Heard a loud clunk followed by several small clunks when accelerating. Dealer confirmed the transmission & PTU are damaged and the car is no longer AWD. This issue is becoming more widespread with Acura MDXs and is a very expensive repair. From dealer: “FOUND DRIVESHAFT CAN TURN IN PARK WITHOUT TURNING FRONT WHEELS. THIS INDICATED TRANSMISSION AND PTU SPLINES ARE DAMAGED”
Acura MDX harsh shifting problems
55 of the 3,340 owner complaints about the Acura MDX describe harsh or hard shifting, most of them for the 2016 model year.
- owner complaints
- 55
- worst model year
- 2016
- typical mileage
- 41,179
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Transmission failure 8Jerking 8Slipping 6Loss of power 5Grinding brakes 5Won't shift 4Hesitation 4Ball joint 4
What owners say
2023 ACURA MDX TYPE S. 28k miles. While merging onto highway, I sped up and at 25 mph, I heard a loud metal clunk from underneath the car. Car still drove and functioned as a two wheel drive instead of AWD. Went in for service and was told that the transmission and Power train Unit would need to be replaced and will be replaced under powertrain warranty by Acura.
The vehicle developed repeated front‑end structural and steering problems shortly after purchase. During normal driving, it produced loud popping, creaking, and clunking noises when turning, entering driveways, or driving over small inclines. Steering felt inconsistent and the front suspension felt unstable. These symptoms created a serious risk of loss of control. A dealer confirmed the problem multiple times and replaced several major components, including the left front strut, the left front lower control arm, and the front shock absorber fork. The most serious finding was cracked welds in the front subframe, requiring the entire subframe to be replaced. A cracked subframe weld is a structural failure that can affect steering stability and crashworthiness. The issues were reproduced and documented by the dealer on multiple visits. The manufacturer’s engineering team was involved due to the severity and difficulty of diagnosis. Despite repeated repairs and extended time out of service, the same steering and suspension symptoms continued, and the vehicle was returned multiple times with ongoing issues. There were no warning lights or messages before the failures. The defects occurred during low‑speed maneuvering and normal driving conditions. The vehicle did not perform like a safe, structurally sound new vehicle, and the repeated structural and steering failures pose a safety risk to occupants and others on the road.
The car made a clunk sound while driving and wouldn't accelerate. After coming to a stop and trying to take off, the car still had difficulty accelerating. After turning the car off and back on everything appeared fine. The loss of acceleration was unexpected and there were no warning lights or indication of an issue. The lack of ability to accelerate along with the clunk sound caused unnecessary safety risks by not allowing the car to maneuver out of danger and disrupting the flow of traffic unexpectedly. The car then began leaking oil. The Acura dealership noted that the oil was transmission and power transfer unit oil and the car no longer has all wheel drive but only front wheel drive. The loss of all wheel drive without any indication or warning is a serious safety issue because it affects all aspects of drivability (handling, acceleration, traction). They said over time the splines of the power transfer unit input shaft rust and then sheer off which causes metal to damage the transmission seal and power transfer unit seal. The service manager said this was a known issue due to bad engineering and there is no way to prevent it. The vehicle is unchanged since the incident and can be inspected.
I am writing to formally escalate an unresolved matter regarding my 2026 Acura MDX Technology, purchased on XXX, from Piazza Acura of [XXX]. As a loyal Acura customer of over nine years and currently on my fourth lease, this experience is both unexpected and unacceptable. Since shortly after purchase, the vehicle has exhibited persistent and unresolved performance issues, most notably harsh and inconsistent gear shifting and a pronounced vibration in the accelerator pedal. Despite multiple service visits and significant time invested, these concerns remain unresolved. I have repeatedly been advised that these conditions are “normal characteristics” of the vehicle due to adaptive transmission behavior—an explanation that is inconsistent with my prior ownership experience across multiple MDX models (2017, 2020, and 2023) and does not align with reasonable expectations for a vehicle in this class. To be clear, the vehicle in its current condition fails to meet reasonable standards of quality, reliability, and merchantability for a $62,000+ luxury vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle did not exhibit these issues during pre-purchase test drives, indicating these conditions are neither inherent nor acceptable. The service history is summarized below: April 18, 2026 – Piazza Acura of Ardmore Issues: Installation of a sport heated steering wheel (contractually owed), slow acceleration, harsh shifting, vibration in the accelerator pedal, GPS inoperable Service time: 1 day April 24, 2026 – Piazza Acura of Ardmore Issues: Installation of the correct heated steering wheel, continued transmission and vibration in the accelerator pedal concerns Service time: 6 days May 11, 2026 – Elite Acura (NJ) Issue: Accelerator pedal vibration Service time: ~1.5 hours June 15, 2026 – Piazza Acura of Ardmore Issues: Ongoing vibration in the accelerator pedal, Blind Spot Information System problem warning Service time: 2+ days (ongoing) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact stated that while driving, the engine made clunking noise, sudden loss of power and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a connecting rod bearing failure and engine replacement is necessary. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
Clunking or Looseness in the Outer Tie Rod. The issue is related to TSB-B23-019 Bulletin. The exact same issue is occurring that has happened with years 2022-2023. I have had at the dealership to fix the issue and they never mentioned the outer tie rod cotter pin or castle nut loosening.
