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2008 Acura Mdx

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Acura Mdx are lower than the model-year median of 101.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

35 reports with mileage · 14 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

8 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 14, 2023
Electrical System

The clock in the 2008 Acura MDX stopped working over 18 months ago. This occurred after an Acura Day-light-Savings time update. In order to check the time now you have to take your eyes off the road. There are thousands of Acura vehicles with this problem. ACURA REFUSES TO HELP. They state there is no solution to the proble…

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The clock in the 2008 Acura MDX stopped working over 18 months ago. This occurred after an Acura Day-light-Savings time update. In order to check the time now you have to take your eyes off the road. There are thousands of Acura vehicles with this problem. ACURA REFUSES TO HELP. They state there is no solution to the problem. They caused the problem!

NHTSA ODI #11521945

20 miles · May 28, 2019
Electrical SystemService Brakes

THIS VEHICLE IS HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUE IN WHICH IS AFFECT VARIOUS PARTS, INCLUDING THE DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE TIMES IN WHICH THE BRAKE IS PRESSED AND INSTEAD OF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO START TO SLOW DOWN. THE BRAKES ON THE TRUCK HAVE REPLACED ALONG WITH TIRES AND YET THE PROBLEM DOES CONTINUES. THIS A D…

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THIS VEHICLE IS HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUE IN WHICH IS AFFECT VARIOUS PARTS, INCLUDING THE DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE TIMES IN WHICH THE BRAKE IS PRESSED AND INSTEAD OF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO START TO SLOW DOWN. THE BRAKES ON THE TRUCK HAVE REPLACED ALONG WITH TIRES AND YET THE PROBLEM DOES CONTINUES. THIS A DAILY THING THAT HAPPENS IT IS MORE NOTICIBLE WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED ABOVE 65 AND ABOVE MILES. I HAVE ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS.

NHTSA ODI #11210328

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2019
Electrical System

MY 2008 MDX'S BATTERY WOULD DRAIN OUT OFTEN AND HAD TO REPLACE 2-3 NEW BATTERIES DURING THAT TIME FRAME AND NUMEROUS JUMP START. RECENTLY, I JUST CHANGED BATTERY AND HAD TO JUMP START AGAIN WITHIN A MONTH. I REALLY GOT FRUSTRATED AND TOOK THE CAR TO CAR DEALER AND HE SAID IT'S AN HFL ISSUE WHICH DRAINS YOUR BATTERY OUT, SO I HAV…

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MY 2008 MDX'S BATTERY WOULD DRAIN OUT OFTEN AND HAD TO REPLACE 2-3 NEW BATTERIES DURING THAT TIME FRAME AND NUMEROUS JUMP START. RECENTLY, I JUST CHANGED BATTERY AND HAD TO JUMP START AGAIN WITHIN A MONTH. I REALLY GOT FRUSTRATED AND TOOK THE CAR TO CAR DEALER AND HE SAID IT'S AN HFL ISSUE WHICH DRAINS YOUR BATTERY OUT, SO I HAVE TO PAY $200 TO DISCONNECT THE SYSTEM OR PAY $4000 TO PUT A NEW HFL SYSTEM. THEIR IS ALSO A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND ANOTHER CUSTOMER AT THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE SAME ISSUE ON HIS 2008 TL. WHY DOESN'T ACURA RECALL AND FIX THE ISSUE??? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW. I EVEN EMAILED ACURA WITH A COMPLAINT AND NO RESPONSE FROM THEM YET. ..! THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND WOULD NEVER BUY ACURA OR HONDA CARS AGAIN..!

