The Verdict
Worst problem area
Steering
Steering leads by volume: 38 of 172 complaints (22%) mention it.
Complaints filed rose from 30 in 2013 to 172 in 2014.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 172
- Recall campaigns
- 9
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $3,350–$3,700
- Combined MPG
- 21–23
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | vs. 2014 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 4,300 | 4,300 | 3,350–3,700 | 3,350–3,700 | 3,350–3,700 | |
| Combined MPG | 18 | 18 | 21–23 | 21–23 | 21–23 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 16 / 21 | 16 / 21 | 18–20 / 27–28 | 18–20 / 27–28 | 18–20 / 26–27 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 494 | 500 | 390–418 | 390–418 | 391–415 | |
| Complaints filed | 76 | 30 | 172 | 71 | 378 | |
| Recalls issued | 1 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 7 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 4 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 10 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| Injuries reported | 2 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 5 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2014 Acura MDX have?
9 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2014 Acura MDX?
Steering: 38 of 172 NHTSA complaints (22%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2014 Acura MDX get?
EPA rates it 21–23 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2014 Acura MDX?
EPA estimates $3,350–$3,700 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (2)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S6) | 6 | 3.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 20 mpg (high) | 28 mpg (high) | 23 mpg (high) | $3,350 (low) | 390 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S6) | 6 | 3.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg (low) | 27 mpg (low) | 21 mpg (low) | $3,700 (high) | 418 g/mi (high) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 28 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Brakes | 30 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 38 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 21 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 18 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (9)
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS; SUSPENSION:REAR
- Defect
- American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
- Consequence
- Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING; INTERIOR LIGHTING
- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid light assembly and wiring harness, which can cause the interior and exterior lights to fail, including the lid lights, position lights, license plate lights and taillights.
- Consequence
- Vehicle lights that fail to illuminate can decrease visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the wiring and install a fuse harness, replace the lid light, and repair the body dust sealer, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Acura's customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Acura's number for this recall is FLI. Vehicles included in this recall that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 19V-256 will need to have the new remedy completed.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
- 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.
- Consequence
- Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- 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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS; EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura MDX and 2017-2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid lights, possibly causing a loss of the tailgate lid lights and the taillights.
- Consequence
- Loss of the taillights reduces the vehicle's visibility, increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- Acura will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate lid lights and install updated gaskets and a wiring sub-harness or will replace both tailgate lid lights. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is M49.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
- Defect
- American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX and MDX AWD vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to December 16, 2014. The affected vehicles have air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolts that may not have received the proper anti-corrosion coating.
- Consequence
- If a bolt was not coated, it may corrode and break as a result. If the bolt breaks, the compressor clutch plate may separate from the vehicle, possibly becoming a road hazard.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolt and install a new clutch plate if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 7, 2015. Owners may contact Acura client relations at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this recall is JQ7.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: CRASH IMMINENT BRAKING
- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX 2WD and AWD, RLX and 2014 Acura RLX Hybrid vehicles. In certain driving conditions, the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) may incorrectly interpret certain roadside objects such as metal fences or metal guardrails as obstacles and unexpectedly apply the brakes.
- Consequence
- If the CMBS unexpectedly applies emergency braking force while driving, there is an increased risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the CMBS software, free of charge. The recall began on July 6, 2015. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's numbers for this recall is JQ4, JQ5 and JQ6.
SEAT BELTS
- Defect
- 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. In the affected vehicles, the driver and front passenger seat belt may not extend or retract in low temperatures.
- Consequence
- A seatbelt that does not function increases the risk of injury in a crash.
- 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. Honda's number for this recall is JK7 for the MKX, and JK8 for the RLX.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- Defect
- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Acura MDX AWD vehicles manufactured May 6, 2013, through October 14, 2013. The bolts that attach the drive shaft to the automatic transmission transfer assembly may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the bolts could loosen possibly allowing the shaft to detach.
- Consequence
- If the drive shaft detaches while driving it could cause excessive noise and possibly damage the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the drive shaft attaching bolts as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 3, 2014. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 or visit their website at www.recalls.honda.com. Honda's recall number is JC8.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT
- Defect
- American Honda Motor Co. is recalling certain Trailer Hitch Harness Kits, Part Number 08L91-TZ5-200. These kits are for use in 2014 model year Acura MDX vehicles. The trailer hitch kit has a subharness that is incorrectly wired such that there may be no power supplied to an accessory trailer brake controller.
- Consequence
- If the trailer brake controller is not powered, when towing a trailer, longer stopping distances could be required, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners and Acura dealers will correct the trailer hitch subharness wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 23, 2013. Owners may contact Acura Customer Service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this campaign is JB2.