“I was driving and my AWD sistem made a shader sound and right after that the vehicle went on two wheel drive, the clang it made cause the vehicle to swerve in the highway which could have caused an accident. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection upon request.”
Owner complaint, filed Sep 25, 2026
“While driving home on a Sunday afternoon, out of nowhere, a very loud pop sound happened followed by grinding. We were so worried that my husband pulled over thinking we had done major damage to the car somehow. Visual inspection under the car yielded nothing leaving us puzzled. No warning lights came on before, during, or after. We had it taken to the Acura dealership in Fairfield, Ohio.”
Owner complaint, filed Aug 31, 2026
Complaints and recalls over time
By year of filing
All complaintsAbout the transmissionRecall (red: the transmission)NHTSA investigation opened
Complaints about the 2022 MDX peaked in 2026, with 83 filed that year. No recall on file covers the transmission, the subject of 42% of the complaints. In 2026 owners filed 83 so far.
2 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger26V332000
Filed May 21, 202698,892 vehiclesHonda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Defect. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Risk. Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy. Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger24V064000
Filed Feb 1, 2024750,114 vehiclesHonda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Defect. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
Risk. An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy. Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
All 2 campaigns on file, newest first.
NHTSA investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
Before a recall there is often an investigation: NHTSA opens one when complaints or manufacturer data point to a safety defect. 2 name the 2022 MDX.
All wheel drive allegationDefect petition DP26001Closed
Opened Mar 6, 2026Closed Aug 4, 2026transmission
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a Petition dated January 9, 2026, requesting an investigation into the loss of the optional all-wheel drive capability in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Acura TLX and MY 2022-2023 Acura MDX vehicles. The Petition alleges failures in the interfacing splines between the front wheel drive transaxle and the rear wheel drive power take off unit. Failure of these splines prevents the transfer of drive power to the rear axle, making the vehicle front wheel drive only. The Petition further alleges that this failure reduces vehicle …
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop EngagesEngineering analysis EA25004Open
Opened Mar 26, 2025engine
On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field 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 traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to …
Technical service bulletins
251 on file
Repair instructions the manufacturer sent its dealers for the 2022 MDX. Not recalls: the fix is usually free only while the car is under warranty.
body and frame 62visibility 37electrical system 31equipment 20steering 19suspension 19engine 17parking brake 11
Service Bulletin - The AcuraLink mobile application from the Google Play store or the App store - Apple displays a blank odometer reading when the odometer in the vehicle mileage exceeds 16,959 miles.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-star safety ratings
Version tested
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
2022 Acura MDX SUV AWD
—
★★★★★
★★★★★
—
—
2022 Acura MDX SUV FWD
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
15.1%
New Car Assessment Program results for this model year. Ratings compare cars of similar size and weight only.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Power Train
Filed Oct 29, 2026VA
My 2022 Acura MDX lost motive power due to a transmission and transfer case failure at 64,306 miles. The transmission first became jumpy shifting from 1st to 2nd gear, then began whining and self-correcting. The jerking worsened in stop-and-go traffic until the vehicle became stuck in low gear and at times lost all gears completely. On the drive to the dealer, it nearly would not go into gear at all, and I did not think it was going to make it. The dealer (Crown Acura, [XXX], repair order #XXX) found the transmission fluid level low and the transfer case fluid dark, indicating the two fluids had been mixing. Diagnostic codes present were described by the dealer as transmission failure codes. After removing the transfer case, the dealer found brown sludge and worn connections between the transfer case and transmission, and noted the vehicle was not far from the relatively common failure of the transfer case. Both the transmission and the transfer case were replaced, and the transmission control module was reprogrammed with a new module. The vehicle was in the shop for approximately six weeks. The repair was covered under the certified pre-owned powertrain warranty at no cost to me. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power Train
Filed Oct 25, 2026MD
Vehicle had oil leak from transmission/transfer case area. Repair shop discovered splines worn where transmission driveshaft and transfer case meet. A common issue apparently. Caused vehicle to only work as a FWD instead of a FWD vehicle. Was advised transmission and transfer case need replaced a cost of 12-13k for a used pair.
Power Train
Filed Oct 15, 2026CT
Transmission Failed, Drive train spline is stripped, Safety basically vehicle would shake constanstly. It has been inspected by Acura of Berlin CT.
Power Train
Filed Oct 14, 2026TX
My 2022 Acura MDX has transmission issues that started at 99,000 miles. After inspection as to why the drive shaft is spinning freely - they pulled the transfer case off and noticed that the teeth are worn down to almost flat, which is cause ing the transmission not to send power to the real wheels. This is consistent with multiple documented transmission - PTU spline failures on 2022-2023 Acura MDXs (reference NHSTA Investigation DP26-001).
Power Train
Filed Oct 14, 2026CA
My less than 5 year old car had a leak coming from the center front of the car. Acura Service said the transfer case and transmission connection spindles were damaged and transmission seals are leaking. They recommended a replacement of both transmission and transfer case, at a cost of over $13,000, and that is after Acura Customer Service gave me a 10% discount on the repair.
Power Train
Filed Oct 6, 2026MA
SPLINES BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE STRIPPED. AWD DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE. NO CODES ON THE DASH.
Power Train
Filed Sep 25, 2026NC
I was driving and my AWD sistem made a shader sound and right after that the vehicle went on two wheel drive, the clang it made cause the vehicle to swerve in the highway which could have caused an accident. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle hasn’t been inspected by the dealer or anyone yet, but the SH-AWD light came on after the sound and the vehicle stayed on front wheel drive only. If this system fail the way it fail on my vehicle at a higher speed it could have caused a fatal accident!
Power Train
Filed Sep 24, 2026SD
The splints that control the SH-AWD have stripped out and I'm being told tge transmission and transfer case need to be replaced. I've had all the services done on-time with the dealership I purchased it from.
Structure › Body
Filed Sep 24, 2026FL
The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact noticed quite a bit of water leaking into the trunk of the vehicle. The contact stated she was able to find a smell of mildew. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a leak coming from the trunk was confirmed. The dealer diagnosed the failure to be caused by defective drain tubes on both sides of the trunk. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 23, 2026SC
Engine compartment started emitting smoke and hot air coming out of the vents instead of cold air while driving. Smoke partially obstructed my view. I had to stop on the side and look where smoke is coming from. Smoke is coming from AC compressor inside the engine compartment. Vehicle is less than 5 years old and has 47129 miles on it. Defective AC compressor caused a safety issue.
Power Train
Filed Sep 16, 2026MA
Discovered leaking fluid on 9/12/2026. Scheduled service with local Acura dealer on 9/15/2026 and found that the leak is AFT from unserviceable seal between the transmission and transfer case. The recommended repair from dealer is to replace both transmission and transfer case for $15,000. This is a significant issue for a vehicle that had been well maintained.
Power Train
Filed Sep 8, 2026MA
Heard a loud clunk followed by several small clunks when accelerating. Dealer confirmed the transmission & PTU are damaged and the car is no longer AWD. This issue is becoming more widespread with Acura MDXs and is a very expensive repair. From dealer: “FOUND DRIVESHAFT CAN TURN IN PARK WITHOUT TURNING FRONT WHEELS. THIS INDICATED TRANSMISSION AND PTU SPLINES ARE DAMAGED”
Power Train
Filed Sep 3, 2026FL
The car was being driven as normal and while at a stop light the car shut off and alerted the driver with a transmission error code. The car would not start for about 30 mins after the incident. When we took it to be looked at by the dealership we were told that it was related to code P07E4. The dealership reset the system and the code and returned the car back to me. They stated that if this happened again they would need to replace the transmission. My concern is that this happens again while driving at a higher speed or in an area where it is not safe such as a highway or major intersection or road. It's also concerning that a major component of a vehicle would need replacement at normal mileage which is currently at 111,400 miles.
Power Train
Filed Sep 2, 2026PA
Lost all wheel drive rear wheels not turning front wheel drive only. Out of warranty
Power Train
Filed Aug 31, 2026IN
While driving home on a Sunday afternoon, out of nowhere, a very loud pop sound happened followed by grinding. We were so worried that my husband pulled over thinking we had done major damage to the car somehow. Visual inspection under the car yielded nothing leaving us puzzled. No warning lights came on before, during, or after. We had it taken to the Acura dealership in Fairfield, Ohio. The car was still within warranty at this time, and they found nothing nor could they replicate the sound. My husband explained that it sounded to be transmission related. They chalked it up to a loose tie rod end which they “tightened” to solve all of our problems. We left the dealership and took the car home experiencing no further problems. Fast forward to the winter of that same year we realized that no matter what mode we put the car in we didn’t have AWD. Still no warning lights. The following spring, approximately 20,000 miles after experiencing the first loud pop and grind, we started getting error messages on our user dashboard. “All wheel drive system problem. Only front wheels may be powered. See your dealer”. We immediately scheduled a service appointment with the same Acura dealership. Within minutes of having the car examined on the lift the Acura certified technician found the problem to be the AWD transfer case and additionally the transmission. Stating we would need to replace both. They came back with a quote of approximately $18,000 for a new transmission, transfer case, l
Power Train
Filed Aug 30, 2026OH
Factory seal allows water to seep into the internal coupling cavity. The water mixes with the factory grease, creating a rusty, muddy brown fluid that eventually washed out and leaks from the casing. Over time, this moisture causes the interfacing splines between the transmission and the transfer case to strip and shear off completely.
Power Train
Filed Aug 27, 2026NJ
Car Transfer Case Goes Out And Takes The Transmission Out As Well And Makes The Car FWD FROM SHAWD
Power Train
Filed Aug 24, 2026IN
At 75,000 miles I noticed that the vehicle was losing fluids on the bottom. The fluid color was a reddish color. I took it into Acura for a diagnosis and I was told that the seal between the drivetrain and transmission has worn and is causing all of the fluids to be leaked out of the car. They told me it would be $10,000 to replace the drivetrain and transmission because the a repair cannot be made.
Power Train
Filed Aug 15, 2026FL
Vehicle lost rear traction and leaking fluid from the transmission or front differential. Brought vehicle to dealer. They replaced transmission and transfer case.
Steering
Filed Aug 12, 2026IL
While driving at approximately 35 mph on a surface street with my wife and five-year-old son in the vehicle, the electric power steering system failed and steering assist was reduced. The instrument panel simultaneously displayed and cycled through multiple warnings including "Electric Power Steering System Problem — Steering Assist Reduced," "Brake System — Brake Hold System Problem," Vehicle Stability Assist, and Hill Start Assist. There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms of any kind prior to this failure; the first indication was the failure itself while the vehicle was in motion. On the two engine starts following the incident, the same dashboard warnings reappeared, although power steering and vehicle operation seemed normal. On the two starts after that, the vehicle started with no warnings and no indication of any problem. So the steering effort increased during the initial failure and I was unable to rely on power assist while moving in traffic, which created a risk of loss of directional control and a crash for my occupants and other road users. On Aug 11,2026, the vehicle was taken to an authorized Acura dealer, which confirmed a stored diagnostic trouble code and diagnosed a failure of the VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) modulator-control unit, recommending replacement. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or an insurance representative. No repairs have been performed to date and the vehicle and component remain available for ins
Power Train
Filed Aug 11, 202680,000 milesMA
The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally rough grinding sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle operated normally for a while. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that there was a failure within the transfer case, causing the vehicle to be operable only in Front Wheel Drive. Additionally, there was debris inside the transmission. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Power Train
Filed Aug 6, 202697,000 milesMO
The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that drops of fluid were discovered on the floor of the garage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for diagnosis, and the contact was informed that transmission fluid was leaking due to a failure of the Power Take Off (PTO) unit and transmission spline, causing the transmission to overheat and leak fluid. The contact was informed that the transmission and PTO unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,000.
Power Train
Filed Jul 31, 2026134,984 milesMN
The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was receiving a routine oil change, the rear wheels failed to rotate. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission and transfer case needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the drive shaft was moving freely while in park. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,984.
Power Train
Filed Jul 28, 2026NY
Took car in for oil change and service tech saw that there was transmission fluid leaking. They then found that the splines were sheared off going into the transfer case and transmission. We received new transmission and transfer case. So far everything is working. We did not get any warning that there was an issue until we took it to the dealership. Putting in the case as this seems to be a common issue on type s models.