NHTSA ODI #11165970

125,000 miles · Jun 2, 2018
Electrical SystemEngine

ON SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2018, I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 95 AND MY CONSOLE LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING AND THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND WATCHED AS THE CONSOLE LIGHTS BLINKED--VSA, BRAKE, INFORMATION LIGHT NAVIGATION SYSTEM SCREEN TURNED ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY, AND SPEEDOMETER AND…

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ON SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2018, I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 95 AND MY CONSOLE LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING AND THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND WATCHED AS THE CONSOLE LIGHTS BLINKED--VSA, BRAKE, INFORMATION LIGHT NAVIGATION SYSTEM SCREEN TURNED ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY, AND SPEEDOMETER AND RMP GAUGES WENT CRAZY. I SAT ON THE SHOULDER AND THE CONSOLE LIGHTS AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM LIGHTS CONTINUED TO BLINK ON AND OFF, AND THEN I SAW THAT THE SYSTEM RESET AS IF THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. THE SCREEN TO ENTER THE CODE TO RESET YOUR RADIO SYSTEM APPEARED. THEN IT ALL STOPPED AND WENT BLANK. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE AND IT CONTINUED ON UNTIL I REACHED MY EXIT. HOWEVER, DURING THE DRIVE MY CONSOLE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO BLINK ON AND OFF AND THE CAR DROVE SLOWLY AND THERE WAS A DRAGGING SOUND AS IF THE ENGINE WAS OVERWORKING. I HAD TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR, AND MY WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP TO CLOSE.

NHTSA ODI #11099315

110,000 miles · Sep 4, 2017
Electrical System

BATTERY WAS REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2017 (ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO). TODAY, EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL JUST DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THANK GOD MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR & THAT I WAS 1 MINUTE FROM HOME. THE INTERNAL LIGHTS FLICKERED AND THEN ALL LIGHTS, THE RADIO, AND ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL PORTION WENT DEAD. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING…

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BATTERY WAS REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2017 (ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO). TODAY, EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL JUST DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THANK GOD MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR & THAT I WAS 1 MINUTE FROM HOME. THE INTERNAL LIGHTS FLICKERED AND THEN ALL LIGHTS, THE RADIO, AND ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL PORTION WENT DEAD. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT SENSING SOMETHING WAS WRONG, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY HUSBAND AND TOLD HIM TO MEET ME. AFTER I STOPPED THE CAR, IT WENT DEAD AND NEVER TURNED ON. WE HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS APPROACHES TO FIX AND HAVING FOUND THE SOLUTION YET. PER RESEARCH, MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR DANGEROUS ISSUES. SEE HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/ACURA/MDX/2007/ELECTRICAL/ELECTRICAL_SYSTEM.SHTML. MY ABSOLUTE FEAR IS THAT MY CAR WILL STOP COMPLETELY WHILE ON ON A FAST ROAD, WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR, AND AT NIGHT. WHILE WE DON'T YET KNOW IF IT'S AN HFL ISSUE (IT'S NOT A BATTERY ISSUE AS WE JUST HAD IT CHECKED LESS THAN AN HOUR AGO), I'M VERY FEARFUL. IF IT IS A HFL ISSUE, ACURA SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THIS A LONG TIME AGO.

NHTSA ODI #11021336

Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2017
Electrical System

THE HANDS FREE LINK CONSTANTLY DRAINS THE BATTERY, EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN USE. I HAVE REPLACED 3 BATTERIES. THIS ISSUE LEAVES YOU STRANDED AND THE REPAIR COST BY DEALERS ARE RIDICULOUS WHEN THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD ISSUE. MY LOCAL DEALER EXPLAINED THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE ISSUE WAS TO REMOVE THE HFL MODULE. WHY INSTALL SOM…

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THE HANDS FREE LINK CONSTANTLY DRAINS THE BATTERY, EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN USE. I HAVE REPLACED 3 BATTERIES. THIS ISSUE LEAVES YOU STRANDED AND THE REPAIR COST BY DEALERS ARE RIDICULOUS WHEN THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD ISSUE. MY LOCAL DEALER EXPLAINED THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE ISSUE WAS TO REMOVE THE HFL MODULE. WHY INSTALL SOMETHING ON A VEHICLE IF IT'S NOT CAPABLE OF PERFORMING THE FUNCTION IT IS MEANT TO. ALSO THE CD CHANGER CONSTANTLY GET STUCK AND WILL NOT WORK. DUE TO THIS ISSUE I GET AN ERROR MESSAGE OR A BUSY MESSAGE WHEN TRYING TO REMOVE A CD. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED IN MY ACURA MULTIPLE TIMES AND I HAVE GOTTEN IT OUT HOWEVER THIS TIME WHEN THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED DUE TO THE HFL MODULE THE CD GOT STUCK DUE TO THE BATTERY ISSUE AND WILL NOT COME OUT AT ALL NOW. SO MY CD PLAYER IS NON-FUNCTIONING AT THIS POINT. SO ONE ISSUE HAS LEAD TO THE OTHER.

