CSR

Acura · NHTSA safety record

2014 Acura MDX

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

Owners have filed 170 safety complaints about the 2014 Acura MDX with the US government. Of those, 10 describe a crash, 3 mention a fire, 9 people were injured and no death is recorded. 8 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the steering, named in 38 complaints, 22% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 22,706 miles, the median across the 114 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers November 2013 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

170 complaints on file

170

Complaints

10

Describe a crash

3

Mention fire

9

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.

Complaints fell 38% year on year: 8 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 13 in the twelve before.

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
STEERING 38 · 22%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 27 · 16%
ENGINE 26 · 15%
POWER TRAIN 26 · 15%
SERVICE BRAKES 26 · 15%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 19 · 11%
STRUCTURE 14 · 8%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 13 · 8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13 · 8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7 · 4%
SUSPENSION 6 · 4%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 5 · 3%
0 15 31

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 170.

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 2014 at 41.

44 33 22 11
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

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 2014 Acura MDX, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 15.5% 16.4%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

8 on file

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

26V365000 · June 4, 2026

The defect
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
The risk
Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 880,514 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

25V259000 · April 17, 2025

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid light assembly and wiring harness, which can cause the interior and exterior lights to fail, including the lid lights, position lights, license plate lights and taillights.
The risk
Vehicle lights that fail to illuminate can decrease visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the wiring and install a fuse harness, replace the lid light, and repair the body dust sealer, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Acura's customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Acura's number for this recall is FLI. Vehicles included in this recall that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 19V-256 will need to have the new remedy completed.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 152,800 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

23V858000 · December 18, 2023

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 2,490,460 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

19V256000 · March 28, 2019

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura MDX and 2017-2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid lights, possibly causing a loss of the tailgate lid lights and the taillights.
The risk
Loss of the taillights reduces the vehicle's visibility, increasing the risk of crash.
The remedy
Acura will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate lid lights and install updated gaskets and a wiring sub-harness or will replace both tailgate lid lights. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is M49.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 322,897 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

15V417000 · July 1, 2015

The defect
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX and MDX AWD vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to December 16, 2014. The affected vehicles have air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolts that may not have received the proper anti-corrosion coating.
The risk
If a bolt was not coated, it may corrode and break as a result. If the bolt breaks, the compressor clutch plate may separate from the vehicle, possibly becoming a road hazard.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolt and install a new clutch plate if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 7, 2015. Owners may contact Acura client relations at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this recall is JQ7.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 106,439 vehicles across all model years covered

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: CRASH IMMINENT BRAKING

15V301000 · May 20, 2015

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX 2WD and AWD, RLX and 2014 Acura RLX Hybrid vehicles. In certain driving conditions, the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) may incorrectly interpret certain roadside objects such as metal fences or metal guardrails as obstacles and unexpectedly apply the brakes.
The risk
If the CMBS unexpectedly applies emergency braking force while driving, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the CMBS software, free of charge. The recall began on July 6, 2015. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's numbers for this recall is JQ4, JQ5 and JQ6.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 19,502 vehicles across all model years covered

SEAT BELTS

14V639000 · October 10, 2014

The defect
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to August 25, 2014, and 2014 Acura RLX vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to November 25, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and front passenger seat belt may not extend or retract in low temperatures.
The risk
A seatbelt that does not function increases the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy
Honda has notified owners, and dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belts, free of charge. The recall began in November 2014. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this recall is JK7 for the MKX, and JK8 for the RLX.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 43,481 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

13V571000 · November 14, 2013

The defect
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Acura MDX AWD vehicles manufactured May 6, 2013, through October 14, 2013. The bolts that attach the drive shaft to the automatic transmission transfer assembly may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the bolts could loosen possibly allowing the shaft to detach.
The risk
If the drive shaft detaches while driving it could cause excessive noise and possibly damage the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the drive shaft attaching bolts as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 3, 2014. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 or visit their website at www.recalls.honda.com. Honda's recall number is JC8.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 19,197 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.

STEERING

4 injured · crash · 4,800 miles

DEFECT SHOWS AS IMMEDIATE LOSS OF TOE ALIGNMENT IN BOTH FRONT TIRES, LANE KEEP ASSIST COMPUTERIZED FEATURE IN UNABLE TO TURN STEERING WHEEL RIGHT, AND STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR IS UNABLE TO REMAIN FIXED AT ZERO. STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR: FORCES THE VEHICLE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC BY AUTOMATICALLY DURING FRONT WHEELS TWO AND FIVE DEGREES WITH MAXIMUM TURNING FORCE APPLIED WHEN THE ROAD PRESENTS ANY COMBINATION OF CURVED, TILTED, AND BUMPY CONDITION. STEERING WHEEL HAND SENSOR ? COMPUTER APPLIED OVER-STEER FORCES THE CAR LEFT OR RIGHT SEVERAL DEGREES DEPENDING ON HAND POSITION. IDS: THREE SETTINGS FORCE STEERING WHEEL SEVERAL DEGREES LEFT OR RIGHT DURING BRAKING DEPENDING ON LAST

NHTSA complaint 10671950, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 injured · crash

