. For now, it seems that Acura is hoping to create a new experience, with the lights getting brighter and dimmer as time goes on.
Problems with the Fuel System
Additionally, there seem to be major issues with the fuel system, leading to trouble on the road. With a defective fuel system, the engine can’t run properly.
Another Edmunds review states, “I have had the car for 5 months and it has been in the shop 6 times for fuel pump issues. The car feels sluggish, which may be related to fuel pump issues. The engine sounds noisy and weak. I usually wait for bugs to be worked out on new or updated models, but since I already had a 2013 Honda Pilot and had really no major problems, I decided to make a leap of faith and purchase this updated model. Big mistake.”
These issues should come as no surprise, especially when looking at the level of incompetency from the automaker. Service Bulletin #BBTS210401 discusses how the lower rear engine cover on some of the vehicles is cracked, sometimes before the SUV leaves the dealership. The level of attention to detail on these cars is just amazing and something that the company should win awards for.
Problems with the Powertrain
In the past, Acura has gotten a bad rap for putting defective transmissions in vehicles, so everyone hoped that the automaker learned from its mistakes, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. There are a bunch of NHTSA complaints that focus on transmission problems.
For example, a new owner from Illinois states in a complaint that, “Transmission failed right as I drove off the lot. The car initially started to jerk and then was revving to 7000 rpms and would not speed up past 25mph. The car also stopped moving when I put it in reverse.”
He took it back to the lot within the hour. About 3 days later he was told that the transmission had failed in the car. “This was a brand new car and should not have happened.”
Here are examples of other transmission complaints.
An Owner from New York states:
“A transmission error popped up on the car and the vehicle would not accelerate past a few miles per hour. The issue is happening intermittently and the dealer and Acura service claims it’s a random issue. A sign that says brake fault keeps popping up as well and it’s really scary to drive the car. Acura service said it’s normal and working as designed and there is no fix at the moment.”
An Owner from New Jersey states:.
“I purchased the new MDX 2022 on May 27th 2021. On May 31st, while driving on the Interstate 287 at 65mph, the car suddenly stopped accelerating. When I pushed the gas pedal, the engine only revved up but the car continued to slow down. I pulled the car on the shoulder lane, shut the engine off and restarted.
“The problem continued. The dashboard had the warning sign ‘Transmission System Problem. Avoid heavy Acceleration and high speed. See your dealer’. It also showed the sign ‘Emission System problem, power may be reduced. See your dealer’.”
He states that there was no prior warning, and the MDX 2022 was brand new. “The Acura dealer has inspected the car and requested the transmission system change. The car has 1071 miles only and 4 days out of the dealer’s parking lot.”
An Owner from Texas states:
“The vehicle makes noise while shifting from Park to Reverse to Drive. Transmission fluid and oil fluid leaking while I had driven only 450 miles. Had reported the issue to the Service Department. They informed that since the engine is new it will take a while for the transmission gear to quiet it down. They can’t find any leakage for the first two times when I brought the vehicle for them to inspect. Their Service Manager was able to identify the issue and assigned the technician to trace it down. My car is currently in their shop for the third time since I just purchased it on August 19th, 2021.”
It turns out that Honda has faced similar issues before, with a proposed class action lawsuit affecting previous models. The claim was that the automaker knew of acceleration defects and sold vehicles anyway, leaving people in danger. If history repeats itself, it won’t be long before more lawsuits are filed over defective powertrains.
Problems with the Steering
Controlling a vehicle is a fundamental task that most people take for granted. However, MDX drivers know all too well that it can be a major issue.
