These SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory due to a loss of CARB certification. These SKUs can no longer be sold as they do not meet CARB standards, but parts on vehicles are not effected.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Acura MDX engine problems
severe Owners of the 2012 Acura MDX have filed 19 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 MDX | 6 |
| 2010 MDX | 5 |
| 2011 MDX | 22 |
| 2012 MDX (this page) | 19 |
| 2013 MDX | 5 |
| 2014 MDX | 9 |
| 2015 MDX | 3 |
| 2016 MDX | 118 |
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 19 engine complaints filed for the 2012 Acura MDX, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 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 25% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 5 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service Bulletin - Due to high demand for repairs under this warranty extension, pistons and rings required to complete this repair are currently backordered. Acura has provided this service bulletin (19-052) as a mechanism to cover clients that were not able to have repairs completed during the initial 6-month eligibility period on service bulletin (19-006).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - On January 16, 2019, Acura announced a warranty extension for certain 2009-14 Acura vehicles equipped with a 3.7L V6 engine to address client concerns related to excessive oil consumption. Acura extended the powertrain warranty coverage to address engine issues related to excessive oil consumption from the original 6 years/70,000 miles to 8 years/125,000 miles, whichever comes first. In addition, all vehicles were provided a grace period until August 31, 2019 and were covered regardless of time in service or mileage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - The oil control rings may become clogged with carbon deposits. These deposits restrict the ring's ability to scrape and return oil from the cylinder wall to the crankcase, which can result in excessive engine oil consumption that may exceed client expectations.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - The oil control rings may become clogged with carbon deposits. These deposits restrict the ring's ability to scrape and return oil from the cylinder wall to the crankcase, which can result in excessive engine oil consumption that may exceed client expectations.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Excessive engine oil consumption dominates complaints on the 2012 MDX. Owners consistently report burning 1 to 2.5 quarts per 1,000 miles—sometimes as much as 5–6 quarts between full oil changes—with no visible external leaks. Low-oil warnings appear frequently after fresh oil changes, and some owners must add 0.75 to 3 quarts monthly.
Acura issued Technical Service Bulletin B19-006 (May 2019) titled "Engine Oil Exceeds Client Expectations" with a warranty extension, but that extended coverage expired in April 2021. Dealers have conducted oil consumption tests, though some refused further action when test mileage fell slightly short of 3,000 miles. One owner reported Acura replaced pistons and rings but the problem continued, and the manufacturer later claimed the high consumption is normal for the vehicle. Owners also reported that Acura required them to pay for dealership oil changes to perform inspections.
Beyond oil consumption, one owner experienced rod bearing failure at 137,840 miles on a vehicle previously serviced under the TSB, with metal glitter visible in the oil before complete failure. Another reported an engine fire at 82,000 miles after detecting a failed alternator. A third owner described hard-start issues at 51,000 miles and a fourth noticed strong exhaust odors in the cabin under acceleration.
Same Acura MDX engine reports on nearby years: 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Excessive Engine Oil Consumption
The engine burns or consumes abnormally high quantities of oil without visible leaks. Owners report consuming 0.75 to 3+ quarts per month, or 1 to 2.5 quarts per 1,000 miles. Some owners required oil top-offs between scheduled oil changes on a regular basis despite no external leaks. No clear root cause is identified in narratives, though piston/ring replacement was attempted in one case without resolution.
When: Varies widely; some owners noted it starting around 2017 or after 97,000 miles; others reported it present across the 51,000 to 157,000 mile range
Symptoms owners cite: Low oil warning light or notification appearing frequently after oil changes; Rapid depletion of oil level between oil changes; No visible oil leaks or puddles underneath vehicle; Oil change indicator returning much sooner than synthetic oil interval (6,000 miles vs. 12,000 mile expected life); Owner observation of slight glitter in oil indicating bearing wear
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported Acura replaced piston and rings but problem continued. Oil consumption test performed by dealers, with results ranging from 1 quart per 1,500 miles to 1 to 2.5 quarts per 1,000 miles. TSB B19-006 issued May 18, 2019 was titled 'Engine Oil Exceeds Client Expectations' with warranty extension offered. Owners reported extended warranty expired April 2021; some performed 1,000-mile consumption tests that failed to show improvement after attempted fixes.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Acura issued TSB B19-006 (May 18, 2019) with warranty extension for oil consumption. Extended warranty expired April 2021. Honda refused to honor a previously offered recall on at least one vehicle. Dealers conducted oil consumption tests but some refused further action when test mileage was close to 3,000 miles. Acura claimed in one case that the high consumption rate (1.5–2.5 quarts per 1,000 miles) is normal for the vehicle. Owners noted Acura required out-of-pocket oil change cost at dealership to perform inspection.
