2020 Acura MDX Engine Problems
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2020 Acura MDX, 38% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 51,150 miles. The words owners use most often: “idle stop” (23% of reports).
- 84engine complaints
- 51,150median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 45%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.
- Idle stop: mentioned in 19 of 84 complaints (23%)
- Rod bearing: mentioned in 10 of 84 complaints (12%)
- Shuts off: mentioned in 8 of 84 complaints (10%)
- Engine restart: mentioned in 6 of 84 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 12 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 84 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
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.
Car is not staying on during traffic. Afraid to go in highway now.
On multiple occasions while my car is stopped at a light or stop sign the idle restart stalls and the car shuts off. I need to give it a few minutes and restart the car. It mainly happens when the auto shut off for idling restarts. I have had it happen more than 10X with my kids in the car. I have…
The contact owns a 2020 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while idling and driving on several occasions at various speeds, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that there…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2020 Acura MDXs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 84 owner complaints about engine for the 2020 Acura MDX (38% of the 223 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 2020 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 51,150 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2020 Acura MDX?
The most frequent phrase is “idle stop”, in 19 of 84 complaints, followed by “rod bearing” (10).
See all 2020 Acura MDX problems or engine problems across all MDX years.