2022 Acura MDX

153 complaints on file, page 1 of 8.

1. Filed Sep 25, 2026Failure Sep 25, 2026Raleigh, NCPower train, Vehicle speed control, Wheels

   I was driving and my AWD sistem made a shader sound and right after that the vehicle went on two wheel drive, the clang it made cause the vehicle to swerve in the highway which could have caused an accident. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle hasn’t been inspected by the dealer or anyone yet, but the SH-AWD light came on after the sound and the vehicle stayed on front wheel drive only. If this system fail the way it fail on my vehicle at a higher speed it could have caused a fatal accident!

   NHTSA complaint 11767029
2. Filed Sep 24, 2026Failure Sep 24, 2026Miramar, FLBody

   The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact noticed quite a bit of water leaking into the trunk of the vehicle. The contact stated she was able to find a smell of mildew. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a leak coming from the trunk was confirmed. The dealer diagnosed the failure to be caused by defective drain tubes on both sides of the trunk. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

   NHTSA complaint 11766778
3. Filed Sep 24, 2026Failure Sep 24, 2026Sioux Falls, SDPower train

   The splints that control the SH-AWD have stripped out and I'm being told tge transmission and transfer case need to be replaced. I've had all the services done on-time with the dealership I purchased it from.

   NHTSA complaint 11766774
4. Filed Sep 23, 2026Failure Sep 17, 2026summerville, SCUnknown or other

   Engine compartment started emitting smoke and hot air coming out of the vents instead of cold air while driving. Smoke partially obstructed my view. I had to stop on the side and look where smoke is coming from. Smoke is coming from AC compressor inside the engine compartment. Vehicle is less than 5 years old and has 47129 miles on it. Defective AC compressor caused a safety issue.

   NHTSA complaint 11766382
5. Filed Sep 16, 2026Failure Sep 15, 2026Wayland, MAPower train

   Discovered leaking fluid on 9/12/2026. Scheduled service with local Acura dealer on 9/15/2026 and found that the leak is AFT from unserviceable seal between the transmission and transfer case. The recommended repair from dealer is to replace both transmission and transfer case for $15,000. This is a significant issue for a vehicle that had been well maintained.

   NHTSA complaint 11764689
6. Filed Sep 8, 2026Failure Sep 4, 2026Attleboro, MAPower train

   Heard a loud clunk followed by several small clunks when accelerating. Dealer confirmed the transmission & PTU are damaged and the car is no longer AWD. This issue is becoming more widespread with Acura MDXs and is a very expensive repair. From dealer: “FOUND DRIVESHAFT CAN TURN IN PARK WITHOUT TURNING FRONT WHEELS. THIS INDICATED TRANSMISSION AND PTU SPLINES ARE DAMAGED”

   NHTSA complaint 11762849
7. Filed Sep 3, 2026Failure Aug 23, 2026Jacksonville, FLPower train

   The car was being driven as normal and while at a stop light the car shut off and alerted the driver with a transmission error code. The car would not start for about 30 mins after the incident. When we took it to be looked at by the dealership we were told that it was related to code P07E4. The dealership reset the system and the code and returned the car back to me. They stated that if this happened again they would need to replace the transmission. My concern is that this happens again while driving at a higher speed or in an area where it is not safe such as a highway or major intersection or road. It's also concerning that a major component of a vehicle would need replacement at normal mileage which is currently at 111,400 miles.

   NHTSA complaint 11762003
8. Filed Sep 2, 2026Failure Jul 15, 2026Pittsburgh, PAPower train

   Lost all wheel drive rear wheels not turning front wheel drive only. Out of warranty

   NHTSA complaint 11761535
9. Filed Aug 31, 2026Failure May 5, 2024Brookville, INPower train

   While driving home on a Sunday afternoon, out of nowhere, a very loud pop sound happened followed by grinding. We were so worried that my husband pulled over thinking we had done major damage to the car somehow. Visual inspection under the car yielded nothing leaving us puzzled. No warning lights came on before, during, or after. We had it taken to the Acura dealership in Fairfield, Ohio. The car was still within warranty at this time, and they found nothing nor could they replicate the sound. My husband explained that it sounded to be transmission related. They chalked it up to a loose tie rod end which they “tightened” to solve all of our problems. We left the dealership and took the car home experiencing no further problems. Fast forward to the winter of that same year we realized that no matter what mode we put the car in we didn’t have AWD. Still no warning lights. The following spring, approximately 20,000 miles after experiencing the first loud pop and grind, we started getting error messages on our user dashboard. “All wheel drive system problem. Only front wheels may be powered. See your dealer”. We immediately scheduled a service appointment with the same Acura dealership. Within minutes of having the car examined on the lift the Acura certified technician found the problem to be the AWD transfer case and additionally the transmission. Stating we would need to replace both. They came back with a quote of approximately $18,000 for a new transmission, transfer case, labor, and all associated materials, for which we declined. Currently seeking help for recall as we do not believe a transmission/ transfer case should fail so quickly under normal driving circumstances.

   NHTSA complaint 11760987
10. Filed Aug 30, 2026Failure Aug 30, 2026Solon, OHPower train

    Factory seal allows water to seep into the internal coupling cavity. The water mixes with the factory grease, creating a rusty, muddy brown fluid that eventually washed out and leaks from the casing. Over time, this moisture causes the interfacing splines between the transmission and the transfer case to strip and shear off completely.

