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Verdict

2014 Acura MDX: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues

What the public record actually says about the 2014 Acura MDX — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.

The read

Middle-of-the-pack complaint volume for SUV.

Owners filed 168 NHTSA complaints — more complaints than 60% of 2014 SUVs. Steering leads the reports (23%). 9 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.

Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2014 SUVs, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.

Complaints filed

168

Reports to NHTSA, 2014

Safety recalls

9

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

22

EPA estimate

Complaint volume vs. segment peers

More complaints than 60% of 2014 SUVs

The bar is this car's percentile among 2014 SUVs by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.

Known issues

Steering issues lead owner complaints (23% of 168 reports), followed by power train (14%).

Steering23% · 38 reports
Power Train14% · 23 reports
Electrical System11% · 19 reports
Exterior Lighting7% · 12 reports
Service Brakes7% · 12 reports
Unknown Or Other7% · 11 reports
Vehicle Speed Control7% · 11 reports
Structure6% · 10 reports

+ 12 more component categories with fewer reports.

Share of all 168 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 10671950, ODI 11743848, ODI 11705732, ODI 11701519, ODI 11646883.

Recalls(9)

Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.

StructureApr 2026 · 26V365000Details +

American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.

Risk: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.

EquipmentJan 2015 · 15V417000Details +

American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX and MDX AWD vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to December 16, 2014. The affected vehicles have air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolts that may not have received the proper anti-corrosion coating.

Risk: If a bolt was not coated, it may corrode and break as a result. If the bolt breaks, the compressor clutch plate may separate from the vehicle, possibly becoming a road hazard.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air conditioning compressor clutch drive bolt and install a new clutch plate if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 7, 2015. Owners may contact Acura client relations at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this recall is JQ7.

Seat BeltsOct 2014 · 14V639000Details +

American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to August 25, 2014, and 2014 Acura RLX vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to November 25, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and front passenger seat belt may not extend or retract in low temperatures.

Risk: A seatbelt that does not function increases the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Honda has notified owners, and dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belts, free of charge. The recall began in November 2014. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this recall is JK7 for the MKX, and JK8 for the RLX.

Electrical System · 13E040000Details +

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling certain Trailer Hitch Harness Kits, Part Number 08L91-TZ5-200. These kits are for use in 2014 model year Acura MDX vehicles. The trailer hitch kit has a subharness that is incorrectly wired such that there may be no power supplied to an accessory trailer brake controller.

Risk: If the trailer brake controller is not powered, when towing a trailer, longer stopping distances could be required, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners and Acura dealers will correct the trailer hitch subharness wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 23, 2013. Owners may contact Acura Customer Service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's number for this campaign is JB2.

Power Train · 13V571000Details +

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.

Forward Collision Avoidance · 15V301000Details +

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Acura MDX 2WD and AWD, RLX and 2014 Acura RLX Hybrid vehicles. In certain driving conditions, the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) may incorrectly interpret certain roadside objects such as metal fences or metal guardrails as obstacles and unexpectedly apply the brakes.

Risk: If the CMBS unexpectedly applies emergency braking force while driving, there is an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the CMBS software, free of charge. The recall began on July 6, 2015. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Honda's numbers for this recall is JQ4, JQ5 and JQ6.

Exterior Lighting · 19V256000Details +

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura MDX and 2017-2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid lights, possibly causing a loss of the tailgate lid lights and the taillights.

Risk: Loss of the taillights reduces the vehicle's visibility, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: Acura will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate lid lights and install updated gaskets and a wiring sub-harness or will replace both tailgate lid lights. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is M49.

Fuel System · 23V858000Details +

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Exterior Lighting · 25V259000Details +

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid light assembly and wiring harness, which can cause the interior and exterior lights to fail, including the lid lights, position lights, license plate lights and taillights.

Risk: Vehicle lights that fail to illuminate can decrease visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the wiring and install a fuse harness, replace the lid light, and repair the body dust sealer, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Acura's customer service at 1-800-382-2238. Acura's number for this recall is FLI. Vehicles included in this recall that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 19V-256 will need to have the new remedy completed.

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

0 NHTSA investigations on record

No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.

Crash-test ratings

2014 Acura MDX SUV FWD NHTSA source

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

2014 Acura MDX SUV AWD NHTSA source

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Fuel economy by trim

TrimEngineDrivetrainCityHwyCombined
MDX 2WD3.5L 6-cylFront-Wheel Drive202823
MDX 4WD3.5L 6-cylAll-Wheel Drive182721

EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.

Before you buy

Useful next checks

Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.

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Compare model years

"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.

2014 Acura MDX: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2014 Acura MDX?

Owners filed 168 NHTSA complaints about the 2014 Acura MDX — more complaints than 60% of comparable 2014 SUVs, so it sits toward the weaker end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.

What are the most common problems on the 2014 Acura MDX?

The most-reported problem areas are Steering (23% of complaints) and power train (14%).

How many recalls does the 2014 Acura MDX have?

9 recalls have been issued that affect the 2014 Acura MDX, covering components such as structure. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.

What gas mileage does the 2014 Acura MDX get?

The EPA rates the 2014 Acura MDX between 21 and 23 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.