Last updated: 2026-10-10
2023 Acura MDX Reliability Report
The 2023 Acura MDX has good reliability and the best record of any scored MDX year, though transfer case failures can be costly.
Recalls
1
Complaints
29
Complaint Rate
6.5per 10,000 sold
Est. Repair Cost
$571
Annual Fuel Cost
$3,150–$3,650
Detailed Score Breakdown
Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume
Independent repair cost ratings
Recall count weighted by severity
Breadth of reported problem categories
The Verdict
Best of the eight scored MDX years, with far fewer complaints than 2022, though transfer case and brake complaints still show up.
Top Issues to Watch
- POWER TRAIN (5)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (5)
- SERVICE BRAKES (4)
Generation & Refresh (US)
2023 is the last model year of the Fourth generation (YD8/9/YE1; 2022).
- Final-year models are typically the most refined version of a generation.
- 4th generation MDX (US).
What this means for buyers
Final-year models are usually the most polished version of a generation, but resale value may dip as buyers anticipate the next redesign.
2022: Fourth generation (YD8/9/YE1; 2022) Launch
Generation start — new platform.
2023: This Model Year
2023 is the last model year of the Fourth generation (YD8/9/YE1; 2022).
2025: Mid-Cycle Refresh
Updated features and styling tweaks.
Should You Buy the 2023 Acura MDX?
Reliability is good here. Among 2023 SUVs it stands well above average, and it is the best of the eight scored MDX years. It is the last year of the fourth generation. The 2022 drew 90 owner complaints, against 29 for this year, and the 2024 rates about the same. Independent repair-cost data puts yearly repairs at $571, against $807 for the class. The federal crash-test rating is 5 of 5 stars.
The serious problems are few but costly. Transfer case failure is the worst: owners report leaks, then gears breaking with a loud bang, sometimes taking the transmission with them. One dealer quoted $19,000 outside warranty. Others describe a sudden flood of warning lights, limp mode, or lost steering assist after a bump. Brakes also draw complaints, including automatic braking that grabs hard at parking speeds and a spongy pedal that sinks with no warning light. One federal recall covers the hydraulic service brakes.
Ask the seller for proof that the brake recall was completed, plus any dealer records for warning lights or brake pedal feel. The 2024 is a fair alternative.
Compared to the 2024 Acura MDX, which scored the same. See also the 2022 Acura MDX for an earlier comparison.
Pros
- +Acceptable reliability score
- +$236 cheaper to maintain than avg luxury midsize SUVs
- +Low major repair risk (8%)
- +Low recall count
Cons
- −ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: Sudden cascade of warning lights is the main complaint (5 complaints)
- −POWER TRAIN: Transfer case failure is the most serious pattern (5 complaints)
Compare 2023 Acura MDX With
2023 Lincoln Aviator
Reliability: 66/100
2023 Cadillac XT5
Reliability: 72/100
2023 Lexus RX
Reliability: 85/100
2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC
Reliability: 67/100
Common Problem Categories
Safety
LOW RISK- 1 manufacturer recall issued
Other
HIGH RISK- POWER TRAIN (5)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (5)
Recall Overview
1
recall on record
The 2023 Acura MDX carries 1 recall — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.
NHTSA.gov →Complaint Breakdown
6.5
per 10,000 soldSegment avg: 11.3
Safety Incidents
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
NHTSA 5/5 Stars
Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.
2023 Acura MDX Recall Details
1 recall has been issued for the 2023 Acura MDX. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Consequence
A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.
Buying a used 2023 Acura MDX? Check its history first
Power train problems lead owner complaints about the 2023 Acura MDX, and 1 recall was issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.
- Accidents
- Open Recalls
- Title History
- Odometer Rollback
2023 Acura MDX NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall Safety Rating
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)
Gas Powertrain
Rollover risk: 15.1%
Safety Technologies
Acura MDXRepair Costs & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating
4Maintenance rating: 4 out of 5Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.
Est. Annual Maintenance
$571
vs $807 avg for luxury midsize SUVs
vs $652 avg for all vehicles
Repair Frequency
0.4
unscheduled repair visits per year
Severe Repair Probability
8%
chance of a major repair
Annual Cost Comparison
Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.
Acura MDX Resale Value
The Acura MDX is estimated to retain about 56.9% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.
This benchmark covers the Acura MDX model overall and is not specific to the 2023 model year.
- Value Retained
- 56.9%
- Depreciation
- 43.1%
- Listings Analyzed
- 154
after 5 years
over the same period
U.S. used-car listings
Listings observed in . This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.
Explore Acura MDX depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.comMPG & Annual Running Costs
Gas
19–22 MPG
Running cost: $3,700–$4,200/yr
Fuel + repair
17–19 city / 21–26 hwy MPG
Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2023 EPA label cycle.
Gas trims
| Trim | Drive | Trans. | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDX FWD 3.5L 6-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S10) | 19 | 26 | 22 | $3,150 |
| MDX AWD 3.5L 6-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S10) | 19 | 25 | 21 | $3,300 |
| MDX AWD Type-S 3.0L 6-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S10) | 17 | 21 | 19 | $3,650 |
Used Buying Checklist
Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2023 Acura MDX.
Drive over railroad tracks or rough pavement at 30 to 45 mph and watch for a cascade of dash warnings or steering loss.
Ask for service records showing wheel speed sensor replacement, sensor calibration, or software updates for repeated warning lights.
Look under the car for transfer case fluid leaks and ask whether the transfer case fluid has ever been serviced.
Drive from a stop through several upshifts and reject the car if it revs high, clunks, or will not shift.
Turn the wheel lock to lock with the windows down and listen for ticking or clicking.
