2023 Acura MDX reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2023 Acura MDX has 39 complaints with NHTSA after 4 years, or 8 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most MDX years here — under the median of the other years, which is 11. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Front passenger seat weight sensor and Pedals and linkages.

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

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (10 of 39), then Electrical system (8) and Forward collision avoidance (7). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2022 and 2024

The 2022 MDX has 152 complaints, 17 per year, and the 2024 has 39 complaints, 13 per year. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2024.

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 2023 Acura MDX. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

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 hydraulic brakes, pedals and linkages 2025-06-12 · NHTSA campaign 25V391000

Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.

Complaints by component (39 total)

Powertrain

Electrical system

Forward collision avoidance

Service brakes

Steering

Speed control

Suspension

Equipment

Hydraulic brakes

Structure

Back-over prevention

Engine

Fuel and propulsion system

Seats

Visibility and wipers

Wheels

Show 8 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"Was exiting I275 onto Westbound Route 32 when the brakes were unexpectedly applied by the vehicle’s safety system. No vehicles were in front or beside me. Very alarming when it happened. This also happed two other times…"
Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-04
"2023 ACURA MDX TYPE S. 28k miles. While merging onto highway, I sped up and at 25 mph, I heard a loud metal clunk from underneath the car. Car still drove and functioned as a two wheel drive instead of AWD. Went in for…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-08-23
"Was driving arround corner and felt a shudder like I had run over something, the felt front tires loosing traction and car jerked into next lane. Took to dealer and they diagnosed a failure of output shaft from…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-08-14
"My 2023 MDX Type S is currently at Mungenast St Louis Acura. Transfer Case and Transmission are both being replaced at roughly 56,000 miles. I made a turn and heard a loud noise. Because I was under acceleration my car…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-08-04
"The contact owns a 2023 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds over a bumpy road surface or a pothole, there was an abnormal metallic sound coming from underneath the passenger’s side of the…"
Suspension, Powertrain, Structure · filed 2026-07-14

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2023 Acura MDX SUV AWD	Not rated	4 stars	5 stars	Not rated
2023 Acura MDX SUV FWD	5 stars	4 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 (10-speed)	All-wheel drive	19	25	21 MPG	$3800
MDX all-wheel drive Type-S	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	All-wheel drive	17	21	19 MPG	$4200
MDX front-wheel drive	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Front-wheel drive	19	26	22 MPG	$3650

Specs and fitment

4th generation (YD4), 2021–present

Body styles SUV

Oil 0W-20 (3.5L V6) , 4.5 qt capacity

Tire size 255/50R20

Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 25V391000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems.". A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.

Compare

Previous year 2022 Acura MDX Next year 2024 Acura MDX See every Acura MDX model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Acura MDX reliable?

What are common problems with a 2023 Acura MDX?

Is the 2023 Acura MDX more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2022 MDX has 152 complaints, 17 per year, and the 2024 has 39 complaints, 13 per year. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2024.

Has the 2023 Acura MDX been recalled?

The 2023 Acura MDX has 2 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 2023 Acura MDX?

Owners have filed 39 complaints about the 2023 Acura MDX with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2023 Acura MDX get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2023 Acura MDX is 20.7 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.