2016 ACURA MDX Engine Problems

Problem started with Check Engine light coming on, then going off, then coming on again followed by what seemed like all system failure lights getting reported. A clicking/rattling started to be heard in the engine. When driving the vehicle to the dealer to get it inspected the vehicle engine cut out while cruising at 45 MPH. I was able to roll to a stop on the side of the road luckily, it would not start and needed a tow to a more local related dealer (Honda) repair. Honda repair did not move past reading the codes, so I transported the vehicle via a service to the nearest Acura dealer, where they diagnosed the internal rod problem, with the fix being a replacement engine. The vehicle remains at this Acura dealer service.

I was driving down the road & without any warnings my car suddenly loss power. Engine started a really bad knocking sound then stalled out , took to certified mechanic and he told me I need a new engine. Prior to this there were no boarding likes or issues related to the car.

Loud Clicking sound, engine light blinking, car was shaking horribly almost caused an accident.

“Emissions system problem” warning light has lit up on dashboard twice. This was checked and found to be a faulty code both times however, the second time it occurred, it correlated with the sway bars needing to be replaced.

Engine knocking noise, irritable shaking while on road, dangerous driving conditions. Engine Failed and diagnosed at Acura Dealership as failing bearings and connector rod. This issue is under investigation NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013 and I am currently being forced to pay out of pocket for the repair amounting to several thousand dollars. Acura needs to recall these engines NOW and get it fixed. This driving condition is EXTREMELY unsafe, the entire car shakes uncontrollably. This car was bought brand new from dealership by myself. 1 owner. Always serviced at Acura or Honda dealerships.

I have a 2016 Acura MDX with nearly 79,000 miles on it. It died without warning late at night while on the freeway on [XXX], leaving my [XXX] son stranded alone in a dark, remote area for about an hour. Not a safe situation! I had it towed to Shadetree Auto in Layton, Utah. They informed me that the engine had seized. What!? It was well maintained and just had the oil changed a few days previously. They wanted over $11,000 for a used engine. (See Attached Invoice & Report). They couldn't figure out why a well-maintained engine with only 79,000 miles on it would just seize up. Coolant was also not the issue. I couldn't afford it, so it sat for a couple of months until I discovered that there was a Recall on that year for faulty connecting rod bearings that was causing engines to seize. So, I...

While driving on an interstate highway at 73 mph, under cruise control, at night, as the road started to incline up a hill my vehicle started losing power. The highway is two lanes each way, and I was in the left-hand lane passing a slower vehicle that was in the right-hand lane. There were cars behind me in my lane. When my car started losing power, the check-engine light came on along with some other indicators. I attempted to maintain speed by depressing the accelerator, but the car continued to slow down. It was nighttime when this happened, on a pitch-black highway that had been freshly paved. I was able to finally get behind the car I had been attempting to pass and was then able to get into the emergency lane and stop. My car was making a ticking noise. I turned off the car, opened the hood, but...

Vehicle always smells hot or as if something electric is burning in the engine compartment. Have always had scheduled maintenance and have taken it in on time for all oil changes and maintenance to be performed. Have asked for this to be checked at that time and when the smell has become over powering. Engine lights have popped up and then all lights have shut off two separate times previously to the point where I had to turn off the vehicle. I have taken it to two dealerships and another mechanic to look for the cause. They are not able to determine the cause but recommend I contact Acura as this sounds like a warranty issue.

This occurrence with the vehicle happened in October of 2023 and I no longer own it. The only reason I'm reporting it today is because of the news reports I've been seeing about a possible investigation into the exact issue I experienced. I started to hear a knock from the engine that got progressively worse over the course of a week. I made an appointment to have it looked at, but before I could even make it to that appointment multiple dash lights and warnings started showing up on the meter combi. Engine light was the first to appear followed by the transmission light, then the vehicle went into "limp mode." It wouldn't go over 30mph and eventually just shut itself off; every warning lamp on the dash was on. It was towed to a local Acura dealership where the service tech diagnosed the issue and stated it was a...

The engine started to make noise, drove it to the Acura Dealership. The engine seized at the repair bay. The technician initially said they just had a recall on these engines then after looking up the ID notified me that the blown engine was not covered under the recall. After several calls to Honda corporate customer service they informed me that they knew it had a faulty engine however it was not under the recall and they didn't have to repair or replace. I paid the dealership to install another engine at my own expense.

The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road after each failure and restarted. The contact stated that an unknown fault code was displayed occasionally. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Engine blew a rod at 130,000 miles. Replaced engine. Maintained vehicle correctly And changed oil regularly. contacted Acura, but no help. Other vehicles reported similar problems and recalls issued., but not for my particular vehicle.

Driving on [XXX], car began to make a loud noise, began to lose power and smoke was pouring out of the engine. No check engine lights came on. Pulled over immediately and turned off engine, and smoking continued. Car was in a unsafe location and we had to wait an hour with traffic very close for a tow truck. Large quantities of oil leaked out of the engine. Car was towed to Niello Acura in Roseville CA. They diagnosed Catastrophic Engine Failure. Large hole in oil pan and wrist pin found lodged between A/C compressor bracket and engine block. Wrist pin secures the piston to the connecting rod (there is a recall on Acura MDX's for this but my car was not included) Needs new engine. All maintenance was up to date. 78K miles on the engine, had just been serviced at 75K. Purchased at 18K as a Certified Used...

the car suddenly shut off when i was on the red light wit the idle stop.

The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was then towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the rod bearings had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.

I am [XXX] and I have owned Honda/Acura since I was 16 yrs old. My last vehicle was a Honda Odyssey minivan with 423K when I donated it, running well to a family that fostered kids! I bought a new 2016 Acura MDX and now it is 8 years old and has 180K on it. I get the oil changed and other normal service maintenance done only at Honda or Acura dealerships. I have never had a car accident and I take care of the maintenance early. All of a sudden, on Friday, [XXX], I had just started driving ( ~20 minutes in the car) and every light started flashing and the car sounded funny and it was hard to drive. I immediately got off the highway and found a repair place (Red's auto repair) right off the exit. They had me shut off the car. Then they checked the...

I was driving on the interstate going 80 when the car shut off. I coasted to the shoulder and had the car towed to the mechanic shop. The connecting rod broke, going through the engine causing me to need a new engine. When I contacted Acura they said my car wasn’t in the recall even though it’s exactly what was happening to other cars the same year and make as my car.

Failure of connecting rod bearings leading to complete engine failure.

I was driving my 2016 Acura MDX (approximately 87,000 miles) at around 60 mph on the freeway when the engine began making a metallic clanking noise. Shortly after, the check engine light started flashing, and the vehicle lost acceleration, eventually coming to a complete stop. This created a potentially dangerous situation, but I was fortunately able to pull over safely. After the vehicle stopped, the engine would not restart. The mechanic who inspected the vehicle confirmed that the engine has seized. This incident occurred without any prior warning signs and could have resulted in a severe accident. I believe this issue poses a significant safety risk to drivers and passengers. I request an investigation into whether this problem could be due to a manufacturing defect or systemic issue with this model.

I am the owner of a 2016 Acura MDX Advance. While driving, I noticed an unusual knocking sound coming from the engine, despite no warning lights or error messages prior to this incident. Concerned about the noise, I promptly brought the vehicle to an Acura dealership for inspection. The initial diagnosis revealed a camshaft issue, which was replaced. However, upon reassembly, the technician detected a persistent knock that required further investigation. After a week of detailed inspection, the dealership traced the problem to a defect with the rod bearing, an issue that has been part of previous recalls, though my vehicle was not listed. This rod bearing defect caused significant internal damage to the engine, ultimately requiring a complete short-block replacement to restore proper functionality. While the dealership has since resolved the issue, I am deeply concerned about the safety implications of such a defect. Had the rod bearing failed...

Car had a failed crankshaft causing a rod bearing issue with the motor. The check engine light came on during use and car was taken to a local repair shop. The independent repair shop determined the issue is associated with recall TSB 24-001, and advised it be transported to a Honda dealership for repair. Honda confirmed that although the 2016 is under this recall this specific VIN is not. Car was repaired at Honda dealership with same exact repair kit and work done to fix the TSB 24-001 recall notice. Reached out to Honda customer service to understand why the car was not repaired under this current recall but was not given any additional information, case #14733117.