    NHTSA complaint 11760810
11. Filed Aug 27, 2026Failure Aug 26, 2026Plainfield, NJPower train

    Car Transfer Case Goes Out And Takes The Transmission Out As Well And Makes The Car FWD FROM SHAWD

    NHTSA complaint 11760106
12. Filed Aug 24, 2026Failure Aug 24, 2026Fort Wayne, INPower train

    At 75,000 miles I noticed that the vehicle was losing fluids on the bottom. The fluid color was a reddish color. I took it into Acura for a diagnosis and I was told that the seal between the drivetrain and transmission has worn and is causing all of the fluids to be leaked out of the car. They told me it would be $10,000 to replace the drivetrain and transmission because the a repair cannot be made.

    NHTSA complaint 11759193
13. Filed Aug 15, 2026Failure Jul 22, 2026North Lauderdale, FLPower train

    Vehicle lost rear traction and leaking fluid from the transmission or front differential. Brought vehicle to dealer. They replaced transmission and transfer case.

    NHTSA complaint 11757168
14. Filed Aug 12, 2026Failure Aug 10, 2026Chicago, ILElectrical system, Steering

    While driving at approximately 35 mph on a surface street with my wife and five-year-old son in the vehicle, the electric power steering system failed and steering assist was reduced. The instrument panel simultaneously displayed and cycled through multiple warnings including "Electric Power Steering System Problem — Steering Assist Reduced," "Brake System — Brake Hold System Problem," Vehicle Stability Assist, and Hill Start Assist. There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms of any kind prior to this failure; the first indication was the failure itself while the vehicle was in motion. On the two engine starts following the incident, the same dashboard warnings reappeared, although power steering and vehicle operation seemed normal. On the two starts after that, the vehicle started with no warnings and no indication of any problem. So the steering effort increased during the initial failure and I was unable to rely on power assist while moving in traffic, which created a risk of loss of directional control and a crash for my occupants and other road users. On Aug 11,2026, the vehicle was taken to an authorized Acura dealer, which confirmed a stored diagnostic trouble code and diagnosed a failure of the VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) modulator-control unit, recommending replacement. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or an insurance representative. No repairs have been performed to date and the vehicle and component remain available for inspection upon request. Mileage at the time of failure was 40,090. I have video of the instrument panel recorded during the event and it is available upon request. I have reviewed complaints filed with NHTSA describing what appears to be the same simultaneous multi-system failure on 2022 and 2023 Acura MDX vehicles.

    NHTSA complaint 11756386
15. Filed Aug 11, 2026Failure Apr 1, 202580,000 milesChelmsford, MAPower train

    The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally rough grinding sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle operated normally for a while. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that there was a failure within the transfer case, causing the vehicle to be operable only in Front Wheel Drive. Additionally, there was debris inside the transmission. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.

    NHTSA complaint 11756323
16. Filed Aug 6, 2026Failure Jul 1, 202697,000 milesMountian Grove, MOPower train

    The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that drops of fluid were discovered on the floor of the garage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for diagnosis, and the contact was informed that transmission fluid was leaking due to a failure of the Power Take Off (PTO) unit and transmission spline, causing the transmission to overheat and leak fluid. The contact was informed that the transmission and PTO unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,000.

    NHTSA complaint 11755172
17. Filed Jul 31, 2026Failure Jul 2, 2026134,984 milesEagan, MNPower train

    The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was receiving a routine oil change, the rear wheels failed to rotate. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission and transfer case needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the drive shaft was moving freely while in park. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,984.

    NHTSA complaint 11753972
18. Filed Jul 28, 2026Failure Jul 17, 2026New Hyde Park, NYPower train

    Took car in for oil change and service tech saw that there was transmission fluid leaking. They then found that the splines were sheared off going into the transfer case and transmission. We received new transmission and transfer case. So far everything is working. We did not get any warning that there was an issue until we took it to the dealership. Putting in the case as this seems to be a common issue on type s models.

    NHTSA complaint 11753342
19. Filed Jul 27, 2026Failure Jun 1, 2026Saint Louis, MIPower train

    Vehicle exhibited a fluid leak at the rear of the engine near the transmission/transfer case junction. An independent shop is currently evaluating; suspected power take-off unit failure. This matches the failure pattern described in NHTSA Defect Petition DP26001 covering 2022-2023 Acura MDX and 2021-2023 Acura TLX for interfacing spline failure between the transmission and the rear-wheel-drive power take-off unit. Separately, while pulling out into traffic, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as commanded, chugging briefly before delivering power. This nearly resulted in a collision. No warning lamps or messages appeared at any time. Whether this drivability event and the fluid leak share a cause is UNKNOWN, but I am reporting both given the open defect petition on this component. Vehicle at approximately 75,000 miles, outside powertrain warranty by roughly 5,000 miles. Manufacturer declined assistance when contacted. Component is available for inspection upon request. Sudden loss of all-wheel drive without warning is a safety concern in Michigan winter driving conditions Repair has been quoted at approximately $3,600 for the transfer unit alone, plus labor, with no manufacturer assistance offered.

    NHTSA complaint 11753157
20. Filed Jul 23, 2026Failure Jan 10, 2026Woonsocket, RIUnknown or other

    The Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system unexpectedly deactivates during cold weather conditions, creating a sudden loss of traction and compromising vehicle stability control on winter roads."

    NHTSA complaint 11752296