2016 Acura MDX Steering Problems

The vehicle frequently experiences problems while idling at red lights or stop signs. Specifically, the engine suddenly shuts off after displaying a message that "Idle Mode is unavailable." This has occurred multiple times, and on five separate occasions, the vehicle became completely immobile, requiring towing to the nearest mechanic. Initially, I had the flywheel and starter motor replaced, which cost me approximately $5,000. However, just three months later, the same issue reappeared. Most recently, while driving home from work, the idle mode failed again at a stop sign, and the engine stopped running. I contacted Acura/Honda regarding this issue, but they informed me that it is not their responsibility. At this point, I am unsure how to proceed or where to seek a reliable fix, and I am concerned about the safety implications of this recurring failure.

I am [XXX] and I have owned Honda/Acura since I was 16 yrs old. My last vehicle was a Honda Odyssey minivan with 423K when I donated it, running well to a family that fostered kids! I bought a new 2016 Acura MDX and now it is 8 years old and has 180K on it. I get the oil changed and other normal service maintenance done only at Honda or Acura dealerships. I have never had a car accident and I take care of the maintenance early. All of a sudden, on Friday, [XXX], I had just started driving ( ~20 minutes in the car) and every light started flashing and the car sounded funny and it was hard to drive. I immediately got off the highway and found a repair place (Red's auto repair) right off the exit. They had me shut off the car. Then they checked the oil, which was showing 70%, and I had just had it changed less than 1000 miles earlier, and it had plenty of oil. They told me I could not drive the car! They said "something is wrong with the engine". Currently, LaFontaine Acura has my car. I have a loaner from them. They said it "spun a bearing" in the engine. Apparently there is a recall for this same problem for my year, make and model, but "currently" my VIN number is not included? And, it is the exact same problem bearing from the recall! THIS IS CRAZY! My car has been well taken care of and I would expect it to get at least 350k miles at least before any issues. If the same problem was recalled for other cars, why not mine? It is un-drivable now. I think that Honda has changed their manufacturing because in 43 years of driving Hondas they always are reliable and work well for years and years. My 5 adult kids drive Hondas as well! Never a problem. I think I got a vehicle with a defect that should not be, especially when the car has always been maintained so well, with the service records to show that. PLEASE HELP GET THIS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR SAFETY! What is my next step to ensure that my car is included? Thank you very much INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

We have taken our 2016 Acura MDX to our local dealer three times in the past to complain about noises (clicking and thumping) coming from the front end of the vehicle. Each time the vehicle was under warranty and the response we got from the dealer was "no problem found". Two weeks ago (02Sept2023) we took the Acura MDX to the same local dealer and are told both of the front control arms need to be replaced. Since we are no longer under warranty it would cost us $1559.78 to replace both. And we are also informed that control arms on this vehicle do wear out frequently and they keep a supply on hand to replace the for the many customers that have had the same problem. While we have not had a direct safety problem with this car yet, the car is relatively young and does not have high mileage or rough use. Based on the fact that this Acura dealer has experienced many problems with this vehicles control arms I would like to register the problem with NHTSA to investigate further.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 ACURA MDX. WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRONIC FAILURE (EPS) WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IN OUR DRIVEWAY.

AFTER THE 19-019 AND 19-011 RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE ON 04/13/19 WE STARTED EXPERIENCING THE VEHICLE DISPLAYING AND MOTIONING STEERING WHEEL LANE DEPARTURE WHEN THE LANE ASSIST IS NOT TURNED ON. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION CROSSING TO ANOTHER LANE ON CITY STREETS. WE HAVE NOT DROVE THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND ARE AFRAID THE STEER ASSIST WILL JERK THE VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEEDS. WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE THESE ISSUE UNTIL AFTER THE RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE.

I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT AROUND 20-25 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR A LOUD SNAPPING SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT JERKED HARD TO THE RIGHT HITTING TWO PARKED VEHICLES. UPON INSPECTION, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE REAR CONTROL ARM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL SNAPPED, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL.