Power Train
Filed Jul 27, 2026MI
Vehicle exhibited a fluid leak at the rear of the engine near the transmission/transfer case junction. An independent shop is currently evaluating; suspected power take-off unit failure. This matches the failure pattern described in NHTSA Defect Petition DP26001 covering 2022-2023 Acura MDX and 2021-2023 Acura TLX for interfacing spline failure between the transmission and the rear-wheel-drive power take-off unit. Separately, while pulling out into traffic, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as commanded, chugging briefly before delivering power. This nearly resulted in a collision. No warning lamps or messages appeared at any time. Whether this drivability event and the fluid leak share a cause is UNKNOWN, but I am reporting both given the open defect petition on this component. Vehicle at approximately 75,000 miles, outside powertrain warranty by roughly 5,000 miles. Manufacturer declined assistance when contacted. Component is available for inspection upon request. Sudden loss of all-wheel drive without warning is a safety concern in Michigan winter driving conditions Repair has been quoted at approximately $3,600 for the transfer unit alone, plus labor, with no manufacturer assistance offered.
Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 23, 2026RI
The Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system unexpectedly deactivates during cold weather conditions, creating a sudden loss of traction and compromising vehicle stability control on winter roads."
Power Train
Filed Jul 22, 2026WI
The splines to the transmission and front transfer case are worn and stripped and that is causing a bad transmission fluid leak. The fix for this unfortunately is to replace the Transmission and the Transfer case assy. I am not getting any support from Acura, as this is a known problem according to the dealer. Acura is not cooperating and the cost to repair is $14,000. I noticed a transmission fluid leak, so I took the vehicle into the Acura dealership. No check engine light came on, no notification that there was a catastrophic failure occurring to my car. I've been reading that this is happening to several other Acura vehicles as well.
Power Train
Filed Jul 20, 2026WI
Began to notice a knocking noise from lower engine compartment in late May 2026. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms. Dealer (Zimbrick Acura, Middleton WI) confirmed on 06/30/26 that noise was coming from transmission assembly. Dealer identified that the transmission was leaking fluid from the output shaft seal, and upon disassembly identified that the interfacing splines between the transmission and the rear wheel drive power take off unit (PTU) were failing. Dealer ultimately replaced transmission and PTU. This is the same issue as described in a previous petition (no. 11712885) but was identified prior to complete loss of all-wheel drive.
Power Train
Filed Jul 16, 2026MA
Humming noise from drivetrain. Took vehicle to Acura dealer and was diagnosed as: Loss of all wheel drive due to interfacing spline failure between transmission and transfer case resulting in only front wheel drive. Found open investigation NHTSA with other vehicles experiencing the same failure. DP26001
Power Train
Filed Jul 14, 2026SC
The car made a clunk sound while driving and wouldn't accelerate. After coming to a stop and trying to take off, the car still had difficulty accelerating. After turning the car off and back on everything appeared fine. The loss of acceleration was unexpected and there were no warning lights or indication of an issue. The lack of ability to accelerate along with the clunk sound caused unnecessary safety risks by not allowing the car to maneuver out of danger and disrupting the flow of traffic unexpectedly. The car then began leaking oil. The Acura dealership noted that the oil was transmission and power transfer unit oil and the car no longer has all wheel drive but only front wheel drive. The loss of all wheel drive without any indication or warning is a serious safety issue because it affects all aspects of drivability (handling, acceleration, traction). They said over time the splines of the power transfer unit input shaft rust and then sheer off which causes metal to damage the transmission seal and power transfer unit seal. The service manager said this was a known issue due to bad engineering and there is no way to prevent it. The vehicle is unchanged since the incident and can be inspected.
Power Train › Transfer Case (4-wheel Drive)
Filed Jul 14, 202697,000 milesCT
The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal vibration coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The abnormal vibration persisted, and there was a grinding sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the power transfer case spline had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall, and the vehicle was not under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Power Train
Filed Jul 7, 2026TX
Transfer case splines completely sheared off. No warning lights, nothing. Car is operating in in a 2 wheel drive configuration. Now need new Transmission, new transfer case, new differential. Can provide dealer videos detailing situation if requested.