Another customer posted on Edmunds saying, “Just purchased a 2022 MDX Advance 48 days ago brand new. This car has put me in 2 extremely dangerous situations. The first being power steering went completely out as I was traveling down the freeway at 78mph. Was only slightly able to move steering wheel with quite a bit of force so was able to just get the car pulled onto the shoulder of the road. As I was sitting there, warning light came on that notified me braking systems failure and car could roll. This was the hill assist mode. Taken to dealer ASAP was instructed that they couldn’t find anything. Picked up the car and 2 days later, car goes into collision mitigation mode while I was traveling 50mph with the only car in my sight was behind me. That car had to swerve to avoid backing into me. This incident caused me to have whiplash. The car is back in the shop and have been told that Acura has only seen this one other time. Blah blah blah!!! The real kicker is the part needed hasn’t even been manufactured. So I could wait for months before this is fixed. Researching what my consumer right are at the moment.”
It turns out that Honda is also aware of steering issues. Service Bulletin #BPaS10302021 discusses dealerships talking to customers about the clunking and knocking noise coming from the tie-rod end when hitting a bump or turning the steering wheel. However, the company has no fix in mind for correcting the problem but simply wants feedback from the drivers. It’s nice to feel heard, but sometimes a fix would be better.
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Acura pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Complaint Data
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Mar 20, 2023 |
| State | NY |
| Description | I brought my car in for regular maintenance as well as sunroof not opening plus I noticed on and off when I start the car my steering wheel vibrates, only when starting the car. Following day I received a phone call that the motor needed to be changed for the sunroof and they also need to change my brakes (car has ~8k miles on it)… and not just brake pads, rotors as well. My front passenger side brakes were basically none existent, no idea for how long and I was told it's a manufacturers defect which was covered by warranty. I have a 4 year old and currently 5 months pregnant, needless to say I feel extremely unsafe now driving my not so cheap car. |
| Category | Electrical System, Service Brakes, Steering |
| Date | Jan 24, 2023 |
| State | CA |
| Description | All electrical systems failed while driving around 30mph, power steering failed, power brakes failed, lane assist failed. We were at high risk of a crash due to lack of control of the car while driving. We were lucky that it happened on a flat road and we were able to manually pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was inspected by the manufacturer and we were told that the car did show all the steering angle sensors did malfunction and fail. They said there is no known cause. They just recalibrated and reset the sensor and said it now is ok "at this time." there is no guarantee that the problem won't happen again and put my family's life in danger. Prior to this incident we repeatedly got the "brake system: brake system problem, brake performance may be reduced, see your dealer". We took it into the deal and was told nothing is wrong with the car and this is a known issue. Dealership service video: https://app. Truvideo. Com/v/cbrsghvo? S=46jtvtj1afxkzdwwq3ge7pdbzv4dldl0 |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 19, 2023 |
| State | CA |
| Description | on sunday december 11th 2022 we were coming back home from church. We were driving on I-5 highway northbound. Suddenly we heard explosion like sound and moment after we realized that our moonroof shattered. I was such a scary moment especially that we had 6 year old in the back seat. We were not hit by anything or anyone. We just heard explosion and glass shattered on our car and cars around us. We immediately pulled off from the highway (in save manner of course) and went to gas station to see what happened. It was raining that day. I called acura immediately and they asked to come back on monday. Acura asked us to repair it with insurance not taking any responsibility for that. It is safety issue and it may happen again. Acura is luxury car and I would expect they care about quality and way how glass is tempered. Moonroof on our acura take more than 50% of roof space so it is very concerning safety issue. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Dec 06, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | We have replaced the front windshield twice now as it is very easy to crack on small road debris. I have other cars that do not experience this and it feels like the windshield was not designed well. |
| Category | Structure:body, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 20, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | While driving on the highway the moon roof spontaneously exploded and shattered. The noise was loud and startling like a gunshot and poses a serious risk of crashing and injury if the shade is open at the time of explosion. |
| Category | Suspension |
| Date | Aug 07, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Suspension clicking noise when turning wheel to from one end to another. I found that the outer tie rod end ball joint wasn't torque down. I double checked the lower ball joint and found it wasn't torque down as well. The clicking went away after torquing down the outer tie rod joint. |
| Category | Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly |
| Date | Jun 24, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | I was driving my 2022 acura mdx on interstate highway in the middle lane of a three lane road. We had our panoramic sunroof closed, but the interior sliding sunroof door was fully open exposing the entire panoramic sunroof. After a period of time and without indication or warning, the sunroof exploded (sounded like a gunshot when it exploded) sending glass throughout the interior of the vehicle as we were driving at highway speeds. We were lucky that there were no vehicles next to us when the explosion happened because I swerved out of my lane temporarily not knowing what just happened. We were not anywhere near overpasses, trees, or any other hazard that might have dropped an object onto the top of the sunroof. Additionally, we did not see any road debris flying towards our vehicle. Fortunately we were near home and we slowed the vehicle down to exit the freeway and made it home to further examine the damage. |
| Category | Suspension |
| Date | Jun 06, 2022 |
| State | GA |
| Description | We purchased the vehicle on april 2nd. The front left strut airbag burst while we were driving at 23 miles an hour. Thankfully were weren't going fast when the failure occurred. I would imagine that at highway speeds this could greatly impact your driving ability as the front left of the car dropped down about 6 inches. The dealer currently has the part on backorder but has yet to attempt a repair. Our vehicle has been out of commission for 26 days. We got about 15 warning lights and parked in our driveway as we happened to be near our home when the strut broke. We had the vehicle towed to the nearest acura dealership. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Apr 29, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | At slow speed our brand new vehicle with only 800 miles the electric power steering system failed causing difficulty manually steering the vehicle and pulling off the roadway. In addition every warning light illuminated on dashboard. Vehicle was towed to acura of turnersville in nj and after three days is still being diagnosed. Internet searches have revealed several other owners with the 2022 acura mdx and the same vehicle problems. One owner had acura buy the car back after four months of diagnosis and no repair. Our dealer serivce advisor stated the had another 2022 mdx with the same issue only two weeks ago. This is a very serious situation as losing power steering at any speed could cause a crash if the driver doesnt have enough strength to manually steer the car. This is a potentionally serious situation the warrants further investigation by nhtsa. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings, Lane Departure: Assist |
| Date | Mar 27, 2022 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Observation 1: lane-keeping assistance is unreliable and the results of its operation are highly variable. In optimum conditions (daylight, wide lanes which are clearly marked; good contract between lane markings & pavement; no more than very gentle, wide-radius curves), this feature will do one of three things when the vehicle starts to drift from the middle of the lane: (1) the feature will gently steer the vehicle back to the desired position, (2) the feature will exhibit a warning by vibrating the steering wheel and allow the vehicle to change lanes or (3) fail and do nothing -- without any warning whatsoever. One never knows how the car will react but it certainly cannot be trusted. Observation 2: when driving in light traffic or no traffic conditions the vehicle will occasionally brake aggressively. This was observed to occur on multiple occasions. Two situational examples which have been observed several times: (1) four lane roadway inside city limits; speed: 40mph; I was gently braking to stop behind a vehicle stopped at a traffic light; car applied brakes rapidly nearly causing a rear-end crash as the vehicle behind me did not anticipate the acura's action. (judging from the hand signal I received I believe the driver of the vehicle behind me though I was administering a "brake test" -- a common precursor to "road rage.") (2) driving on a two lane country road at 50-55mph; no other traffic within hundreds of feet in any direction; vehicle brakes rapidly for no apparent reason; my attempt to accelerate and over-ride the "safety feature" was unsuccessful -- eventually the acura stopped this action and I was able to resume desired speed. Important to note: at no time during these incidents did braking occur to avoid a crash or minimize damage. These were uncommanded operations that actually increased the probability of a crash. These events occurred between 11/21 and 03/22. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Mar 11, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | May the water leak causes fire . I have many issues going on on my new 22 mdx 7k miles on it , the car is acting crazy no keyless entry working, remote is not working, I called many dealers after they checked it they said we have to keep the car for few days because there's water leaking on the driver side, it was a shocking for me that a brand new car having that, I called the worst company ever acura and I told them I need a replacement or buy back I'm not agree to fix a brand new car and go through this hassle for years, they was very aggressive and not professional or fair and the case manager hange up on me (jassica) she refused to let me speake to her manager or supervisor, she said just have to leave the car at the dealer for few days without loaner or reimbursement!! Is it fair ?! And she started to give reasons for the problem which is not true, now I need help to get it done. The worst after sale service ever it was one of my big mistakes that happened to my life to buy acura ! |
| Category | Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Mar 10, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | All warning lights came on dashboard. Car wouldn't turn off |
| Category | Service Brakes, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Feb 24, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 acura mdx. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, the brakes applied independently. The contact stated the brake warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle decelerated to 10 mph however, quickly started accelerating after depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 5,500. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 18, 2022 |
| State | MS |
| Description | Sunroof spontaneously exploded outward while driving children to school. Loud boom like an explosion, no rain or inclement weather. Received a splinter from small shards of glass after acura dealership vacuumed. They quoted me 00 and 00 for repair of this defect, and was unable to determine when glass would arrive. Did not give loaner or anything, and car is less than 30 days old. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jan 13, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | After 4 times of taking the vehicle to two dealerships for the same concerns, I am having the following problems with my vehicle at this time:: wind/whistling/whining noise heard while driving and has gone unresolved. The car consistently makes a whining/whistling noise when reaching speeds between 40-65mph and has been a known issue with this year make and model per documentation provided to me by the dealership. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Jan 09, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | I was driving on a 80-mph 3-lane one direction (6 both) toll road, following a tx state trooper. About a 1/4 mile ahead of me were two waste disposal trucks. One in the right land and one passing the other in the center lane. The trooper and I pulled into the left lane. As we approached the waste disposal trucks (about 1/8 mile away) my brakes automatically engaged and braked hard for no reason. I tried to override it by depressing the accelerator but the accelerator did not respond (as though it had been disengaged). Behind me was a mercedes suv, which had to brake hard to avoid rear ending me. My brakes kept automatically braking (off and on). I finally pulled off the road on the left shoulder and brought the car to a complete stop. It then allowed me to proceed on my way. I bought the car in part for this safety feature, but it clearly is faulty. In reading about braking system, I found that older models had a button that you could use to turn the system off. In my 2022 model, you can turn it off only with multiple steps. You can also adjust the responsiveness of the auto-brake system through a multiple step process. Clearly, this is a major problem that needs to be addressed. I was very lucky that the car behind me braked immediately or it would have rear-ended me at high speed. It was about 5:30 p. M. It was getting dark but not completely dark. I think the problem is with the automatic braking system for forward crash avoidance, but my adaptive cruise control was engaged. |
| Category | Electrical System, Service Brakes |
| Date | Nov 20, 2021 |
| State | PA |
| Description | The brakes are not working warning light has flashed several times. In numerous calls and dealer visits acura has no resolution the say it's under investigation. There is a service bulletin from may of 2021 but I was never advised of this issue and I am very uncomfortable driving the car with a brake problem. |
| Category | Engine, Power Train |
| Date | Sep 24, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The vehicle makes noise while shifting from park to reverse to drive. Transmission fluid and oil fluid leaking while I had driven only 450 miles. Had reported the issue to the service department. They informed that since the engine is new it will take a while for the transmission gear to quiet it down. They can't find any leakage for the first two times when I brought the vehicle for them to inspect. Their service manager was able to identify the issue and assigned the technician to trace it down. My car is currently in their shop for the third time since I just purchased it on august 19th, 2021. |
