2020 Acura MDX: sudden loss of power

Filed Apr 28, 2026 · Engine · IA

Interstate driving 70mph. Sudden engine power loss, vehicle slowed to 50mph. Check engine light came on. Engine knocking noises. Drove car 2 miles to our Acura dealership. Service dept says we have rod bearing failure. Currently deciding how to proceed...used or Reman motor repalcement.

Filed Apr 6, 2026 · Engine · NM

On March 3, 2026 my son was driving our 2020 Acura MDX when we lost power in the middle of an intersection. The following day we had it towed to Montanto Acura in [XXX] where we were told we had a blown engine due to a bad crank shaft and possibly engine bearings. Prior to this the car drove fine with no warning signs. My son who was [XXX] old was at a dangerous intersection and had to wait for help to arrive to move the vehicle out of the intersection. We had to pay to replace the engine a total of $8,747.36 for a used engine. Now fearing for our son's safety we decided to sell the car at a loss and buy him something we can reply on and that won't put him in danger. Although Acura has recalled many engines, our VIN did not come up in that recall, however we have now been affected by the same issue many others had the recall performed on. I have all service records from our dealership to prove the condition. It is unacceptable that a Honda Engine would fail with 105,374 miles and all service work done at the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 31, 2026 · Engine · DE

The motor through a misfire code and began making a noise while vehicle was sitting at a red light. Vehicle lost all power and had to be towed. Was quoted my the Acura dealership $9k. Main reason for addressing this concern is because numerous Acura J35 series motors have already been recalled for engine connecting rod issues. While this motor doesn't apparently fall under that recall, odd that it would essentially had the same issue, when it only had 136k miles and has been maintained to factory standards (or better)

Filed Mar 19, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · ID

While driving my 2020 Acura MDX A-Spec at approximately 63,744 miles, the vehicle suddenly lost all engine power without warning while passing through a busy multi-lane intersection. The loss of propulsion prevented acceleration and forced us to coast across traffic lanes to reach the shoulder, creating a significant safety hazard. The engine would not restart. The vehicle was inspected on 3/17/2026 by Lyle Pearson Acura (Boise, ID). The dealership diagnosed catastrophic internal engine failure with the following findings: spun rod bearing in cylinder #6, excessive metal debris in the oil pan, and bearing seizure to the crankshaft. The technician stated the failure pattern is consistent with the rod-bearing defect described in Acura Safety Recall / Service Bulletin 24-001. Although my VIN is NOT currently included in the recall population, the confirmed failure mode matches the known defect. This suggests the issue may extend beyond currently identified vehicles that are included in Acura Service Bulletin 24-001 and the federal safety agency recall 23V‑751. The vehicle has a salvage title from prior cosmetic damage only; no engine, drivetrain, or structural components were affected. The vehicle has been properly maintained with documented service history. This failure represents a serious safety risk due to sudden loss of power in active traffic conditions, increasing the risk of collision or injury. I request the federal safety agency review this incident to determine whether additional vehicles should be included in the recall and to assess the broader safety risk.

Filed Nov 18, 2025 · Engine · GA

I was driving on the interstate when suddenly the check engine light began to flash and the car lost power. I was traveling at 70 mph and the sudden loss of power caused the vehicles behind me to move into the other lane to prevent rear ending me. While there was no accident, there could have been if the other drivers were not reactive. There was no advanced warning. This could have been deadly for me and my family. I was several miles from home and needed to have the vehicle towed to a mechanic who stated it sounded like a rod bearing and suggested we take it to an Acura dealer. We are yet to have a resolution.

Filed Jul 14, 2025 · NJ

I been having deceleration problem and shut down unexpectedly problem with my Acura MDX 2020 truck. I can be driving my truck normally and out of no where my truck would lose power slow down and eventually shut off completely. I avoided like 5 car accidents with this incident happened to me. I have bring the truck to Acura and they are not fixing my problem.i am scared to dead to drive my own truck. I always drive with my kids in my truck. Please help I don’t know what else to do. This truck is going to get me in a nasty car accident and I can even lost my life. Back in 2024 in September I was driving on 78 on my way to Jersey City, I was driving like 65 miles, my truck slow down lose power and eventually turned off. Someone almost hit me from behind. On Wednesday July 02/2025 I was driving like 20 miles approaching a red light to stop once I press the break pedal my truck completely shuts off. I needed to wait like 1 minute or 2 to turn on. Also on Thursday July 3/2025. I was on my way to the hospital with my kids and my truck turn off completely on a Burger King drive through. That day I took my truck again to Acura to check on it. They told me nothing was wrong with my truck.

Filed Jan 22, 2025 · Engine · IN

Driving on the highway when suddenly I had lost all power and then the check engine light flashed. I was stranded for hours waiting for.a tow truck and freezing temperatures with no power to my vehicle. It was towed to the nearest Honda dealer and was told I had a complete engine failure and needed a new engine for $10,000.

Filed Dec 12, 2024 · Engine · IN

We were traveling far from home on I-44 in Missouri when our 2020 Acura MDX experienced a total engine failure. An engine rod broke and pierced the oil pan causing a sudden loss of engine power. I believe this is related to the federal safety agency Investigation #RQ24013, even though the Acura dealership had performed the recall service for this issue a couple months earlier. I suspect the recall service was either performed incorrectly or that a part was not tightened properly, ultimately leading to the engine failure.

Filed Nov 20, 2024 · Engine · CT

I started to here a very light knocking noise on cold starts. I made an appointment with my dealership to check it out. The earliest appoint they had open was a bout a week out. A few days later I was driving on the highway and the knocking noise suddenly became very loud and all the dashboard lights came on. The vehicle lost power and I barely coasted off the highway before the MDX came to a complete stop. I called AAA and had the car towed to the dealer. The next day they called me and told me it had been a connecting rod bearing failure and needed an entire new engine for $25,000.00. I was in total shock. I googled what happened to me online and found this is happening to many acuras and hondas. The dealer said there is absolutely no warranty and they cant do anything even though there are articles online and from the federal safety agency saying this is a common problem and under investigation. I was forced to replace the engine in my car because I still have a loan on it and dont know what else to do. The engine basically blew up on the highway in heavy traffic and was extremely dangerous and now acura wants nothing to do with the repairs. I think this situation deserves investigation.

Filed Jun 24, 2024 · Acceleration, Engine · TX

upon turning right, the car lost power, degraded acceleration as if someone is holding and pulling the car to move forward. The traffic behind me expected me to cathup with the speed on the road but due to loss of power and engine hesitation i got honked and was luck to avoid a crash from behind on a busy road. Acura dealership in Dallas dont have parts since a very long time. They have pleant of new cars to sell but not repair.

Filed Mar 6, 2024 · Fuel system · WI

While driving on the highway, at highway speeds, all dash lights came on and the vehicle immediately lost power coming to an abrupt stop. We were able to limp the car to the side of the road. It was ultimately determined that the car’s fuel pump had gone out. The fuel pump was replaced by Acura, and covered under the initial manufactures warranty. However, it’s rather suspicious that our car is not included in the recall given that the fuel pump failure is identical to the open recall for our same make and model.

Filed Oct 20, 2023 · Electrical · TX

Our 2020 MDX we lease has lost electrical 3x since Sep 1. Once while sitting at a stoplight. Twice while turning at intersection. Each time, there was a complete power loss. When the car was moving, it quickly slowed to a stop in the road. In each case, it took a few minutes to get the car restarted due to being startled at what happened. I checked the battery cables, and they are tight. The radio settings were not lost, so I do not think it was a battery connection failure. We are not sure what to do with this as, while there are a lot of similar reports for acuras, there is no consistent diagnosis.