I am reporting a manufacturer's failure to provide a safe remedy for recall 26V365000 (Rear Subframe Corrosion) on my 2015 Acura MDX. Acura Client Relations explicitly stated they cannot confirm if my vehicle is safe or unsafe to drive without an inspection by an authorized Acura dealer. Despite admitting they cannot confirm its safety, they completely refused to provide towing accommodations or a safe local inspection option. I live in [XXX], and the nearest Acura dealership is over 3 hours away. Acura is requiring me to drive a vehicle that they themselves refuse to certify as safe for a 3+ hour highway trip just to receive a legally mandated safety inspection. This is an immediate public safety hazard and a failure to execute a recall remedy I have also filed a formal consumer safety complaint regarding this matter with the North Dakota Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The worst 2015 Acura MDX problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical15
- Transmission12
- Body8
- Steering8
- Engine7
- Brakes6
- Lights6
- Airbags4
- Suspension4
- Visibility4
- Acceleration2
- Driver assistance2
- Fuel system2
- Seats2
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2015 Acura MDX
Recalls 8
Structure: frame and members
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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 beginning June 10, 2026.
Recall number 26V365000 · Recall details
Interior lighting
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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 the federal safety agency recall number 19V‑256 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Recall number 25V259000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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 the federal safety agency recall numbers 21V‑215 and 20V‑314.
Recall number 23V858000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 19V256000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura MDX 2WD and MDX 4WD vehicles, 2016 Acura MDX 4WD vehicles, 2015-2016 Honda Odyssey vehicles, and 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that were manufactured with insufficient welds which may separate and allow fuel to leak out.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda/Acura customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. The recall began on July 29, 2016. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA9 (Honda vehicles) and KB0 (Acura vehicles).
Recall number 16V417000 · Recall details
Equipment: appliance: air conditioner
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 15V417000 · Recall details
Forward collision avoidance: crash imminent braking
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 15V301000 · Recall details
Seat belts
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 14V639000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2015 Acura MDX 251
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Dealer Message
- An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner taillight(s), causing one or both of the...
- Owner Notification Letter
- Drivers may experience a chirping sound coming from the engine area with the engine warmed up due to the...
- Recall update for 2014
- The timing belt area chirps after the engine warms up.
- The timing belt area makes a chirping noise after the engine warms up.
- Dealer Message
- The bolt holes for the replacement second row seat frames are not threaded and require special...
- Dealer Message
2015 Acura MDX crash test ratings
Government 5-star crash tests. Higher is safer. Each row is a body style and drivetrain that was tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura MDX SUV AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Acura MDX SUV FWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
2015 Acura MDX fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6‑cyl | FWD | 20 | 28 | 23 |
| 3.5L 6‑cyl | AWD | 18 | 27 | 21 |
What 2015 Acura MDX owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My 2015 AcuraMDX engine seized while driving creating an unsafe condition as it occurred on a busy roadway. I suspect a rod bearing failure. It has been reported to Honda. The same parts listed in the 2015 RDX recall are used in my MDX but the 2015 is not part of the recall. My engine had a knock and had taken it for inspection at an independent Honda specialist. I had learned that the recall covers the 2015 model year for the Acura TLX, the official recall documentation only includes the 2016–2020 model years for the Acura MDX. There were no check engine lights prior to the stall and seizure of the engine.
I saw previous warning when I pulled my credit report on Experian, but I am not seeing any recalls currently. My driver side taillight is malfunctioning. It appears there is a problem with the seal which is allowing water to get inside the assembly, causing it to short out. I realize this vehicle is a 2015 but thought I would mention in case this is still an issue under recall.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 Acura MDX. It was later discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 82,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 167,000.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 Acura MDX. The contact stated that upon retrieving the Carfax report of the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 105,000, and the mileage on the Carfax report was 215,000 in July 2025. The MVA was contacted and referred the contact to the Police Department, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance.
All of a sudden the brakes are automatically applied with collision avoidance amber coming on dash heads up display while I am on freeway approximate speed 30-40 mph with no apparent vehicle in front.this has also happened at lower speeds in local driving roads.Braking is pretty severe and dangerous could be rear ended by other vehicles ..This is a Collision mitigating system falsely coming on with no vehicle in front very dangerous.It has happened about 3 times intermittently. Taking in vehicle to local Acura dealer on 24 th June 2025 for check up
The contact owns a 2015 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the tailgate lid lights did not function as intended. The contact was pulled over by the local Police and was informed that the taillights were not operating. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with failed tailgate lid lights. The contact was informed that the tailgate lid lights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised that the manufacturer had denied the repair under warranty or unknown recall repairs. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced by the dealer, and the previous dealer performed a recall repair under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V256000(Exterior Lighting); however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The manufacturer denied the repair under warranty because of the failed recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over onto the shoulder of the roadway. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. In addition, the contact stated that the engine had been repaired by the dealer less than a month before the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,700.
Paint peeling on roof (white diamond pearl paint).
For the last 50k miles we've taken our Acura MDX to the dealership for regular oil changes. Almost every visit results in a bad battery. We've had the dealership replace a side mirror due to the electrical and several batteries as well. They've kept it for several days diagnosing issues but haven't to this day found out what's wrong with it. Now my back taillight stopped working, we bought another one and replaced it for it to work for a couple months and stop working again. Now we've taken it to another place for diagnosing, they have said the inter taillight assembly and wiring needs replaced. Seems like this has been the issue the entire 6 yrs we've been complaining. The dealership says they took care of the problem already, clearly this is a safety issue when driving at night especially. Having a taillight that works off and on is not my idea of safe or "fixed" according to the dealership.
Compare the 2015 Acura MDX
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2015 Acura MDX
Is the 2015 Acura MDX reliable?
Owners have filed 71 complaints about the 2015 Acura MDX, fewer than a typical MDX model year.
What is the 2015 Acura MDX year score?
The 2015 Acura MDX scores 75 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Acura MDX: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Acura MDX?
Electrical system, with 15 complaints, typically around 25,000 miles. Next is transmission (12).
How many recalls does the 2015 Acura MDX have?
8 recalls, covering structure, interior lighting and fuel system, gasoline.
Is the 2015 Acura MDX safe in a crash?
In government crash tests the 2015 Acura MDX scored 5 out of 5 stars overall, depending on body style and drivetrain (2 versions tested).
What year does the Acura MDX have the most electrical problems?
The Acura MDX model years with the most electrical complaints are 2025 (54 complaints), 2007 (51 complaints) and 2017 (46 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2015 Acura MDX get?
Official estimates for the 2015 Acura MDX range from 21 to 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.5L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 20 city and 28 highway.
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