46 of the 172 complaints about the 2025 Acura MDX are about the electrical system — 27% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 15,700 miles.
46
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Auto start-stop system stalled my car at a red light few times. Also I can clearly tell starting/cranking it is lagging as well.
NHTSA complaint #11763829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Battery keeps dying. Faulty starter leaving car stranded.
NHTSA complaint #11763842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
20 minutes after parking my car, it would not start. Several different codes came up on the gauges - BRAKE issue; hill issue;stabilization issue - multiple icons and warnings. I ended up having to be jumped off.
NHTSA complaint #11763280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car at a stop light, went into idle stop, and then shut off with an error message that to continue to drive, depress brake pedal and push switch. Car then needs to be restarted. This has happened 3 times in less than a week, so it is becoming concerning as a safety issue. The issue seems to be related to the starter and idle stop feature.
NHTSA complaint #11763310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Occassionally when the "auto stop start" feature is on and I am stopped at traffic light, the engine does not restart when I release the brake and hit the gas pedal. I took my car into my local dealer and they replaced battery but I was also advised that I might not want to use the "auto stop start" feature because it is a real drain on battery. Even with the new battery, I have experienced failure of the car to restart after being stopped in traffic while the "auto stop start" is engaged. When in traffic and you expect the car to restart and it doesn't, it causes momentary panic and is very unsafe. I have been turning the "auto stop start" feature off every time I start the car to avoid this unsafe situation.
NHTSA complaint #11762996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Auto Stop/Start fails to restart intermittently causing dangerous situations stuck at lights unable to move. Sometimes it restarts again after pressing the brake and ignition right away. Sometimes it takes a minute to restart. Either way it happens unexpectantly leading to being frozen until you figure out what is going on.
NHTSA complaint #11762658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
When at a red light the engine cuts off and does not restart when foot comes off the brake. Sometimes it takes several minutes to start. We were stuck in an intersection and almost were rear ended. Took it ti the dealership. had a new battery up in. By the time we got home, it did it again. Took it back to the dealership, they replaced the started. No problems for 4 months. Now it is doing the same thing again, along with the air conditioner not cooling. The first time we took it in for oil change we told them it was not cooling and were told there was nothing wrong with it. Took it back this weekend and found out there is a compressor issue. The compressors are not available for repair. Other minor issues are codes are randomly appearing on the gauges and the screen blacks out.
NHTSA complaint #11761234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The auto shutoff and restart system has failed multiple times causing the car to shutoff in the middle of traffic. This has happened in traffic on the interstate, on surface streets and in the drive thru line. Safety was put at risk as had to restart car in middle of traffic multiple times; once car would not restart at stop light. This could have caused an accident as vehicle was at a full stop with cars coming up from behind in the road. Dealer has replaced starter and relay twice. In less than 2 years, I'm on my third starter. Dealer has inspected vehicle multiple times. No warning messages or other symptoms before occurring. When the engine would not restart at intersection, warning message of "transmission system problem, apply parking brake when parked. See your dealer" Could not restart engine.
NHTSA complaint #11760772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2025 Acura MDX suffers from a severe safety defect regarding the Auto Idle Stop (auto start-stop) system. When the vehicle comes to a complete stop at intersections or traffic lights, the engine shuts off as intended. However, upon releasing the brake pedal to accelerate, the engine completely fails to auto-restart.Instead of restarting, the vehicle drops out of the auto-restart sequence entirely, shifts itself out of drive, and displays a critical safety message on the dashboard: "To start engine: Brake + Push".This completely strands the vehicle in live traffic, forcing me to manually shift into Park, press the foot brake, and push the engine start button while traffic accumulates behind me. This creates an immediate rear-end collision hazard.The dealership has already attempted to diagnose and repair this issue under warranty by replacing both the vehicle's battery. This hardware replacement did not fix the problem; the failure continues to occur unpredictably less than a week (and 25 miles) after replacement. The root cause appears to be a software, Powertrain Control Module (PCM), or sensor tracking defect where the vehicle fails to recognize it is in an automated restart sequence.I am filing this complaint to be officially included in the ongoing NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA25004 regarding Honda/Acura Auto Idle Stop failures, as the current hardware recall remedies are entirely ineffective for the 2025 model year.
