front differential leaking oil/transmission fluid. only front wheels are driving car. no warning lights from car. Independent repair shop diagnosed as a failed front differential due to stripped internal splines inside the differential leading to a leak.
2022 Acura MDX transmission problems
74 complaints (46% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 97,000. 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 74
- of this car's complaints
- 46%
- typical mileage
- 97,000
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Transfer case (4-wheel drive)1
- Automatic transmission1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Acura MDX transmission problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2022 Acura MDX transmission
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
All wheel drive allegation
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a Petition dated January 9, 2026, requesting an investigation into the loss of the optional all-wheel drive capability in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Acura TLX and MY 2022-2023 Acura MDX vehicles. The Petition alleges failures in the interfacing splines between the front wheel drive transaxle and the rear wheel drive power take off unit. Failure of these splines prevents the transfer of drive power to the rear axle, making the vehicle front wheel drive only. The Petition further alleges that this failure reduces vehicle directional control. Most traditional AWD systems utilize mechanical and passive measures. These systems have the tendency to distribute torque along the path of least resistance, such as a wheel that has lost contact with the ground or is on a low friction surface such as ice. To compensate for this, many manufacturers use the brake system to redirect torque to the wheels with more traction. However, in this style of AWD system, a failed drive shaft or similar disconnection prior to the brakes often results in drive power being lost to the disconnected component. The consequence of this loss is the inability to maintain speed with surrounding traffic which increases the risks of collisions and injuries to the vehicle occupants. The Subject Vehicles are built upon a platform that was designed primarily as Front Wheel Drive (FWD). The SH-AWD system functions more as a performance enhancement feature rather than a stability feature. Even if the SH-AWD is nonoperational, the vehicles retain full mobility via FWD. In addition, the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) remains functional, ensuring directional stability through traditional engine and brake-based traction control. Although the condition raised by the Petitioner may degrade the vehicleâs performance characteristics, there is insufficient information to indicate a potential unreasonable safety risk. ODI reviewed 62 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) and several EWR Field Reports alleging the loss of SH-AWD and its impact on the driving dynamics of the subject vehicles. During its analysis, ODI determined that the failure is localized to the mechanical interface between the FWD transaxle and the PTU. Specifically, the failure is the shearing or stripping of the interfacing splined shafts between the FWD transaxle and the PTU, resulting in a permanent loss of torque transfer to the rear of the vehicle. Upon reviewing the technical details of SH-AWD, ODI has found that this failure does not result in any loss of motive power or lead to a loss of vehicle control. Several complaints indicated that the operators were unaware of the mechanical fault until encountering a low friction surface or the condition was identified by a technician during routine maintenance. The SH-AWD system lacks any form of direct feedback for monitoring real time torque transfer to the rear wheels. Therefore, the system will continue to display information indicating power is being supplied to the rear wheels even when power is actually only supplied to the front wheels. ODIâs review did not identify sufficient evidence to indicate that the misinformation has presented a safety issue in the field. ODI did not identify any reports of loss of motive power or vehicle control that could be attributed to the loss of SH-AWD. ODI is not aware of any crashes involving the Subject Vehicles that resulted from the loss of SH-AWD. After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the Petitioner, consumer complaint information in the federal safety agencyâs databases, and other relevant information already in possession of the Agency, the federal safety agency has not found sufficient evidence to indicate that the loss of AWD as alleged by the Petitioner is likely to present a safety related defect that would warrant a formal investigation. After full consideration of the available information, and in view of the federal safety agencyâs enforcement priorities, the Petition is denied. A denial report will be posted in the Federal Register. The closing of the petition does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety related defect does not exist, and the agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. The Petition can be viewed at under ODI Number 11712885.
DP26001
What 2022 Acura MDX owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
AWD system failed. Vehicle is only working in front wheel drive.
We purchased our 2022 Acura MDX with 7K miles on it. The transmission failed 2 years after it was purchased and required a full replacement. We knew there was an issue due to transmission fluid leaking from the vehicle. This was completed under warranty. It has been exactly 2 years since the full transmission replacement, and the dealer has just informed us the transmission is failing again and will require another FULL REPLACEMENT. Apparently there is a known issue with the transfer case splines on this model year, and the transfer case was not replaced by the dealer when they completed the first full transmission replacement.
My 2022 Acura MDX lost motive power due to a transmission and transfer case failure at 64,306 miles. The transmission first became jumpy shifting from 1st to 2nd gear, then began whining and self-correcting. The jerking worsened in stop-and-go traffic until the vehicle became stuck in low gear and at times lost all gears completely. On the drive to the dealer, it nearly would not go into gear at all, and I did not think it was going to make it. The dealer (Crown Acura, [XXX], repair order #XXX) found the transmission fluid level low and the transfer case fluid dark, indicating the two fluids had been mixing. Diagnostic codes present were described by the dealer as transmission failure codes. After removing the transfer case, the dealer found brown sludge and worn connections between the transfer case and transmission, and noted the vehicle was not far from the relatively common failure of the transfer case. Both the transmission and the transfer case were replaced, and the transmission control module was reprogrammed with a new module. The vehicle was in the shop for approximately six weeks. The repair was covered under the certified pre-owned powertrain warranty at no cost to me. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle had oil leak from transmission/transfer case area. Repair shop discovered splines worn where transmission driveshaft and transfer case meet. A common issue apparently. Caused vehicle to only work as a FWD instead of a FWD vehicle. Was advised transmission and transfer case need replaced a cost of 12-13k for a used pair.
Transmission Failed, Drive train spline is stripped, Safety basically vehicle would shake constanstly. It has been inspected by Acura of Berlin CT.
My less than 5 year old car had a leak coming from the center front of the car. Acura Service said the transfer case and transmission connection spindles were damaged and transmission seals are leaking. They recommended a replacement of both transmission and transfer case, at a cost of over $13,000, and that is after Acura Customer Service gave me a 10% discount on the repair.
My 2022 Acura MDX has transmission issues that started at 99,000 miles. After inspection as to why the drive shaft is spinning freely - they pulled the transfer case off and noticed that the teeth are worn down to almost flat, which is cause ing the transmission not to send power to the real wheels. This is consistent with multiple documented transmission - PTU spline failures on 2022-2023 Acura MDXs (reference NHSTA Investigation DP26-001).
Splines between transmission and transfer case stripped. Awd does not work anymore. No codes on the dash.
I was driving and my AWD sistem made a shader sound and right after that the vehicle went on two wheel drive, the clang it made cause the vehicle to swerve in the highway which could have caused an accident. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle hasn’t been inspected by the dealer or anyone yet, but the SH-AWD light came on after the sound and the vehicle stayed on front wheel drive only. If this system fail the way it fail on my vehicle at a higher speed it could have caused a fatal accident!
Questions about the 2022 Acura MDX transmission
Does the 2022 Acura MDX have transmission problems?
Owners have filed 74 complaints about the transmission of the 2022 Acura MDX, 46% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2022 Acura MDX transmission problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 97,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2022 Acura MDX transmission?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Acura MDX have bad transmission?
The Acura MDX model years with the most transmission complaints are 2001 (131 complaints), 2002 (126 complaints) and 2016 (113 complaints).
Other 2022 Acura MDX problems
Electrical 20Steering 19Brakes 18Driver assistance 18Engine 9Suspension 9Acceleration 7Body 7Airbags 5Fuel system 4Visibility 4Wheels 3Lights 1Tires 1
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