I own a 2022 Acura MDX SH-AWD with approximately 85,000 miles. The issue began suddenly while driving around 5 mph when two loud bangs were heard from the rear drivetrain/transfer case area. After the initial incident, the vehicle was driven home, and the problem became consistently noticeable during any acceleration from a stop or low speed. The drivetrain would clunk/slip during acceleration and exhibited abnormal engagement behavior. Due to concern about causing further drivetrain damage or a potential safety issue, the vehicle was subsequently towed to an Acura dealer for diagnosis. The Acura dealer confirmed that both the transfer case and transmission require replacement due to “worn teeth on splines.” The repair estimate specifically states: “REPLACE TRANSFER CASE AND TRANSMISSION DUE TO WORN TEETH ON SPLINES.” Estimated repair cost is approximately $11,400. I have photographs and repair documentation related to the failure. This failure created a potential safety concern because the drivetrain was no longer operating normally and produced loud clunking/slipping during acceleration from stops and low speeds. A drivetrain or power transfer failure could increase the risk of loss of propulsion or inability to accelerate normally into traffic. The issue was reproduced and confirmed by the Acura dealer. The vehicle has been regularly maintained, including drivetrain fluid services, through Acura/Honda service facilities. There were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or electronic indications before or after the failure event. The only indication was the loud banging noise from the drivetrain/transfer case area and the resulting abnormal drivetrain behavior during acceleration. The service manager also indicated they had seen several similar cases involving this issue.
Complete drivetrain failure while accelerating from a complete stop in the middle of a busy intersection. No warning lights or hazard messages were activated before or after the failure. The car made a massive clunking/banging sound and continued to clunk on acceleration. The car had to be towed to the dealership. My children were in the car with me, and we had just driven on the highway for 45 minutes before this failure. Luckily, my husband was behind me, and I activated hazards until I could pull over safely. It was jerking and clunking so badly that I was barely able to steer. It was terrifying since my two young children were in the car, and they were both screaming from the noise. I believe I would have been rear-ended if my husband had not been behind me due to the sudden jerk from the failure, as I was the first car in the left turn lane. This is not the first issue I have had with the transfer case in this vehicle. The affected transfer case and drive train were replaced only 7 months prior due to a faulty transfer case and a severe clunking sound. This vehicle has had repeated drivetrain failures without warning, resulting in loss of traction and control. The recent failure reflects a completely stripped spline connecting the transfer case and transmission. This will be the 4th transfer case this vehicle has had at only 64K miles. All recommended maintenance and care have been completed at the certified Acura dealership since the vehicle was purchased. Recently, the 60K services were completed just 3 months prior to the current failure. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for repairs under warranty, as it needs a new transmission and another transfer case. I have not yet received the documentation, as the car is not in my possession, but I will provide it once I receive it. See the attached documentation from the previous failure, dated 6/3/2025, to establish a pattern of catastrophic drivetrain failure.
I was at a stop light, when the lights turned green, I accelerated and heard a loud bang underneath the vehicle. The sound was so loud I thought I had been rear ended. I got out to inspect the vehicle and did not see any damages. I got back into the vehicle and put it in drive to get to the closed gas station. When I started driving, I heard clunking sounds underneath vehicle. I put on my hazards and drove slow. After about 50-100 ft the clunking sounds went away. No lights on the dash or anything. I then got vehicle towed to my father’s shop to inspect what was going or what happened due to not feeling safe driving. One of his employees looked up the cause of the noise and had found that the differential splines or transfer case would strip and cause a loud bang. Which happens on a lot of these acuras. He put vehicle on lift, and put it into drive. The front wheels would spin, but not the rear wheels. He said that indicates the transfer case is bad
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 13V571000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- On some mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.
- Risk
- Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear. On vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration is not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. The recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and mdx owners. Owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the tl and cl vehicles. Owners should contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009 or acura at 1‑800‑382‑2238.
Recall number 04V176000 · Recall details
Questions about the Acura MDX harsh shifting
Which Acura MDX years have harsh or hard shifting problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2016 (11 complaints), 2001 (7 complaints) and 2017 (7 complaints).
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