2018 Acura MDX Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 64 engine complaints for the 2018 Acura MDX, 39% of all 165 complaints filed for the year. Owners reported engine fires, stalling, and hesitation, at a median mileage of 50,000, and two related recalls cover engine connecting rod and timing belt defects.
- Engine complaints
- 64
- 39% of 165
- Crashes reported
- 2
- Fires reported
- 2
- Injuries reported
- 1
- Median mileage
- 50,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 2
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Engine compartment fires reported both while parked in a garage and after driving, with smoke and flames coming from under the hood.
- Sudden stalling at low speed or an idle stop, with the gear shifter becoming stuck in drive and unable to move to park or neutral.
- Ticking noises from the engine paired with a brief loss of power reported by owners.
- Hesitation or delayed acceleration lasting one to three seconds after pressing the pedal from a stop, sometimes followed by a sudden lunge forward.
- Starter failure while stopped in traffic with auto start/stop engaged, leaving the vehicle unable to shift out of park.
When 2018 Acura MDX engine complaints were filed
First complaint Jun 2, 2018, latest Aug 24, 2026.
Engine recalls for the 2018 Acura MDX
- NHTSA 23V751000Nov 13, 2023Engine248,999 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
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.
Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
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.
- NHTSA 19V298000Apr 12, 2019Engine93,946 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
Risk: Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt free of charge. Vehicles receiving a replacement timing belt will also have the engine inspected and any damaged components will be replaced for free. The recall began June 7, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4M. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is Z4L.
Engine complaints by MDX model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are engine problems in the 2018 Acura MDX?
- NHTSA lists 64 engine complaints for the 2018 MDX, which is 39% of the 165 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2018 Acura MDX engine?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 23V751000 covers a manufacturing error affecting the connecting rod, and recall 19V298000 covers timing belt teeth separation, both affecting the 2018 MDX engine.
- At what mileage do engine problems typically appear on the 2018 MDX?
- The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2018 MDX is 50,000 miles, based on NHTSA complaint data.
- Have there been fires or crashes linked to the 2018 MDX engine?
- NHTSA records show 2 crashes, 2 fires, and 1 injury among the engine-related complaints for the 2018 MDX.
- How does the 2018 MDX compare to other model years for engine complaints?
- The 2018 MDX's engine complaints are 39% of its total complaints, lower than the 2016 (49%), 2017 (44%), and 2020 (50%) model years, but higher than the 2022 (10%) and 2023 (10%) years.