Purchased this vehicle used, as-is, from a Ford dealership on August 18, 2026. Approximately 90 minutes after taking delivery, the vehicle began displaying multiple dashboard warning lights and lost access to Sport+ drive mode. The vehicle was returned to the selling dealership the same day; their technicians were unable to reproduce the fault or retrieve a diagnostic trouble code at that time. The vehicle was subsequently towed to an authorized Acura dealership for independent diagnosis. That inspection identified three separate issues: (1) the warning lights, attributed to a lean-running condition possibly caused by fuel quality; (2) a leaking front brake caliper, quoted at approximately $900 to repair; and (3) a fluid leak at the gasket between the transmission and transfer case, which the dealership states requires full replacement of both the transmission and transfer case, at an estimated cost of approximately $13,000. This transmission/transfer case leak occurs at the same location addressed in NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Petition DP26001 (opened March 2026), covering 2021-2023 Acura TLX and 2022-2023 Acura MDX SH-AWD vehicles. NHTSA's review, resolved August 6, 2026, confirmed the underlying failure mechanism as real — splines connecting the transmission output shaft to the power take-off unit stripping or shearing, cutting power to the rear wheels — based on 62 owner complaints and manufacturer field reports, though NHTSA declined to mandate a recall. NHTSA's review also noted that the vehicle's dashboard provides no warning to the driver when this failure occurs. Given that this failure surfaced within 90 minutes of taking delivery of the vehicle, and that it matches a documented, federally-reviewed defect pattern on this exact model and drivetrain, I am filing this complaint to add to NHTSA's records on this known issue and to document a case where the failure manifested essentially immediately upon purchase.
NHTSA complaint #11763607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oak Forest, IL
POWER TRAIN
Transfer case failure, leakage, discovered after warranty expired. Took vehicle in describing seeming loss of AWD and tech informed me it was “normal” I Later discovered, during an oil change, a leak From the transmission or transfer case that covered the lower skid plate, which looking up, was directly related to a known failure of the Type S’s transfer case/Transmission causing a loss of traction to the rear wheels.
NHTSA complaint #11750976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Telford, PA
POWER TRAIN
The transfer case splines sheared off in the transmission. The car is safe to drive but went from AWD to FWD as there is now no power being transmitted through the transfer case to the rear wheels. The dealership confirmed the issue was the transfer case by lifting the car and seeing if the rear wheels were getting power. They then tore down the transmission and found the splines were all gone from the transfer case. The component was not inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance, or anyone else. There were no warnings or symptoms to the problem before the failure.
NHTSA complaint #11750498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mount Laurel, NJ
POWER TRAIN
Went to the Acura dealer for an oil change. Was told I have a leak in the transmission and transfer case and that both will need to be replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11746693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Watertown, NY
POWER TRAIN
The transfer case spines have stripped and I no longer have all wheel drive only front wheel drive. This is a huge safety hazard for me .
NHTSA complaint #11742990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Miami Gardens, FL
POWER TRAIN
Accelerated and heard a loud noise and felt like I had driven through wood and one got stocked to the whelle. There was a lot of traffic so I was driving slow. The noice I heard was like something was stuck inside the wheel, like it was grinding. Dealer diagnosed a bad transfer case and transmission and they replaced both under warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11733872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Worth, IL
POWER TRAIN
Was changing the oil on my car and noticed grease running out from between the transfer case and transmission and also fluid build up on the transfer case higher up a little below the driveshaft. The car has 41k miles on it, there should be no leaks. My concern is the transfer case/transmission spline failure issue.
NHTSA complaint #11733815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Crestwood, IL
POWER TRAIN
My vehicle has less then 35000 miles, I was doing a oil change when I noticed that my transfer cases has a slight oil residue from the bottom, which I suppose it’s just gonna get worse overtime, at this mileage I don’t think this is right that’s why I’m submitting this complaint.
NHTSA complaint #11723988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Melrose Park, IL
POWER TRAIN
While accelerating from 0 to 40 miles per hour, I experienced a loud bang come from the car. Turns out the splines were stripped between my transmission and transfer case. This was due to the drive shaft spinning while in park mode, as well as an opening between the transmission and transfer case that was spooling. My powertrain system was severely compromised; who knows what could've happened if I had kept driving the car in this condition? Something was waiting to inevitably fail beyond what had happened. Thankfully, this happened on an empty road close to home, but it could have happened anywhere. There were no warnings, lights, or anything, which was the strangest part. Thankfully, this $10k+ bill was covered under the manufacturer's powertrain warranty, but it seems to be a common issue with many newer Acuras. Acura is well aware of the issue (spline failure) and should issue a recall to correct this design flaw within the powertrain.
NHTSA complaint #11714721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Norridge, IL
POWER TRAIN
Transmission jerks at low speeds, Car jerks when it is downshifting. The car only has 14,000 miles. Dealership refusing to do any work due to car not having any codes. The car feels like it is having a misfire.
NHTSA complaint #11611317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.