78 of the
355 complaints about the 2020 Acura MDX are about the
driver-assist systems — 22% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
19,725 miles.
C
78
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Adaptive Cruise Control
2228.2%
Warnings
1620.5%
Automatic Emergency Braking
1417.9%
Warning
1215.4%
Assist
911.5%
Warnings
33.8%
Blind Spot Detection
11.3%
Camera
11.3%
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance across every Acura MDX year
While driving on a residential street under normal daylight conditions, the forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking system failed without warning. A dashboard message appeared instructing me to clean the windshield and stating that collision avoidance services were unavailable. The windshield was clean and unobstructed. There was no precipitation, glare, or debris. The failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion. I had no indication of whether the vehicle was safe to continue driving or whether I should stop immediately, and no way to know whether the fault was limited to the camera or whether other systems were affected. There was no prior warning, no gradual degradation, and no fault indication before this event. I purchased this vehicle in part for its advanced driver assistance systems and rely on forward collision prevention in daily driving. That protection is now unavailable, and I am driving without a crash avoidance system I was sold and expected to have. I took the vehicle to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The dealer determined that the forward facing camera module must be replaced and recalibrated, and quoted $2,700. No recall or technical service bulletin was identified. I believe this constitutes a safety defect. A primary crash avoidance system failed spontaneously under normal operating conditions on a vehicle marketed on its safety technology. The repair cost is also high enough that many owners will defer or decline it, leaving vehicles on public roads with disabled collision avoidance. I request that NHTSA investigate the failure rate of this camera module and consider a safety recall.
NHTSA complaint #11756689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palm Harbor, FL
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
While driving on a residential street under normal daylight conditions, the forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking system failed without warning. A dashboard message appeared instructing me to clean the windshield and stating that collision avoidance services were unavailable. The windshield was clean and unobstructed. There was no precipitation, glare, or debris. The failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion. I had no indication of whether the vehicle was safe to continue driving or whether I should stop immediately, and no way to know whether the fault was limited to the camera or whether other systems were affected. There was no prior warning, no gradual degradation, and no fault indication before this event. I purchased this vehicle in part for its advanced driver assistance systems and rely on forward collision prevention in daily driving. That protection is now unavailable, and I am driving without a crash avoidance system I was sold and expected to have. I took the vehicle to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The dealer determined that the forward facing camera module must be replaced and recalibrated, and quoted $2,700. No recall or technical service bulletin was identified. I believe this constitutes a safety defect. A primary crash avoidance system failed spontaneously under normal operating conditions on a vehicle marketed on its safety technology. The repair cost is also high enough that many owners will defer or decline it, leaving vehicles on public roads with disabled collision avoidance. I request that NHTSA investigate the failure rate of this camera module and consider a safety recall.
NHTSA complaint #11756689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palm Harbor, FL
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
While driving on a residential street under normal daylight conditions, the forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking system failed without warning. A dashboard message appeared instructing me to clean the windshield and stating that collision avoidance services were unavailable. The windshield was clean and unobstructed. There was no precipitation, glare, or debris. The failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion. I had no indication of whether the vehicle was safe to continue driving or whether I should stop immediately, and no way to know whether the fault was limited to the camera or whether other systems were affected. There was no prior warning, no gradual degradation, and no fault indication before this event. I purchased this vehicle in part for its advanced driver assistance systems and rely on forward collision prevention in daily driving. That protection is now unavailable, and I am driving without a crash avoidance system I was sold and expected to have. I took the vehicle to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The dealer determined that the forward facing camera module must be replaced and recalibrated, and quoted $2,700. No recall or technical service bulletin was identified. I believe this constitutes a safety defect. A primary crash avoidance system failed spontaneously under normal operating conditions on a vehicle marketed on its safety technology. The repair cost is also high enough that many owners will defer or decline it, leaving vehicles on public roads with disabled collision avoidance. I request that NHTSA investigate the failure rate of this camera module and consider a safety recall.
NHTSA complaint #11756689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lafayette Hill, PA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Collision Mitigation, Automatic Cruise Control, and Lane Keep Assist features disabled. Safety equipment failure.
NHTSA complaint #11746074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lafayette Hill, PA
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Collision Mitigation, Automatic Cruise Control, and Lane Keep Assist features disabled. Safety equipment failure.
NHTSA complaint #11746074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lafayette Hill, PA
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Collision Mitigation, Automatic Cruise Control, and Lane Keep Assist features disabled. Safety equipment failure.
NHTSA complaint #11746074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Good morning, Out of nowhere my dashboard lit up after 5+ years of having no issues with the vehicle. I believe there are a total of 5 safety features that are linked to the ADAS camera in this MDX but i am not 100%, it may be 4 safety features. I am not here to whine about a repair on a 6 year old vehicle but this particular issue has become extremely common with this vehicle. I believe (along with all the other owners) that the ADAS issue with certain year Acura & Honda is happening way to often way too soon. my MDX does not even have 70k on it! after doing some research between Facebook, Reddit & many other Acura/Honda forums this appears to be all too common. when that camera shits the bed you lose many of the main safety features that may have brought you to purchase that vehicle. My local Acura dealer in Wilmington, NC told me he is replacing this part once a month and none of them are under warranty I'm not sure why he shared that with me but he did. that is an alarming number considering where i live and how few MDX's there probably are in my area. Where i live everyone drives either a full size pickup or suv and theyre all American brands. the dealer wants $1800 for the repair. I'm getting it done because i have the money to do it but I am not happy at all. normal wear and tear repairs i get, this one however i have a major issue with it. many people are not having the repair done because the car is driveable. any help with this would be greatly appreciated & thank you for your time. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11741211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Holly Ridge, NC
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Good morning, Out of nowhere my dashboard lit up after 5+ years of having no issues with the vehicle. I believe there are a total of 5 safety features that are linked to the ADAS camera in this MDX but i am not 100%, it may be 4 safety features. I am not here to whine about a repair on a 6 year old vehicle but this particular issue has become extremely common with this vehicle. I believe (along with all the other owners) that the ADAS issue with certain year Acura & Honda is happening way to often way too soon. my MDX does not even have 70k on it! after doing some research between Facebook, Reddit & many other Acura/Honda forums this appears to be all too common. when that camera shits the bed you lose many of the main safety features that may have brought you to purchase that vehicle. My local Acura dealer in Wilmington, NC told me he is replacing this part once a month and none of them are under warranty I'm not sure why he shared that with me but he did. that is an alarming number considering where i live and how few MDX's there probably are in my area. Where i live everyone drives either a full size pickup or suv and theyre all American brands. the dealer wants $1800 for the repair. I'm getting it done because i have the money to do it but I am not happy at all. normal wear and tear repairs i get, this one however i have a major issue with it. many people are not having the repair done because the car is driveable. any help with this would be greatly appreciated & thank you for your time. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11741211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Parker, CO
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My cruise control, automatic lane changing indicator light indicator, brake indicator light, high beam light indicator lights all keep coming off and on. Researching it on YouTube states that it’s the camera on my windshield getting too hot and it’s a known issue. It’s $1800 To fix but others have stated they get fixed and it doesn’t resolve the problem. Asking for your help.
NHTSA complaint #11741032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Parker, CO
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
My cruise control, automatic lane changing indicator light indicator, brake indicator light, high beam light indicator lights all keep coming off and on. Researching it on YouTube states that it’s the camera on my windshield getting too hot and it’s a known issue. It’s $1800 To fix but others have stated they get fixed and it doesn’t resolve the problem. Asking for your help.
