2017 Acura MDX Problems

What owners report

Owner complaints for this model year concentrate on two things: internal engine damage (often described as a knocking noise followed by loss of power, with dealers reporting connecting rod bearing failure and recommending engine replacement) and a 9-speed transmission that hesitates, jerks, or refuses to engage a gear. A third recurring theme is the suite of driver-assist and electrical warnings that light up together, sometimes with unrequested automatic braking.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine knocking and loss of power (rod bearing failure)

   • 82 complaints (32%)
   • median 97,000 mi at 8.2 yrs old (27 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,977 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe a knocking or clunking noise from the engine area, sometimes at highway speed, followed by loss of motive power, a check engine light, or a stall. Owners report dealers diagnosing connecting rod bearing failure, finding metal debris in the oil pan, and stating the engine must be replaced. Several owners mention a recall for this condition (23V751000) but say their vehicle identification number was not covered, or that assistance was declined because the car was bought used. Reported from roughly 55,000 to 180,000 miles, with several cases in the 60,000-110,000 mile range and often appearing during highway driving or on startup.

   Recall 23V751000

   What to check: Have a pre-purchase inspection listen for bottom-end knock and check for metal particles in the oil or oil pan. Ask whether recall 23V751000 applies to the specific VIN, and whether the engine has already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2017 Acura Mdx. Earlier this year I suspected something was wrong with the car so we took it to Acura in weir canyon to get it checked out. They figured it was the throttle body so they replaced it and then about 2 weeks later the engine had a catastrophic failure. I was driving the car coming out of the freeway and right before I turned right the engine made a huge noise. We tried asking Acura for goodwill assistance but they did not offer anything at all because I bought the car used. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11696229, filed 2025-10, 67,996 miles

   “The contact stated that while driving, the engine made clunking noise, sudden loss of power and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a connecting rod bearing failure and engine replacement is necessary. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11742127, filed 2026-06, 180,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission hesitation, harsh shifting, stuck shifter

   • 70 complaints (27%)
   • median 35,824 mi at 2.8 yrs old (32 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners describe the 9-speed transmission hesitating for a second or two before engaging when accelerating from a stop, then jerking into gear, and slipping or shuddering at low speeds. Some complaints describe the shifter failing to move out of park, transmission error messages on the dash, or the vehicle dropping into neutral and losing power on the road. According to complaints, dealers often reset transmission codes or changed fluid rather than replacing the unit; in other cases dealers diagnosed sensor or transmission failure. Reported across a wide range, from very low mileage up to about 135,000 miles, with many complaints filed under 45,000 miles.

   What to check: Drive the car from a stop several times and note any delay, shudder, or clunk between gears, and confirm the shifter moves freely in and out of park. Ask for transmission service records and any software updates or fluid changes performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I believe the 9-speed transmission in the 2017 MDX presents serious safety issues. One of my major concerns is the significant lurching I get when parking on a slope, shifting to park and then taking my foot off the brake. On snow or ice, the car could easily slide some distance. I similar lurching also frequently occurs when shifting into drive or reverse when on a slope and then starting to accelerate. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11083783, filed 2018-04, 8 miles

   “After receiving the vehicle from Acura in march 2020 with approximately 49,500 miles and noticed the vehicle was slipping around 20 to 30 miles per hour. My fiancee drove it as well and felt it slipping in a city stop and go under the same speed. We called Acura to complain about the slipping as well as the battery malfunctioning. They told us to bring it in and we did. The battery end up being dead a few weeks after receiving the vehicle. It was changed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11384225, filed 2020-12, 51,231 miles
3. 3
   Forward collision avoidance

