YearToAvoid

2011 Acura MDX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

21/100

#12 most-complained of 15 MDX years

The 2011 Acura MDX ranks 12th of 15 model years with a complaint index of 21 and no recalls, earning a "Best" verdict relative to other MDX years. Engine issues dominate at 47% of its 70 complaints, with median failure mileage of 84,257.5 miles for that category.

Complaints
70
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
4 / 1
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 21 hwy

Top 2011 Acura MDX problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine33 (47%)
  2. Electrical System9 (13%)
  3. Other8 (11%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain8 (11%)
  5. Airbags6 (9%)
  6. Structure & Body5 (7%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (6%)
  8. Fuel System3 (4%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers3 (4%)
  10. Brakes2 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners report unintended acceleration or sudden lurching forward while parking or coming to a stop, in some cases resulting in a crash.
  • Some describe the engine revving on its own with the accelerator seemingly floored, requiring the driver to shift to park or use the emergency brake to stop.
  • Drivers report a pinging or knocking noise from the engine at low RPM that dealers acknowledged but could not fix.
  • Owners report the transmission shifting roughly with micro lurches during acceleration and deceleration under 40 mph.
  • Some report a rear differential failure causing shaking, a booming sound, and wheel lockup at highway speed that recurred after repair.
  • Owners describe the backup camera as providing inadequate visibility at night, making it hard to see when reversing.
2011 Acura MDX complaints: complaints filed per quarter62011 Q22012 Q42014 Q32016 Q42018 Q22020 Q32023 Q12025 Q3
85 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q2 to 2025 Q3; peak 2025 Q3 (6).

2011 Acura MDX recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2011 Acura MDX fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
21 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,450
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other MDX years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Best1445118
2011Best2170018
2012Best776118
2013Best029118

All Acura MDX years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Acura MDX reliable?
Relative to other MDX model years, the 2011 MDX has a complaint index of 21 and no recalls, ranking 12th out of 15 years, which earns it a "Best" verdict compared to other years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2011 Acura MDX?
The top problem area is the engine, accounting for 47% of the 70 NHTSA complaints filed for this year, with a median failure mileage of 84,257.5 miles.
Does the 2011 Acura MDX have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2011 Acura MDX, compared to other years like 2018 and 2019 which have 10 and 9 recalls respectively.
How does the 2011 MDX compare to the 2016 MDX?
The 2011 MDX has a complaint index of 21 and a "Best" verdict, while the 2016 MDX has a much higher complaint index of 93 and an "Avoid" verdict.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.