NHTSA complaint #11759336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2025 Acura MDX – Auto Idle Stop Failure to Restart When my 2025 Acura MDX is stopped at a traffic light and the Auto Idle Stop system activates, the engine shuts off but on multiple occasions has failed to restart when traffic begins moving. The vehicle becomes immobilized in an active traffic lane. Vehicles behind me begin moving and honking while I am unable to move the vehicle. To regain operation, I have had to completely shut the vehicle off and restart it while stopped in traffic. I can prevent the occurrence by manually disabling Auto Idle Stop after starting the vehicle, but this requires me to remember to disable the system every time I drive. If I forget, I risk the vehicle shutting down and failing to restart at an intersection. This creates a serious safety concern for me and my passengers, including my child. I am concerned about being stranded in an intersection or other active traffic lane and potentially being struck by another vehicle. I believe the Auto Idle Stop system's failure to restart the engine presents an unreasonable safety risk and should be investigated.
NHTSA complaint #11758463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2025 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while at a stop, the vehicle lost automotive power, and all electrical features turned off. The vehicle was restarted and the battery warning light illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle was idling roughly. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 17,400.
NHTSA complaint #11758335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
After an auto idle stop at a major intersection, car failed to restart automatically and was left stranded unable to restart the car. Car would not shut off or turn back on when using the power button and with foot on brake but had power but it was in limp mode - transmission warnings flashed and the D "for drive" on the screen at the drivers location. I called tripleA however before they showed up I was able to put the parking brake on and turn the car off and on ad it reset. This is similar to the issue was happening with my 2017 Honda Pilot where it would stall and not restart after the auto idle stop engaged. Very dangerous and difficult to troubleshoot when in that situation, surprised that this is still happening in Honda manufactured cars - this is very dangerous and needs to be addressed and investigated.
NHTSA complaint #11757151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2025 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped at a stoplight, the START/STOP system failed to operate as designed and the vehicle turned off unintendedly. The vehicle was restarted to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the starter and battery, and other unknown parts were also replaced. The failure reoccurred once while idling in stop-and-go traffic on the highway. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.
NHTSA complaint #11756420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Auto Idle Restart failed three times in traffic at red light. Have to shift to Park and push Start button. Nothing happens for several seconds, then engine starts.
NHTSA complaint #11755686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2025 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while at a complete stop at a traffic light, the vehicle unexpectedly shut off and failed to restart. After approximately 15 minutes, the vehicle restarted, and the contact drove into a parking lot before driving to the residence. No warning lights illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure the following day, and a service appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.
NHTSA complaint #11755315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I am writing to formally report a serious and recurring safety defect with my 2025 Acura MDX A-Spec (VIN [XXX]) involving the Auto Idle Stop system. The engine repeatedly fails to restart after the Auto Idle Stop feature shuts it off. When my wife releases the brake pedal (for example, at a traffic light), the vehicle either stalls completely or experiences a major delay before restarting sometimes lasting more than 20 seconds, leaving the my wife unable to accelerate. This creates an immediate and unacceptable safety hazard, particularly in intersections or heavy traffic. I previously brought the vehicle to Acura of Langley regarding this exact issue. Despite that visit, the problem has continued. Most recently, on today, while my wife was driving with my kids, the vehicle again entered Auto Idle Stop at a traffic light. When the light turned green, the engine completely shut off and would not restart for more than 20 seconds. This left her stranded in traffic and unable to move the vehicle, creating a clear risk of collision. This is not an isolated complaint. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened Engineering Analysis EA25004 into precisely this condition “No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages” affecting, among other models, 2016–2025 Acura MDX vehicles. American Honda has also issued dealer communications specifically seeking 2023–2025 MDX vehicles with client complaints of no auto re-start after Auto Idle Stop for inspection prior to any repair attempts. Class-action investigations and prior litigation involving related Idle Stop failures further underscore the known nature and seriousness of this defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11754100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Auto start-stop system stalled car at a light, could not turn car off after multiple tries following instructions on dash, but ultimately finally turned off, and then struggled to turn back on, all while on a busy road during rush hour.