AT 1300 MILES. VEHICLE EXHIBITED A CONDITION WHERE THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, TRIGGERING ALERTS FOR EVERY SYSTEM. EMISSIONS, STABILITY, EVERY SAFETY FUNCTION, BRAKES, STEERING. VEHICLE WENT INTO SOME KIND OF FAILSAFE MODE WHERE THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT WELL AT ALL, AND THE CAR WAS BARELY DRIVABLE. VEHICLE DID THIS TWICE OVER A WEEKEND. TOOK IT TO ACURA, AND AFTER AN ANALYSIS THEY BLAMED "BAD GAS." THIS IS AN EXCUSE AS THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 1300 MILES ON IT AND HAD ONLY HAD 2 FILL UPS, AND BOTH WERE WITH TOP TIER PREMIUM GASOLINE. IN ADDITION, I DO NOT BELIEVE SOME "BAD" GAS SHOULD CAUSE THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO GO COMPLETELY HAYWIRE SHUTTING EVERY SYSTEM OFF. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR FLAW IF SO. HOWEVER, AS I DON'T BELIEVE THE ANALYSIS THAT IT WAS "BAD GAS", I THINK ACURA HANDLED THE SITUATION WRONG AND IS SIMPLY USING AN EXCUSE RATHER THEN DETERMINING WHY SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL CONDITION CAUSED THIS MASSIVE FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE.

WHILE TRAVELING ON CITY AND HIGHWAY ROADWAYS, THE VEHICLE WANTS TO DRASTICALLY VEER TO THE LEFT ON SECTIONS OF ROADS SLOPED TO THE LEFT. YOU NEED TO CONSTANTLY APPLY PRESSURE TO THE WHEEL TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM VEERING TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE IS ALIGNED CORRECTLY FOR ROADS SLOPED TO THE RIGHT. WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM 3 TIMES WITH NO FIX, OTHER MDX'S DRIVEN AS LOANERS ACTED THE SAME. THE DEALER STATED ON THIRD REPAIR SUMMARY THAT ROAD TESTED VEHICLE AND STATED VEHICLE TRACKING AND STEERING NORMALLY COMPARED TO OTHER MDX'S. THE VEHICLE IS STILL VEERING TO THE LEFT AS BEFORE. DRIVING LONG DISTANCES IS NOT ENJOYABLE WITH THE CONSTANT STEERING COMPENSATION REQUIRED.

ON 9/3/15, I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE WHEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OFF - TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE, LANE DETECTION LIGHT ETC. SINCE I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN THE NEXT MORNING, I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS IN "LIMP MODE" AND I COULD ONLY DRIVE 35-40 MPH. I SHOWED THE TECH IN THE SERVICE DEPT. ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS GOING OFF, AND HE SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. HE WROTE UP A WORK ORDER WITH THE FOLLOWING INFO: INSPECT FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING AND EVERY WARNING LIGHT IN THE VEHICLE IS ON, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 35 MPH. THE FOLLOWING DAY I WAS CONTACTED BY THE SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM; THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON, THEY EVEN DROVE IT FOR 40 MILES. THE SERVICE DEPT. SAID THEY ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO HOLD THE CAR FOR FIVE DAYS. TODAY, 9/8/25 I PICKED UP THE CAR. THE DEALER'S INVOICE READS: CAUSE: LIGHT ON 123505 DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES/PROGRAMMED FUEL INJECTION (PGM-FI) RETRIEVE CODES WITH THE HDS, READ DATA, 74 WA3. INSPECTED FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, FOUND DTC P0303 (CYLINDER # 3 MISFIRE) RECORDED FREEZE DATA AND CLEARED CODES, AT TIME OF INSPECTION VEHICLE WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY, TEST DROVE VEHICLE TWICE ON EXTENDED TEST DRIVES AND ENGINE RAN PERFECTLY, NO DTCS ARE RESET NO PROBLEM IS PRESENT AT THIS TIME. SINCE THE SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT, THIS MEANS THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND I AM DRIVING A DEFECTIVE CAR. THE NEXT TIME THE WARNING LIGHTS GO ON, I COULD BE TRAVELLING ON A CROWDED FREEWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED (WITH MY FAMILY INSIDE), THE CAR GOES IN TO "LIMP MODE - 35 MPH AND AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HOW CAN ACURA MANUFACTURE A $50,000.00 CAR AND THEIR DEALERSHIP NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND REPAIR IT?