Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 76 safety complaints
about the 2012 Acura MDX with the US government. Of those, 4 describe a crash, 3 mention a fire, 2 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the gasoline fuel system.
The most complained-about system is the engine,
named in 23 complaints, 30% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 69,000 miles,
the median across the 47
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers January 2013 to July 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
76 complaints on file
76
Complaints
4
Describe a crash
3
Mention fire
2
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 23 · 30%
23 30%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13 · 17%
13 17%
POWER TRAIN 13 · 17%
13 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10 · 13%
10 13%
AIR BAGS 9 · 12%
9 12%
STRUCTURE 5 · 7%
5 7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 5%
4 5%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 2 · 3%
2 3%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 · 3%
2 3%
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 2 · 3%
2 3%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 · 3%
2 3%
SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 3%
2 3%
01223
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 76.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2018 at 11.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2013 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2012 Acura MDX, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV 4WD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
14.0%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Recall campaigns
1 on file
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
12V063000 · February 17, 2012
The defect
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 PILOT AND ACURA MDX VEHICLES. THE VENT SHUT FLOAT (VSF) VALVE CASE IN THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY DOES NOT MEET THE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS.
The risk
AS A RESULT, FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE TANK, INCREASING THE RISK OF FIRE.
The remedy
HONDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VSF ASSEMBLY DATE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 13, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-999-1009.
HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) · up to 8,709 vehicles across all model years covered
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed
I WAS IN A SERIOUS HEAD ON COLISION AND THE AIRBAGS IN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DEPLOY DESPITE MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I SUSTAINED INJURY REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION IN COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint 11072815. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed
I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT LAST WEEK AND TOTALED MY MDX. I RAN INTO A PILLAR IN A PARKING STRUCTURE PRETTY HARD. THE FRONT OF MY CAR IS ALL DAMAGED BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAD CONCUSSION AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR WAS PRONOUNCED AS A TOTAL LOSS.
NHTSA complaint 11080717. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
fire · 82,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THEIR SPOUSE ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE OF THEIR DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING AND THEY HEARD AN ABNORMAL WHISTLING SOUND. AFTER THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PRODUCE SMOKE. THE CONTACT'S WIFE PLACED THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THEY HEARD AN ABNORMAL CRACKING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT MADE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE. THE CONTACT CALLED MUNGENAST ACURA OF ST.LOUIS (13720 MANCHESTER RD, MANCHESTER, MO 63011 (314) 822-2872) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND …
NHTSA complaint 11218497, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
fire · 106,000 miles
AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I PARKED IT, TURNED IT OFF AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint 11292235. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
I have a 2012 MDX and it burns an extreme amount of oil. We took our MDX back to the dealership where we purchased it and had the oil issue fixed. Or so we thought. The problem was supposed to be fixed 3 months ago but the car is still burning a lot of oil. We have to add oil every 2 weeks. We did not drive the car much after "getting the oil issue repaired" so we did not realize that the problem still exists. Acura should know how to repair this issue and there should be a recall for this excessive oil consumption. Acura is a luxury brand but they are not taking care of their customers. Also the paint is peeling off our MDX badly. We had a couple of paint touch up jobs but it just keeps …
NHTSA complaint 11750952, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
2012 ACURA MDX burns extreme amounts of oil between oil changes. Typically a warning indicator comes on about 1,000 miles before oil change is due. I continue to refill oil between oil changes.
NHTSA complaint 11749222. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I bought a 2012 silver Acura MDX on March 3rd in 2022 from our local Acura dealership. Exterior paint was great, hardly any dings, scratches anywhere. I spent over $20,000 for this USED CAR and as of the past two years, the clear coat has worn out in various places on front hood, near the moon roof, near the rear side door windows, near the rack on top, near the back hatch window. It's absolutely embarrassing and I find it interesting/maddening that I have seen two others MDX's around town that have the same issues with paint. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL? MY 2011 HONDA ODYSSEY paint doesn't have this issue, why is Acura inferior to Honda? I always thought Acura was higher end. But clearly, …
NHTSA complaint 11749224, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
our car eats a ton of oil and the piston rings failed, we owe a lot on it and I'm told there is no help for this issue even though there used to be because we are outside the guidelines in terms of mileage and purchase date. our car has 156k its a 2012 MDX. VIN [XXX] . Just checking with everyone everywhere to make sure I've exhausted all resources as it will take 13,000 to fix and we owe 12,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint 11739318. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
Oil consumption/burning Cylinder rings
NHTSA complaint 11683548. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 126,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 159,000.
NHTSA complaint 11656007. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
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. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed February 17, 2012.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
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.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst