2012 Acura MDX
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 76 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 16th highest complaint count among 24 MDX model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 4 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 2 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblyFeb 17, 2012
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 PILOT AND ACURA MDX VEHICLES. THE VENT SHUT FLOAT (VSF) VALVE CASE IN THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY DOES NOT MEET THE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS.
AS A RESULT, FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE TANK, INCREASING THE RISK OF FIRE.
HONDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VSF ASSEMBLY DATE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 13, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-999-1009.
Campaign 12V063000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
13 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Engine, Jan 24, 2024
The engine consistently consumes too much oil between service events. The low oil light comes on. I had this problem for over 8 years and the dealership said it was not a problem until now and they want me to pay for it. The oil control rings have been clogged since 2016 and progressively gotten worse. The clogged rings cause restriction of oil to return to the crankcase. This causes a decrease in available oil and may cause overheating that could lead to engine fire. Acura should fix the oil control rings to function properly. They have identified this in the past, through a service bulletin (19-006). I have performed 97% of my oil changes at Acura dealerships.
Power train, Nov 23, 2020
SHUDDERING WHEN GOING BETWEEN 20-40 MILES.
Power train, Nov 7, 2020
THE TRANSMISSION BROKE EVEN AFTER THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE. SPENT MORE THAN $5,000 WITH THE DEALER TO FIX IT.
Power train, Jun 5, 2020
METAL PIECES WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID.REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE WITH ACURA OF WAPPINGER FALLS, NY 12590. SPENT $5190.04 FOR REPLACING TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTOR WITH REMANUFACTURED UNIT. FEW YEARS BEFORE HAD ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES JUST AT 55,000 AND WAS TOLD THAT INTERNAL GASKET OIL CONSUMPTION WAS NOT PART OF THE ENGINE PROBLEM. *TR
Power train, Feb 19, 2020
EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I TRY TO TAKE IT BACK TO GET IT WAS BECAUSE THE CAR RPM FLUCTUATE ABOUT 1500-2500 RPM RANGE AND 30-40MPH CAUSES THE CAR TO JERKS LIKE ITS TRYING TO GO AND BRAKING AT THE SAME TIME. IT DOES THIS CONSISTENTLY IN CITY STREETS SOMETIMES IT DOES THAT ON THE HIGHWAY. ESPECIALLY GOING UP HILLS. I JUST DON'T FEEL SAFE AT ALL WHEN THE CAR ACTS UP LIKE THAT. I TAKE IT BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT FROM THEY KEEP SAYING IS NORMAL I EVEN TOOK IT TO ACURA DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN SAYS ITS NORMAL AND THAT I NEED TO PRESS ON GAS HARDER. THIS IS BULLSH*T.
Power train, Oct 30, 2018
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR MY RPMS FLUCTUATE AND MY CAR CAN'T SEEM TO GET INTO GEAR. IT IS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND VERY SCARY AT TIMES. IT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND ALSO A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CONSUMERS PROBLEM. ACURA SHOULD BE LIVING UP TO THERE NAME BY FIXING THIS PROBLEM. ACURAS SHOULD NEVER HAVE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THATS WHY MY HUSBAND AND I ARE LOYAL CUSTOMERS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTING.
Power train, Aug 20, 2018
TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS BETWEEN 15-55 MPH. MOST SEVERE AT APPROX 35-40 MPH BETWEEN 1500-2000 RPM. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY ACURA/AMERICAN HONDA AS EVIDENCED BY SERVICE BULLETIN 16-044.
