YearToAvoid

2020 Acura MDX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

79/100

#4 most-complained of 15 MDX years

The 2020 Acura MDX has 221 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 79, ranking 4th worst out of 15 model years, with Engine issues making up 50% of complaints. It carries 8 recalls, including engine, fuel pump, brake booster, and airbag campaigns.

Complaints
221
Recalls
8
Crashes / fires
4 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22.5
19.5 city / 26.5 hwy

Top 2020 Acura MDX problems

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

  1. Engine111 (50%)
  2. Electrical System45 (20%)
  3. Other39 (18%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras37 (17%)
  5. Fuel System23 (10%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain21 (10%)
  7. Lane Departure19 (9%)
  8. Brakes15 (7%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (3%)
  10. Airbags5 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report unintended acceleration or hesitation followed by sudden lurching forward, in at least one case ending in a collision with a tree.
  • Some describe the accelerator pedal becoming unresponsive at 30-35 MPH with unknown warning lights illuminated before the vehicle would move again.
  • Several owners noticed distorted views through the windshield near the A-pillar, comparing it to looking through a curved bottle.
  • Adaptive cruise control has been reported to abruptly apply braking on the highway when no vehicle is actually in the lane of travel.
  • A driver reported the brake pedal going soft and the car rolling forward at a stop, resulting in a collision.
  • Owners describe the rear tail light filling with moisture and failing, similar to an existing recall issue on earlier MDX model years.
2020 Acura MDX complaints: complaints filed per quarter362021 Q12021 Q42022 Q32023 Q22024 Q12024 Q42025 Q32026 Q2
334 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2021 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q2 (36).

2020 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 2020 Acura MDX →

2020 Acura MDX fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
26.5 MPG
Combined
22.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,550
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.

2020 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
2018Caution501651022
2019Caution64188922.5
2020Avoid79221822.5
2022Avoid86152221
2023Good3639221

All Acura MDX years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Acura MDX reliable?
NHTSA lists 221 complaints for the 2020 MDX with a complaint index of 79, ranking it 4th worst among the 15 MDX model years tracked, so it is rated Avoid relative to other MDX years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2020 Acura MDX?
Engine problems are the top complaint area, accounting for 111 of 221 complaints (50%), with a median mileage at failure of 51,150 miles.
Does the 2020 Acura MDX have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2020 MDX, covering the engine connecting rod, fuel pump, brake booster tie rod fastener, airbag seat weight sensors, and tailgate light wiring.
How does the 2020 MDX compare to other MDX years?
The 2020 MDX's complaint index of 79 is higher than most other years except 2016 (93), 2022 (86), and 2025 (100), all rated Avoid, while years like 2010-2013 and 2023-2024 score much lower.

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.