Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Acura MDX owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's wife owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while his wife was reversing out of the driveway with his grandchildren in the rear seats, she stopped the vehicle to check for incoming traffic but the vehicle switched gears to drive on its own and accelerated forward. The contact's wife depressed the brake pedal but it failed to respond and the vehicle crashed into his unoccupied vehicle that was parked ahead in the driveway. The driver's airbags deployed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact's wife parked the vehicle. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The contact stated that his wife switched gears to reverse and attempted to reverse the vehicle. The vehicle only reversed for 2 feet and switched gears back to park. The contact stated that the vehicle continuously switched gears to park whenever they attempted to reverse. …
Recall 23V-751 affecting certain or maybe all 2016 Acura MDX SH-AWD connecting rod bearing failure. The vehicle came to a sudden stop on the freeway after a loud terrible sound from the engine. This left my wife and child on a freeway exit ramp with no way to navigate the car to safety. The vehicle won't start, it makes a terrible clanging noise and stops. It has a seized connecting rod bearing and now a broken connecting rod and several holes punched from the broken rod. It was immediately towed to an Acura Service Center where it was confirmed. Recall 23V-751 described this failure exactly yet my car VIN is not included in the recall even though it is clearly affected by that recall. Acura Client relations refused to add the VIN even after saying they would if the problem was confirmed by an Acura Service Technician which it was but they refuse to add the VIN and repair the SUV.
The contact's wife owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond and lost motive power. A message indicating a transmission failure was displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the roadway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to a AAA Center. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was covered under an extended transmission warranty. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not eligible to be repaired under the transmission extended warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall. The contact also stated that the vehicle would jerk when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated the information and engine warning lights were illuminated on the control panel. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with the transmission needing to be updated. The vehicle was repaired but the failure still occurred. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19V060000 (Fuel System, Other). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and the contact filed a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle downshifted inadvertently. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where the failure was not able to be replicated. The contact stated that on one occasion while attempting to place the gear in any gear other than reverse (R) the gear selector indicator displayed the gear selected but the vehicle did not operate as intended. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle hesitated and then accelerated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Every since I've owned my 2016 Acura MDX I've had infrequent, and intermittent transmission issues. Several have been safety concerns: - Transmission is slow to engage when first pushing accelerator, leading to unexpected lag pulling into traffic - Transmission did not shift into park as expected, causing car to keep moving as I was opening door and starting to step out - Transmission slips and does not respond when accelerating to merge into fast lane on highway to pass slower traffic. Car speed stalls and you have to let off the gas and wait for a few seconds before the transmission reengages. - Overall horrible/hard shifting all the time... to which we're told... the car learns your driving style. We've reset it multiple times to try to get it to start learning again. No luck. …
I have a 2016 MDX v6 88k miles and I purchased the car as a Certified Pre Owned (CPO). I recently had two lights come on 1) Blind Spot Info System Problem and 2) Transmission System Problem. The car has been driving fine and has been well maintained. Since the lights came on, I've put about 8000 miles on it over the last 6 months and no change to the way it drives (transmission seems to work fine). It seems odd that both lights come on at the same time? Recently my family took a 150 mile trip and both went off during the trip but then did both come back on later that day. Looked on line and it seems many are having this exact issue. One of the websites I visited was - https://www.mdxers.org/threads/2016-mdx-transmission-system-problem-valve-issue-blind-spot-info-system-problem-light.178519/ . I can provide more links to websites if needed. …
There are two parts to this complaint. The issue regarding the transmission is potentially a safety issue and could result in an accident, while the peeling paint problem is already addressed in the Acura Service Bulletin 19-029 for VINs other than mine. Both are well documented problems that have been experienced by other 2016 Acura MDX owners. The transmission issue is an intermittent problem while accelerating and decelerating. There is a abrupt hesitation, or surging. While coating down a steep hil, the transmission will stay in gear at very high revs instead of shifting. These are an annoyance, but the acceleration problem could cause someone to hit the car from behind in heavy traffic situations. Some individuals note on the internet that their engines would accually stall when accelerating. …
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The motor's rod bearing spun. It is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure could have created enough friction between the bearing sleeve, rod and/or journal bearing to seize the motor and the drivetrain while driving. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes the vehicle was taken to the Acura dealership to be inspected, diagnosed and repaired. There is a recall for the same year, make and model but my vehicle's VIN is not included in the recall. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has only been inspected by the Acura dealership. …
Transmission complaints in other MDX years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2016 Acura MDX?
NHTSA has 113 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2016 Acura MDX, 30% of the model year's 377 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Acura MDX transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2016 Acura MDX, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Acura MDX transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 31,000 miles, and 43% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.