2017 Acura MDX Engine Problems
Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2017 Acura MDX, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 63,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “rod bearing” (19% of reports).
- 79engine complaints
- 63,500median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rod bearing: mentioned in 15 of 79 complaints (19%)
- Knocking sound: mentioned in 7 of 79 complaints (9%)
- Power check engine: mentioned in 5 of 79 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 22 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 79 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 2 a fire.
Acura MDX engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 MDX | 2 | 22% | — |
| 2025 MDX | 68 | 61% | 14,000 |
| 2024 MDX | 6 | 15% | — |
| 2023 MDX | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2022 MDX | 9 | 6% | 26,000 |
| 2020 MDX | 84 | 38% | 51,150 |
| 2019 MDX | 48 | 25% | 18,197 |
| 2018 MDX | 35 | 21% | 44,000 |
| 2017 MDX | 79 | 30% | 63,500 |
| 2016 MDX | 162 | 43% | 60,000 |
| 2015 MDX | 7 | 10% | 40,000 |
| 2014 MDX | 26 | 15% | 12,250 |
| 2013 MDX | 9 | 30% | 14,593 |
| 2012 MDX | 23 | 30% | 87,500 |
| 2011 MDX | 28 | 40% | 91,107 |
| 2010 MDX | 11 | 24% | 89,000 |
| 2009 MDX | 8 | 15% | 74,000 |
| 2008 MDX | 3 | 6% | 133,000 |
| 2007 MDX | 11 | 11% | 104,000 |
| 2006 MDX | 9 | 10% | 101,000 |
| 2005 MDX | 7 | 4% | 123,000 |
| 2004 MDX | 13 | 8% | 143,000 |
| 2003 MDX | 10 | 5% | 187,453 |
| 2002 MDX | 5 | 2% | 180,000 |
| 2001 MDX | 3 | 1% | 131,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Problem: Honda (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 the engine.
Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
As I was driving in a stop and go traffic jam, the vehicle would not go forward although I was pressing on the gas pedal, the engine stall and when it finally reacted after pressing it for the second time it went too fast that I couldnât stop in time to avoid rear ending the other vehicle, the…
On my 2017 Acura MDX SH-AWD with approximately 112,000 miles, the engine experienced a sudden catastrophic failure while I was traveling at highway speed. The vehicle abruptly lost power, the accelerator became unresponsive, smoke came from the vehicle hood and exhaust area, and multiple warning…
I was driving home late at night with my family in the car. The car suddenly loss power and the check engine light came on and began flashing. I pulled over and turned the car off and back on. The light went away. I began driving again and after a short while, a bunch of lights popped up on the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2017 Acura MDXs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 79 owner complaints about engine for the 2017 Acura MDX (30% of the 260 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Acura MDX engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 63,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2017 Acura MDX?
The most frequent phrase is “rod bearing”, in 15 of 79 complaints, followed by “knocking sound” (7).
Other 2017 Acura MDX problems
- Power Train problems (64)
See all 2017 Acura MDX problems or engine problems across all MDX years.