ACURA MDX · model year

2022 ACURA MDX

138 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2022ACURAMDX carries 138 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 4 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and Not Rated/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 2022 MDX is power train with 23 filings, followed by steering (17) and service brakes (14). 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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle, the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2022 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.

138
Complaints
7
Crashes
4
Fires
7
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

138 filings

Crashes Reported

7 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 - Not rated · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN23
STEERING17
SERVICE BRAKES14
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM14
UNKNOWN OR OTHER11
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING8
ENGINE6
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS6
SUSPENSION5
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM4
AIR BAGS4
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST3
STRUCTURE:BODY3

Recalls (1)

24V06400001/02/2024

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RD

Recent Complaints

20260210CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 2 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes became stuck or jammed. Later, while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the contact again depressed the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to respond, remained stuck, and failed to stop the vehicle in an intersection, causing the contact to steer to the right and resulting in a crash with a government dump truck. The driver’s child informed the contact’s husband that the brakes were not working. No warning lights were illuminated at the time of the failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number 25V391000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The driver's iPhone detected the crash and automatically contacted the emergency contact and the state police. The driver sustained injuries to the knee, head, neck, and back and was transported to the hospital for medical assistance. There was no airbag deployment, fire, or police report f

Mileage: 65,000

20260210CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 2 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes became stuck or jammed. Later, while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the contact again depressed the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to respond, remained stuck, and failed to stop the vehicle in an intersection, causing the contact to steer to the right and resulting in a crash with a government dump truck. The driver’s child informed the contact’s husband that the brakes were not working. No warning lights were illuminated at the time of the failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number 25V391000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The driver's iPhone detected the crash and automatically contacted the emergency contact and the state police. The driver sustained injuries to the knee, head, neck, and back and was transported to the hospital for medical assistance. There was no airbag deployment, fire, or police report f

Mileage: 65,000

20260208POWER TRAIN

While driving in snow and in light rain noticed the MDX pulling and slipping. I realized that only the front tires were trying to drive the vehicle which was causing the car to pull sideways and slip all over the road. I made an appointment with the ACURA dealership and they found the transmission splines stripped out that drive the rear wheels. There was no warning lamps or indication that anything was broke other than very hard to drive in any kind of snow or rain. Talking with the dealer and looking online this seems to be happening to other MDX s also. My car was fixed under the manufacturer warranty and the transmission and transfer case were replaced.

20260129ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The battery drains quickly. Have replaced the battery twice since 2022. something in the car is draining the battery and making it fail. infotainment screen sometimes stays grey and doesn't go black when car is off. many 2022 mdx owners are having similar battery drain issues requiring frequent battery replacements. please push Acura for a recall and fix.

20260129POWER TRAIN

While driving a 2022 Acura MDX Advance AWD in snowy conditions, I noticed reduced traction and abnormal drivability. Dealer inspection confirmed a catastrophic failure: the front differential and transmission splines were stripped, causing the vehicle to operate in front-wheel drive only. The dealer verified the failure and documented it as a defect on the repair order. The vehicle was maintained exclusively at the dealership since new, and failure occurred at approximately 76,000 miles, outside the original powertrain warranty. There were no warning lights prior to the failure, but loss of AWD in snowy conditions created a significant safety risk.This is a safety-relevant defect affecting traction and stability in adverse conditions.

20260121POWER TRAIN

My Acura service department notified me at my last oil change that they discovered (accidentally) my transmission / transfer case is damaged and is not transferring power to the rear wheels, rendering the vehicle as 2 wheel drive only. This requires a total replacement costing $16,000 +/-. My research indicates this is likely caused by a faulty splined shaft inside the transmission-transfer case assembly used in the early 2022 MDX vehicles.The dashboard info system for SH-AWD indicates that the car IS in All Wheel Drive and there are no messages indicating a problem with the All Wheel Drive. This has not been a problem during non-snow or other slippery conditions, but recent storms have made this a major safety problem for me. The fact that the car sensing system does not detect this problem could cause serious driving danger for unsuspecting drivers. This also prevents Acura/Honda from acting on this issue publicly as owners of this vehicle have no way of knowing the problem exists un

20260112POWER TRAIN

The vehicle is experiencing a catastrophic mechanical failure of the transfer case/transmission splines, resulting in a 'Loss of Motive Power.' On two occasions while merging into high-speed highway traffic, the engine revved to high RPMs, but the vehicle failed to accelerate for approximately 5 seconds (Mechanical Neutral Drop). These incidents resulted in near-collisions. The vehicle also exhibits violent torque steer and unpredictable handling. The issue was initially reported to an authorized dealer at 70,320 miles but was misdiagnosed as 'no codes were present.' Subsequent inspection by a second dealer confirmed a mechanical failure of the drive splines. This is a purely mechanical failure that does not trigger dashboard warning lights or Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), leaving the driver unaware of the impending drivetrain failure until power is lost. First signs of a problem: Late August 2025 First loss of motive power incident: Early October 2025 Second loss of motive powe

20251203POWER TRAIN

Vehicle is 3 years old with 60K miles. Transfer case became defective under normal driving and with regular recommended maintenance. We did not know this occurred until a recent dealership visit for another issue. We do not know how long this has been an issue. When the transfer case malfunctioned, there were no warning lights and vehicle has been only functioning in front-wheel drive (designed to be AWD) which is extremely dangerous during the midwestern winters as the weight of the rear of the vehicle leads to sway. Issue was detected by the dealership who states the fix is to replace the entire transmission and transfer case.

20251202STRUCTURE:BODY

My 2022 Acura MDX A-Spec developed an electrical problem where I heard an extremely loud pop come from the stereo system before it stopped working and then the infotainment screen stopped working as well. I took it to the dealer who determined that a water leak in the sunroof drain plug caused the interior of the vehicle to become saturated with water and cause corrosion to electrical bundles. By searching the internet, I found that this was a known manufacturer’s defect with this specific model that had been made known to the dealership and they did nothing about it. Having an electrical problem could have put us at risk had things stopped working at an inopportune time on the highway or caused a malfunction at a critical time while driving. I submitted a request to Acura for an extended warranty of this problem, but that request was denied. They said that there had been an extended warranty for this issue, but that it had expired somewhere between March 2025 (when my normal

20251130SERVICE BRAKES

As I was turning right (slowly accelerating from a complete stop) into a shopping center parking lot, I was entering into the lane behind a vehicle that had just passed in front of me (and was headed in the same direction I was going to turn). My 2022 Acura MDX Low Speed Braking Control system engaged for no reason. The breaks slammed hard bringing the car to a hard, sudden stop, and I thought I had been rear-ended by the car behind me. I pressed the gas slowly again and was able to pull into a parking spot and checked my back bumper…PERFECTLY FINE! I googled the issues I experienced and found this is a common problem! This is a dangerous problem! Please hold Acura accountable to fix this issue! For now, I have to remember to turn this Low Speed Braking Control System OFF EVERY TIME I power on my MDX! I am now scared to drive my car!

20251130ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

As I was turning right (slowly accelerating from a complete stop) into a shopping center parking lot, I was entering into the lane behind a vehicle that had just passed in front of me (and was headed in the same direction I was going to turn). My 2022 Acura MDX Low Speed Braking Control system engaged for no reason. The breaks slammed hard bringing the car to a hard, sudden stop, and I thought I had been rear-ended by the car behind me. I pressed the gas slowly again and was able to pull into a parking spot and checked my back bumper…PERFECTLY FINE! I googled the issues I experienced and found this is a common problem! This is a dangerous problem! Please hold Acura accountable to fix this issue! For now, I have to remember to turn this Low Speed Braking Control System OFF EVERY TIME I power on my MDX! I am now scared to drive my car!