My 2016 Acura MDX with 113,000 miles on it suddenly experienced engine failure while driving my son to college in Salisbury, MD. The engine lost all power as I was coming off of the highway onto a side street in Salisbury. Fortunately no other vehicles were around me at the time and I was able to drift into a safe parking area. If it had happened on the highway or in traffic, it could have caused an accident. There were no warning lights on and the vehicle seemed to be running normally right up until it lost power. After having the vehicle towed to an Acura dealership, the mechanic found a broken rod that was likely due to a bad rod bearing. Other 2016 Acura MDX's have been recalled due to a defective rod bearing resulting in engine failure, but my VIN is not covered under the recall. Honda National...

The car began making a front end noise and running shoddy and when we took it to the dealer they had to replace bearings/short block at 121k miles. We were told our VIN was outside of the previous recall so it wouldn’t be covered under that. We ended up paying a portion of that very large bill which inconvenienced our family. We were without our own vehicle for many weeks due to back ordered parts for the major repair. This car has always been serviced by Acura at regular intervals.

In July of 2024 my vehicle began to make a knocking sound from the engine. I started a claim through my third party warranty company and brought it to a repair shop. The shop informed me about the recall for my model and year vehicle, but my VIN was not included in the recall. It was determined that the connecting rod bearings failed, and after waiting for 6 weeks the engine was replaced with a used engine from the same year and model vehicle. I drove for about 1900 miles and the engine began knocking again. I returned the to the repair shop and the supplier of the engine provided another used engine. I am terrified that the same problem will occur again and feel the engine can fail at any time.

The engine failed and was unable to be repaired like old Honda and they had no interest in resolving the issue, nor do they offer any replacement with.

Engine started knocking and quit working while driving on the freeway. Was a connected rod bearing failure that was not included under the warranty or recall. Honda paid 75% of repairs but I had to pay $3300 myself.

While waiting to turn left from a busy street onto a highway, the engine seized. The car was unable to be moved from it's location in the center of the busy street with cars approaching quickly from behind and weaving around my stopped vehicle. I had the vehicle towed to Metro Acura in Montclair, CA and they confirmed that the connecting rod bearing had failed causing the engine to seize. They also confirmed that the vehicle is not part of the existing recall. The engine produced some rough noise prior to failing but otherwise did not provide any warning lamps or other messages.

I was driving back yo my home with my family and on freeway Acura MDX engine stopped with clanking metallic sound fortunately I was able to stop safely. This VIN [XXX] should be part of recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

We were on a highway drive to a state park 45 minutes from our house on [XXX]. 40 Minutes into the drive the check engine light flashed. We had just taken a long road trip from Minnesota to Ohio (and back again) the week before (10/15-10/20) and had NO problems whatsoever. We parked and read what we could online as to what to do. Checked the gas cap tightness, the oil, etc. and let the engine cool for 2 hours. Started the car and no lights came on. So we started driving home. 35 Minutes later ALL the lights on the dash came on. Scrolling through every system in the car-transmission, brakes, lane assist, etc. We pulled Over almost immediately. Turned the car off checked under the hood but nothing seemed glaringly wrong. It wasn’t overheating or smoking or anything. We tried to drive it directly to our mechanic. Got...

Driving on the highway for the car to idle, slow down and shut off, causing us to go to the shoulder in a busy intersection. No fore warning just died and won’t start. Waited 20-30 minute to restart. The car will start but will not shift to neutral or drive.

The auto engine idle feature activated at a stoplight as normal, but when I lifted my foot from the brake to accelerate, the car shut down, shifted into neutral, and wouldn’t restart. This happenwd 3 times in the last two days , leaving me stalled in heavy traffic for several minutes before i can get the car started again. This is extremely dangerous.

I have the same issue but my vin does not meet the requirement. reading multiple forum and a lot of people having the same issue. NHTSA RECALL NUMBER:23V-751 MFR CAMPAIGN ID:OH6 CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION:2016-20 MDX Conn Rod Inspect Recall RECALL DATE:11/08/2023 RECALL STATUS:17 Character VIN Required SUMMARY: American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2020 model year MDX vehicles. Due to a manufacturing defect of the engine crankshaft, the connecting rod bearing can prematurely wear and seize. SAFETY RISK: If the connecting rod bearing seizes, the engine can be damaged and run improperly, stall, stop while driving, and/or not start, increasing the risk of a fire, crash or injury.

