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2013 Acura Mdx Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2013 Acura Mdx carries 1 open NHTSA recall — most recently covering fuel pump. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “Electrical System Malfunctions and Battery Drain.” Acura's Maintenance Minder calculates oil life from real engine conditions and shows service codes instead of fixed mileages — code A or B (oil / oil + inspection) plus sub-codes for items like tire rotation (1), air filters (2), or transmission fluid (3). Follow the codes, not the calendar. One interval you should never stretch: most Acura 3.5L V6 engines (MDX, TL) use a timing belt with a roughly 105,000-mile / 7-year replacement — a snapped belt on this interference engine means bent valves. SH-AWD models add a rear-differential fluid service that's essential for the torque-vectoring unit.

1 Open Recall

Source: NHTSA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Campaign #23V858000 · Dec 18, 2023

Issue: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Recall data refreshed Sep 6, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2013 Acura Mdx.

Reported to NHTSA

Electrical System Malfunctions and Battery Drain

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

4 NHTSA complaints · 2013-07 → 2021-03

“BATTERY HAS HAD TO BE REPLACE THREE TIMES DURING OWNERSHIP OF CAR. ALSO CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING FOR THE THIRD TIME SINCE PURCHASE IN FALL OF 2013, TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11405269
“PER THE MECHANIC MANY ACURA'S HAVING ISSUES WITH HANDSFREELINK BLUETOOTH WHICH DOESN'T TURN OFF RESULTING DRAINING BATTERY. WE JUST REPLACED OUR BATTERY AND ISSUE STILL PERSISTS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11389302
“BACK-UP CAMERA VIDEO / NAVIGATION MODULE, AND STEREO / CLOCK SCREENS REMAINED BLANK AFTER STARTING ENGINE, PLACING CAR IN REVERSE GEAR AND MOVING SLOWLY DOWN DRIVEWAY IN AN APPROXIMATE TIME FRAME OF 3-4 MINUTES”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10532687

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Exterior Lighting and Visibility System Failures

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

3 NHTSA complaints · 2015-07 → 2026-06

“The car is giving external right head light issue. The light turns off suddenly at night which we need to turn on again after 2 minutes. This happens frequently and we have to turn on the lights very often”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11744051
“EMERGENCY FLASHERS WERE STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. WE HAD PULLED OVER BRIEFLY ON THE FREEWAY AND TURNED ON THE HAZARD FLASHERS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WANTED TO RESUME DRIVING BUT THE FLASHERS WOULD NOT TURN OFF FOR A COUPLE MINUTES, SO WE DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10731925
“BACKUP CAMERA HAS EXTREMELY POOR PERFORMANCE IN LOW LIGHT OR NIGHT TIME SETTINGS IF THERE IS NO OTHER AMBIENT LIGHT LIKE STREET LIGHTS. REVERSE LIGHTS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO BE ABLE TO SEE OBSTACLES OR DANGERS IN THE BACKUP MONITOR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11132688

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine Oil Consumption

ENGINE

4 NHTSA complaints · 2019-12 → 2023-05

“The 2013 Acura MDX has a problem with the pistons in the engine which causes excessive oil consumption”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11523749
“About 1k miles ago I started getting an error that said low oil level. I went back into the lube shop to see what was going on, they said there was no leakage or issues there but there was hardly any oil in my car and that it was probably burning oil”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11492600
“I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AFFECTING MY VEHICLE FROM ACURA (2013 MDX) I TOOK THE CAR AS INSTRUCTED TO BRIDGEWATER ACURA AND THEY PERFORMED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11291712

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine Stalling and Power Loss While Driving

POWER TRAIN, ENGINE

3 NHTSA complaints · 2014-08 → 2021-07

“Over the past 3 months, the engine will cut off while I'm driving and the steering wheel and brakes lock up. This has happened about 5 times in a three-month period”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11424043
“AT NOON ON FEB 5TH (JUST ABOUT 7 DAYS) THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP WHEN TRYING TO PULL UP TO THE DRIVE WAY OF MY FRIEND HOUSE. THE ENTIRE CAR IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SMALL STREET, BLOCKING CARS FROM MOVING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10836993
“I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE, THE IGNITION ON, WHEN IT SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND DECELERATED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10627877

