YearToAvoid

2011 Acura ZDX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

50/100

#3 most-complained of 5 ZDX years

The 2011 Acura ZDX has a complaint index of 50, ranking 3rd worst out of 5 model years. It has 2 complaints and 8 recalls, mostly tied to Takata airbag inflators, with no crashes, fires, or injuries reported.

Complaints
2
Recalls
8
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
19
16 city / 23 hwy

Top 2011 Acura ZDX problems

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

  1. Airbags1 (50%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (50%)

What owners report

  • Owners report delays in getting the passenger-side Takata airbag inflator replaced under recall, with no loaner vehicle offered in the meantime.
  • Drivers describe a loud clunking noise from the front driver-side strut during driving at various speeds.
  • Some owners report vibration that enters the floorboard and travels up through the steering wheel, with a dealer reportedly describing it as a common issue on this model.
  • One suspension-related complaint was tied to a median mileage of 40,000 miles at failure.
2011 Acura ZDX complaints: complaints filed per month1Sep 2016Nov 2017
2 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2016 to Nov 2017; peak Sep 2016 (1).

2011 Acura ZDX recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V502000Jun 27, 2019Airbags9,555 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are F5F and Q5E.

  2. NHTSA 19V378000May 16, 2019Airbags19,138 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

    Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M4O, P4R, T4Q, and W4P.

  3. NHTSA 19V182000Mar 6, 2019Airbags1,101,534 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

    Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

See all 8 recalls for the 2011 Acura ZDX →

2011 Acura ZDX fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
23 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,200
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 ZDX years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020102011201220132024
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid7591019
2011No verdict502819
2012No verdict251819
2013No verdict00519

All Acura ZDX years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Acura ZDX reliable?
NHTSA lists a complaint index of 50 for the 2011 ZDX, ranking 3rd worst among the 5 model years with data. It has 2 owner complaints and 8 recalls, with no reported crashes, fires, or injuries.
Does the 2011 Acura ZDX have airbag recalls?
Yes. The 2011 ZDX is covered by multiple Takata airbag inflator recalls, including campaigns 19V502000, 19V378000, 19V182000, 18V661000, 18V042000, 17V030000, and 16V346000, all involving replacement of frontal air bag inflators.
What is the top complaint area for the 2011 Acura ZDX?
Airbags is the top problem area, accounting for 50% of complaints, followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires also at 50%.
How does the 2011 ZDX compare to other model years?
The 2011 ZDX has a complaint index of 50, better than the 2010 ZDX at 75 (ranked Avoid) but worse than the 2012 ZDX at 25 and the 2013 ZDX at 0.
What fuel economy does the 2011 Acura ZDX get?
The EPA rates the 2011 ZDX at 19 mpg combined (16 city / 23 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200.

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.