Our engine is exhibiting symptoms currently related to an open recall by Acura for Connecting Rod Bearings. Our 2016 MDX is one of the affected model years but as of now our VIN is not included in the recall. I don't believe this is coincidence. I believe the mechanical issue is more widespread than Acura wants to reveal and is subsequently limiting the VIV numbers it includes. I am trying to be proactive in this regard prior to an incident taking place.

The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

The connecting rod and bearing failed, causing the engine to immediately seize while in full operation on the highway. Components are available. The engine rod catastrophically failed and shot through the oil pan. Engine seized and lost power while on highway, cruising at 75mph. Flying engine components and the immediately loss of power was a major safety risk. The car was towed to the dealer and they found the rod bearing had sheared off. American Honda has been sent pictures. My model and year were affected by a recall on the failed components but my VIN was not identified. The car had no warning lights on the dash and was been recently serviced.

The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made a rattling sound with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to accelerate properly. The vehicle was taken to a nearby independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there were metal shavings at the bottom of the oil pan. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 23-036. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 108,500.

We have a 2016 Acura MDX and it has automatically shifted to Neutral 3 times (twice while driving on the freeway and 1x yesterday while driving on the street at normal speeds) in the last 2 months. On the MDX dashboard, it will display "Emissions System Problem" and then display "Stop Driving When Safe. Transmission Problem. See Manual." However, the car will automatically shift to Neutral within seconds. My children's lives (7 y/o and 5 y/o) were placed in danger as a result of this system failure. I have contacted the Acura Honda Recall Specialists and Client Relations Representatives. The car is being diagnosed at Cerritos Acura dealership at the present time. A case number has been filed since our VIN shows no recall, despite it having recalls for other 2016 Acura MDXs.

I was driving the car, when I saw a sign pop up on the dash saying " Emission Systems problem" and the car completely stopped within a 100 feet. The car passed the Emissions and Inspection the previous day and I have a registration till June 30, 2026 now. There was a clicking noise that I heard when driving during the morning. I had never heard it previously. There was an oil change sign for about 3-4 days buy there were no other warning lamps. Here is the video of the problem from the dealer - [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

After traveling about on a 4 hour drive, my daughter who was driving the vehicle slowed down to make a turn. That's when she heard a loud clanking noise coming from the engine. She immediately pulled over and turned off the engine/vehicle. I went to meet her, and replicated the same problem when I turned the ignition switch to to on. It sounded as if there was some large piece of metal loose inside the engine -- it did not have consistency and was highly variable with regards to the sound it was making. The "Check Engine" light was on. Fortunately this did not occurr going at high/freeway speeds, yet the safety was compromised when my daughter was fortunate enough to leverage the momentum to get to the side of the road. Additionally, she was not in a spot where there was a shoulder/it was under an overpass, so she...

While driving our well-maintained 2016 Acura MDX on a 30-minute drive on [XXX] , I heard a pop, and then the engine lost power. I couldn't get the RPMs over 2500. A fluttering noise evolved into knocking and the vehicle became increasingly sluggish and heavy. The check engine light started blinking, but the vehicle's temperature gauge showed no changes. There wasn't any smoke or unusual smells. I felt terrified trying to get safely onto the side of the road with cars driving at full speed. I had the car dropped off at our local service station and the owner determined that the engine cylinder was loose and lost compression with a knock. He says that the engine light did not give a code. The owner determined that we need to replace the engine. A rebuilt engine will cost us $8,000. When I called Acura, the service person I spoke with...

I am writing to bring to your immediate attention a critical safety issue with my 2016 Acura MDX, and the subsequent exclusion of my vehicle from a known recall that directly addresses the problems we are experiencing. Without any prior warning, we began hearing a fluttering sound coming from the engine whenever we accelerated. This noise progressively worsened and evolved into a pronounced knocking noise.Concurrently, the vehicle became increasingly sluggish and heavy, resulting in significant difficulty when accelerating. Despite these alarming symptoms, the vehicle's temperature gauge showed no changes, there was no smoke or unusual smells, and the check engine light did not activate. Gravely concerned for our safety, we promptly took the vehicle to our local mechanic for a thorough inspection.The diagnosis revealed significant engine damage, specifically to the connecting rod bearings and the crankshaft. Given the severity of the issue, we then brought the vehicle to the closest...

