2020 Acura MDX problems, complaints & recalls

2020 Acura MDX recalls (8)

• Recall 26V365000Jun 4, 2026880,514 vehicles
  STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS · SUSPENSION:REAR

  American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.

  Risk: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.

• Recall 26V332000May 21, 202698,892 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

  Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

• Recall 25V259000Apr 17, 2025152,800 vehicles
  EXTERIOR LIGHTING · INTERIOR LIGHTING

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid light assembly and wiring harness, which can cause the interior and exterior lights to fail, including the lid lights, position lights, license plate lights and taillights.

  Risk: Vehicle lights that fail to illuminate can decrease visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will inspect the wiring and install a fuse harness, replace the lid light, and repair the body dust sealer, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Acura's customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Acura's number for this recall is FLI. Vehicles included in this recall that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 19V-256 will need to have the new remedy completed.

• Recall 24V064000Feb 1, 2024750,114 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

  Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.

• Recall 23V858000Dec 18, 20232,490,460 vehicles
  FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

  Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

• Recall 23V751000Nov 13, 2023248,999 vehicles
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

  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.

  Remedy: 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.

• Recall 23V458000Jun 29, 2023124,077 vehicles
  SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.

  Risk: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.

• Recall 21V215000Mar 25, 2021624,552 vehicles
  FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

  Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

  Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-314.

NHTSA defect investigations

• PE25008Opened Aug 20, 2025Open

  Engine failure

  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5L V6 engine used in the following vehicles: Model Years (MY) 2018-2020 Acura TLX, MY2016-2020 Acura MDX, MY2016-2020 Honda Pilot, MY2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, and MY2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline.  The subject engine failures were analyzed as part of a Recall Query (RQ24013).  It was determined that these engine failures are outside the scope of Honda Recall 23V-751. Further, evidence gathered in conjunction with RQ24013 does not suggest this failure is caused by the same crankshaft manufac…

• EA25004Opened Mar 26, 2025Open

  No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages

  On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to r…

• RQ24013Opened Nov 8, 2024Closed Aug 20, 2025

  Engine failure

  On November 8, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ24013 to assess the scope of Honda recall 23V-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23V-751. In November 2023, Honda recalled 248,999 various Model Year (MY)2016–2020 Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine. Honda recalled these vehicles due to a crankshaft manufacturing defect that caused premature connecting rod bearing wear and engine seizure. While the out-of-scope failures involved in these complai…

NHTSA 5-Star safety ratings

Recent 2020 Acura MDX complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed Oct 1, 2026NJEngine

   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 done all required work - timing belt & water pump replacement, transmission fluid flush, new times and new suspension. It continues to get worse.

   NHTSA complaint #11768242 · source
2. Filed Sep 14, 202645,000 miNJCrashTowedAirbagsAcceleration & Cruise Control

   The contact owns a 2020 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The contact stated that later, while parking the vehicle, the vehicle unintended accelerated and drove over a curb and crashed into a tree. The vehicle crashed into the tree, and the front wheels continued spinning without the accelerator pedal being depressed, and the engine was turned off. During the crash, the front end was severely…

   NHTSA complaint #11764060 · source
3. Filed Sep 13, 2026CADriver Assistance & Safety Tech

   LKAS, forward collision, high beam all alerts are going off and have been told it's a camera system that gets over heated. This is not a easy fix and needs to be recalled to clear up the codes and alerts.

   NHTSA complaint #11763916 · source
4. Filed Sep 11, 202665,128 miKSEngine

   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 was internal engine rod bearing failure, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact believed that the failure was associated with Manufacturer Recall Number: 24-001. The…

   NHTSA complaint #11763569 · source
5. Filed Sep 9, 202685,000 miMATowedEngine

   The contact owns a 2020 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the oil light illuminated. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, while driving, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate, with a ticking and knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed and metal shavings from the engine bearings were found in the engine oil. The contact was informed that the engine…

   NHTSA complaint #11763037 · source
6. Filed Sep 4, 2026CAEngine

   My 2020 Acura MDX has experienced repeated Auto Idle Stop system malfunctions. When the system activates at a stop, the engine shuts off and does not return to normal operation as expected. The incidents are becoming more frequent and create a safety concern when the vehicle is stopped in traffic. This problem has been reported by telephone on multiple prior occasions. The 12-volt battery has also been replaced multiple times because we believed the battery was causing the…

   NHTSA complaint #11762152 · source
7. Filed Aug 24, 2026CADriver Assistance & Safety TechElectrical SystemOther / Unknown

   Multiple errors Lane departure and advanced driver support, ACC LKAS, auto high beam, and braking system. Looking into this more i see lots of people with the same issue failing front facing camera and not a cheap fix. Is there any current investigations into this problem or a software upgrade? I clear the errors and they come back once car is turned off and back on. If no fix to the current system there should be a way to disable LKAS and ACC without spending $2000 to…

   NHTSA complaint #11759085 · source
8. Filed Aug 17, 202660,541 miNYTowedEngine

   The contact owns a 2020 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to restart. The maintenance warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted to schedule an appointment,…

   NHTSA complaint #11757385 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 10, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology