Seat Belt complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2018 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2017 | 3 | 1% | 200,000 miles |
| 2016 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2014 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2013 | 1 | 3% | 23,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 1% | 0 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 3% | 138,000 miles |
| 2010 | 4 | 9% | 18,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 2% | 10,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2007 | 2 | 2% | 42,000 miles |
| 2006 | 2 | 2% | 145,000 miles |
| 2005 | 7 | 4% | 105,000 miles |
| 2004 | 7 | 4% | 144,000 miles |
| 2003 | 12 | 6% | 160,000 miles |
| 2002 | 3 | 1% | 150,000 miles |
| 2001 | 5 | 2% | 80,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated that the second-row passenger's side seat belt became stuck and failed to retract as needed, causing the seat belt to become inoperable. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
On Tuesday, November 8, 2022 I had my 20 month year old grandson in a rear facing car seat and he wrapped the middle seat seat belt around is neck and was choking and coughing. I was on my way to pick up my other grandson at school about 4 miles from my home and when I arrived at the school I opened the back door on the driver side where he was sitting and to my surprise and fear he had the seatbelt wrapped around his neck. I tried to remove it seatbelt when he was in the carseat and it was too tight there was no give. I yelled for help and a lady in her car helped me. The only resolution was to cut the middle seat belt. He had to be taken to emergency because he had red marks around his neck.
Tl contact owns a 2010 Acura MDX. The contact stated while sitting at a stop light another vehicle going 65mph crashed into the rear of her vehicle. The seat belt did not hold her in, and her face hit the instrument panel causing lacerations to her eyes and twisting of her back. The ambulance took her to the hospital. A police report is available. The vehicle was towed from the scene. The failure mileage was 500.
On 2 different times my vehicle accelerated on its own resulting in an accident. The first time was on or about May 24, 2011. I was pulling into a parking space of an apartment complex. It was around 5:30 pm. I was driving slowly (between 2-3 MPH) as there was a construction crew working directly behind the parking space in which I was going to park. I was making a right hand turn into the parking space. As I proceeded into the parking space my left foot was on the floor and my right foot was on the brake, alternating between braking and idling. I was not using the accelerator, just the brake and the idling engine. As I approached the curb to my final stop, the car suddenly lunged forward over the curb and hit a tree. I reported these details to the Acura dealership when I took the car in for repairs. …
The contact owns a 2005 Acura MDX. The contact stated that the passenger's side air bag warning light was flashing with an occupant seated in the seat. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and she was informed that the front driver's and passenger's side air bags and seat belt pretensioners were defective and needed to be replaced. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 209,638.
The contact owns a 2005 Acura MDX. The contact stated that after the battery had been replaced, both the front driver and front passenger seat belts failed to extend far enough to buckle an occupant into the seat. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where the failure was acknowledged, and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Airbag light has been lit for a while now for my 2004 Acura MDX. I originally took the car to Courtesy Acura for them to check what causing it. They told me that the sensor should be replaced and I paid $260+. After replacing sensor, the Airbag light still lit. They told me that they need to replace the front seatbelt buckles. One buckle (PART NO: 04813-S3V-A62ZC) arrived but the other one has been backordered for a while now (almost a year) and there's no ETA from American Honda on when the part (PART NO: 04816-S3V-A61ZC) will be available. This is a safety issue since the Airbag will not deploy in case of accident. Hope you guys can help me expedite the process and escalate the issue with American Honda. Thank you soo much!
Was driving to the store and the vehicle lost all power it will crank and idle but. When u push the gas pedal it will not accelerate all the dash lights are flashing or staying on as of right now the vehicle is on the side of the road I had to walk 15 miles cause I left my phone at home so I couldn't call no one and. My 11 year old daughter was with me so she had to walk as well
Related recalls (1)
Seat belts
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to August 25, 2014, and 2014 Acura RLX vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to November 25, 2013.
Remedy: Honda has notified owners, and dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belts, free of charge. The recall began in November 2014. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238.
Frequently asked questions
Which Acura MDX years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (12), 2004 (7), 2005 (7) and 2001 (5) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Acura MDX seat belt problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 14V-639 (seat belts, Oct 10, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Acura MDX seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 108,000 miles; 41% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the rear/other (5 mentions), followed by the front › retractor (4).
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.