NHTSA complaint #11741032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chino Hills, CA
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Faulty forward facing camera affixed internally on windshield. Adaptive Cruise Control will not function. Lane Keeping Assist will not function. Collision Mitigation Braking may be unavailable. Vehicle detects oncoming traffic in opposing lane as a potential collision, causing braking system to engage and causing a risk of a collision or being struck from the rear despite no vehicle ahead except on the opposite side of the road. Acura can not find anything wrong with the vehicle. Recently all warning lights for high beams, braking system, LKAS, road departure, front end collision, etc flash on vehicle. Multiple people with Acura and Honda vehicles have reported the same issue with the front windshield sensor camera, yet no recall, instead they have paid thousands to replace a faulty camera system. Acura quoted $2000 for replacement of camera. Vehicle operationally runs fine. Why has nothing been done despite numerous, repetitive issues with this safety hazard?
NHTSA complaint #11737175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chino Hills, CA
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Faulty forward facing camera affixed internally on windshield. Adaptive Cruise Control will not function. Lane Keeping Assist will not function. Collision Mitigation Braking may be unavailable. Vehicle detects oncoming traffic in opposing lane as a potential collision, causing braking system to engage and causing a risk of a collision or being struck from the rear despite no vehicle ahead except on the opposite side of the road. Acura can not find anything wrong with the vehicle. Recently all warning lights for high beams, braking system, LKAS, road departure, front end collision, etc flash on vehicle. Multiple people with Acura and Honda vehicles have reported the same issue with the front windshield sensor camera, yet no recall, instead they have paid thousands to replace a faulty camera system. Acura quoted $2000 for replacement of camera. Vehicle operationally runs fine. Why has nothing been done despite numerous, repetitive issues with this safety hazard?
NHTSA complaint #11737175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chino Hills, CA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Faulty forward facing camera affixed internally on windshield. Adaptive Cruise Control will not function. Lane Keeping Assist will not function. Collision Mitigation Braking may be unavailable. Vehicle detects oncoming traffic in opposing lane as a potential collision, causing braking system to engage and causing a risk of a collision or being struck from the rear despite no vehicle ahead except on the opposite side of the road. Acura can not find anything wrong with the vehicle. Recently all warning lights for high beams, braking system, LKAS, road departure, front end collision, etc flash on vehicle. Multiple people with Acura and Honda vehicles have reported the same issue with the front windshield sensor camera, yet no recall, instead they have paid thousands to replace a faulty camera system. Acura quoted $2000 for replacement of camera. Vehicle operationally runs fine. Why has nothing been done despite numerous, repetitive issues with this safety hazard?
NHTSA complaint #11737175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Folsom, CA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I was pulling up to our house to park in the open garage as I typically do and was in the driveway with my foot lifted off the gas pedal to allow the car to coast forward slowly. The car hesitated for a moment before it lunged/accelerated on its own with such force I had to slam on my brakes to avoid the car hitting the wall of our house. I did not have cruise control on. Took the car to Acura dealership for a multi-point inspection and they found nothing out of order that would’ve caused that to occur.
NHTSA complaint #11736703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The front camera mounted under the dash stopped working, prompting all of these systems to fail.
NHTSA complaint #11722941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bend, OR
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
The front camera mounted under the dash stopped working, prompting all of these systems to fail.
NHTSA complaint #11722941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bend, OR
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The front camera mounted under the dash stopped working, prompting all of these systems to fail.
NHTSA complaint #11722941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Allen, TX
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Add Auto High Beam problem to the above Adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and collision mitigation. Suddenly got several warning popups and persistent warning lights on related to the identified issues. We just replaced the battery a few months ago, and didn't have any of these problems until this week. Now, it happens every time we start the vehicle. We did the Recall software upgrade. I suspect these problems are related to that software upgrade. Many people online report identical problems without solutions. Please advise RE next steps for how to resolve.
NHTSA complaint #11721310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Allen, TX
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Add Auto High Beam problem to the above Adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and collision mitigation. Suddenly got several warning popups and persistent warning lights on related to the identified issues. We just replaced the battery a few months ago, and didn't have any of these problems until this week. Now, it happens every time we start the vehicle. We did the Recall software upgrade. I suspect these problems are related to that software upgrade. Many people online report identical problems without solutions. Please advise RE next steps for how to resolve.
