Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Acura MDX owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
In San Diego on 11/15/2021, my daughter side swiped a parked vehicle in residential area driving about 30 miles. No airbags deployed. A minute later the car stopped and would not start and started to have smoke and flames come from under hood and through inside windshield and dash. My daughter was able to get out and take her 3 year old son out of his carseat and run for their lives as the car completely became engulfed in flames.Thank God they made it out alive. Police and Fire department showed up. Car was a total loss, everything was burnt. One day the Acura MDX fires will take someone's life. Called Hoehn Acura in Carlsbad Ca and sent service manager Skip about 12 pictures of the completely burnt vehicle. He never returned my calls after leaving several messages. Also left message with general manager and no return call. They don't care. …
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Acura MDX. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 85,000. The contact stated that on the day of the purchase; after refueling the vehicle and then attempting to pull out of the gas station, the Emissions, check engine, and parking brake warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to an auto repair shop, and had the vehicle scanned and then diagnosed, DTC: P0158 (Oxygen sensor Circuit High Voltage, DTC Severity 2 of 3, T0159 Oxygen sensor Circuit Slow Response (Bank2 and Sensor 2), and an Electric Parking Brake Failure were displayed. The scan indicated that the vehicle was subjected to odometer fraud. …
The contact owns a 2018 Acura MDX. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with the engine Auto Start-Stop feature. The contact stated that while at a complete stop and releasing the brake pedal, the engine failed to restart. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart. The contact then noticed that the gear shift indicator displayed that the transmission was in neutral(N). The contact shifted to park(P) and was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring, almost causing the vehicle to be rear-ended. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and recommended a diagnostic testing to determine the cause of the failure, but the contact declined due to the cost. …
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Acura MDX on August 26, 2026. While registering the vehicle, the contact was informed that the previous title indicated that the odometer was reported at 277,000. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 77,000.
Fire under the hood of my 2018 MDX - caused by weak battery and overloaded starter. My car was parked in the garage right under my daughter's bedroom. I pressed the "Start" button on the car and the dashboard started to flash on and off quickly and I heard clicking sounds and other swooshing noises. The car did NOT start but it seemed to keep trying over and over again. I pressed the start/off button repeatedly but the car did not shut off. My wife came out and asked what I was doing and she smelled and saw smoke coming from under my hood. She ran into the house and called 911. I popped the hood and got out of the car. At this point, there was more smoke and a VERY strong burning electrical odor. The car continued to try to start and the only thing I could think of was to disconnect the battery. …
The car alarm started going off randomly after the car was locked and armed. This would happen periodically. The car was locked using the indoor lock and then left unlocked and the lights would go off and on periodically. The internal dash periodically would flicker off and on (dash lights/screens). The car eventually drained the battery one night cycling down to 4.25v and had to be replaced (it was too damaged to be jumped). Upon replacing the battery codes were read, cleared and the car driven. The alarm and light issue came back, and the hood latch was disconnected. This stopped the alarm, but after rain events or humid days the lights would still come on (as if someone unlocked the car or walked up with the key) and the dash lights would occasionally flicker. The wireless control unit was removed and inspected and dendritic growth was noticed on one location of the board. …
Lane Keep assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning all stopped working and received error codes. Dealership stated camera was faulty and needed to be replaced at my cost. Continued issues with electrical systems where the car alarm will go off intermittently, and vehicle will not lock unless manually locking. Dealership stated smart control unit needs to also be replaced at my cost. part number for control unit #38320 was issued by honda motor company service bulletin 21-055 for their honda ridgeline. Acura Dealer will not honor since part number does not specify acura. Part issued in Service bulletin is 38320-T6Z-A11 (honda ridgeline) part needed to be replaced by acura is 38320-TRX-A11. Other service bulletins related to original issues: 20-015, 19-005, 23-008, and 24-022 and safety recall report 23V-751. …
Keyless Access/TPMS Control Unit is failing. Vehicle randomly behaves where all dash lights blink on and off, head lights turn on, car alarm intermittently alarms, and motorized steering wheel moves. It is unknown if there is any malfunction to ADAS or other systems due to this random behavior. Vehicle cannot be parked with the battery connected as all of these events intermittently happen and drains the battery. The behavior is so startling and a concern to drive that it is unknown if it will completely fail and shutdown while driving. For example, the Keyless Control Unit could potentially fail to recognize the key while driving and then the vehicle would shutdown as if being stolen. Vehicle has been inspected by the dealer, confirmed malfunction and noted occurence with other customers vehicles of same make and model. Diagnostic report by dealer states the failing component.
Hello, My 2018 Acura MDX has moisture and water inside the inner tailgate (trunk) tail light assembly, which caused the light to stop working. I understand there is a recall affecting some 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles related to moisture entering the tailgate light assembly, and my vehicle appears to have the same issue. Recall link: [redacted] Last week I visited the Acura dealership(Acura Columbus) in Dublin, OH for a fuel pump recall service. During that visit, the technician also noticed the water inside the inner tail light but quoted about $750 for the repair. Although my VIN does not show this recall, my vehicle is experiencing the same problem described. Could you please review and advise if this may qualify for recall coverage or goodwill assistance? Thank you.
While preparing to enter the expressway my 2018 MDX stalled and various dashboard lights came on. My family and I drifted into the median while nearly being hit by passing car. It took about 10 minutes before the MDX became operational again. I took it to a local mechanic when we arrived at our destination. They couldn't locate any issues or "bad codes." Since that incident my fuel mileage and shifting has begun to deteriorate. Entering traffic and trying to pass cars has become difficult while driving. I have called Acura and a local dealership in Charlotte, NC. Both failed to provide next steps that didn't involve spending money to fix an issue that based on feedback on various sites and NTSB site is a common issue.
Electrical complaints in other MDX years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2018 Acura MDX?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the electrical system of the 2018 Acura MDX, 17% of the model year's 169 complaints. The component named most often is instrument panel › speedometer/odometer (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Acura MDX electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2018 Acura MDX, though it has 10 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 2018 Acura MDX electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 50% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.