MY NAVIGATION UNIT HAS BEEN UPDATED AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE LINES FOR NAV TRAFFIC CANNOT BE EASILY SEEN. THIS WAS FIXED IN 2015 AND 2016 ACURA MDX W/ NAV BUT HAVE NOT BEEN FIXED FOR THE 2014 MDX UNITS. THE TRAFFIC LINES ARE VERY FAINT AND UNREADABLE TO WHERE TOO MUCH TIME IS SPENT TRYING TO SEE TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING. THIS WILL RESULT IN ACCIDENTS DUE TO DIVERTED ATTENTION. ACURA/HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SINCE THE 2014 MODEL WAS RELEASED, AND STILL REFUSES TO RELEASE A FIRMWARE UPDATE TO MAKE THE TRAFFIC LINES BETTER VISIBILITY LIKE THEY DID FOR 2015 AND LATER. EVEN MY 2006 RL WAS EASIER TO SEE. WE WERE REAR ENDED NEAR UC DAVIS IN DAVID CALIFORNIA IN MAY 2017. WHILE I WAS ABLE TO

NHTSA complaint 11005851, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed

I AM 27 YEARS OLD FEMALE THAT WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT WITH MY BOYFRIEND AND HIS MOM. MY BOYFRIENDS MOM WAS THE DRIVER, I WAS THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AND MY BOYFRIEND WAS IN THE BACK SEAT. BOTH MY BOYFRIENDS MOM AND I WERE WEARING OUR SEATBELTS. AFTER HANGING OUT FOR THE DAY MY BOYFRIENDS MOM WAS DROPPING US OFF AT HOME AND THAT WAS WHEN IT HAPPENED. AS SHE WAS BACKING UP OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE ACCELERATOR MUST HAVE GOTTEN STUCK BECAUSE THE CAR FLEW ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY DOWN A HILL OVER A BASKETBALL COURT AND DIRECTLY INTO A TREE! THINKS THE VEHICLE WAS GOING 30-40 MPH AND BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I HAD BEEN INJURED AND AFTER GOING TO THE HOSPITAL AND HAVING X-RAYS

NHTSA complaint 11020141, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 30,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON A SNOWY DAY, THE VEHICLE SLID ACROSS THE INTERSECTION AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. THE FAILURE IMPACTED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE, BUT ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED A MINOR INJURY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD SHAPE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA complaint 10816966. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

150,000 miles

The contact owns a 2014 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormal sound, the vehicle lost motive power, and the contact noticed a fuel odor inside the vehicle. No warning lights illuminated. The failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an emissions system failure, and it was determined that the fuel pump needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the

NHTSA complaint 11759967, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
Recall/Campaign Reference: Rear subframe/rear suspension safety recall, ~880,000+ Acura MDX vehicles (MY 2014–2020), due to risk of rear suspension component failure causing loss of vehicle control. Complaint Narrative: I own a 2014 Acura MDX (VIN [XXX]) subject to Honda's rear subframe safety recall for suspension components Honda has identified as posing a risk of failure, potentially causing loss of vehicle control and increasing crash/injury risk. I brought my vehicle to Acura of Arrowhead, AZ (authorized dealer) for the recall repair. The dealer had recall subframe parts in stock, but upon inspection found the bolt securing the Left Rear Lower Arm A rusted and seized, causing the

NHTSA complaint 11753247, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
OnXXX I was sold an “As is” vehicle under a Christmas special that was deemed unsafe to drive by a licensed mechanic a week later because of the rear subframe is bent from premature corrosion the dealer denied knowing anything about it but i submitted a case with FLHSMV because under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA): For consumer sales, even in "as-is" transactions, sellers must disclose known material defects that substantially impact the vehicle’s value or safety but the claim was denied and ruled non-jurisdictional so im in the process of going civil. The total price the licensed mechanic gave me was 3,246 so ive been trying to mitigate this for months but i

NHTSA complaint 11743848, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
A connecting rod bearing is failing in my 2014 Acura MDX which could have led to complete engine failure while driving my family. Absolute Auto Center of Berlin, CT confirmed the issue and noted that Acura has recalled 2016-2020 MDX models due to connecting rod bearing defects but have not expanded the recall to include earlier model years that are also impacted. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to or during the issue, it was identified due to a loud knocking with the engine around 3-4,000 RPMs.

NHTSA complaint 11736130. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Car jerked badly on highway when trying to accelerate. It puckered to a stop after a few hours. But started in a few mins and we got home. Mechanic suggested that fuel pressure is low. No repair done. But problem did not surface again for a little bit. Now emissions problem light has come on. This is the third time in 4 months. Once again mechanic suggested low fuel pressure and also pointed to the recall. Writing to request being included

NHTSA complaint 11733928. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
This car is consistently garaged. It was pulled out one morning and a large sheet of paint peeled off roof while it was sitting in the driveway. This is a major concern as I don't feel comfortable driving the car for fear more will come off, affecting another driver on the highway. I've had to borrow a car until it can be fixed. Spoke to ACURA and this is a KNOWN issue for this color paint but they will not stand by their product. We have received no information from ACURA regarding this issue as they claim.

NHTSA complaint 11714839. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Acura MDX

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 7 1 —
2025 107 3 —
2024 40 2 —
2023 39 2 —
2022 153 2 —
2020 221 8 —
2019 188 9 —
2018 168 10 —
2017 256 8 —
2016 374 7 —
2015 71 8 —
2013 30 1 —
2012 76 1 —
2011 70 0 —
2010 45 1 —

Other 2014 Acura models

RDX 243 RLX 84 ILX 29 TL 17

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Acura on this site — 73 vehicles.

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.

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
Independent developer and analyst