Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2017 Acura MDXRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 261 owner complaints for the 2017 Acura MDX. Most complaints involve engine (79) and power train (65). The EPA rates it 21–23 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
21–23mpg
EPA · 4 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
8campaigns
Latest Jun 2026
Owner complaints
261
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$3,350est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

8 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Structure: frame and members

Remedy pending

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.

StructureReported Jun 5, 2026NHTSA 26V365000

Air bags: front passenger

Free remedy

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.

Air bagsReported May 22, 2026NHTSA 26V332000

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

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.

Exterior lightingReported Apr 18, 2025NHTSA 25V259000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

261 complaints filed with NHTSA · Sep 2016 – Nov 2026
  1. Engine79
  2. Power train65
  3. Electrical system46
  4. Forward collision avoidance38
  5. Service brakes21
  6. Lane departure21
  7. Vehicle speed control21
  8. Fuel/propulsion system18
  9. Engine and engine cooling18

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each MDX model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2001224
2002222
2003212
2004171
2005180
200687
200799
200849
200952
201045
201170
201276
201330
2014172
201571
2016378
2017261
2018169
2019193
2020228
2022162
202344
202441
2025117
20269
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
4
Injuries reported
4
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

79 reports1 crash2 fires
“As I was driving in a stop and go traffic jam, the vehicle would not go forward although I was pressing on the gas pedal, the engine stall and when it finally reacted after pressing it for the second time it went too fast that I couldn’t stop in time to avoid rear ending the other vehicle, the emergency braking system did not function properly either. This has happened multiple times even when I driven on highways and there’s incoming traffic and the engine goes on stall. But this time it led to an unavoidable accident. I have been concerned for a long time about this issue but I have never received a recall to remedy this problem.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2026Structure, Engine, Forward collision avoidanceCrash reportedODI 11771499

Power train

65 reports
“While driving my 2017 Acura MDX on I-35W in Fort Worth, Texas, at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle suddenly displayed a "Transmission Problem – See Manual" warning and completely lost the ability to move forward. The accelerator became unresponsive, and the vehicle would not move in Drive. We could only coast using the vehicle's remaining momentum. There were six people in the vehicle, including two children and two elderly passengers. We were in heavy highway traffic near a complex interchange, in the second lane from the left, with a very narrow left shoulder. The vehicle was rapidly losing speed while other cars continued approaching at highway speeds. We had to carefully cross approximately four to five lanes of traffic to reach the right shoulder. Other drivers honked and maneuvered around us, creating an extremely dangerous situation. If the vehicle had stopped in an active traffic lane, we could easily have been struck from behind by another vehicle traveling at highway speed. With six occupants, including young children and elderly passengers, the consequences could have been catastrophic or fatal. This sudden loss of power put not only our family but…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2026Power trainODI 11775092

Electrical system

46 reports1 crash1 fire
“Brake system, Cruise control, lane keeping system get malfunction erratically (ever since 2022, and has been like this), and one of the two sets of brakes never wears off (More than 100 K mileage now (Oct. 2026) , one set of brake pads still is still have sufficient life and does not seem to require replacement. Additiionally, recently (August 2026) the electronic system has gone very bad, the dashboard automatically restarts, headlight turns on, and trying to engaging something, then turned off automatically, then a new cycle starts, and even I turned off again, the cycle will restart until battery is drained and dead, if I do not lock the car (and I had to replace a new battery that was used for less than 1.5 year. If I lock the car, the car will start the same cycle and will honk, and honk, until the surrounding people had to remove the car.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2026Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11770295
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

4 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (S9)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
MDX FWD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; Stop-Start · Front-Wheel Drive
202723$3,350391
MDX AWD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; Stop-Start · All-Wheel Drive
192622$3,500404
MDX FWD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI · Front-Wheel Drive
192722$3,500404
MDX AWD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI · All-Wheel Drive
182621$3,700424
  • MDX FWD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; Stop-Start
    20 city · 27 hwy · $3,350/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • MDX AWD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; Stop-Start
    19 city · 26 hwy · $3,500/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • MDX FWD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI
    19 city · 27 hwy · $3,500/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • MDX AWD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI
    18 city · 26 hwy · $3,700/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Acura MDX SUV FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
16.4%
Overall
5 / 5
Acura MDX SUV AWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
16.4%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 10, 2026Vehicle 11040Vehicle 11039
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2017 MDX questions

How many recalls does the 2017 Acura MDX have?

8 safety recalls as of Nov 10, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2017 Acura MDX problems?

Owners filed 261 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (79), power train (65), electrical system (46). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2017 Acura MDX get?

The EPA rates the 2017 Acura MDX at 21–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).

How safe is the 2017 Acura MDX?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2017 Acura MDX 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 10, 2026