2016 Acura MDX: owner complaints and recalls

Complaints about the 2016 Acura MDX are still climbing years after launch. The last three full years account for 157 of the 360 filings on record, which usually means a defect that surfaces with mileage rather than a factory fault.

360
Complaints
7
Recalls
10
Crash reports
4
Fire reports
5
Injuries
28.9
Severity index

Severity index 28.9 - Low. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 28.9p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2016 Acura MDX sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Acura MDX ranks 118 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 16% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.

What actually fails

EngineEngine: 154 complaints (42.8%)154 43%Power TrainPower Train: 111 complaints (30.8%)111 31%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 39 complaints (10.8%)39 11%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 37 complaints (10.3%)37 10%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 27 complaints (7.5%)27 8%StructureStructure: 20 complaints (5.6%)20 6%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 19 complaints (5.3%)19 5%Lane DepartureLane Departure: 14 complaints (3.9%)14 4%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE15442.8%
POWER TRAIN11130.8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3910.8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3710.3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM277.5%
STRUCTURE205.6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL195.3%
LANE DEPARTURE143.9%

Complaints filed per year

038752015: 122016: 252017: 182018: 192019: 482020: 212021: 132022: 142023: 132024: 692025: 752026: 33 (partial year)15161718192021222324257526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
201512
201625
201718
201819
201948
202021
202113
202214
202313
202469
202575
2026 (year to date)33
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 3.3x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
19V06000029/01/2019FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMPHonda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance.
19V25600028/03/2019EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTSHonda (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.
16V41700009/06/2016FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLYHonda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura MDX 2WD and MDX 4WD vehicles, 2016 Acura MDX 4WD vehicles, 2015-2016 Honda Odyssey vehicles, and 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that were manufactured with i
23V75100013/11/2023ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICALHonda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging
23V85800018/12/2023FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMPHonda (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 H
25V25900017/04/2025EXTERIOR LIGHTINGHonda (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 an
26V36500004/06/2026STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERSAmerican 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, Massachuse
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.