Acura MDX 2007–2013
2nd generation (YD2)
NHTSA data through 13 August 2026561 complaints, 404 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 404
- Median of reported failures
- 66,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Electrical system (20.3%)
- Recalls
- 3
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 24,000 and 100,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Acura MDX 2007–2013 · 404 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 61 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 3 complaints (0.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 4,000
- 25%
- 24,000
- Median
- 66,283
- 75%
- 100,000
- 90%
- 133,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 61 | 15.1% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 30 | 7.4% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 22 | 5.4% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 32 | 7.9% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 17 | 4.2% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 26 | 6.4% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 25 | 6.2% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 26 | 6.4% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 29 | 7.2% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 29 | 7.2% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 24 | 5.9% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 10 | 2.5% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 21 | 5.2% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 23 | 5.7% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 8 | 2.0% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 9 | 2.2% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 1 | 0.2% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 4 | 1.0% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 2 | 0.5% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 2 | 0.5% |
| 200,000+ | 3 | 0.7% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 561 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007–2013 Acura MDX, and 404 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 24,000 and 100,000 miles. The median is 66,283 miles.
The most-reported areas are the electrical system (20.3% of complaints, typically around 90,000 miles), the engine (16.6% of complaints, typically around 90,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (8.7% of complaints, typically around 61,000 miles).
3 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2007–2013 Acura MDX last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2007–2013 Acura MDX were filed by 66,000 miles and 90% by 133,000 miles — figures drawn from 404 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
3 reports (0.7%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a MDX reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2007–2013 MDX: the 3-minute check
Generated from 404 mileage-tagged complaints, 3 recall campaigns, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 3 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check engine — variable cylinder management (vcm) on 2007–2013, with 2010–2011 the most heavily reported (2010 owners reported averaging roughly $6,800 to remedy) cars. The cylinder-deactivation system causes excessive oil consumption as oil passes the rings on deactivated cylinders; the consumed oil fouls spark plugs, producing misfires and a check-engine light. Secondary effects…
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 24,000 and 100,000 miles, with a median of 66,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the electrical system and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 90,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Acura MDX 2007–2013
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Steering28 reports52,0007,500–99,000Steering: 28 reports, median 52,000 miles, middle half 7,500 to 99,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline49 reports61,00020,000–90,000Transmission and driveline: 49 reports, median 61,000 miles, middle half 20,000 to 90,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise40 reports70,00050,000–107,000Problems owners could not categorise: 40 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 107,000 miles.
- Suspension25 reports74,00050,000–97,000Suspension: 25 reports, median 74,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 97,000 miles.
- Airbag system36 reports85,00060,000–125,000Airbag system: 36 reports, median 85,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 125,000 miles.
- Electrical system114 reports90,00051,000–122,000Electrical system: 114 reports, median 90,000 miles, middle half 51,000 to 122,000 miles.
- Engine93 reports90,00045,000–122,000Engine: 93 reports, median 90,000 miles, middle half 45,000 to 122,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 114 | 20.3% | 90,000 | 51,000–122,000 |
| Engine | 93 | 16.6% | 90,000 | 45,000–122,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 49 | 8.7% | 61,000 | 20,000–90,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 40 | 7.1% | 70,000 | 50,000–107,000 |
| Airbag system | 36 | 6.4% | 85,000 | 60,000–125,000 |
| Steering | 28 | 5.0% | 52,000 | 7,500–99,000 |
| Suspension | 25 | 4.5% | 74,000 | 50,000–97,000 |
| Body structure | 24 | 4.3% | 66,000 | 35,000–133,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 19 | 3.4% | 50,000 | 10,000–72,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 18 | 3.2% | 14,000 | 3,500–68,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Acura MDX 2007–2013 · 404 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 47% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 66% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 82% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.7% of reports (3) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
47% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 51,000–122,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 45,000–122,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 20,000–90,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — middle half 50,000–107,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 60,000–125,000 mi
- Steering — middle half 7,500–99,000 mi
- Suspension — middle half 50,000–97,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
66% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 51,000–122,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 45,000–122,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 20,000–90,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — middle half 50,000–107,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 60,000–125,000 mi
- Steering — middle half 7,500–99,000 mi
- Suspension — middle half 50,000–97,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
82% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Transmission and driveline — median 61,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 70,000 mi
- Steering — median 52,000 mi
- Suspension — median 74,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 51,000–122,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 45,000–122,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 60,000–125,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 66,283 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 20.3% of complaints (114 reports, 96 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 51,000 and 122,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 16.6% of complaints (93 reports, 51 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 122,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.7% of complaints (49 reports, 36 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 20,000 and 90,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 7.1% of complaints (40 reports, 21 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 107,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 6.4% of complaints (36 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 125,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 5.0% of complaints (28 reports, 26 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 52,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,500 and 99,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2007 model year drew the most — 126 complaints — while 2013 drew the fewest at 46. The median year sits at 76.
