2017 Acura MDX engine problems
78 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2017 Acura MDX — 31% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“On my 2017 Acura MDX SH-AWD with approximately 112,000 miles, the engine experienced a sudden catastrophic failure while I was traveling at highway speed. The vehicle abruptly lost power, the accelerator became unresponsive, smoke came from the vehicle hood and exhaust area, and multiple warning…”
filed Aug 24, 2026
“I was driving home late at night with my family in the car. The car suddenly loss power and the check engine light came on and began flashing. I pulled over and turned the car off and back on. The light went away. I began driving again and after a short while, a bunch of lights popped up on the…”
filed Aug 6, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and…Campaign 23V751000 · Nov 13, 2023
Related service bulletins
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
Engine problems in other MDX years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 MDX | 62 | 60% |
| 2024 MDX | 5 | 13% |
| 2023 MDX | 1 | 3% |
| 2022 MDX | 9 | 6% |
| 2020 MDX | 82 | 37% |
| 2019 MDX | 47 | 25% |
| 2018 MDX | 35 | 21% |
| 2016 MDX | 161 | 43% |
| 2015 MDX | 7 | 10% |
| 2014 MDX | 26 | 15% |
| 2013 MDX | 9 | 31% |
| 2012 MDX | 23 | 30% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2017 Acura MDX
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.