2016 Acura MDX Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2016 Acura MDX. Part of Generation 3 — 2014–2020.

20152017
Complaints
495
per 10K Sold
89.2
US Sales
55,495
Crashes
17
Fires
3
Injuries
11
Fatalities
Recalls
6

Worst 2016 Acura MDX Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1140 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:59,694 mi
Crash-related:2
Fires:1
#2109 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:35,491 mi
Crash-related:1
#333 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:25,845 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2016 Acura MDX.

Engine Problems
140
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
59,694
Transmission / Drivetrain
109
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
35,491
Electrical Faults
33
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
25,845
Fuel System
27
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
42,096
Unintended Acceleration
19
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
28,896
Body Structure
18
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
28,704
Brakes
12
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
27,478
Steering Defects
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
46,145
Electronic Stability Control
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
17,624
Headlight/Taillight Failures
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
80,139
Airbags
7
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
36,229
Engine & Cooling
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
90,638
Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
75,000
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
80,000
Lane Departure: Assist
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension Failures
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wipers & Visibility
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Lane Departure: Warning
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Software
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Gasoline Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Interior Lighting
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheel Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Back Over Prevention: Rearview System Braking
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Back Over Prevention: Warnings
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2016 Acura MDX. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2016 Acura MDX

6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,652,227 vehicles.

25V259000Interior Lighting · Exterior Lighting
~152,800 affected

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.

23V858000Fuel Pump
~2,490,460 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

23V751000Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical
~248,999 affected

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.

19V256000Exterior Lighting · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights
~322,897 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura MDX and 2017-2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid lights, possibly causing a loss of the tailgate lid lights and the taillights.

19V060000Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump
~437,032 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance.

16V417000Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
~39 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura MDX 2WD and MDX 4WD vehicles, 2016 Acura MDX 4WD vehicles, 2015-2016 Honda Odyssey vehicles, and 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that were manufactured with insufficient welds which may separate and allow fuel to leak out.

Other Acura MDX Years

2016 Acura MDX — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2016 Acura MDX reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2016 Acura MDX has 495 NHTSA complaints, 17 crash-related, and 6 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Engine Problems with 140 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2016 Acura MDX?
Top reported problems: Engine Problems (140 complaints, avg 59,694 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (109 complaints, avg 35,491 mi); Electrical Faults (33 complaints, avg 25,845 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2016 Acura MDX?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 45,614 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2016 Acura MDX?
NHTSA complaints for the 2016 Acura MDX include 17 crash-related reports, 3 fire reports, 11 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2016 Acura MDX have any recalls?
Yes — 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,652,227 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2016 Acura MDX?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (engine problems) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Acura MDX reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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