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What 29 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (29)Crash / fire / injury (3)Engine (9)Electrical system (8)Transmission & drivetrain (4)Lights (3)Speed control (3)Steering (3)Driver assistance (2)Airbags (1)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (1)Engine & cooling (1)

4 of 29 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters

May 24, 2023Transmission & drivetrainEngine

The 2013 Acura MDX has a problem with the pistons in the engine which causes excessive oil consumption. This was the subject matter of a class action suit described in the website entitled Acura Oil Consumption Settlement. This defect should be subject to a recall and American Honda should be required to repair or replace the pistons.

NHTSA ODI 11523749

Jul 9, 2021Transmission & drivetrainEngine

I have a 2013 Acura MDX with an estimated 87k miles. Over the past 3 months, the engine will cut off while I'm driving and the steering wheel and brakes lock up. This has happened about 5 times in a three-month period. There are no warning lamps on my dashboard and no codes appeared during the diagnostic tests. My mechanic is unable to reproduce the issue. I have two young sons and am terrified of driving them in the MDX. The engine failure happens very randomly as it's cut off while driving at varying speeds.

NHTSA ODI 11424043

Jul 4, 2016Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM...... I BOUGHT A USED 2012 MDX WITH 4300 MILES 5 MONTHS LATER I HAD THIS ISSUE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A ACURA DEALER AND THEY FIXED IT BUT I DID FEEL SAFE SO I TRADED IT IN FOR A NEWER MODEL THINKING IT WOULD BE BETTER...LONG BEHOLD THE 2013 MDX I GOT DID THE SAME THING 5 MONTH LATER. THE DEALER NEVER TOLD ME AFTER BRING THE FIRST CAR BACK THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS. AND SOLD ME A SECOND ONE , WHICH BY THE WAY I LOSS $8000 ON THE FIRST CAR FOR TRADING IT IN SO SOON.I ONLY TRADED IT IN BECAUSE I DID FEEL SAFE AND I TOLD THEM THAT..LUCKY I BOUGHT WARRANTY BECAUSE THE 2013 MDX HAD 6700 MILE AND WARRANTY WAS UP......

NHTSA ODI 10882413

Feb 18, 2016Transmission & drivetrainEngine

PURCHASED THIS A AT A USED CAR FROM ACURA OF LOS GATOS AN PICKED THE CAR UP LATE ON JAN 27TH 2016. AT NOON ON FEB 5TH (JUST ABOUT 7 DAYS) THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP WHEN TRYING TO PULL UP TO THE DRIVE WAY OF MY FRIEND HOUSE. THE ENTIRE CAR IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SMALL STREET, BLOCKING CARS FROM MOVING. CAR CAN'T GET STARTED EVEN WITH JUMPER FROM A TOWING COMPANY. THE CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO LOS GATOS ACURA AND FEW HOURS LATER WE WERE TOLD THE THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS GONE. WE PURCHASE THIS USED CAR BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A NEW CAR JUST ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD AND DRIVEN JUST ABOVE 25,000 MILES AND SUPPOSED TO RUN THROUGH ALMOST 200 POINTS CHECK FROM LOS GATOS ACURA, BUT IT FAILED IN OUR FACE AND WE ARE FEAR FOR OUR LIVES DUE TO THE REASON THAT WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THE CAR BROKE DOWN IN A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN A LIGHT TRAFFIC AREA. IF THE ENGINE DID BREAK DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF FAST AND HIGH TRAFFIC FREEWAY, OUR LIVES COULD BE IN SERIOUS DANGER.

NHTSA ODI 10836993

Working with the data? Download all 29 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid verdict →