Power train, Jan 9, 2018
RPM'S FLUCTUATE ON THE TACHOMETER WHILE ACCELERATING. THEY JUMP UP AND DOWN AND YOU CAN FEEL THE VEHICLE HESITATE. BASED ON WHAT I AM READING, THIS APPEARS TO BE A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH PROGRAMMING AND WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER THAT CAN RESULT IN TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. EVEN IF THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS REPLACED, WHICH IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, THIS APPEARS TO BE A RE-OCCURRING ISSUE. OUR 2012 MDX HAS 79,365 MILES ON IT WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY AND WELL BEFORE A TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE GOING ON AN ACURA VEHICLE. THIS STARTED HAPPENING A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AND NOW IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE. BEING THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEEDS AND WHILE MOVING AND IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE COMPUTER, THIS COULD LEAD TO FAILURE ON A BUSY ROAD AND A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. BEING A COMMON ISSUE THAT IS WELL DOCUMENTED, I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY AND FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
Power train, Feb 14, 2017
VEHICLE HAS BEEN LUNGING AT STEADY RPM OF 1.6. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN INDICATING EARLY DEGRADATION OF TRANSMISSION FLUID CAUSED BY SOFTWARE ISSUE WAS CAUSING THE ISSUE. WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. TSA 16-044 ISSUED IN NOVEMBER OF 2016. CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY WHEN ACURA BECAME AWARE OF ISSUE AND DID NOT NOTIFY CONSUMERS OF ISSUE. HAVE SPENT NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS WITH ACURA AND THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CANNOT PROVIDE A DATE WHEN SOFTWARE UPDATE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE. TEMPORARY SOLUTION WAS TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID, WHICH I HAD TO PAY FOR. ACURA CANNOT TELL ME OF PERMANENT DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION DUE TO KNOWN ISSUE WITH SOFTWARE CAUSING EARLY DECAY OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Power train, Dec 7, 2016
MY 2012 MDX SUFFERS FROM A TORQUE CONVERTER RUMBLING SOUND AND VIBRATION COMMON TO THE MDX SERIES. AS YOU ACCELERATE THE NOISE AND VIBRATION CAN BE FELT ALMOST LIKE A BEARING NOISE WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE A LOCKUP OR FAILURE POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO ANY DRIVERS OR PEDESTRIANS. THE DEALERS ARE SAYING THAT THIS NOISE IS INDIGENOUS TO THE INHERENT HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE . FACT: SO I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS AND I KNOW ANY VIBRATIONS IN THAT AREA WILL DEFINITELY LESSEN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE AND COST THE CAR OWNERS ! GOD FORBID ! THERE REFUSAL TO SIMPLY REPLACE THE CONVERTER IS A REFUSAL TO SELL GOOD VEHICLES AND THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ASAP ! UPDATED 10/22/13 ACURA CLIENT SERVICES INFORMED THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT ALL THE MDX VEHICLES NEAR THE SAME YEAR, HAVE AN INHERENT DOCUMENTED KNOCK ON ACCELERATION REGARDLESS OF WHAT PREMIUM FUEL IS USED.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Nov 13, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE RPMS SUDDENLY INCREASED AS THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION AND FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.
Power train, Oct 7, 2013
MY 2012 MDX SUFFERS FROM A TORQUE CONVERTER RUMBLING SOUND AND VIBRATION COMMON TO THE MDX SERIES. AS YOU ACCELERATE THE NOISE AND VIBRATION CAN BE FELT ALMOST LIKE A BEARING NOISE WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE A LOCKUP OR FAILURE POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO ANY DRIVERS OR PEDESTRIANS. THE DEALERS ARE SAYING THAT THIS NOISE IS INDIGENOUS TO THE INHERENT HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE . FACT: SO I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS AND I KNOW ANY VIBRATIONS IN THAT AREA WILL DEFINITELY LESSEN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE AND COST THE CAR OWNERS ! GOD FORBID ! THERE REFUSAL TO SIMPLY REPLACE THE CONVERTER IS A REFUSAL TO SELL GOOD VEHICLES AND THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ASAP ! UPDATED 10/22/13*LJ ACURA CLIENT SERVICES INFORMED THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT ALL THE MDX VEHICLES NEAR THE SAME YEAR, HAVE AN INHERENT DOCUMENTED KNOCK ON ACCELERATION REGARDLESS OF WHAT PREMIUM FUEL IS USED. *TR
Power train, Feb 26, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO RESPOND. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WOULD EMIT A CLICKING SOUND WHEN IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,900.