2013 Acura MDX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
29 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
49,760 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 18 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 29 complaints (31.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 17.2% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 17.2% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 10.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 6.9% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 3.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 9 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 |
| Power Train | 4 |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 |
| Steering | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
Engine: 9; Electrical System: 8; Unknown Or Other: 5; Power Train: 4; Exterior Lighting: 3; Steering: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Air Bags: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 11 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2013: 2; 2014: 4; 2015: 3; 2016: 4; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 4; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2025: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10680786 · 2015-02-03 (February 3, 2015)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10680786 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11389302 · 2021-01-21 (January 21, 2021)
PER THE MECHANIC MANY ACURA'S HAVING ISSUES WITH HANDSFREELINK BLUETOOTH WHICH DOESN'T TURN OFF RESULTING DRAINING BATTERY. WE JUST REPLACED OUR BATTERY AND ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. I CALLED ACURA AND THEY SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT CAN NOT DO ANYTHING SINCE OUR VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THIS CAN BE A BIG SAFETY ISSUE SINCE PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED CARS STOPPED MID ROAD DUE TO NO POWER. PLEASE HELP SINCE ACURA IS IGNORING SAFETY OF THEIR CONSUMERS! REFERENCE LINK FOR THE ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY PEOPLE. HTTP://WWW.AC…
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11389302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10627877 · 2014-08-24 (August 24, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE, THE IGNITION ON, WHEN IT SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND DECELERATED. I MANAGED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN ONTO MY STREET, ALTHOUGH THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED IT WITH NO PROBLEM. I DID HAVE A SMALL WALLET (DIMENSIONS WERE @ 4IN BY 5IN, WEIGHT @ 3 OZ) ATTACHED TO THE KEY WHILE IT WAS IN THE IGNITION. I CONTACTED THE ACURA DEALERSHIP THE SAME DAY AND WAS TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT HE WAS UNA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10627877 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10640928 · 2014-10-02 (October 2, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REBOOTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,800. UPDATED 12/01/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STAED A NON-ACURA DEALER IDENTIFED THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY AS DEFECTIVE. UPDATED 01/20/15
Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10640928 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10532687 · 2013-07-30 (July 30, 2013)
BACK-UP CAMERA VIDEO / NAVIGATION MODULE, AND STEREO / CLOCK SCREENS REMAINED BLANK AFTER STARTING ENGINE, PLACING CAR IN REVERSE GEAR AND MOVING SLOWLY DOWN DRIVEWAY IN AN APPROXIMATE TIME FRAME OF 3-4 MINUTES. ALL SCREENS CONTINUED TO BE BLANK AFTER EXITING DRIVEWAY, STOPPING, THEN PLACING CAR IN DRIVE AND TRAVELING 5-7 MPH ON STREET. STOPPED VEHICLE AT STOP SIGN AFTER TRAVELING 200 YARDS. RE-ENGAGED REVERSE, THEN DRIVE GEARS WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. BOTH SCREENS FINALLY ACTIVATED, SHOWING CORRECT TIME AND BLUETOOTH CONNECTION STATUS ON STEREO SCR…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,086 miles reported. Look up ODI 10532687 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11424043 · 2021-07-09 (July 9, 2021)
I have a 2013 Acura MDX with an estimated 87k miles. Over the past 3 months, the engine will cut off while I'm driving and the steering wheel and brakes lock up. This has happened about 5 times in a three-month period. There are no warning lamps on my dashboard and no codes appeared during the diagnostic tests. My mechanic is unable to reproduce the issue. I have two young sons and am terrified of driving them in the MDX. The engine failure happens very randomly as it's cut off while driving at varying speeds.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11424043 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10882413 · 2016-07-04 (July 4, 2016)
TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM...... I BOUGHT A USED 2012 MDX WITH 4300 MILES 5 MONTHS LATER I HAD THIS ISSUE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A ACURA DEALER AND THEY FIXED IT BUT I DID FEEL SAFE SO I TRADED IT IN FOR A NEWER MODEL THINKING IT WOULD BE BETTER...LONG BEHOLD THE 2013 MDX I GOT DID THE SAME THING 5 MONTH LATER. THE DEALER NEVER TOLD ME AFTER BRING THE FIRST CAR BACK THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS. AND SOLD ME A SECOND ONE , WHICH BY THE WAY I LOSS $8000 ON THE FIRST CAR FOR TRADING IT IN SO SOON.I ONLY TRADED IT IN BECAUSE I DID FEEL SAFE AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10882413 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11364818 · 2020-10-17 (October 17, 2020)
PROBLEM WITH JUDDER FROM THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCK-UP CLUTCH/UPDATE THE PGM-FI ORA/T SOFTWARE AND FLUSH THE ATF. ACURA SENT SERVICE BULLETIN 16-062 ON 09/28/2018 JUST FOR 8 YEARS/80,000 MILES I HAVE A 2103 ACURA MDX WITH 103,102 MILES WITH THE SAME BULLETIN ISSUE, THEY WANT ME TO PAY CLOSE TO $500.00 FOR AN ISSUE THAT THEY READY KNOW WITH OUT DOING A DIAGNOSTIC ON MY VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11364818 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10515905 · 2013-06-09 (June 9, 2013)
THE VEHICLE SHOWS ALL TROUBLE CODES, VSA STABILITY, TRAILER STABILITY, ALL WHEEL DRIVE, ENGINE SYSTEM. ERROR. ONCE CODE COMES ON LOSS OF POWER AND STABILITY CONTROL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 124 miles reported. Look up ODI 10515905 at NHTSA ↗