NHTSA ODI #10949954

133,000 miles · Jun 12, 2015
Electrical SystemEngineStructure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HOOD WAS VIBRATING. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST, TCS, ABS AND VTM MAY NOT OPERATE WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HOOD WAS VIBRATING. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST, TCS, ABS AND VTM MAY NOT OPERATE WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HOOD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

NHTSA ODI #10724949

Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2015
Electrical System

*****ACURA MDX 2008 BATTERY IS DRAINING AND CAR WILL NOT START DUE TO HFL UNIT.******** ***CONSUMERS SHOULD KNOW SO THEY CAN ADDRESS THIS ISSUE PREVENT BEING STRANDED SOMEWHERE WITH A DEAD BATTERY*** THIS HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE 1) FEBRUARY 2013, VEHICLE @ 35,000 MILES- BATTERY REPLACED AT ACURA 2) OCTOBER 2014, VEHICLE @ …

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*****ACURA MDX 2008 BATTERY IS DRAINING AND CAR WILL NOT START DUE TO HFL UNIT.******** ***CONSUMERS SHOULD KNOW SO THEY CAN ADDRESS THIS ISSUE PREVENT BEING STRANDED SOMEWHERE WITH A DEAD BATTERY*** THIS HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE 1) FEBRUARY 2013, VEHICLE @ 35,000 MILES- BATTERY REPLACED AT ACURA 2) OCTOBER 2014, VEHICLE @ 48,000 MILES- TOLD BY ACURA BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN 3) JANUARY 2015, VEHICLE @ 49,000 MILES- I FOUND ONLINE FORUM WHERE ACURA MDX OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND THE CONCLUSION IS A DEFECTIVE HFL (HANDS FREE LINK) UNIT DRAINING THE BATTERY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OFF. 4) JANUARY 2015, VEHICLE @ 49,000 MILES - I TELL ACURA SERVICE ADVISOR AT INTAKE ABOUT ONLINE DISCUSSIONS AND THAT I BELIEVE THE HFL UNIT IS DRAINING MY BATTERY. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AGREES THE ISSUE IS DEFINITELY THE HFL UNIT AND THE HFL UNIT WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED OR UNPLUGGED BUT HE WILL HAVE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE TO CONFIRM . I HAD ACURA REPLACE THE HFL UNIT AND THE BATTERY HAS NOT DIED SINCE EVEN AFTER NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR THREE STRAIGHT DAYS. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AS I BELIEVE DRIVING HANDS-FREE IS SAFER THAN DRIVING WITH A PHONE IN ONE'S HAND. IT IS ALSO ILLEGAL TO DRIVE AND TALK ON A HAND-HELD PHONE IN THE STATE IN WHICH I LIVE SO UNPLUGGING THE HFL UNIT IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME. I BELIEVE ACURA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND ALL THE MANY ONLINE FORUMS WHERE CONSUMERS WITH DIFFERENT ACURA MODELS, MAKES AND YEARS ARE DISCUSSING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE HFL AND GIVING THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR CONTACT WITH ACURA. INSTEAD OF DOING A THOROUGH DIAGNOSTIC CHECK I WAS TOLD TWICE I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY. IT WAS MY THIRD VISIT ALONG WITH THE INFORMATION I FOUND ONLINE THAT I GOT ACURA'S ATTENTION HOWEVER BY THEN THE HFL WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10679849

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.