Head-to-head reliability
Acura MDX vs Honda Accord
How the Acura MDX and Honda Accord compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Acura MDX vs Honda Accord: The MDX averages 113.8 complaints per year, while the Accord averages 443.8. The MDX has more severe drivetrain and electrical failures, but the Accord has more frequent issues with forward collision avoidance and engine problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Acura MDX or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Acura MDX
The Acura MDX is a midsize luxury SUV that, in ownership terms, offers comfort and features but comes with a notable reliability burden. Over the past decade, owners have filed over 1,100 complaints, averaging about 114 per year, with the engine, electrical system, and powertrain being the most frequent trouble spots. Real-world reports describe issues like drivetrain failures, power steering loss, and sudden acceleration, which can be alarming and costly. While not every vehicle will experience these problems, the pattern suggests that MDX owners should be prepared for potential visits to the dealer.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular midsize sedan that, despite its reputation for reliability, shows a higher volume of complaints in the data—over 4,400 in ten years, averaging about 444 per year. The most common issues involve the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with owners reporting problems like sudden power loss, false collision warnings, and even a sunroof explosion. These complaints indicate that even mainstream models can have significant glitches, and buyers should be aware of the potential for electronic and safety system malfunctions.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Acura MDX | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,138 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 45 | 38 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 28 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 113.8 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 27 Better | 144 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 3 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Acura MDX
- 01ENGINE313
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM229
- 03POWER TRAIN216
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER174
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE144
Owners report transmission system problems, AWD issues, and emissions system failures, sometimes with reduced power. One owner described a transfer case failure at only 25,000 miles, leading to front-wheel-only power.
Failures include electric power steering loss while driving, which can be dangerous, and floor harness issues caused by moisture accumulation, leading to malfunctions like air strut problems.
Complete drivetrain failure can occur during acceleration, with loud clunking sounds and no warning lights. Another owner noted persistent traction issues even after replacing tires, pointing to an underlying AWD problem.
Sudden unintended acceleration in a parking lot and sunroof drain clogs causing water intrusion are reported, the latter leading to wet carpets and potential mold.
“MY VEHICLE 2022 ACURA TYPE S HAS A TRANSMISSION SYSTEM PROBLEM, BLIND SPOT INFO PROBLEM, AND A ALL WHEEL DRIVE PROBLEM THAT ONLY MY FRONT WHEE;S MAY BE POWERED. IT LOOKS LIKE THE TRANSFER CASE MAYBE FAILING. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 25,000 MILES ON IT AND IS ABOUT…”
“Emissions System Failure Warning Power Shifting / Power Shifting See Dealer All Wheel Drive (AWD) Power may be reduced - see dealer”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report unusual noises and sudden loss of power with multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS) at highway speeds, indicating possible engine or drivetrain control issues.
TPMS warnings that lead to tire failure and rodent damage to wiring harnesses are reported, the latter causing engine management problems in a nearly new vehicle.
The system can trigger false alerts or warnings for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic high beams, sometimes intermittently, which can be distracting and erode driver trust.
A sunroof glass spontaneously exploded while driving, and there are reports of tire failures shortly after service, raising concerns about component quality.
“I purchased this vehicle at 0 miles in July 2025 from Honda Accord in Pensacola Florida. I reported in July 2025 that there was a noise and I was unhappy with the vehicle and would like to exchange the vehicle within the 30 days months later, the noise got lo…”
“Vehicle drove normally in the morning commute. In the afternoon commute it started normally and as i approached highway speeds the alarms started showing up. the Brake, hill descent system, abs, critical failure. the vehicle started losing speed and could not…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Acura MDX — 45 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022…
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH,…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehic…
The risk: A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall ar…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022…
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH,…
Honda Accord — 38 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the integrated control module (ICM) central processing unit (CPU) may reset while driving, causing a loss of drive power.
The risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the ICM CPU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 6, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is TN2. Vehicle Identificati…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2026 CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and 2025-2026 CR-V Fuel Cell EV vehicles. When using the tire repair kit, pressure may build within the sealant bottle, causing the bottle cap to detach.
The risk: A detached bottle cap can become a projectile and strike the user or others nearby, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the tire repair kit nozzle or sealant bottle, 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, anticipat…
The defect: Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an…
The risk: Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the VSA modulator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are OEJ, XEK, AEY, XEX and OEW.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
Buyer analysis
Acura MDX or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Honda Accord has a higher complaint rate (about 444 per year) compared to the Acura MDX (about 114 per year), but the MDX's issues are often more severe, involving drivetrain and steering failures. In practice, the Accord may have more frequent but less critical electronic glitches, while the MDX could present more serious safety-related defects. Neither is free of problems, but the MDX's lower volume is offset by the nature of its complaints.
Key differences
- The MDX has a higher proportion of engine and powertrain complaints, including drivetrain failure and AWD issues, while the Accord's top issues are more evenly spread across engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance.
- The Accord has a significantly higher number of crash-related complaints (160 vs 28) and injuries (144 vs 27), though the MDX has zero reported deaths versus three for the Accord.
- Both vehicles have recalls for air bag occupant classification sensors, but the MDX also has recalls for brake pedals and backup prevention software, while the Accord has recalls for hybrid power control unit software, spare tires, ABS control units, and fuel pumps.
- Owners of the MDX report sudden acceleration and power steering loss, which are critical safety concerns, whereas Accord owners report more false collision warnings and sunroof explosions.
- Inspect the drivetrain and AWD system for any signs of clunking or loss of power, especially if the vehicle has around 25,000 miles or more.
- Check for moisture in the floor harness area and ensure sunroof drains are clear to avoid electrical and water damage.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system for false alerts and ensure the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping functions work correctly.
- Inspect the sunroof glass for any cracks or defects and verify that the TPMS system is functioning properly to avoid tire failures.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full service history and check for any open recalls on both vehicles.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the drivetrain and electrical systems.
- Test drive at highway speeds to listen for unusual noises and check for warning lights.
- Ask about any previous repairs related to the specific issues mentioned in complaints.
- Consider purchasing an extended warranty to cover potential costly failures.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Acura MDX | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 5 |
| 2025 | 93 | 101 |
| 2024 | 38 | 214 |
| 2023 | 38 | 224 |
| 2022 | 146 | 238 |
| 2021 | 0 | 226 |
| 2020 | 215 | 355 |
| 2019 | 185 | 677 |
| 2018 | 164 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 253 | 534 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Acura MDX or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Acura MDX vs Honda Accord
- Acura MDX total complaints
- 1,138
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Acura MDX total recalls
- 45
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Acura MDX avg complaints/year
- 113.8
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Acura MDX
- Acura MDX top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE