ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1 injured · fire · crash · 123,456 miles
VOLPE TECH REFRESH TEST
NHTSA complaint 10439240. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
Acura · NHTSA safety record
2011 Acura MDX
Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.
70
Complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths
Owners of the 2011 Acura MDX have filed 70 safety complaints with NHTSA between June 2011 and September 2025. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 28 of them (40%). The typical failure was reported at 66,000 miles, the median across the 44 complaints that gave an odometer reading.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
What owners report
Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 70.
ENGINE 28 40%
POWER TRAIN 8 11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 10%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 7 10%
AIR BAGS 6 9%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 6%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 4%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 3 4%
STRUCTURE 3 4%
SUSPENSION 3 4%
SEAT BELTS 2 3%
SEATS 2 3%
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2017 at 9.
In owners' own words
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.
SEAT BELTS
1 injured · crash · 18,000 miles
I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN A PICK UP TRUCK HIT MY CAR FROM BEHIND. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT AND MY SEAT WAS POSITIONED AT AN APPROPRIATE DISTANCE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER MY HEAD FIRST HIT THE HEADREST FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT, MY HEAD FLEW FORWARD AND HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD A BUMP ON MY FOREHEAD AND A HEADACHE AFTERWARD (FOLLOWED BY A BLACK EYE THE NEXT DAY). FORTUNATELY, A CAT SCAN CONFIRMED THAT MY INJURY WAS NOT SERIOUS. BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER MY SEATBELT WAS WORKING OR NOT, I TOOK MY ACURA TO MY LOCAL ACURA DEALER TO HAVE THE SEATBELTS CHECKED. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY SEATBELTS WERE WORKING AS THEY SHOULD. I AM STILL CONCERNED, HOWEVER, ABOUT MY
NHTSA complaint 10471333, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
1 injured · crash · 38,632 miles
WHILE PARKING, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS FLOORED, AND THE CAR ONLY CAME TO A STOP AFTER HITTING A BLOCK WALL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV UNTIL THE CAR WAS PUT INTO PARK AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I COULD HEAR THE TIRE SCREECHING LIKE "BURNING RUBBER" WHEN IT ACCELERATED. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE CAR LURCH FORWARD WHILE DRIVING FOR THE PAST 2 WEEKS. BUT IT WAS HARD TO REPRODUCE, AND I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN AND HOW IT HAPPENS. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10512803. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEATS
1 injured · 500 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEATS WERE MADE WITH A DEFECTIVE LEATHER MATERIAL. AS A RESULT, A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR WAS BEING RELEASED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM HEADACHES AND RASHES DUE TO THE ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ODOR WAS DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING NEW. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE ODOR WOULD NO LONGER PERSIST AFTER A FEW WEEKS. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint 10409007. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
Check engine light continues to come on after repair, lack of power and transmission skip at times. Reverse light dark, unable to see at all.
NHTSA complaint 11687765. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STRUCTURE:BODY
The hazard warning switch on my 2011 Acura MDX Technology & Entertainment Package VIN [XXX] sticks. It is due to a manufacturing defect and not because of normal wear and tear. That is a safety concern because when it is pressed and sticks, such as when giving the right of way to an emergency vehicle, or in bad weather, it not possible to make it unstuck while driving, and requires a screwdriver to pry it back to unstuck position, and if that option is not available then the stuck hazard switch will drain the battery when the vehicle is shut down. Please refer to enclosed Acura ServiceNews Article B15070C. On 8/9/2025, for my service at Hendrick Acura, I requested this known safety issue be
NHTSA complaint 11686570, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
Unknown
NHTSA complaint 11683178. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
The 2011 Acura MDX has a problem with the pistons in the engine which causes excessive oil consumption. This was subject of the matter of a class action suit described on the website entitled Acura Oil Consumption Settlement. This defect should be subject to recall and American Honda should be required to repair or replace this pistons.
NHTSA complaint 11657296. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
2011 Acura MDX Engine Oil Leak from Pan. Oil change and dip stick completely dry after 2 days. Many complaints of this common issue on 2011-2013 Acura MDX and no Recall. Reverse Lights not set properly When going in reverse it's remains dark and hard to see.
NHTSA complaint 11647285. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
Vehicle lost power- all lights came on. After being towed to two separate mechanics, found out engine blew. Had to replace the following: Engine Radiator Motor mounts Timing belt Thermostat
NHTSA complaint 11626892. 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 | — |
| 2010 | 45 | 1 | — |
Other 2011 Acura models
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
- Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
- Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
- Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.
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 guarledes
Independent developer and analyst