There are 14 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2005 Acura MDXin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2005 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was able to restart after several attempts; however, the failure recurred after driving a short distance. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the OG sensor and the PMP sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had progressively worsened, and the 4WD warning light was constantly illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and approaching a traffic light recently, the vehicle unintendedly downshifted and nearly stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be repaired for the most recent failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE AUCTION IN HESPERIA, CA AROUND AUGUST OF 2020 AND I AM CURRENTLY THE REGISTERED OWNER AS OF TODAY. ABOUT A MONTH INTO THE PURCHASE I NOTICE THE CAR JERK AND BRAKE UNUSUALLY WHILE IN MOTION. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED AT THE TIME SO I IGNORED IT FOR THE MOMENT. THEN ABOUT ANOTHER MONTH AFTER THAT INCIDENT MY WIFE, KIDS AND I WERE TRAVELING ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE 15FWY HEADED SOUTH AND THIS TIME IT HAPPENED ONCE AGAIN AND MORE AGGRESSIVELY DUE TO IS TRAVELING AT A MUCH GREATER SPEED AND DID JERK A LOT HARDER ALMOST MAKING MY WIFE LOSE CONTROL. LUCKILY SHE WAS ALERT AND PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER RIGHT AWAY AND THAT'S WHEN WE NOTICED A NEW LIGHT ON THE I DASH HAD ILLUMINATED. WE SEE THE ACRONYM (VSA) ILLUMINATE AND I HAD NEVER SEEN THIS PARTICULAR LIGHT BEFORE SO I THEN START TO RESEARCH IT. I FIND OUT IT'S PART OF AN ANTI LOCK FEATURE AND IT'S SUFFICE WHEN DEALING WITH CURVY ROADS AND HELPS WITH TRACTION WHICH GIVES SMOOTHER TURNS WHILE DRIVING AND GIVES BETTER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I ALSO READ IT'S BEST TO KEEP THIS FEATURE OFF WHILE COMMUTING IN YOUR REGULAR EVERYDAY TRANSIT. SO AS MONTHS GO BY IT HAPPENED TO ME A GOOD HANDFUL OF TIMES AFTERWARDS BUT AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND THIS TIME THE LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF WHEN I TRIED TURNING OFF THE VSA CONTROL BUTTON ON THE DRIVER SIDE DASH. I DIDN'T HAVE MEANS TO REPAIR THIS PART SO I PUT IT OFF ONCE AGAIN. WELL COMING TO A MORE RECENT EVENT WHICH RESULTED IN MYSELF LOSING CONTROL WHILE ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AT 11:30PM AT NIGHT AND TOTALING THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS FLIPPING THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT CAME TO A REST ON ITS SIDE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THE VSA FEATURE MALFUNCTIONED MADE ME LOSE CONTROL AT 62-65 MPH ALMOST CLAIMING MY LIFE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY RECENT ACCIDENT WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING AND HAS CAUSED FINANCIAL STRESS UPON MY FAMILY.
RECALL NOT FIXED IN TIMELY MANNER AT ALL NOW CAR ISN'T WORKING BRAKES STICKING JUST NOT SAFE AT ALL CAN'T DRIVE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED REDUCED ENGINE POWER WITH THE POTENTIAL OF AN INTERNAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE STALLED MORE THAN ONCE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS WERE NOT DISCLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN SAFELY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN ANY GEAR, THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V573000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO REMAIN INSERTED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN PARK. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DRIFTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED APPLE ACURA (1202 LOUCKS RD, YORK, PA 17404, (717) 854-1800). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V573000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V320000 (AIR BAGS), 13V092000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM), AND 12V573000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW CONTROL UNIT CONNECTOR FAILS AFTER YEARS IN SERVICE. THE CONTROL UNIT IS MOUNTED ON DOOR WITH BRACKET AND TWO SCREW WHICH PUTS UNDUE PRESSURE ON THE CONNECTOR BY PUSHING IT AGAINST THE BODY. OVER THE TIME PLASTIC CONNECTOR (DUE TO CREEP EFFECT) WILL GIVE AWAY AND BECOME LOOSE PREVENTING PROPER CONTACT WHICH WILL DISABLE THE OPERATION OF DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW. I LEARNED IT HARD WAY BY SPENDING LOTS OF MONEY CHANGING ALL PARTS (CONTROL MODULE, WINDOW MOTOR AND DRIVER MULTIPLEX SWITCH) FOR NO REASON. *TR
AFTER PLACING VEHICLE IN PARK, I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO ALIGN WITH SLOT SO KEY COULD BE REMOVED. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR, IT FAILED TO START. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS SOMEHOW LINKED BETWEEN THE IGNITION AND THE TRANSMISSION/GEAR SHIFT. RECENTLY, WHEN SHIFTING INTO PARK AND DRIVE THE GEAR SHIFT MET WITH RESISTANCE. I'M OUT OF TOWN (APPROX 100 MILES) AND AFRAID TO STOP ANYWHERE UNTIL I REACH MY DEALER. HAD NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS. POSTING THIS NOTICE FROM HOTEL'S COMPUTER, HEADING TO DEALER (MCGRAPH ACURA, WESTMOUNT,IL.) TO DIAGNOSE AND HOPEFULLY CORRECT PROBLEM. *TR
VEHICLE IGNITION LOCK FAILED. VEHICLE ROLLED AND CAUSED CATASTROPHIC INJURY TO THE LEG OF AN ELDERLY WOMAN. *TR
THIS COMPLAINS PERTAINS TO MY 2005 MDX ACURA. WHILE DRIVING UP A SLOPE CLOSE TO MY HOME AT 50MPH, THE DASHBOARD SUDDENLY SHUTS DOWN AND THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. I TOOK IT TO DCH ACURA DEALER IN TUSTIN, CA, AND THEY COULD NOT DETECT ANY PROBLEM OR REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *LN
HAVE BOOMING SOUND COMING FROM THE SUB-WOOFER IN THE REAR. SOUNDS DEAFENING, QUITE LOUD AND BOOMING. TOOK IT IN BECAUSE I HAD A WARRANTY AND THEY DID NOTHING- DIDN'T NOTICE THEY DIDN'T FIX IT TILL I GOT HOME AS I DIDN'T PICK UP THE CAR. TOOK IT BACK AND THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE SUB-WOOFER. ON SATURDAY DRIVING HOME AND HAD THE CAR RUNNING, WENT TO BACK TO REMOVE SOMETHING AND HEARD THIS CRAZY NOISE. I THOUGH IT WAS COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE, THAT'S HOW LOUD IT WAS UNTIL I OPENED THE BACK AND REALIZE IT WAS THE SUB-WOOFER AGAIN! I HAVE SEEN THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND NOT SURE WHY THERE ISN'T A PERMANENT FIX FROM ACURA REGARDING THIS. THE DEALERSHIP, WILL IMPLY ITS YOUR CD'S ETC, BUT ITS NOT, IT SOUNDS CRAZY WHETHER ITS THE RADIO OR EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE BASS LOWERED TO HELP WITH THE NOISE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ACURA MDX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE "VSA" AND "EXCLAMATION MARK" WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND THEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DETECTED A POWER SURGE IN THE BATTERY, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THERE WAS A SEPARATE OCCASION WHEN AN IDENTICAL FAILURE OCCURRED ACCOMPANIED BY A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,900. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,950.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT DOWN 5 TIMES AND IT HAS HAD 5 DIFFERENT REPAIRS RELATING TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INCLUDING THE BATTERY, GEARS BEING SHIFTED WITHOUT CHANGING GEARS, THE TRANSMISSION AND STALLING.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026