NHTSA complaint #11749541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was stopped at a red stop light waiting to turn left when my 2025 Acura MDX engine auto-stopped per the auto-stop feature. When the light turned green, I removed my foot from the brake and pressed the gas. The engine did not auto-start and displayed a message on the dash telling me to depress the brake and press the ignition button to continue driving. I did this several times, each time the dash would go black for a few seconds then come back up with the same message. Eventually, after getting the car to completely turn off, waiting 30 seconds, and restarting it, I was able to get the engine to start. While all of this was happening, I was passed unsafely by several angry drivers who were behind me, including one who tried to cut around me after I was able to get the car restarted, nearly clipping the front-right corner of my vehicle. I have an appointment with the dealer to have the issue investigated, but the appointment is not for another week. There was no indication of trouble prior to the first time this occurred. We have had this issue at least three times in the past week.
NHTSA complaint #11748754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2025 Acura MDX will turn off with the auto on/off feature at red light but has had issue several times with turning back on. The car turns completely off and have to push start button to turn back on. On one occasion the same issue happened but would not immediately start with the push start again.
NHTSA complaint #11746622 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
the car shuts off at a red light, fails to auto-restart, forces the car into Park, and requires a full manual reboot or jumpstart while stuck in moving traffic. It also struggles to turn on at times mimicking a drained battery. I am needing to deactivate the auto start/stop feature in order for the vehicle to properly function. Vehicle will not start when parked at times.
NHTSA complaint #11739107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Description of Incident: While stopped at a red light at a busy intersection near a shopping district, the vehicle's Auto Idle Stop (AIS) system engaged and shut off the engine. When I attempted to restart by pressing the brake pedal — as instructed — the vehicle failed to restart. The dashboard displayed an error message reading "Idle Stop Function: Press Brake to Restart." My foot was on the brake pedal at the time; pressing it did not restart the engine. I then manually shut off the vehicle using the Engine Start/Stop button and attempted to restart it. The vehicle would not start. I remained stranded at the intersection for approximately 10 minutes. I had to call the cops for a patrol car because other cars were piling up behind me and I had my 6 month old son in the vehicle. Safety Impact: During this time, I was unable to move the vehicle from a live traffic intersection. This created an immediate safety hazard to myself, my family, and other drivers.
NHTSA complaint #11738536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The auto idle stop feature will kick in at red lights, shutting the engine down. However, every approximate 1 out of 10 times the engine and electrical system fully shut down when I try to start the car moving again. The car can then not be restarted for close to a minute. This results in not being able to move when the light turns green and is dangerous is heavy traffic areas.
NHTSA complaint #11737684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car engine turns off at a red light, by turn off I mean completely turned off, not just silent. And takes a couple of attempts to restart the car before the engine turns on again. This has happened over 5 or 6 times over the last 3 months, however yesterday (May 9, 2026) it happened twice within the hour. Luckily, I have not been involved in an accident because of this, but I'm concerned that it's easy to imagine a scenario where someone will be rear-ended. Please issue a safety recall for Acura to fix this issue.
NHTSA complaint #11736850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle had auto shut off normally. However when I released the brake and pushed the gas it unexpectedly stalled and shut off without warning. When attempting to restart the vehicle, it would not start again. There were no prior warning indicators or messages suggesting an imminent issue. This created a hazardous situation as the vehicle was disabled in an active traffic lane. After several attempts, the vehicle either restarted after having set the emergency brake. The failure appears to be sudden and without driver input, raising concerns about reliability and safety in traffic conditions.
NHTSA complaint #11735584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Engine stalls when at intersection and the engine cuts off at idle and fails to start back up when you remove your foot from the break. Can have keep lane assist enable. KLAS mode narrow, you have to fight the wheel to maintain control of the vehicle, formal mode is a 50/50 chance it works, wide you can sift right off the road for 5-10 secs before to realize your off the road. Steer wheel control button intermittently fail and stop being able to control the midi instrument panel and infotainment system. I believe there is a systematic electrical issue in the car. They attempted to fix this by replacing a starter which hasn’t because the engine stalled at an intersection again and on cold start this morning 5/4 at the same intersection as this is by my girlfriends apartment.