The first year of the generation, 2007, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 3 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the fuel system (2), the airbag system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 561 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 29 (5.2%)
- Fires
- 26
- Injury reports
- 24
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Engine — Variable Cylinder Management (vcm) 2007–2013, with 2010–2011 the most heavily reported (2010 owners reported averaging roughly $6,800 to remedy)
The cylinder-deactivation system causes excessive oil consumption as oil passes the rings on deactivated cylinders; the consumed oil fouls spark plugs, producing misfires and a check-engine light. Secondary effects include repeated engine/motor mount failure from the vibration of running on three cylinders, and torque converter damage. Owners report stalling or lurching under light acceleration in the 35-45 mph range where VCM cycles.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 126 | 112 |
| 2008 | 62 | 48 |
| 2009 | 76 | 55 |
| 2010 | 63 | 44 |
| 2011 | 87 | 55 |
| 2012 | 101 | 63 |
| 2013 | 46 | 27 |
Recalls (3) — is your car included?
Mar 2024 · 2013 · Fuel System, GasolineFuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
What can happen. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Mar 2012 · 2012 · Fuel System, GasolineAs a result, fuel may leak from the tank, increasing the risk of fire.
The defect. Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 pilot and Acura MDX vehicles. The vent shut float (vsf) valve case in the fuel tank assembly does not meet the design specifications.
What can happen. As a result, fuel may leak from the tank, increasing the risk of fire.
The free fix. Honda will notify owners and dealers will inspect the vsf assembly date and, if necessary, replace the fuel tank assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on march 13, 2012. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Dec 2009 · 2010 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash resulting in side curtain air bag deployment, the trim piece may not remain properly…
The defect. Honda is recalling certain model year Acura 2010 MDX vehicles manufactured between october 7, 2009 and november 14, 2009. A bolt used to attach an interior trim piece to either the driver's or passenger's side a-pillar may not have been installed during manufacturing.
What can happen. In the event of a crash resulting in side curtain air bag deployment, the trim piece may not remain properly secured to the a-pillar, increasing the risk of injury to the driver and/or front seat passenger.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the interior trim piece of the a-pillar and if a bolt is missing it will be installed free of charge. Four vehicles were purchased before the stop-sale was issued and all the vehicles have been inspected and repaired if necessary.
What owners reported
I was driving approximately 20 MPH when a car suddenly stopped in front of me. I could not stop in time, and hit the vehicle. My seatbelt [driver's], which i had properly fastened, did not retract and lock into place. The shoulder strap of the seatbelt fully extended, and i hit the steering wheel. The shoulder strap…
2007 · 7,000 miles · Seat belts
My wife went outside of our home to get into her Acura 2007 MDX to go to work. When she started the vehicle up, it started shaking and blowing out white smoke from the exhaust pipes with an unusual noise. She turned the vehicle off and called our insurance company which sent a tow truck out to take it to the dealer.…
2007 · 7,500 miles · Engine and its cooling system
While was driving the car, it shut down completely - .No lights, no motor, ..Completely dead in the middle of the freeway. I was simply driving and had not touched any buttons or dials. I was (luckily) able to drift to the breakdown lane. Approximately 45 minutes later, the inside lights turned on and i was able to…
2007 · 40,000 miles · Problems owners could not categorise
Built from 404 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page