2016 Acura MDX problems & reliability
373 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Acura MDX, alongside 7 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
5 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2016 Acura MDX vehicles were involved in 21 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine → | 161 | 43% |
| Power Train → | 111 | 30% |
| Unknown / Other | 40 | 11% |
| Electrical System → | 37 | 10% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 27 | 7% |
| Structure → | 21 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 19 | 5% |
| Lane Departure → | 14 | 4% |
| Service Brakes → | 13 | 3% |
| Steering → | 12 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 25 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 160 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 42,000 miles (middle 50% between 16,940 and 77,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Heard a knocking noise in the engine, had it serviced at an independent mechanic (towed as to not create more damage and the knocking noise was louder). Mechanic told me that the rod bearing/engine had failed and would need to be replaced. $7000-$10000 for replacement. He also indicated that this was under recall for…”
Engine · filed Sep 15, 2026
“The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power and failed to accelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure posed a potential safety risk in…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Sep 15, 2026
“Car Keyless Entry Module/ TPMS Module having problem and alarms keep going off at anytime. It also stops car while driving because of no fob detection. It also automatically tries to turn the car on/off even when it was parked.”
Unknown / Other · filed Sep 8, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Engine failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE25008 · opened Aug 20, 2025 · open
- No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
Engineering Analysis EA25004 · opened Mar 26, 2025 · open
- Engine failure
Recall Query RQ24013 · opened Nov 8, 2024 · closed Aug 20, 2025
Technical service bulletins
334 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Acura MDX. The 10 most recent:
Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engaging, the vehicle may not automatically restart. Acura is providing a product update with a new PGM-FI…
ONL6AX01302026 · Other · issued Jan 31, 2026
Service Bulletin - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner taillight(s), causing one or both of the inner taillights not to work.
B25-003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 4, 2025
Dealer Message - Acura is also implementing an additional (1) twenty-four (24) month period for 2015 model year Acura TLX vehicles, commencing at the expiration of the 10-year warranty extension period for each vehicle…
BPS&08122025901 · Other · issued Aug 12, 2025
Service Bulletin - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner taillight(s), causing one or both of the inner taillights not to work.
B25-026 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2025
Service Bulletin - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner taillight(s), causing one or both of the inner taillights not to work.
B25-003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2025
Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the…
B23-002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2025
Owner Notification Letter - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner taillight(s), causing one or both of the inner taillights not to work.
ONL6L806042025 Form · Other · issued Jun 5, 2025
Owner Notification Letter - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner taillight(s), causing one or both of the inner taillights not to work.
ONL6L806042025 Letter · Other · issued Jun 5, 2025
Owner Notification Letter - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner taillight(s), causing one or both of the inner taillights not to work.
ONL6M606032025 Form · Other · issued Jun 4, 2025
Owner Notification Letter - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner taillight(s), causing one or both of the inner taillights not to work.
ONL6M606032025 Letter · Other · issued Jun 4, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2016 Acura MDX has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2016 Acura MDX?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 42,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.