2012 Acura MDX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MDX years
- Fewer complaints than other years 16th of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Acura MDX. That ranks 16th out of 26 MDX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (23 complaints, 30%), typically at around 87,500 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 3 fires, 2 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 76owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Acura MDX problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 23 | 30% | 87,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 13 | 17% | 40,950 | — | — |
| Power Train | 13 | 17% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 13% | 81,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 12% | 51,150 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 7% | 45,300 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 3% | 3,702 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 3% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 3% | 27,100 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 3% | 4,200 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% | 23,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 3% | 4,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 1,100 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 3% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 200 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 10 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 129,080 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Acura MDX recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 pilot and acura mdx vehicles. The vent shut float (vsf) valve case in the fuel tank assembly does not meet the design specifications.
Risk: As a result, fuel may leak from the tank, increasing the risk of fire.
Fix: Honda will notify owners and dealers will inspect the vsf assembly date and, if necessary, replace the fuel tank assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on march 13, 2012. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I have a 2012 MDX and it burns an extreme amount of oil. We took our MDX back to the dealership where we purchased it and had the oil issue fixed. Or so we thought. The problem was supposed to be fixed 3 months ago but the car is still burning a lot of oil. We have to add oil every 2 weeks. We did…
2012 ACURA MDX burns extreme amounts of oil between oil changes. Typically a warning indicator comes on about 1,000 miles before oil change is due. I continue to refill oil between oil changes.
I bought a 2012 silver Acura MDX on March 3rd in 2022 from our local Acura dealership. Exterior paint was great, hardly any dings, scratches anywhere. I spent over $20,000 for this USED CAR and as of the past two years, the clear coat has worn out in various places on front hood, near the moon…
our car eats a ton of oil and the piston rings failed, we owe a lot on it and I'm told there is no help for this issue even though there used to be because we are outside the guidelines in terms of mileage and purchase date. our car has 156k its a 2012 MDX. VIN [XXX] . Just checking with everyone…
Oil consumption/burning Cylinder rings
Other Acura MDX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 MDX | 9 | 1 |
| 2025 MDX | 109 | 3 |
| 2024 MDX | 41 | 2 |
| 2023 MDX | 42 | 2 |
| 2022 MDX | 154 | 2 |
| 2021 MDX | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 MDX | 223 | 8 |
| 2019 MDX | 190 | 9 |
| 2018 MDX | 169 | 10 |
| 2017 MDX | 259 | 8 |
| 2016 MDX | 375 | 7 |
| 2015 MDX | 71 | 8 |
| 2014 MDX | 172 | 8 |
| 2013 MDX | 30 | 1 |
| 2012 | 76 | 1 |
| 2011 MDX | 70 | 0 |
| 2010 MDX | 45 | 1 |
| 2009 MDX | 52 | 0 |
| 2008 MDX | 49 | 0 |
| 2007 MDX | 99 | 0 |
| 2006 MDX | 87 | 9 |
| 2005 MDX | 180 | 11 |
| 2004 MDX | 171 | 8 |
| 2003 MDX | 206 | 11 |
| 2002 MDX | 205 | 4 |
| 2001 MDX | 224 | 4 |
See all Acura MDX problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.
Similar Acura models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Acura MDX?
Owners most often report engine, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 23 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Acura MDX?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Acura MDX a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other MDX model years, the 2012 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.