Vehicle purchased used with 47k miles on it. By the time I noticed the oil consumption problem (which I certainly didn't expect) the used car warranty had expired. I am currently burning 1 qt of oil every 1k miles. As the vehicle has a factory 70k powertrain warranty I brought it to my local Acura dealer and was told that this was normal and acceptable under Acura guide lines. I explained in my…
2011 Acura MDX engine problems
moderate 22 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
22
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
When does it fail?
Of the 22 engine complaints filed for the 2011 Acura MDX, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Engine accounts for 31% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 7 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 10 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
Engine excessively consumes oil. No issue to the engine whatsoever no smoke at exhaust no burning oil. Check my oil after about 1000 miles and I’m missing a quart of oil. There was once a recall for this issue but the window to get repaired has expired. That does help people that purchased this car after the window. Issue need to be a permanent recall and not a temporary.
Burning excessive amount of oil. I check it every two weeks and every time I have to top off.
The vehicle is consuming too much oil. Dealership made us go through oil consumption test and confirmed this is an issue and included us in their warranty extension to do the repairs. However, its been more than a month and there is no timeline on even when the parts will be available and it could be another month or 2 or 4 months. I called dealer several times as well as Acura with no different…
Excessive oil consumption. Acura claims burning 1 qt every 1,000 miles is acceptable. Based on web search many other owners of the same vehicle are having the same problem. My guess is that it's a rather prevalent problem given how few people actually regularly check their oil and I'm certain the service technicians aren't informing the customer when the oil level is unacceptably low. *tr
This car burns oil at an insane rate. I have to go to Jiffy Lube after only 1500 miles, and they are in shock when they top me off each time. Two of the employees have said that my engine is at trial of exploding because this car burns through oil so fast. Your website says that there is no recall, but there actually WAS a recall for this car, but I was NEVER NOTIFIED about this dangerous issue.…
Using oil, no leaks, no smoke. Less than 1000 miles putting more oil in. Need to recall these engines
Excessive oil consumption. I have the oil changed when the maintenance minder gets to 10%. Usually this is about 5,000 miles between oil changes. I will add oil to the engine at 50% oil life or 2,500 miles. I have contacted Acura and they are unwilling to address this problem. These engines need to be recalled. This is a reoccurring event.
On sept 11 2019 my mechanic notified me of a problem with my 2011 Acura mdx. He said it was excessively burning oil. He said to contact Acura/Honda because they identified it as a problem with some of their cars. I called that same day and was told that yes, there is a defect in my make and model car and that had issued a warranty to cover the repairs, but unfortunately, because I was 11 days…
Had engine trouble with your 2011 Acura MDX?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2011 Acura MDX?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 22 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 62,000 and 120,000 miles, with the median around 92,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 62,000; a quarter make it past 120,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Acura/MDX.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.