Rod Bearing Failure
Engine rod bearings failed, resulting in knocking sounds and metal contamination in oil. This failure occurred on a vehicle that had previously been serviced under TSB B19-006 for oil consumption at an Acura dealer, but bearings were not replaced during that repair despite subsequent failure.
When: Approximately 137,840 miles; vehicle had prior oil consumption repair at 99,425 miles (3/21/23)
Symptoms owners cite: Slight whirling sound while driving, escalating to loud knocking sound at startup; Slight glitter in oil sample indicating bearing wear and metal contamination; Oil warning light flashing while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Independent service center confirmed rod bearing failure at 137,840 miles. Bearings were not replaced during the prior TSB B19-006 repair at 99,425 miles despite indications of bearing wear.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda refused to honor a previously offered recall on this vehicle due to the prior oil consumption repair.
Engine Fire
Vehicle caught fire after producing abnormal whistling and cracking sounds. Dealer diagnosed a failed alternator but vehicle was not repaired and was later totaled by insurance.
When: 82,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal whistling sound while reversing; Smoke production; Abnormal cracking sound; Engine fire
Repairs/costs cited: Mungenast Acura of St. Louis diagnosed alternator failure. Vehicle was not repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
Hard Engine Start / Slow Cranking
Engine struggles to turn over and start, occurring randomly and periodically. Owner reported replacing battery four times and checking starter and spark plugs without resolving the issue.
When: At 51,000 miles; described as ongoing problem
Symptoms owners cite: Engine strains to turn over during cold or random starts; Slow cranking behavior occurring periodically; Difficulty starting engine despite recent battery replacements
Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaced battery four times, checked starter and spark plugs. Owner suspects loose fuel tank may be related, noting gas tank movement visible during refueling and difficulty filling fuel tank to full level.
Strong Exhaust Odor in Cabin
Owner reports strong smell of exhaust fumes inside the cabin under heavy acceleration, described as nauseating and a health risk.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: Strong exhaust odor inside cabin under heavy acceleration; Nausea reported by occupants
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
My 2012 Acura mdx has an oil consumption issue that Acura is aware of being a problem, however it is not offering to cover the cost associated with fixing the issue. My vehicle burned through more than 2 quarts of oil in a matter of 1 month. This needs to be a recall as it's a safety issue with the operation of the vehicle. Lack of oil could cause the engine to fail.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Acura mdx. For the past three years, the contact noticed an oil consumption issue with the vehicle. The contact researched and discovered that the manufacturer issued technical service bulletin (tsb) number: b19-006 on may 18, 2019. The tsb was a warranty extension titled 'engine oil exceeds client expectations'. The contact took the vehicle to crown Acura richmond…
Consistently getting low oil notification shortly after getting oil changes. This has been happening since 2017. Dealer does a oil consumption test and says it is not a problem. However I cannot go between oil changes without getting the notification. I have no oil leaks. Furthermore, I have had 'oil' services done over the past 5 years that never fix the problem. I'm afraid this is doing…
The engine oil on this models burns out very quickly. I have noticed that I get indicator to change engine oil in about every 6000 miles even though I use synthetic oil which has the life spam of up to 12000 miles. I use my car for normal drive from home to work and leisure.
Like most treads that I come across on blogs, I also have notice a strong smell exhaust fumes under heavy acceleration inside the cabin. The smell for the fumes are nauseating and of course posse a real health risk in my opinion. We purchased the vehicle used but still under warranty. Model: advanced *tr
This vehicle unrealistically burns oil. 5-6 quarts of oil is added to engine between oil changes.
S25 S25 recall fuel system 2012 Campaign Number 12V063000
Had engine trouble with your 2012 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 2012 Acura MDX?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 19 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 91,489 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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/2012/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.