NHTSA complaint #11735602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Last year, my 2025 Acura MDX was repaired under warranty for a known starter issue that is affecting all 2025+ MDX models. The issue is that the vehicle will stall or fail to start on random occasions leaving drivers stranded or stopped in traffic unable to move their vehicle. Honda and Acura are well aware of the fact that this is an issue, yet they continue to produce these vehicles with the same parts. This repair took several attempts and the dealership refused to even diagnose the issue for several months causing me to have to record each instance on my phone for proof. Once they eventually replaced the starter, the issue went away for approximately 10 months. Today, however, I was temporarily left stranded at a gas pump as my vehicle would not start. Honda and Acura dealerships are replacing these parts with the exact same part number, so the no-start condition comes back in about a year or less. It is incredibly dangerous to have a vehicle that you cannot move as anticipated, or if you’re in an area that you cannot leave or get away from potential danger because your vehicle won’t start. This is a less-than two-year-old vehicle that has now left me stranded on several occasions including in the middle of traffic on a motorway. I know for a fact that several other owners of the Acura MDX are having the exact same issue and ask that you please launch an investigation into this as Honda is well aware of it and still refuses to address the blatant safety risk it poses to its customers.
NHTSA complaint #11735656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle is equipped with start stop system and we have had multiple instances where we come to a stop , and the car will not restart. In the latest instance, we pulled up to stoplight, the start stops system engaged shutting off the engine then wouldn't restart. Car also wouldn't turn completely off, so I had to hit the flashers at the busy intersection, try to get the car into park, then shut completely down, then restart the car. It also struggled to restart as if the battery was dying. In this instance most dash lights come on, but it appears to be an engine, electrical, and software issue. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer multiple times, and in once instance they said the issue was caused by a bad battery, mind you the car is slightly over a year old. This latest time, they claimed that the battery was good and no issues were found. This issue continues to put me and my family at risk by leaving us disabled in the middle of traffic especially when it has happened near exiting the freeway,
NHTSA complaint #11735372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
We have had multiple incidents when the car is at a stop light with the idle stop not active, the vehicle engine will just die. The light turns green and the vehicle is not running, it will take multiple times pushing the start button for it to start back up. This has resulted in multiple almost rear end incidents due to other drivers assuming we would go when light turned green. More recently this weekend on a trip from Columbus OH to St. Louis MO; stopped to get gas east of Indianapolis, after pumping gas the vehicle would not restart. It took multiple tries to get it to restart; this happened again the following day at a stop during the day at a shopping center, we ran in to get subs for lunch, came back out, would not start, I have a video of the sound and flashing lights but I can't upload a video here.
NHTSA complaint #11732431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Stopped for a red light at a busy intersection with the auto start/stop feature turned on. After releasing the brake pedal to begin driving after the light turned green, the vehicle attempted to start the engine, but struggled and in doing so, the vehicle stalled out. After two or three attempts of placing the foot onto the brake and pressing the start ignition button, the vehicle finally started and we were able to drive away.
NHTSA complaint #11729911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Incident 1 (Loss of Propulsion in Traffic) - 12/16/25 The vehicle failed to restart immediately after the auto start-stop system attempted to re-engage the engine. Upon attempting to accelerate, the engine did not restart, resulting in a complete loss of propulsion while in active traffic. The vehicle became temporarily inoperable and unresponsive, creating a hazardous condition with elevated risk of rear-end collision and inability to safely clear traffic or intersections. Incident 2 (Failure to Start – Reliability Concern) - 4/1/26 On a separate occasion, the vehicle failed to start entirely upon initial startup (first use of the day). The engine did not turn over as expected, rendering the vehicle inoperable. This incident raises significant concerns about system reliability and dependability, particularly given its occurrence independent of the auto start-stop event. Safety Concern: The first incident demonstrates a critical safety defect involving unexpected loss of propulsion in live traffic conditions. The second incident, while occurring at startup, indicates a broader pattern of failure affecting the vehicle’s ability to reliably start and operate. Together, these incidents suggest a potential defect in the starting/ignition or auto start-stop system that may compromise safe vehicle operation and increase the risk of crash or stranding.
NHTSA complaint #11729170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.