2009 Acura MDX
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 52 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 19th highest complaint count among 24 MDX model years with reports.
Of the 2009 reports, 4 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 6 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: engine
11 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 6, 2022
While driving vehicle, all power shut off after all lights(airbag, tire, engine, etc. came on the dashboard) not able to start vehicle now at all. Has power but will not run, turn over, stay running, etc. has brand new battery so that’s not the problem no problems until today.
Engine, Jul 21, 2017, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR FLASHED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO A SHOULDER LANE AND EXITED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CATCHING FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A STORAGE AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
Electrical system, Engine, May 21, 2015
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 2009 ACURA MDX- THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT SPORADICALLY ILLUMINATES WHILE DRIVING INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO AN ACURA REPAIR FACILITY. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT IS A FAULTY SENSOR AND IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2009 ACURA MDX. THE DEALERSHIP FURTHER STATED THAT IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $700.00 FOR THEM TO MAKE THE REPAIR AS ACURA HAS NOT YET ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE SENSOR.
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 27, 2015
THE MESSAGE CENTER CAME ON TELLING ME TO CHECK THE OIL LEVEL AND PRESSURE. PULL OVER ASAP AND HAVE IT TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW AND EACH TIME THEY SAY ITS A SENSOR BUT HOW MANY CAN THERE BE AND HOW CAN THEY KEEP GOING OUT. WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING THE WIPERS WILL SHORT OUT AS WELL AND RADIO WILL FADE IN AND OUT. THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECT WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL. *TR
Engine, Apr 22, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 ACURA MDX. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE NOX SENSOR HARNESS HAD BEEN CHEWED ON BY RODENTS AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
Engine, Feb 26, 2015
VEHICLE WAS RUNNING NORMAL. AFTER SITTING OUTSIDE ON A VERY COLD DAY IN WISCONSIN, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO BERGSTROM ACURA IN APPLETON, WI WHERE A NEW STARTER WAS INSTALLED AND IT STARTED. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. INSPECTION INDICATED A LARGE PIECE OF THE #5 PISTON BROKE OFF DUE TO A LATENT MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. ALTHOUGH THIS FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE SHOP, THE PISTON COULD HAVE FAILED ON THE ROAD WHICH COULD HAVE SEIZED THE ENGINE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. AN IDENTICAL FAILURE WAS ALSO FOUND IN CANADA ON VIN [XXX] THAT OCCURRED JAN 12, 2015. ACURA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO CONSIDER THEM RELATED AND HAS NOT LOGGED THEM AS POTENTIAL SAFETY DEFECTS. PHOTOS OF THE FAILED PARTS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Electrical system, Engine, Nov 26, 2013
APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO I WENT TO START THE MEDIC AND IT WOULD NOT START. NO LIGHTS OR ANY OTHER ACCESSORIES WERE LEFT ON. THE CAR WAS JUMPED AND STARTED. BEING THE CAR WAS 4 YEARS OLD AND I HAD REVIEWS OF BATTERY PROBLEMS IN THE MEDIC, I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. IT WAS JUMPED AGAIN AND TAKEN TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO BE TESTED. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THE BATTERY WAS WEAK, SO IT WAS REPLACED AGAIN. IT'S BEEN ABOUT 2 MONTHS NOW AND TODAY WHEN I WENT TO START IT, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN. THREE BATTERIES DO NOT GO BAD THAT QUICKLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE NOTICED OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE ON THIS WEB SITE. *TR
Power train, Engine, Oct 15, 2012
I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER BECAUSE I WAS HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS OR POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. I INDICATED THAT THE CAR MAKES A WHINE AT ABOUT 1500 RPM. THE DEALER CHOSE TO TREAT IT AS A POWER STEERING PROBLEM. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS STILL A WHINE ALTHOUGH LESS. THE CAR RPM HANGS UP ON DECELERATION TO A STOP. SOME TIMES WHEN GOING DOWN HILL THE CAR DOES NOT UPSHIFT UNTIL THE CAR IS ACCELERATED EVEN THOUGH THE ROAD SLOPE IS ZERO. THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE ORIGINAL CONCERN THAT THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION OR TORQUE CONVERTER HANGING UP. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 11, 2012
THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS OLD (BOUGHT IN NOV. 2009), YET THE BATTERY KEEPS FAILING (AND THERE WERE NO LIGHTS LEFT ON AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, AND NOTHING DONE OUT OF THE ORDINARY WITH THE CAR ON THE 3 OCCASIONS THIS WEEK THAT THE "SHUT OFF" OCCURRED). WE'VE HAD TO CALL ACURA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 3 TIMES THIS WEEK (WEEK OF JAN. 9TH, 2012). TODAY IS JAN. 10, 2012 AND WE HAD TO BE BOOSTED THIS MORNING AGAIN. WE EVENTUALLY TOOK IT IN TO THE MANHATTAN ACURA DEALERSHIP TODAY (1/10/12) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY WAS, INDEED, DEFECTIVE. WE WERE ALSO INFORMED THAT OTHERS HAVE COME IN TO THAT LOCATION WITH THE SAME ISSUE (ALL ACURA OWNERS). PERHAPS, THIS SHOULD BE OFFICIALLY NOTED JUST IN CASE THERE ARE PLENTY MORE WITH THIS EXPERIENCE. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 10, 2009
MY 2009 MDX WITH 3500+ MILES HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. ONCE I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WAS ISSUE WITH POOR QUALITY TIMING BELT PULLEY. SO TIMING BELT GOT SHREDDED. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE BOTH. THEY TOOK ALMOST WEEK TO REPLACE IT. WITH IN A DAY, 2009 MDX DEVELOPED ISSUE. THIS TIME THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THEY TOOK ANOTHER WEEK TO REPLACE. AGAIN WITH IN TWO DAYS, "CHECK EMISSION SYSTEM" CAME UP AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ALSO SUB CONVERTERS. I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 25, 2009
2009 ACURA MDX WITH LESS THAN 4000 MILES DEVELOPED AN ISSUE WITH TIMING BELT PULLEYS, TIMING BELT AND FRONT PART OF ENGINE. *TR