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jul 6, 202660,000 milesNY
The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds exceeding 30 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended upon depression of the accelerator pedal; however, the RPMs increased. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Power Train
Filed Jul 3, 2026MA
My transfer case and transmission splines stripped out as I was leaving a parking lot on a rainy day... i heard a bang... went to dealer, they confirmed drive shift to rear wheels not turning. Today July 3rd 2026, my MDX-2022 With 92k miles is at the Acura dealer... I fortunately have an Acura Precision warranty.... which will cover my repair...
Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 29, 2026FL
The malfunction was both rear drains from the sunroof were clogged and possibly kinked. The dealership might still have the components but did not give us access to them. The clog caused the water to enter the vehicle and accumulate. In addition to wet carpeting, an electrical component shorted and failed damaging the Infotainment system. If this had happened during vehicle operation with water moving around, electrical systems could suddenly fail while driving. The vehicle was inspected by the insurance adjustor but was deemed a maintenance issue even though there exist no maintenance instructions or dealership directives for maintenance or inspections. Owner maintenance would not be possible as special tools would be needed without which damage to the drain lines might occur. There was no warning, messaging, or instructions that maintenance was necessary for this item or that it could fail. The first sign was the sound of sloshing water in the vehicle during driving and the failure of the infotainment system. As a remedy, the dealership insisted on replacing the drain lines rather than cleaning them out, which implies that either the dealership was creating extra work for themselves or the drain line could not easily be cleaned.
Power Train
Filed Jun 29, 2026PA
Component or system failure: AWD - All wheel drive failure, dealership stated the transcase is leaking causing the failure. Safety: this has impacted the vehicles traction, especially on wet roads Reproduced: the dealer found the issue and reproduced it Inspected: yes, by the dealer Warning lamps or messages: None 2022 MDX Advance
Power Train
Filed Jun 25, 2026OH
Noticed fluid was leaking from bottom of car. Took to dealership and they found the transmission output shaft was twisted leading to destruction of transmission seals leading to fluid leak. They recommend full replacement of the transmission and transfer case. It appears NHTSA is already investing this known problem for the 2022 mdx where the transfer case fails and the vehicle loses its AWD function and becomes a FWD car.
Electrical System
Filed Jun 23, 2026NY
MY VEHICLE 2022 ACURA TYPE S HAS A TRANSMISSION SYSTEM PROBLEM, BLIND SPOT INFO PROBLEM, AND A ALL WHEEL DRIVE PROBLEM THAT ONLY MY FRONT WHEE;S MAY BE POWERED. IT LOOKS LIKE THE TRANSFER CASE MAYBE FAILING. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 25,000 MILES ON IT AND IS ABOUT TO BE OUT OF WARRANTY
Power Train
Filed Jun 23, 2026CO
My 2022 Acura AWD MDX with 95795 miles lost the power to the rear wheels. The spline between the transmission and the transfer case stripped. The transmission and transfer case had to be replaced for $14,442.37. I had Assurant for extended warranty, and they reluctantly paid most of the repair. The shop said this was the first non-turbo (sport) model they have heard of breaking. I believe there are several complaints filed about this issue. I'm retired and travel a fair amount in the mountains.
Power Train
Filed Jun 21, 2026TX
I accelerated from a complete stop and heard a loud bang from the transmission at 10 mph. No warning lights came on, but car now only operating in front wheel drive mode instead of AWD. Front wheels will spin under hard accelerating confirming loss of power to rear wheels. Local mechanic confirmed issue by putting vehicle on lift and showing rear drive shaft spins freely. This is a know issues for this vehicle and NHTSA has open investigation into splines connecting transmission to transfer case sheering off under load. Investigation Number 11712885.. This should result in a recall for Acura at no cost to customer.
Power Train
Filed Jun 20, 2026WI
Driveshaft spinning freely no power transfer , vehicle is currently all-wheel-drive condition indicate severe connections between transmission and transfer case . both components are damaged vehicle need replacement of transmission and transfer case . Serviced at McGrath Acura Morton mGrove, Illinois. 06/19/26
Steering
Filed Jun 13, 2026OH
My power steering has went out while I was driving at least 4 times in the past year. I contacted the dealer each time they say they've never heard of this happening. I took it in they couldn't replicate the issue so no fix although the codes were stored. All the warning lights came on braking, steering, lane departure, lane keeping, parking etc. It happened again today each time by 1 year old was in the car. They say if it happens while the dealership is open bring it. But it's always happened after hours. I was able to stop car each time turn off then back on and its fine. I even replaced the battery last year thinking that would fix the issue and it didn't. I'm not sure what else to do but I don't feel safe driving the car with my baby in it anymore. I deleted the pictures by mistake but I found where a rdx had the same issue I'll attach the codes that came up.
Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 10, 2026MA
Design flow at the CORROSION BUILT UPAT SENSOR CONNECTOR. Water gets in and corrodes connector. Causing over $8000 in repairs for the following: COMPLETE FLOOR WIRE HARNESS EXTENDING TO STROKE SENSORS- CORROSION BUILT UPAT SENSOR CONNECTOR CAUSING FAULT IN FLOOR HARNESS.
Structure › Body
Filed Jun 8, 2026OH
MDX back sunroof drains cracked causing the car to flood. The water came into the back hatch and also damaged the amp to the speaker system. All of the Carpet had to be pulled out of the car. This car is only four years old. Luckily, I caught it because my whole back hatch was full of water, but this could’ve caused mold and serious health problems. I have found 100’s of reviews on many different online portals stating this is a common problem with a 22 to 25 MDX. I just bought this car a year and a half ago used and I have to now put another $5500 into it. I did buy the extended warranty, but they are saying this is not included in that. From what I’m seeing on Acura MDX group pages this is an extremely common problem that’s costing people a lot of money. There is no way apart should be breaking this easily in a car that’s four years old, especially a luxury car such as the MDX advance.
Power Train
Filed Jun 6, 2026NY
The component system that has failed is the Front Diff/Transmission area. Driveshaft spinning freely in park with rotations to rear wheel. I was driving home and heard a noise that sounded like something broke. Immediately pulled over and had Vehicle towed. I had my kids and husband in the vehicle with me. I'm glad we weren't driving on the highway. The vehicle was brought to Friendly Acura in Middletown, NY. They were able to diagnose the problem. I had an aftermarket warranty (Endurance Warranty Co.) awesome refused to pay for my vehicle starting it was a "pre-existing" condition. When I tried to explain to them this was not the case, they still wouldn't approve my claim after my vehicle was at Acura for 5 weeks and having 2 of their inspectors come out. Due to the amount of the repair (approximately $15,000), I am unable to pay for this repair. I had Acura out my vehicle back together and the vehicle is currently sitting in my drive way. There were no warning lights at any time prior, during or after failure of components.
Power Train
Filed Jun 6, 2026KY
I was driving down the highway and a passerby notified me that my car was smoking. There were no indicators on the car notifying me of any issue. We pulled over and saw the car was leaking oil heavily. When taken to the dealership, they notified us that there was a leak in the transfer/transmission case and the whole transfer case would need to be replaced. The car is well maintained and had been recently serviced and no issues came up. It's very scary that there were no indicators of issues on the dashboard and my family and I could have been endangered while driving on our family vacation. Acura knows of this transfer case issue and has had to replace many of them in recent MDXs. This is a safety issue that needs to be investigated immediately.
Power Train
Filed May 26, 2026MN
My wife has felt for quite some time that the traction on our 2022 Acura MDX is lacking. She first attributed it to tires, but after replacing them in November of 2024 she said that the issue was still present. She mentioned it to the Service Advisor at Bloomington Acura but we don't recall the exact timing of that and don't have a record of it. In February of 2026, while driving in snowy conditions we arrived at a vacation property. In driving up the driveway, the MDX got stuck. We got out of the car to try to push it and noticed that the rear wheels weren't rotating (I would expect them to on an AWD vehicle when the front wheels spin). We were able to put wood pieces under the front tires and get the vehicle up the driveway. We reported it to the dealer, who told us that if there were no warning lights there was no issue. We asked if they could test it because AWD wasn't working. We didn't get far but asked during a recent oil change if they could test the AWD. We had to push for that but they did test. They indicated that the rear drive rotated freely, indicating that "splines" between the transmission and transfer case had failed and it would cost $14,000 to repair (our MDX is now beyond the mileage threshold of the power train warranty. I then researched and learned that this issue is under NHTSA investigation DP26001. Customers don't have a reasonable way to know that AWD isn't working; we have brought it up previously with no way of "proving" that it isn't working (no
Power Train
Filed May 22, 2026IL
My 2022 MDX purchased new in 2021 experienced an unexpected loss of AWD functionality at 5 years old with 77000 miles when the splines of the transfer case sheared with the transmission. The failure reverted the car to FWD and became very easy to lose traction in anything but ideal road conditions. There were no signs of this failure. No warning lights, no indication on the AWD power distribution monitor, and no sounds or other indications. I rigorously followed all maintenance schedules and performed all regularly scheduled maintenance at the Acura dealership. There have been numerous times when I am attempting to accelerate from a stop while turning onto a busy road where the unexpected loss in traction resulted in me nearly causing an accident. I took in my vehicle for service on 5/22/26 and they confirmed the issue is the transfer case spline failure as noted by many other Acura SH-AWD vehicles with the active NHTSA investigation. I would like to add my complaint to that filing and highlight the insidious danger that comes with the failure when the vehicle suddenly does not perform as expected. Given that my vehicle was barely behind the powertrain warranty period when the failure occured, I am now expected to cover an enormous bill that covers the replacement of the transmission and transfer case.