NHTSA complaint #11721310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Allen, TX
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Add Auto High Beam problem to the above Adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and collision mitigation. Suddenly got several warning popups and persistent warning lights on related to the identified issues. We just replaced the battery a few months ago, and didn't have any of these problems until this week. Now, it happens every time we start the vehicle. We did the Recall software upgrade. I suspect these problems are related to that software upgrade. Many people online report identical problems without solutions. Please advise RE next steps for how to resolve.
NHTSA complaint #11721310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Woodbridge, VA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I start getting every kind of warning on my dashboard - Collision mitigation system problem -Auto Crues Control Problem -Brake system Light on - The Car apply brake on the miidle of street/Highway
NHTSA complaint #11720934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 45,000 milesSan Jose, CA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The contact owns a 2020 Acura MDX. The contact stated that the front windshield camera became inoperable. There were unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the control arms failed. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The windshield was replaced with an aftermarket part at an auto body shop. The control arm was replaced at the local dealer. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
NHTSA complaint #11718591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chesterfield, VA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I was driving on a normal sunny day when every light on my dashboard came on. I initially panicked thinking my car was going to shutoff while I was driving it. This is in conjunction with the car stalling out when the auto shutoff feature malfunctions. After researching the issue, I realized the safety camera was no longer working and a major concern. A malfunctioning front camera can prevent the vehicle from automatically braking or maintaining lanes, hence increasing the risk of collision. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the front multi-purpose camera system on the 2020 Acura MDX for potential defect and safety hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11716875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chesterfield, VA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I was driving on a normal sunny day when every light on my dashboard came on. I initially panicked thinking my car was going to shutoff while I was driving it. This is in conjunction with the car stalling out when the auto shutoff feature malfunctions. After researching the issue, I realized the safety camera was no longer working and a major concern. A malfunctioning front camera can prevent the vehicle from automatically braking or maintaining lanes, hence increasing the risk of collision. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the front multi-purpose camera system on the 2020 Acura MDX for potential defect and safety hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11716875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Albany, NY
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
There was a couple times where the car stalled at a red light. Also, there are a lot of times when I press the push to start, it will not start, advising me to place the key fob near the push to start. I find this to be dangerous when driving and very annoying when attempting to start and it doesn't start.
NHTSA complaint #11709878 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Los Altos, CA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
This is a safety-related defect involving the multipurpose front camera used for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) on the 2020 Acura MDX. The multipurpose front camera failed without warning, resulting in the simultaneous loss of multiple ADAS safety features, including (but not limited to) Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking, and Road Departure Mitigation. These features are integral to the vehicle’s active safety systems and driver awareness. The failure required full replacement of the front camera assembly. The total repair cost was approximately $2,300, which I was required to pay out of pocket because no recall or extended warranty coverage was available. This failure creates a significant safety concern because: * The loss of ADAS functions occurred suddenly and without driver fault. * The driver may rely on these systems for collision avoidance, lane control, and adaptive braking. * The vehicle remains drivable, but with materially degraded safety capabilities compared to its certified design. * There is a risk that drivers may not immediately recognize the loss of functionality or may assume partial systems are still operational. After experiencing this issue, I discovered numerous reports from other Acura MDX owners describing identical multipurpose front camera failures, often at similar mileage, with similarly high repair costs. This suggests a potential systemic defect rather than isolated wear or misuse. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this issue to determine whether this represents a safety-related defect requiring investigation and possible recall. Given the role this component plays in multiple safety systems, I believe this issue warrants formal evaluation.