Press the brake pedal firmly with the engine running and walk away if it feels spongy or sinks.
Use adaptive cruise and pull into a few parking spaces slowly, watching for false warnings or hard automatic braking.
Test the rear parking sensors and open and close the power tailgate several times.
2023 Acura MDX Common Problems by Component
29 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.
POWER TRAIN
5 complaintsTransfer case failure is the most serious pattern. Reports describe fluid leaks, fluids mixing, and internal gears breaking apart with a loud bang. That damage can take out the transmission too, and one dealer quoted $19,000 for the repair outside warranty. Separate reports describe a transmission that suddenly stops upshifting while the engine revs high, then clunks and drags. There were no warning lights. A high-pitched whistle around 57 to 63 mph also comes up, and dealers call it normal.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
5 complaintsA sudden cascade of warning lights is the main complaint. Brake, power steering, AWD, lane keeping, adaptive cruise, automatic emergency braking and parking assist alerts appear at once. Some cars go into limp mode, refuse to accelerate, or lose steering assist. The power tailgate may also act up. Dealers have blamed a failed wheel sensor with incomplete calibration, and in another case a loose cable. Problems often come back within days. A rear parking sensor failure left one car waiting at the dealer for a part that was not available.
SERVICE BRAKES
4 complaintsAutomatic braking that grabs hard at parking speeds throws passengers into their seat belts, and the problem repeats. Other reports describe a spongy brake pedal that sinks to the floor with no warning light, starting at about 3,000 miles. Replacing the brake reservoir and cap under warranty did not fix it. One complaint links unintended acceleration to the brakes failing to stop the car. Another blames a sticking rear caliper for uneven pad wear that ended in a full rear brake job.
STEERING (4 complaints)
STEERING
4 complaintsPower steering can cut out after a bump such as railroad tracks or a manhole cover. The car becomes hard to steer, and a long list of driver-assist and braking warnings appears that clears only after a restart. Owners link this to a faulty wheel speed sensor. A second pattern is a ticking or clicking noise when turning the wheel. Dealers have kept cars for weeks without finding a cause, swapped hardware that did not help, or called the noise normal.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER (4 complaints)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
4 complaintsSafety-relatedSudden power loss is the recurring problem. All dash warnings light up, including the brake light, and the car drops to about 20 mph and will not accelerate, sometimes on a 55 mph expressway. Dealers often find no stored codes and cannot repair it, though one attributed it to software that needed an update. One crash-related report describes the car surging forward while parking despite firm brake pressure. A separate complaint says the console touchpad for navigation and audio is distracting to use.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (2 complaints)
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
2 complaintsFalse collision warnings and phantom automatic braking happen with nothing ahead, in clear weather and at various speeds. In one case the car braked to a near stop at about 25 mph and nearly caused a rear-end collision. Dealers report no fault codes. Repositioning the front camera and removing a windshield sticker did not stop the problem, and no permanent fix is described.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (1 complaints)
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1 complaintThe transmission of this model car is very poorly programmed a low speeds. it is constantly jerking in and out of gears making it difficult to moderate speed. There is also a substantial delay between hitting the pedal and accelerating the vehicle. The issues with the transmission paired with the very delayed accelleration leads to very ineffective control of the vehicles speed, leading to what I believe is dangerous driving scenarios. Turning through inersections, braking at a light, accellerating out of the way of traffic, are all made much more difficult/unpredictible due to how unpredictible and inconsitent the transmission behaves. It feels impossible to 'learn' how it behaves. Here is a forumn of other users confirming similar issues: https://www.mdxers.org/threads/jerky-transmission.181658/ I believe this should be addressed via software update or recall as it i'm sure will lead to accidents/injuries.
VISIBILITY/WIPER (1 complaints)
VISIBILITY/WIPER
1 complaintThe windshield washer fluid pump is weak and half the time does not spray when needed and left me on the highway with a dirty smeared windshield nearly making it impossible to see while driving. I understand it’s a known issue and also a new pump and reservoir is on backorder after checking with dealer.. I believe it’s a poor design and a revision should be considered as this is a safety hazard. Thank you !!
STRUCTURE (1 complaints)
STRUCTURE
1 complaintBought the car brand new, at only 10k miles, found out that the fender liner is falling off from the frame. During the rain, it gets heavier and pulls further down. Eventually fabric will fall off and will hit the tire while driving and possibly cause an accident. Tried to get it fixed by Acura dealership but they're saying it cannot be fixed because it's manufacturing defect.
SEATS (1 complaints)
SEATS
1 complaintI have a 2023 Acura mdx type s advanced with 16k miles on it and the front driver seat at the bolster is starting to separate and many other owners is having this same issue on their type s models I attached multiple pictures of my seat which is the white seat and other owners seats
Best & Worst Acura MDX Years
Best Acura MDX Years to Buy
Based on reliability index score2024
2023
(Current Model)
2022
Acura MDX Years to Avoid
Acura MDX Reliability Score Trend
Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 64/100 | Good |
| 2019 | 64/100 | Good |
| 2020 | 62/100 | Good |
| 2022 | 73/100 | Good |
| 2023 | 79/100 | Good |
| 2024 | 79/100 | Good |
| 2025 | 76/100 | Good |
| 2026 | 79/100 | Good |
Acura MDX Reliability Compared to Other Years
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2023 Acura MDX reliable?
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Acura MDX?
Does the 2023 Acura MDX have transfer case problems?
Has the 2023 Acura MDX had any recalls?
Is the 2023 Acura MDX better than the 2022 or 2024?
Don’t buy a 2023 Acura MDX without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.
How we score the 2023 Acura MDX
Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2023 Acura MDX does best on recall impact (88/100) and worst on complaint severity (71/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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