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Acura · NHTSA safety record

2010 Acura MDX

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

45

Complaints

6

Crashes

4

Fires

8

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2010 Acura MDX have filed 45 safety complaints with NHTSA between March 2010 and July 2025. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 11 of them (24%). The typical failure was reported at 67,000 miles, the median across the 30 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle.

Recalls (1)

AIR BAGS

10V002000 · January 4, 2010

The defect
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR ACURA 2010 MDX VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN OCTOBER 7, 2009 AND NOVEMBER 14, 2009. A BOLT USED TO ATTACH AN INTERIOR TRIM PIECE TO EITHER THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE A-PILLAR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED DURING MANUFACTURING.
The risk
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH RESULTING IN SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE TRIM PIECE MAY NOT REMAIN PROPERLY SECURED TO THE A-PILLAR, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE DRIVER AND/OR FRONT SEAT PASSENGER.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE INTERIOR TRIM PIECE OF THE A-PILLAR AND IF A BOLT IS MISSING IT WILL BE INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE. FOUR VEHICLES WERE PURCHASED BEFORE THE STOP-SALE WAS ISSUED AND ALL THE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN INSPECTED AND REPAIRED IF NECESSARY.

HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) · up to 644 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 45.

ENGINE 11 24%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9 20%
STEERING 6 13%
STRUCTURE 6 13%
POWER TRAIN 5 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 5 11%
SEAT BELTS 4 9%
AIR BAGS 3 7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 4%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 2 4%
SEATS 2 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 6.

2010 2019 2025
2010 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STRUCTURE:BODY

4 injured

This is in reference to Acura Service Bulletin 14-032, Rear Side Body Plug is missing. Both my right and left side body plugs were missing, causing myself and family to experience symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning for at least a year. I had the exhaust system checked by Acura and and independent garage and they found no issues. I would not have know about the cause if I had not found it in a chat thread in an Acura online community. All owners need to be notified. THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY SAFETY RECALL for Acura MDX for 2010-2013.

NHTSA complaint 11595518. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 100,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED PINCHED NERVE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BODY AND TWO BULGED DISCS IN THE BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT LEG AND A DISLOCATED DISC IN THE BACK THAT ALSO REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA complaint 10944333. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS

1 injured · crash · 500 miles

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING 65MPH CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF HER VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD HER IN, AND HER FACE HIT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAUSING LACERATIONS TO HER EYES AND TWISTING OF HER BACK. THE AMBULANCE TOOK HER TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT IS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.

NHTSA complaint 10317024. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

1 injured

CPSC: 2010 ACURA MDX: CONSUMER STATED THE CHILD CHOKED ON THE HANGING STRAP FROM THE CEILING WHICH CAUSED HIM TO BE HOSPITALIZED. *SS

NHTSA complaint 10838343. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

184,000 miles

The contact owns a 2010 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while attempting to open the door, the contact’s grandson exited the vehicle, and the door closed independently. The contact stated that his daughter had experienced the door closing independently onto her right hand while exiting the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was diagnosed over the phone by the dealer, and the contact was informed that the door check strap needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred by the manufacturer to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The

NHTSA complaint 11673735, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
SO my car had a torque converter recall at some point i was not notified of it to get it fixed. as such i drove it across the us and ended up making the transmission slip so bad that it would not go into gear anymore. since this i have taken it a dealership where the recall was performed after the fat and now they want me to buy a new transmission.

NHTSA complaint 11655948. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY

fire · 240,000 miles

The contact's wife owned a 2010 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while parked in his garage, the passenger's low beam headlamp was removed after it stopped illuminating. The contact observed then observed the driver's low beam heal lamp blinking. The contact stated after 10 minutes, he and his family observed a smokey odor in the house and retreated to the garage to inspect the origin of the odor. The contact then observed flames emanating from the passenger headlamp. The fire spread and within 45 minutes the entire house was engulfed in flames and the vehicle remained trapped under a collapsed roof. The fire was extinguished by the Fire Department and a police report was filed. The Fire

NHTSA complaint 11615437, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Massive consumption of oil2 qts every 1000 miles

NHTSA complaint 11583911. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE OIL ISSUE. WE BOUGHT A 2010 ACURA MDX FROM ANOTHER PERSON, UNAWARE THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH OIL YOU PUT IN IT, IT DOES NOT LAST VERY LONG. I TRAVEL 60 MILES/DAY BETWEEN WORK AND PICK-UP KIDS AND HOME. THE OIL LASTS MAYBE 2 DAYS SAYS EMPTY AND WE NEVER NEED TO ADD MUCH FOR IT TO BE FULL. WE HAVE A TOYOTA SEQUOIA THAT IS BIGGER AND WE HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS ISSUE. HAD A HONDA DIDN'T HAVE THIS ISSUE, AND HAD A FEW PICK-UPS WITH OUT THIS ISSUE. ALL OLDER THAN THE ACURA.. THIS IS EXPENSIVE AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO FIX THIS??

NHTSA complaint 11560634. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Acura MDX

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 85 3 —
2024 37 2 —
2023 37 2 —
2022 141 2 —
2020 213 8 —
2019 183 9 —
2018 162 10 —
2017 249 8 —
2016 364 7 —
2015 70 8 —
2014 169 8 —
2013 29 1 —
2012 76 1 —
2011 70 0 —

Other 2010 Acura models

TL 64 TSX 63 RDX 22 RL 9 ZDX 9

Every Acura on this site — 71 vehicles, 113 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
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