NHTSA complaint #11708481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Los Altos, CA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
This is a safety-related defect involving the multipurpose front camera used for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) on the 2020 Acura MDX. The multipurpose front camera failed without warning, resulting in the simultaneous loss of multiple ADAS safety features, including (but not limited to) Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking, and Road Departure Mitigation. These features are integral to the vehicle’s active safety systems and driver awareness. The failure required full replacement of the front camera assembly. The total repair cost was approximately $2,300, which I was required to pay out of pocket because no recall or extended warranty coverage was available. This failure creates a significant safety concern because: * The loss of ADAS functions occurred suddenly and without driver fault. * The driver may rely on these systems for collision avoidance, lane control, and adaptive braking. * The vehicle remains drivable, but with materially degraded safety capabilities compared to its certified design. * There is a risk that drivers may not immediately recognize the loss of functionality or may assume partial systems are still operational. After experiencing this issue, I discovered numerous reports from other Acura MDX owners describing identical multipurpose front camera failures, often at similar mileage, with similarly high repair costs. This suggests a potential systemic defect rather than isolated wear or misuse. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this issue to determine whether this represents a safety-related defect requiring investigation and possible recall. Given the role this component plays in multiple safety systems, I believe this issue warrants formal evaluation.
NHTSA complaint #11708481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Los Altos, CA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
This is a safety-related defect involving the multipurpose front camera used for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) on the 2020 Acura MDX. The multipurpose front camera failed without warning, resulting in the simultaneous loss of multiple ADAS safety features, including (but not limited to) Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking, and Road Departure Mitigation. These features are integral to the vehicle’s active safety systems and driver awareness. The failure required full replacement of the front camera assembly. The total repair cost was approximately $2,300, which I was required to pay out of pocket because no recall or extended warranty coverage was available. This failure creates a significant safety concern because: * The loss of ADAS functions occurred suddenly and without driver fault. * The driver may rely on these systems for collision avoidance, lane control, and adaptive braking. * The vehicle remains drivable, but with materially degraded safety capabilities compared to its certified design. * There is a risk that drivers may not immediately recognize the loss of functionality or may assume partial systems are still operational. After experiencing this issue, I discovered numerous reports from other Acura MDX owners describing identical multipurpose front camera failures, often at similar mileage, with similarly high repair costs. This suggests a potential systemic defect rather than isolated wear or misuse. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this issue to determine whether this represents a safety-related defect requiring investigation and possible recall. Given the role this component plays in multiple safety systems, I believe this issue warrants formal evaluation.
NHTSA complaint #11708481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cherry Hill, NJ
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I drove my car in the morning and parked it in the lot for about an hour. After I came back and started my car, the following multiple safety systems displayed on my dashboard at the same time: - Lane Keeping Assist Problem - Collision Mitigation System Problem - Road Departure Mitigation System Problem - Auto High Beam Problem - Adaptive Cruise Control Problem When I took it to the dealership on the same day to diagnose this, they came back and said it was an internal failure with the camera and quoted me around $2200 to replace and recalibrate the camera. These lights just came on out of nowhere, I had no repairs or modifications with my windshield and there were no accidents of any sort. This appears to be a widespread problem among 2020 Acura MDX vehicles with similar camera modules. A malfunctioning front camera can prevent the vehicle from automatically braking or maintaining lanes, hence increasing the risk of collision. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the front multi-purpose camera system on the 2020 Acura MDX for potential defect and safety hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11704183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cherry Hill, NJ
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I drove my car in the morning and parked it in the lot for about an hour. After I came back and started my car, the following multiple safety systems displayed on my dashboard at the same time: - Lane Keeping Assist Problem - Collision Mitigation System Problem - Road Departure Mitigation System Problem - Auto High Beam Problem - Adaptive Cruise Control Problem When I took it to the dealership on the same day to diagnose this, they came back and said it was an internal failure with the camera and quoted me around $2200 to replace and recalibrate the camera. These lights just came on out of nowhere, I had no repairs or modifications with my windshield and there were no accidents of any sort. This appears to be a widespread problem among 2020 Acura MDX vehicles with similar camera modules. A malfunctioning front camera can prevent the vehicle from automatically braking or maintaining lanes, hence increasing the risk of collision. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the front multi-purpose camera system on the 2020 Acura MDX for potential defect and safety hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11704183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.