There are 10 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2016 Acura MDXin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My Acura mdx 2016 is well maintained, only 42500 miles,bought brand new from dealer, problem started 6 months ago, accelerator, rpm goes up even on 20 miles driving, and car just stops and gear goes to park mode..dealer inspected, they said transmission needs to be replaced, contacted NCDS, their respond I passed the warranty of 7 years, not covered. Dealer charging 7100 to fix issues.
THE DESIGN DEFECT ON THIS ACURA IS THAT THE VEHICLE SUFFERS FROM "SUDDEN ACCELERATION," AFTER DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE FOR VARIOUS SECONDS. THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN AFTER PRESSING THE BRAKE WHEN ARRIVING TO AN INTERSECTION, AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE WHEN GETTING READY TO STOP THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING A TREMENDOUS HAZARD AND RISK OF DEATH FOR AN ACCIDENT TO PEOPLE IN OTHER VEHICLES, PEDESTRIANS, AND OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE ITSELF. I TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR AT YOUR ACURA DEALERSHIP IN MISSION VIEJO, CALIFORNIA (SEE ENCLOSED BACK UP DOCUMENTS), AND THE SERVICE SPECIALIST FROM ACURA RECOMMENDED ME TO PAY FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES OVER AND BEYOND MY STILL EXISTING WARRANTY (WARRANTY IS VALID UNTIL 03/2020), LIKE A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND AN TRANSMISSION FLUSH, STATING IT WOULD REPAIR THE CONDITION. WELL, THE CONDITION WAS NEVER FIX AND THE RISK OF ACCIDENT STILL REMAINED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE ON A SECOND OCCASION TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP, AND THIS TIME, SINCE THEY HAVE ALREADY TAKEN MY MONEY ON THE PREVIOUS SERVICE, DECLINED TO DO ANY MORE REPAIRS ARGUING THAT CONDITION (SUDDEN ACCELERATION) IS NOT CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS BY ACURA USA, AND THAT IT HAPPENS TO OTHER ACURA VEHICLE WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION, AND THEREFORE THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT. ON THIS SECOND TIME I RECORDED THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SERVICE CONSULTANTS AND WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, IN CASE I HAD TO ESCALATE THIS ISSUE FURTHER LIKE I'M DOING NOW OR TAKE FURTHER LEGAL ACTIONS IN THIS REGARD. I ALSO HAD MULTIPLE PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE ACURA CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS, STATING MY ISSUE AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES DIDN'T OFFER ANY HELP, THEY ONLY INDICATED I'D HAVE TO DEAL WITH DEALERSHIP DIRECTLY, EVEN THOUGH HE'S A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NAME, ACURA USA. (SEE ENCLOSED LETTER TO YOU FOR MORE INFORMATION)
TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HARD. I ALSO HEAR AND FEEL A GRINDING SOUND. WHEN SHIFTING ON THE LOWER GEARS, IT SHIFTS HARD. I HAVE READ THAT THERE IS A BULLETIN ON THIS BUT NO RECALL YET. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS. BULLETIN TSB NO. 15-054. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ARE NEEDED BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED?
AT ACCELERATED SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE THE CAR STALLS AND RPMS GO UP. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED IT OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON THE LIGHT WAS OFF AND THE RPMS WERE NORMAL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, WHEN DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND IMPACTED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS NOT INJURED. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES BUT WAS NOT AWARE IF MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT COLLISION CENTER. THE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V060000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER) AT NORRIS ACURA (8559 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE, ELLICOTT CITY, MD 21043) ON 10/11/2019. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE RECALL REMEDY THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, HOWEVER STATED SHE WOULD BE REASONABLE FOR DIAGNOSES AND REPAIRS FEES. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,053.
THE LETTERS ON THE SHIFTING CONTROLS ARE WEARING OFF WITH NORMAL USE CREATING AN UNSAFE CONDITION AS IT IS BECOMING UNCLEAR WHICH SHIFT BUTTONS PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON BOTH MY 2016 HONDA VEHICLES. HONDA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE BUT ONLY OFFERS TO PAY ONE HALF OF THE COST OF CORRECTING THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED BETWEEN THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GEARS, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE FOR ABOUT TWO SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ACURA OF MODESTO (4325 MCHENRY AVE, MODESTO, CA 95356, (209) 527-7000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300.
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
WE BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2016 ACURA MDX MODEL AND WITHIN FEW MONTHS, STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE CAR WOULD START STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE TO PICK UP SPEED. THIS HAPPENED IN A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN IT SUDDENLY STALLED AND COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED. FELT LIKE HAVING NO CONTROL OF CAR SPEED. THE D LETTER ON DASHBOARD STARTED FLASHING AND ALSO SHOWED BLIND SPOT MONITOR REPORT FAILURES. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER FIRST TIME AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING AND SAID IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME HAPPENED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND HE SAID ITS FIXED AND KEPT CAR FOR FEW DAYS. WITHIN VERY FEW DAYS THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. APART FROM THIS, THE CAR WHEN PUT IN DRIVE FROM PARK WOULD START GOING BACKWARDS WITH LITTLE UPHILL WHICH ALMOST GOT ME IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY. I FELT VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR ON A HIGHWAY DUE TO THESE SAFETY CONCERNS AS THERE WAS A POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS AND INJURY TO SOME ONE. WE DEMONSTRATED THIS TO DEALER THE THIRD TIME. WE CALLED CLIENT SERVICES OF ACURA MANUFACTURER AND OPENED A CASE. THE REGIONAL MANAGER MENTIONED THEY WILL LOOK INTO THE ISSUES. WE HAD A LONG ROAD TRIP PLANNED AND WE WERE DEPENDENT ON THIS CAR AS IT WAS A FAMILY CAR BUT FELT VERY UNSAFE. THE CLIENT SERVICES OF ACURA HAD COMPLETE LACK OF EMPATHY AND WAS UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING. HE KEPT STRESSING THAT WE NEED TO PICK UP THE CAR AND RETURN THE LOANER CAR ALTHOUGH WE HIGHLIGHTED THE SAFETY CONCERNS. WE ARE COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED WITH ACURA AND STILL FEEL UNSAFE WITH THE CAR NOT KNOWING WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT.
FORWARD/FRONT COLLISION MITIGATION BRAKING SYSTEM DIDN'T ENGAGE ENOUGH TO REDUCE OR AVOID IMPACT OF THE COLLISION. MY VEHICLE TOOK A RIGHT TURN AT ABOUT 20-25 MPH AND TRAVELLED LESS THAN 2-2.5 CAR LENGTH BEFORE GETTING ONTO THE CURB AND HITTING AN IRON PILLAR ABOUT 2 FEET HIGH ON SIDE WALK. IT WAS A SIDE FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL DIRECTLY HIT THE IRON PILLAR. THE VEHICLE SPEED WASN'T REDUCED TO MITIGATE IMPACT/DAMAGE FROM THE COLLISION AND VEHICLE TOOK FULL IMPACT OF THE COLLISION. THE FORWARD/FRONT COLLISION MITIGATION BRAKING SYSTEM MUST BE EVALUATED TO ASSESS SUITABILITY TO AVOID COLLISION WITH OBJECTS OF LOW HEIGHT.
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