Reliable Auto DB

2017 Acura MDX reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2017 Acura MDX has 255 complaints with NHTSA after 10 years, or 16 per year. That is more complaints per year than most MDX years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 8 recalls on file, including Frame, Front passenger seat weight sensor, and Exterior lighting.

2012 Acura MDX
Photo by Navigator84, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Complaints

255

Per year

16

Recalls

8

Years on the road

10

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (78 of 255), then Powertrain (64) and Electrical system (44). Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2016 and 2018

The 2016 MDX has 374 complaints, 25 per year, and the 2018 has 165 complaints, 9 per year. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2018.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2017 Acura MDX. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (8)

Recall structure, frame 2026-06-04 · NHTSA campaign 26V365000
Summary American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.
Recall Front passenger seat weight sensor 2026-05-21 · NHTSA campaign 26V332000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall Exterior lighting 2025-04-17 · NHTSA campaign 25V259000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid light assembly and wiring harness, which can cause the interior and exterior lights to fail, including the lid lights, position lights, license plate lights and taillights.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the wiring and install a fuse harness, replace the lid light, and repair the body dust sealer, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Acura's customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Acura's number for this recall is FLI. Vehicles included in this recall that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 19V-256 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Recall Fuel pump 2023-12-18 · NHTSA campaign 23V858000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Remedy Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Recall engine and cooling, engine, internal engine parts 2023-11-13 · NHTSA campaign 23V751000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Recall exterior lighting, tail lights 2019-03-28 · NHTSA campaign 19V256000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura MDX and 2017-2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid lights, possibly causing a loss of the tailgate lid lights and the taillights.
Remedy Acura will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate lid lights and install updated gaskets and a wiring sub-harness or will replace both tailgate lid lights. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is M49.
Recall other fuel system, delivery, fuel pump 2019-01-29 · NHTSA campaign 19V060000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance.
Remedy Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the fuel injection engine control unit (FI-ECU) software and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's recall number for this recall is P3W. Honda's recall number for this recall is N3X.
Recall hydraulic brakes, foundation components, disc, caliper 2018-11-01 · NHTSA campaign 18V777000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Acura MDX, 2017-2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda HR-V and Honda Odyssey, and 2016 Honda HR-V vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating, causing gas pockets to form, reducing brake performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Remedy Owners will be notified, and Honda or Acura dealers will bleed the brakes, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are C31 and L30.

Complaints by component (255 total)

Engine
78
Powertrain
64
Electrical system
44
Forward collision avoidance
33
Speed control
21
Service brakes
20
Lane departure
19
Engine and engine cooling
18
Fuel and propulsion system
18
Structure
9
Exterior lighting
7
Wheels
4
Back-over prevention
3
Seat belts
3
Seats
3
Air bags
2
Parking brake
2
Tires
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Steering
1
Suspension
1
Visibility
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

7

Fire-flagged

4

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

1201692017182018202019112020162021192022212023362024592025452026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The paint on my roof at the sunroof is peeling in the same exact manner the the already existing Warranty Extension: White Diamond Pearl Paint in Service Bulletin 19-029 or Models 2014-2016, I am aware that this Acura…"
    Structure · filed 2026-09-14
  • "When making a slow turn or rolling stop, the vehicle hesitates on light throttle and then experiences a sudden, jerky surge when the pedal is pressed further. This is very unsafe and scary for people around at school…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-13
  • "Moisture accumulating within the driver side headlight is limiting illumination and safe night driving. Photos compare driver side to passenger side."
    Electrical system, Exterior lighting · filed 2026-09-01
  • "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…"
    Powertrain, Exterior lighting, Engine · filed 2026-08-24
  • "I am filing an official complaint against American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and the local dealership regarding their handling of a mandatory safety recall on my 2017 Acura MDX (VIN: [XXX] / Manufacturer Case # XXX). The…"
    Suspension · filed 2026-08-20

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2017 Acura MDX SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2017 Acura MDX SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
MDX all-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (9-speed) All-wheel drive 19 26 22 MPG $3650
MDX all-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (9-speed) All-wheel drive 18 26 21 MPG $3800
MDX front-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (9-speed) Front-wheel drive 20 27 23 MPG $3450
MDX front-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (9-speed) Front-wheel drive 19 27 22 MPG $3650
MDX hybrid all-wheel drive 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (AM-S7) All-wheel drive 26 27 27 MPG $2950

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (YD3), 2014–2020
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 (3.5L V6) , 4.5 qt capacity
Tire size 265/45R20, 245/50R20, 245/60R18 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 21V215000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-314.

Compare

Previous year 2016 Acura MDX Next year 2018 Acura MDX See every Acura MDX model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Acura MDX reliable?

The 2017 Acura MDX has 255 complaints with NHTSA after 10 years, or 16 per year. That is more complaints per year than most MDX years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 8 recalls on file, including Frame, Front passenger seat weight sensor, and Exterior lighting.

What are common problems with a 2017 Acura MDX?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (78 of 255), then Powertrain (64) and Electrical system (44). Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2017 Acura MDX more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2016 MDX has 374 complaints, 25 per year, and the 2018 has 165 complaints, 9 per year. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2018.

Has the 2017 Acura MDX been recalled?

The 2017 Acura MDX has 8 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2017 Acura MDX?

Owners have filed 255 complaints about the 2017 Acura MDX with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2017 Acura MDX get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2017 Acura MDX is 23 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Acura MDX use?

US MDX manuals specify 0W-20 for recent V6 engines unless another grade is listed for your model year.

What generation is the 2019 Acura MDX?

3rd generation / YD3 (2014-2020).

What tire sizes does an Acura MDX use?

Sizes vary by generation and trim; examples include 255/55R18, 245/60R18, and 255/50R20.