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Acura MDX 2016 SH-AWD with 113366 miles diagnosis according to warning lights. DTC test certification codes: P0301 Misfire No. 1 cylinder P0306 Misfire No. 6 cylinder P0300 Random Misfire P0420 Catalyst System efficiency below threshold B1 Recommendation was that the Catalytic converter be replaced. All these codes were identified under Honda's TSB 20-100 dated 2/2021 on Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline models where AH extended warranty to 10 years from date of purchase or 150K. These V6 engines are pretty close to that of the 2016 MDX. Is there a remote possibility that these DTC codes could exist in MDX V6 engines when an issue arises similar to those in the Honda vehicles? These DTC codes appeared 24 hours/37 miles after a routine oil service on 3/26/2024 at Advantage Acura of Naperville with a perfect inspection report. The malfunction occurred in the vicinity of McGrath Acura of Westmont on the following...

Engine rod bearing knocking. Will eventually fail and engine stop running at anytime. My independent service center did confirm the problem. The car has not been to the Dealer as they refuse to include my VIN # in the current recall for this very problem. No warning lights appeared, but slight ticking sound shortly turned into a loud knocking.

There is a current recall on Acura/Hondas with the issue that we are having with our car. Knocking engine, car diagnosed with connecting rod bearing issue. Apparently not included in recall. This makes no sense. Car has been undriveable since 11/9/23 with no help from Acura/Honda Corporate. We have been trying to come to a resolution with no help. This should fall under the recall and where our car was manufactured should be looked into because on car forums there are many cars with our VINS having the same issue. This issue has affected more cars than Acura is saying and needs to be looked into before someone gets seriously injured. Acura/Honda are NOT taking this seriously at ALL.

My 2016 Acura MDX, which was well maintained, locked up while driving at around 45 mph this past September. Upon a certified mechanics evaluation, it was reported that the vehicle would require a new engine as it was "locked up". Shortly afterward, I read that certain model/makes of Acura vehicles were being recalled for this very reason/problem. I called Acura recall client support who informed me that the final list of recalled vehicles would not be available until January 2024 and that I would receive a letter in the mail. When I did not receive a letter, I called again and was informed that my VIN was not included in the recall. This is despite that thousands of other 2016 Acura MDXs were recalled. I find it difficult to accept that a known issue that necessitated a substantial recall of vehicles did not apply to my Acura since it was...

The connecting rod bearing has failed in my vehicle. It is causing damage to the engine, there are metal shavings found in the oil, and the engine is producing a strange and unusual sound. It's causing the engine damage and wear and causing it to seize. The incident has been reported to the dealer and has been confirmed in an inspection report. There is a CURRENT recall from NHTSA and Honda/Acura for this exact issue that includes the same make, year and model of my vehicle, however when VIN numbers were split, my vehicle was not included in the recall. The recall should be expanded to not only include more vehicles but those that are actually being impacted.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THERE WAS NO WARNING.THE CAR BECAME INOPERABLE. THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AND OTHERS TRAVELING THE HIGHWAY WERE AT RISK. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND ADVISED THAT THE ROD BEARING SPUN. THE VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AND IT IS UNKNOWN AS TO WHETHER THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE.

The car suffer complete engine failure while driving on the highway. I had the car towed to an acura dealer . The acura dealer has informed me that the engine rod failed There is a recall by acura for 250,000 vehicles incuding the same year and model for the same problem . The engine is availble for inspection . My vehicle is not under recall . i was informed by Acura customer relatiins that they will not help me . I was informed by a acura dealer that they will can replace the engine with a used engine for 9000$ . i said ok but then wondered if the engine they would replace it with was under recall. The looked into it and have informed me that the engine is in fact one of the recalled engines and then asked me if i wanted to proceed with the replacement with...

while driving on a local road (not highway), engine began to make a very loud sound. sounds like metal on metal inside engine. called local ACURA dealer and they said that the connecting rod recall/problem that was announced in November 2023 "does not apply to my VIN".