Power Train
Filed May 20, 2026NY
I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2022 Acura MDX Advance, currently with 71,007 miles. After completing the standard transmission fluid service around the 60,000-mile maintenance interval, I began noticing abnormal drivetrain/transmission behavior that was not present before. At times, the vehicle feels as if the transmission is slipping, hesitating, or failing to transfer power smoothly. Acceleration can feel delayed, uneven, or weaker than normal, and on some occasions the vehicle seems to surge or accelerate slightly in a way that does not feel consistent with normal pedal input. This is a safety concern because the vehicle may not respond predictably when accelerating from a stop, merging, passing, or driving at highway speeds. A delay, slip, surge, or loss of expected acceleration could increase the risk of a crash, especially in traffic. The symptoms appear to involve the transmission, drivetrain, torque converter, transfer case, software calibration, or related components, but I am requesting a proper investigation to determine the actual cause. My concern is that this issue could worsen or affect other 2022 Acura MDX vehicles if it reflects a broader defect. I am requesting that NHTSA document this complaint and review whether 2022 Acura MDX models may have a safety-related issue that can cause slipping, hesitation, surging, delayed acceleration, or loss of expected power after normal maintenance. Acura should evaluate whether owners need inspection, repair,
Power Train
Filed May 20, 2026NC
My car was purchased from Impex Auto Greensboro, Nc one owner with 71,000. The car fax never stated any major accidents or damage. March 2026 after having my car for 1.5 years I now need a new transmission that costs $15k. I filed a Goodwill claim with Acura since all warranty’s have expired and I did not purchase an extension. The claim was denied and I’m responsible for the repair of a 4 year old car’s transmission.
Complaints 1-50 of 159, newest first, reproduced as filed.
It is not among the MDX years to avoid. Owners filed 159 complaints, against about 159 for a typical MDX year. The most common complaint is about the transmission (42%). In NHTSA crash tests it scored 5 stars overall.
What is the most common problem with the 2022 Acura MDX?
The transmission: 67 of the 159 complaints (42%) are about it. Owners most often say it sets off warning lights on the dash (25%), leaks oil or fluid (25%) and knocks, grinds or clunks (16%). The typical report comes at 97,000 miles.
How many recalls does the 2022 Acura MDX have?
2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA, the most recent filed May 21, 2026. The largest, 24V064000, covered 750,114 vehicles. Recall repairs are free at a dealer; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
At what mileage do 2022 Acura MDX problems start?
Half of the complaints that record an odometer reading came in before 60,000 miles. For the transmission the midpoint is 97,000 miles.
Has NHTSA investigated the 2022 Acura MDX?
Yes, 2 times. The latest, DP26001 ("All wheel drive allegation"), was opened Mar 6, 2026 and closed Aug 4, 2026.
Are there service bulletins for the 2022 Acura MDX?
The manufacturer filed 251 technical service bulletins and other notices for it with NHTSA, most of them about the body and frame (62), the visibility (37) and the electrical system (31). A bulletin is a repair instruction to dealers, not a recall: the fix is usually free only under warranty.
Reading this record
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: May 21, 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.