AutoUtility currently tracks 164 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2018 Acura MDX. Fuel & Propulsion System issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 50 complaints (30.5% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 3 filings cite a crash, 4 cite a fire, 2 report one or more injuries.
- • Total NHTSA Complaints: 164 reports
- • #1 Reported Problem Area: Fuel & Propulsion System (50 reports • 30.5% of submitted complaints)
- • Secondary Problem Areas: Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (37), Engine & Cooling (27)
- • Crash-Citing Complaints: 3 filings
- • Fire-Citing Complaints: 4 filings
- • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 2 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Most Reported Problems for 2018 Acura MDX
Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records
Fuel & Propulsion System
NHTSA records list 3 official safety recall campaigns for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #19V060000 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
- Campaign #23V858000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
- Campaign #19V298000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
Engine & Cooling
NHTSA records list 2 official safety recall campaigns for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #23V751000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL
- Campaign #19V298000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
Electrical System
Powertrain & Transmission
Symptoms Mentioned in NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Acura MDX
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
AutoUtility uses deterministic phrase matching to identify recurring symptom descriptions within consumer-submitted NHTSA complaint narratives.
Loss of Motive Power While Driving
Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Acura MDX
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"The contact owns a 2018 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and failed to exceed 35-60 MPH. The check engine warning light was flashing. The driver pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted, reset, and operated as..."
"The car has started with an auto high beam, lane assist, lane departure, crash mitigation, adaptive cruise lights coming on one after the other noting there are issues with the systems and they are disabled. Code is U3000 using a scanner noting Multipurpose Camera Unit Internal Electronic Failure...."
"I am writing to report an urgent safety concern regarding my 2018 Acura MDX Tech SH-AWD. Upon starting the vehicle, all primary AcuraWatch driver-assist systems suffered a total failure. The center display continuously cycles through four warnings: Collision Mitigation System Problem Adaptive..."
"SUPPLEMENTAL — REFERENCE ODI 11742372 Follow-up to ODI 11742372, 2018 Acura MDX, VIN 5J8YD3H33JL******. Intermittent multipurpose camera failure, DTC U3000-49, causing simultaneous loss of CMBS, ACC, LKAS, and RDM. The defect remains unresolved and I have been unable to obtain diagnosis or repair..."
"Transmission failed and light appeared. Speed reduced from 30 to 15. Acura stated they had to reset computer system and claimed when they started the car no lights shown and was able to reverse car. I was unable to reverse car, struggled and tugged feeling in the car. This is the 2nd time and they..."
Complaint History for Acura MDX
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Acura MDX | 70 | 5 | 8 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Acura MDX | 366 | 10 | 7 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Acura MDX | 260 | 7 | 9 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Acura MDX Current Page | 164 | 3 | 10 | Current |
| 2019 Acura MDX | 193 | 4 | 9 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Acura MDX | 220 | 3 | 8 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2022 Acura MDX | 143 | 6 | 2 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Acura MDX | 38 | 2 | 2 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Acura MDX | 37 | 1 | 2 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Acura MDX | 87 | 2 | 3 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Acura MDX | 0 | 0 | 1 | View 2026 Problems → |
Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2018 Acura MDX
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 58 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Reported Injury Entries | Reported Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System NHTSA category: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,AIR BAGS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN,TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PARKING BRAKE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (4)
Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
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 scop...
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
On June 3, 2022, the Oï¬ce of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several ï¬eld 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 traï¬c light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine wit...
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)2016â2020 Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine. Honda recalled these vehicles due to a cranksh...
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight ra...
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.