20251130VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

As I was turning right (slowly accelerating from a complete stop) into a shopping center parking lot, I was entering into the lane behind a vehicle that had just passed in front of me (and was headed in the same direction I was going to turn). My 2022 Acura MDX Low Speed Braking Control system engaged for no reason. The breaks slammed hard bringing the car to a hard, sudden stop, and I thought I had been rear-ended by the car behind me. I pressed the gas slowly again and was able to pull into a parking spot and checked my back bumper…PERFECTLY FINE! I googled the issues I experienced and found this is a common problem! This is a dangerous problem! Please hold Acura accountable to fix this issue! For now, I have to remember to turn this Low Speed Braking Control System OFF EVERY TIME I power on my MDX! I am now scared to drive my car!

20251122POWER TRAIN

When the vehicle decelerates—either from high speed or while already moving slowly—it frequently jerks just before coming to a complete stop. This issue is especially noticeable at very low speeds or during final braking, where the vehicle may lurch forward by a few inches unless the brakes are applied firmly. Despite multiple visits to the dealership, including transmission resets and software updates, the problem persists. The dealer has not provided a resolution or adequate follow-up. This behavior poses a serious safety risk, particularly in high-traffic areas where precise stopping is critical.

20251122SERVICE BRAKES

When the vehicle decelerates—either from high speed or while already moving slowly—it frequently jerks just before coming to a complete stop. This issue is especially noticeable at very low speeds or during final braking, where the vehicle may lurch forward by a few inches unless the brakes are applied firmly. Despite multiple visits to the dealership, including transmission resets and software updates, the problem persists. The dealer has not provided a resolution or adequate follow-up. This behavior poses a serious safety risk, particularly in high-traffic areas where precise stopping is critical.

20251120POWER TRAIN

The transmission and transaxle malfunctioned. Evidence was a leak from the transaxle. The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was operating in 2WD mode even though it did not detect any issues from its onboard sensors, and the car thought it was still sending power to all 4 wheels. There were no warning lights that the vehicle was no longer driving in 4wd mode, so the driving dynamics would've been unexpected in conditions that 4wd would normally help, like rain and snow. Unexpectedly experienced tire spin in the rain, for example. The dealer confirmed that both the transmission and transaxle need to be replaced, under the powertrain warranty. The spline between the transaxle and transmission were worn, causing the transaxle to not spin the rear wheels.

20251105ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The roof sunshade motor has failed. It is a known issue with TSB 23-013

20251031UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Review mirror became detached , rendering it inoperable and a safety concern. Research shows it a known issue and design flaw for the bracket.

20251027TIRES

PURCHASED A TIRED FOR GIGA TIRES HAD THE DEALERSHIP , ACURA OF COLUMBUS ATTEMPT TO MOUNT AND INSTALL THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERS A HOLE AND A SLICE ON AND IN THE TIRE, CONTACTED GIGA TIRE FOR AN EXCHANGE THEY STATED THAT THE HOLE IN THE TIRE WAS CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARD, THE TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN ON, IT BRAND NEW OR CLAIMED TOO BE

20251014POWER TRAIN

The transfer case spline stripped preventing power to be sent to the rear wheels

20251007POWER TRAIN

Upon normal highway driving a couple of months ago, began to notice shifting that was not smooth and rpm "surges" on hills despite constant throttle. Upon taking car to dealer, inspection revealed an internal spline failure between transmission and transfer case. Lead mechanic explained it was not the first he had seen of this model and that it was clearly internal and caused by a manufacturing and/or assembly defect. I caught the problem early enough to not have a complete car failure; however, left untreated, it would lead to a transmission failure. The remedy was a full transmission and transfer case replacement, with repair costs exceeding $13,000. Given car had 84,000 miles, it was not covered by 70,000 Power Train Warranty from Acura. Pictures of parts below.

Compare 2022ACURAMDX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2022 ACURA MDX have?
The 2022 ACURA MDX has 138 NHTSA complaints, 7 crashes, 4 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2022 ACURA MDX?
The 2022 ACURA MDX received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2022 ACURA MDX?
Yes, the 2022 ACURA MDX has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2022 ACURA MDX?
The most-complained component for the 2022 ACURA MDX is POWER TRAIN with 23 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2022 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 2022 ACURA MDX has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/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.