YearToAvoid

2017 Acura MDX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

71/100

#5 most-complained of 15 MDX years

The 2017 Acura MDX ranks 5th worst out of 15 model years, with a Complaint Index of 71 and a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 255 complaints, 8 recalls, and a median failure mileage of 36,000 miles, with Engine issues topping complaints at 44% share.

Complaints
255
Recalls
8
Crashes / fires
7 / 4
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 27 hwy

Top 2017 Acura MDX problems

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

  1. Engine112 (44%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain64 (25%)
  3. Electrical System50 (20%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras34 (13%)
  5. Other30 (12%)
  6. Brakes23 (9%)
  7. Fuel System19 (7%)
  8. Lane Departure19 (7%)
  9. Structure & Body12 (5%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (3%)

What owners report

  • Automatic emergency braking systems sometimes trigger false collision warnings or fail to clear the critical brake indicator after a driver applies the brakes in normal traffic.
  • Some owners report the vehicle lunging forward unexpectedly while shifting into reverse in parking situations, resulting in collisions.
  • Owners describe sudden, unintended acceleration events that Acura declined to formally investigate according to one complaint.
  • One owner reported the engine compartment catching fire while parking in a driveway, destroying the vehicle and nearby property.
  • Electrical system malfunctions have caused instrument panel error codes, loss of cruise control, and failure of lane-assist features, with the vehicle unable to be shut off in some cases.
  • Transmission problems include rough running, jerking, and gear-shift errors with trouble code P0730 reported while driving.
2017 Acura MDX complaints: complaints filed per quarter292016 Q32018 Q12019 Q22020 Q32021 Q42023 Q12024 Q22025 Q3
378 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q1 (29).

2017 Acura MDX recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V365000Jun 4, 2026Structure & Body880,514 vehicles

    Structure:frame and members

    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.

    Risk: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 26V332000May 21, 2026Airbags98,892 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger

    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.

  3. NHTSA 25V259000Apr 17, 2025Electrical System152,800 vehicles

    Interior lighting

    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.

    Risk: Vehicle lights that fail to illuminate can decrease visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

    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.

See all 8 recalls for the 2017 Acura MDX →

2017 Acura MDX fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,650
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.

2017 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
2015Good2971822
2016Avoid93374722
2017Caution71255822
2018Caution501651022
2019Caution64188922.5

All Acura MDX years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Acura MDX reliable?
NHTSA data give the 2017 MDX a Complaint Index of 71 and a Caution verdict, ranking 5th worst among 15 model years of the MDX. It has more reported problems than most other MDX years but is not the worst.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Acura MDX?
Engine complaints make up 44% of reports, followed by Transmission & Powertrain at 25% and Electrical System at 20%, based on NHTSA complaint data.
Does the 2017 Acura MDX have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 8 recalls tied to the 2017 MDX, covering components including Structure & Body, Airbags, Electrical System, Fuel System, Engine, and Brakes. None of these are do-not-drive recalls.
At what mileage do 2017 MDX problems tend to show up?
Across all problem areas, the median mileage at failure for the 2017 MDX overall is 36,000 miles, though the Engine problem area shows a higher median of 76,000 miles and Brakes issues show a much lower median of about 10,844 miles.
How does the 2017 MDX compare to the 2016 and 2018 MDX?
The 2016 MDX has a higher Complaint Index of 93 and an Avoid verdict, while the 2018 MDX has a lower Complaint Index of 50 and a Caution verdict, placing the 2017 model between them in reported problems.

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.