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Electrical Fires Originating in Cabin or Engine Bay

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

3 NHTSA complaints · 2015-02 → 2023-11

“The contact stated when he looked at the vehicle again he noticed the vehicle was on fire from the passenger side headlight. The contact stated a fire report was filed and the contact was informed that the fire origin was due to an electrical malfunction”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11554069
“Internal vehicle fire started around front passenger seat and burned for an unknown amount time before it extinguished on its own while vehicle was off and parked”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11439625
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10680786

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Steering Column and Wheel Malfunctions

STEERING

3 NHTSA complaints · 2013-06 → 2015-03

“WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL MOVED UPWARDS INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10693695
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REBOOTED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10640928
“THE VEHICLE SHOWS ALL TROUBLE CODES, VSA STABILITY, TRAILER STABILITY, ALL WHEEL DRIVE, ENGINE SYSTEM. ERROR. ONCE CODE COMES ON LOSS OF POWER AND STABILITY CONTROL”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10515905

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 11, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 11, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Oil & Filter (Maintenance Minder A/B)

Every 8,000 mi

Change when the Maintenance Minder reaches 15% oil life or shows code A/B — typically every 7,500-10,000 miles with 0W-20 synthetic. Short-trip city driving triggers the code sooner; that's the algorithm doing its job.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Timing Belt (3.5L V6 — MDX, TL)

Every 105,000 mi

J-series V6: replace the timing belt around 105,000 miles or 7 years (Maintenance Minder sub-code 4). It's an interference engine — a failed belt destroys valves. Replace the water pump and tensioner in the same job. (2022+ MDX 3.5L remains belt-driven; the Integra's turbo four is chain-driven.)

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$935–$1175

Shop

~$655–$825

DIY

Pro only

On interference engines, a snapped belt destroys valves. Worth doing on schedule. Bundle water pump + tensioner — labor is already there.

Tire Rotation (Sub-code 1)

Every 7,500 mi

Rotate when sub-code 1 appears — roughly every 7,500 miles. SH-AWD models: keep tread depths matched across all four corners.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Inspect pads, rotors, and fluid level with every A/B service. Type S models with Brembo front calipers: pads wear faster and cost more — budget ahead.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace every 3 years regardless of mileage — Honda/Acura schedules this on time because the fluid absorbs moisture.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Transmission Fluid (Sub-code 3)

Every 30,000 mi

Replace ATF when sub-code 3 appears — commonly every 30,000-60,000 miles depending on duty. Use Honda/Acura ATF only (DW-1, or the 10-speed's specified fluid); aftermarket 'universal' ATF causes shudder in these gearboxes.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

SH-AWD Rear Differential Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

SH-AWD (MDX, TLX, RDX): replace the rear differential fluid roughly every 30,000 miles (sub-code 6) — the torque-vectoring clutch packs run in this fluid, and whining or binding in tight turns is the classic overdue symptom.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Spark Plugs (Sub-code 4)

Every 100,000 mi

Iridium plugs around 100,000 miles on most models. Turbocharged Integra/ADX engines: check the manual — forced induction typically shortens the interval.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Engine Air Filter (Sub-code 2)

Every 30,000 mi

Replace with sub-code 2, roughly every 30,000 miles — sooner in dusty conditions.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter (Sub-code 2)

Every 30,000 mi

Replace with sub-code 2 alongside the engine air filter. Behind the glovebox — an easy DIY on most Acuras.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Coolant Replacement (Sub-code 5)

Every 100,000 mi

Honda/Acura Type 2 coolant: first change around 10 years / 100,000 miles, then every 5 years / 50,000. Use the blue Type 2 coolant only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

7 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

0

complaints mentioning a crash

3

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2013 Acura Mdx reflects Acura's published service intervals and the Maintenance Minder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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