| Category | Service Brakes, Steering, Suspension |
| Date | Jul 11, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The car is making extreme noise from the rotors and it's screeching. I took the car to paragon acura multiple times and they stated it's normal. A brake sign pops up and the car seems extremely unsafe. I have videos to to show everything |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jun 25, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | A transmission error popped up on the car and the vehicle would not accelerate past a few miles per hour. The issue is happening intermittently and the dealer and acura service claims it's a random issue. A sign that says brake fault keeps popping up as well and it's really scary to drive the car. Acura service said it's normal and working as designed and there is no fix at the moment |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jun 13, 2021 |
| State | IL |
| Description | Transmission failed right as I drove off the lot. The car initially started to jerk and then was revving to 7000rpms and would not speed up past 25mph. The car also stopped moving when I put it in reverse. When I tool it back to the lot within the hour, around 3 days later they told me the transmission failed ln the car. This was a brand new car and should not have happened. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jun 03, 2021 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | I purchased the new mdx 2022 on may 27th 2021. On may 31st, while driving on the interstate 287 at 65mph, the car suddenly stop accelerating. When I pushed the gas pedal, the engine only revved up but the car continued to slow down. I pulled the car on the shoulder lane, shut the engine off and restarted. The problem continued. The dashboard had the warning sign "transmission system problem. Avoid heavy acceleration and high speed. See your dealer". It also showed the sign "emission system problem, power may be reduced. See your dealer". The problem occured on the busy interstate 287 in central jersey without any prior warning, on a brand new mdx 2022. We were lucky since it was 11pm and we were in right lane, so could pull over the shoulder. In the online forums, I have found one more user with the similar problem. The acura dealer has inspected the car and requested the transmission system change. The car has 1071 miles only and 4 days out of the dealer's parking lot. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
See more posts from Brian Jones
Owned 2 4th Gen MDX’s and each one have a different set of issues. First one is 2022 MDX A-Spec which had issues with acceleration and weird vibration in the gas pedal. Acura did not care to look into the issue and simply ruled out saying it’s normal. Since I could drive the car with the vibration in the gas pedal, traded in A-Spec for 2023 MDX Type S Advance hoping that the Type S engine design is different and I’ll not have any weird issues.
But, I was completely wrong. My 2023 Type S Advance have multiple issues –
1) high pitch whining noise which triggers at 45mph. This happens only when I slightly press the gas pedal to maintain the speed. Take the foot off the gas pedal and the noise stops. Again, feather the gas pedal, it comes back. My dealer did not even attempt to identify the problem but instead he test drove other type s in the lot which was having similar noise but barely noticeable while it’s pretty loud and annoying in my car. Opened a case with Acura and they took my dealership technicians word and ruled it as a normal characteristic of the car… which is BS! Many other MDX owners are experiencing same issue and Acura is not bothering to look into the issue at all.
2) Rattle noise from the cluster/HUD part of dashboard. My dealer tried to fix it but it just doesn’t go away.
Type S Advance is the most expensive and sort of flagship vehicle for Acura. But, Acura decided to screw it up and do nothing about the issues that customers are having and simply saying it’s normal. Seems like Acura knows these issues and yet released a faulty product into the market and bagging the money.
If Acura doesn’t take these issues into consideration and fix them, this will be my last Acura product and spread the word to my family and friends who are in the market for a new car and make sure they buy a better reliable car other than Acura who pays attention to customer issues and value them.
2022 MDX w/Advanced package. While driving at a very low rate of speed the windshield suddenly cracked on the curved, passenger side which grew into a larger crack. The impact seemingly did not occur. In other words, nothing actually hit the car. The damage has no blunt impact whatsoever. There’s no abrasion it’s just a smooth surface with the cracks being born from within. Checked my front camera over and over to see if there might have been something I missed, nothing can be seen moving towards my car.
My MDX 2023 has the same issue just bought it brand new 1 month ago. And while driving in the freeway braking system failure almost got into a accident. Wish I can return this car.
Radio keeps cutting out for expended periods .