There are 6 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2009 Acura MDXin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR FLASHED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO A SHOULDER LANE AND EXITED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CATCHING FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A STORAGE AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 ACURA MDX. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE NOX SENSOR HARNESS HAD BEEN CHEWED ON BY RODENTS AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
VEHICLE WAS RUNNING NORMAL. AFTER SITTING OUTSIDE ON A VERY COLD DAY IN WISCONSIN, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO BERGSTROM ACURA IN APPLETON, WI WHERE A NEW STARTER WAS INSTALLED AND IT STARTED. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. INSPECTION INDICATED A LARGE PIECE OF THE #5 PISTON BROKE OFF DUE TO A LATENT MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. ALTHOUGH THIS FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE SHOP, THE PISTON COULD HAVE FAILED ON THE ROAD WHICH COULD HAVE SEIZED THE ENGINE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. AN IDENTICAL FAILURE WAS ALSO FOUND IN CANADA ON VIN [XXX] THAT OCCURRED JAN 12, 2015. ACURA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO CONSIDER THEM RELATED AND HAS NOT LOGGED THEM AS POTENTIAL SAFETY DEFECTS. PHOTOS OF THE FAILED PARTS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS OLD (BOUGHT IN NOV. 2009), YET THE BATTERY KEEPS FAILING (AND THERE WERE NO LIGHTS LEFT ON AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, AND NOTHING DONE OUT OF THE ORDINARY WITH THE CAR ON THE 3 OCCASIONS THIS WEEK THAT THE "SHUT OFF" OCCURRED). WE'VE HAD TO CALL ACURA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 3 TIMES THIS WEEK (WEEK OF JAN. 9TH, 2012). TODAY IS JAN. 10, 2012 AND WE HAD TO BE BOOSTED THIS MORNING AGAIN. WE EVENTUALLY TOOK IT IN TO THE MANHATTAN ACURA DEALERSHIP TODAY (1/10/12) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY WAS, INDEED, DEFECTIVE. WE WERE ALSO INFORMED THAT OTHERS HAVE COME IN TO THAT LOCATION WITH THE SAME ISSUE (ALL ACURA OWNERS). PERHAPS, THIS SHOULD BE OFFICIALLY NOTED JUST IN CASE THERE ARE PLENTY MORE WITH THIS EXPERIENCE. *TR
MY 2009 MDX WITH 3500+ MILES HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. ONCE I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WAS ISSUE WITH POOR QUALITY TIMING BELT PULLEY. SO TIMING BELT GOT SHREDDED. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE BOTH. THEY TOOK ALMOST WEEK TO REPLACE IT. WITH IN A DAY, 2009 MDX DEVELOPED ISSUE. THIS TIME THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THEY TOOK ANOTHER WEEK TO REPLACE. AGAIN WITH IN TWO DAYS, "CHECK EMISSION SYSTEM" CAME UP AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ALSO SUB CONVERTERS. I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY THIS VEHICLE. *TR
2009 ACURA MDX WITH LESS THAN 4000 MILES DEVELOPED AN ISSUE WITH TIMING BELT PULLEYS, TIMING BELT AND FRONT PART OF ENGINE. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026