ACURA MDX · model year

2011 ACURA MDX

87 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011ACURAMDX carries 87 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 MDX is engine with 28 filings, followed by power train (7) and unknown or other (7). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2011 MDX, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

87
Complaints
5
Crashes
1
Fires
8
Injuries
0
Deaths
2011 ACURA MDX - NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2011 ACURA MDX. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

87 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 - Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE28
POWER TRAIN7
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
AIR BAGS6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL4
EXTERIOR LIGHTING3
SUSPENSION3
STRUCTURE:BODY3
SEATS2
SEAT BELTS2
SERVICE BRAKES2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY2
STEERING1

Recent Complaints

20250917ENGINE

Check engine light continues to come on after repair, lack of power and transmission skip at times. Reverse light dark, unable to see at all.

20250917POWER TRAIN

Check engine light continues to come on after repair, lack of power and transmission skip at times. Reverse light dark, unable to see at all.

20250917EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Check engine light continues to come on after repair, lack of power and transmission skip at times. Reverse light dark, unable to see at all.

20250911STRUCTURE:BODY

The hazard warning switch on my 2011 Acura MDX Technology & Entertainment Package VIN [XXX] sticks. It is due to a manufacturing defect and not because of normal wear and tear. That is a safety concern because when it is pressed and sticks, such as when giving the right of way to an emergency vehicle, or in bad weather, it not possible to make it unstuck while driving, and requires a screwdriver to pry it back to unstuck position, and if that option is not available then the stuck hazard switch will drain the battery when the vehicle is shut down. Please refer to enclosed Acura ServiceNews Article B15070C. On 8/9/2025, for my service at Hendrick Acura, I requested this known safety issue be fixed. I demonstrated by pressing the hazard switch that got stuck and required a screwdriver to unstick it. But the dealer unreasonably wanted me to pay $99 diagnostic fee to troubleshoot an obvious issue and even when I showed them the Acura ServiceNews Article B15070C. So, I was forced to confir

20250911UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The hazard warning switch on my 2011 Acura MDX Technology & Entertainment Package VIN [XXX] sticks. It is due to a manufacturing defect and not because of normal wear and tear. That is a safety concern because when it is pressed and sticks, such as when giving the right of way to an emergency vehicle, or in bad weather, it not possible to make it unstuck while driving, and requires a screwdriver to pry it back to unstuck position, and if that option is not available then the stuck hazard switch will drain the battery when the vehicle is shut down. Please refer to enclosed Acura ServiceNews Article B15070C. On 8/9/2025, for my service at Hendrick Acura, I requested this known safety issue be fixed. I demonstrated by pressing the hazard switch that got stuck and required a screwdriver to unstick it. But the dealer unreasonably wanted me to pay $99 diagnostic fee to troubleshoot an obvious issue and even when I showed them the Acura ServiceNews Article B15070C. So, I was forced to confir

20250826ENGINE

Unknown

20250428POWER TRAIN

The 2011 Acura MDX has a problem with the pistons in the engine which causes excessive oil consumption. This was subject of the matter of a class action suit described on the website entitled Acura Oil Consumption Settlement. This defect should be subject to recall and American Honda should be required to repair or replace this pistons.

20250310ENGINE

2011 Acura MDX Engine Oil Leak from Pan. Oil change and dip stick completely dry after 2 days. Many complaints of this common issue on 2011-2013 Acura MDX and no Recall. Reverse Lights not set properly When going in reverse it's remains dark and hard to see.

20250310EXTERIOR LIGHTING

2011 Acura MDX Engine Oil Leak from Pan. Oil change and dip stick completely dry after 2 days. Many complaints of this common issue on 2011-2013 Acura MDX and no Recall. Reverse Lights not set properly When going in reverse it's remains dark and hard to see.

20241122ENGINE

Vehicle lost power- all lights came on. After being towed to two separate mechanics, found out engine blew. Had to replace the following: Engine Radiator Motor mounts Timing belt Thermostat

20241122UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Vehicle lost power- all lights came on. After being towed to two separate mechanics, found out engine blew. Had to replace the following: Engine Radiator Motor mounts Timing belt Thermostat

20231216ENGINE

Engine excessively consumes oil. No issue to the engine whatsoever no smoke at exhaust no burning oil. Check my oil after about 1000 miles and I’m missing a quart of oil. There was once a recall for this issue but the window to get repaired has expired. That does help people that purchased this car after the window. Issue need to be a permanent recall and not a temporary.

20230626UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Moonroof / Sunroof glass spontaneously exploded as while driving on Interstate at approximately 65mph. This caused many small peices of glass to break inward some of which entered into the cabin and onto passengers including the driver. The glass exploding was very loud and caused me to jerk my steering wheel. It scared the passenger as well. Also small slivers of glass can be felt in the skin.

20230426VISIBILITY/WIPER

My sunroof shattered and exploded While I was driving

20230321UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While driving Moon roof shattered. Available for inspection. Our lives were put at risk by the sudden onset of loud shattering sound, distraction while driving. Shattered glass could have caused impairment.

20221223SEATS

Driver side seat functions stop working: - up and down (tilt) - forward and back Acura had no explanation for it and to just replace the seat (which is costly). At your earliest convenience please advise if this suffice for a recall.

20221003ENGINE

This car burns oil at an insane rate. I have to go to Jiffy Lube after only 1500 miles, and they are in shock when they top me off each time. Two of the employees have said that my engine is at trial of exploding because this car burns through oil so fast. Your website says that there is no recall, but there actually WAS a recall for this car, but I was NEVER NOTIFIED about this dangerous issue. Acura refuses to honor the recall because they say the window to get the car fixed has expired. This is ridiculous and unsafe.

20220215AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2011 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the airbag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the driver's side airbag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Mileage: 76,000

20220107ENGINE

The SUV was taken to an Acura dealer Ponce P.R. for inspection due to the fact that the engine was consuming too much oil and they didn't bother to check it as they told me that the warranty period had expired. The MDX had 75,000 miles and 10 years when I took it for inspection.

20211108AIR BAGS

Car airbag system check light is on all times, garage ran diagnostic check airbag inflator malfunction

Compare 2011ACURAMDX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 ACURA MDX have?
The 2011 ACURA MDX has 87 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 1 fires, 8 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2011 ACURA MDX?
The 2011 ACURA MDX received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 ACURA MDX?
The most-complained component for the 2011 ACURA MDX is ENGINE with 28 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2011 ACURA MDX safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2011 ACURA MDX has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.