   False automatic emergency braking and driver-assist warnings

   • 65 complaints (25%)
   • median 23,213 mi at 2.6 yrs old (30 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Complaints describe the collision mitigation braking system applying the brakes with no obstacle present, in some cases slowing the vehicle sharply in traffic and nearly causing a rear-end collision. Other owners report the adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and brake warning lights coming on intermittently while driving, with no fault code found on some visits. A service bulletin describes a software update to the multipurpose camera detection logic for indicator lights coming on incorrectly. Mostly reported between about 13,000 and 80,000 miles, often during highway or steady-speed driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: During a test drive, watch for any unrequested braking or flickering driver-assist lights, and ask the dealer whether the camera software bulletin (10232253) has been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving on normal road with no other cars around, the emergency braking system/forward collision activated and immediately stopped my car with no danger present. This resulted in the car behind me swerve to avoid hitting me in the rear. No warning lights were on the dash or no audible warning either. This seems to be a malfunction in the system.”

   NHTSA complaint #11406064, filed 2021-04, 80,000 miles

   “Incident #2 driving down city street approaching an intersection. No car in front and no car behind. In the middle of the intersection the car auto brakes to a complete stop before releasing back to normal. If a car were behind me I would have most surely been rear ended.”

   NHTSA complaint #11403766, filed 2021-03, 43,060 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Interior/exterior lights and tailgate light moisture

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe electrical oddities such as multiple warning lights illuminating at once, the vehicle shuddering, and instrument panel errors, with one owner reporting the ignition coil circuit cable needing replacement. Separately, recalls for this model year cover moisture entering the tailgate lid light assembly and harness, which can cause the lid lights, position lights, license plate lights, and taillights to fail. Reports span from a few thousand miles to about 120,000 miles, with several early-life complaints.

   Recall 25V259000Recall 19V2560001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check that all tailgate, license plate, and taillights work, look for moisture or corrosion in the tailgate lid light housing, and ask whether recalls 25V259000 and 19V256000 were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Since christmas, the vehicle has had 8-10 occurrences in which the electrical system is going haywire. The instrument panel lists errors and code failures. And the vehicle cannot even be shut off. There is no cruise control when this occurs, and many of the 'add' on safety components (lane assist/etc) do not work. We stopped by the dealer last month, and they couldn't find any stored codes. Yesterday after my wife drove 6 hours home from detroit, with no cruise control and the issues occurring, she stopped back at the dealer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10945613, filed 2017-01, 4,500 miles

   “Yesterday while stopped a light, the MDX refused to move once I took my foot off the break. The engine became very loud and 'emissions system problem' and 'brake parking problem' appeared on the dashboard. The trunk opened but wdnt close automatically. I had to have the vehicle towed to the dealer. The vehicle had issues staying in neutral and would immediately revert back to park. The towing company had me continuously hold it in neutral in order to get it on the flat bed. It took 45 mins to finally get the vehicle on the bed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11128347, filed 2018-09, 22,000 miles
5. 5
   Engine

   Idle stop fails to restart the engine

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the engine shutting off at a stop when the idle stop feature engages and then not restarting automatically; complaints note the vehicle usually restarts after shifting to park and pressing the start button, but that the stall can leave the car stranded in traffic. Several service bulletins and a product update describe a PGM-FI software update intended to address this restart condition, and a warranty extension covers related idle stop repairs. Reported from low mileage upward, typically in stop-and-go driving where the idle stop feature activates.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the idle stop software update was applied, and during a test drive note whether the engine restarts promptly after an idle stop at a light.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Issues have now occurred twice within an approximately 4 week period. First time was near the end of june and the second time occurred on 7/30/20. After stopping on the highway, once for a stoplight and the other time to turn off highway onto another road, the engine stalled/turned off. After vehicle was back in park, I was able to restart the vehicle each time.”

   NHTSA complaint #11342553, filed 2020-07, 64,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 35 MPH and approaching a stop light, the vehicle lost automotive power and shut off. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was coasted to a stop and towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the rod bearings had failed and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11646265, filed 2025-03, 86,000 miles

Buying note. Have an independent mechanic inspect the engine for bearing noise and check the transmission behavior on a test drive, and confirm which of the open recalls apply to the specific VIN. Service records showing the idle stop and camera software updates are a useful sign of upkeep.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.