NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Acura MDX Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2008 Acura MDX has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 49 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Acura dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Acura MDX, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2008 Acura MDX owner complaints

Owners have filed 49 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Acura MDX, describing incidents dated January 1, 2008 to January 1, 2026.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 8 complaints
Structure 8 complaints
Service Brakes 6 complaints
Suspension 6 complaints
Air Bags 5 complaints
Engine 5 complaints

Of the 49 complaints on file, 2 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 49 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11711735 · Filed January 18, 2026
My car exterior paint has poor quality. It has been for years. It clear coat peeling and bubbling due to poor factory adhesion between paint layers, Fading & Chalking. This happens for so many years ago but I don’t know this happened because the manufacturers problem until recently a friend told me…
ODI #11657933 · Filed April 30, 2025
About maybe 2 months ago my tailgate open light comes on. When the exterior light is left on when I get in the car. .. it will go out but the tailgate light open will come on while driving and you will a ding then the light comes on while drive ng. As a result the car alarm.goes.off several times. I…
ODI #11521945 · Filed May 14, 2023
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…

Read all 49 complaints

AFTERMARKET HITCH STYLE BIKE RACK

NHTSA #08E013000 · Equipment — Mechanical — Carrier/Rack · NHTSA notice

Reported February 5, 2008 · HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)

Potentially affected: 2,032 vehicles

Defect description

HONDA IS RECALLING 2,032 HITCH STYLE BIKE RACKS SOLD AS AFTERMARKET FOR USE ON MY 2003-2007 AND SOME MY 2008 HONDA PILOT, RIDGELINE, AND ACURA MDX VEHICLES. A PINCH BOLT EXISTS BETWEEN THE BIKE ARM BRACKET AND THE UPRIGHT ASSEMBLY OF THE "HITCH" STYLE BICYCLE RACK.

Safety consequence

WHEN MOVING THE BIKE ARM BRACKET TO ITS DOWN POSITION, THIS PINCH BOLT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF CAUSING SEVERE LACERATION OR AMPUTATION TO THE USER'S FINGERTIPS OR HAND.

Manufacturer remedy

OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT THULE AT 800-THULE91 (800-848-5391) TO OBTAIN A FREE REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS OR OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

Notes

CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

2008 Acura MDX 4-DR. w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

14% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

49 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Acura MDX.

Structure

ODI #11711735

Incident: January 1, 2026 · Filed: January 18, 2026

My car exterior paint has poor quality. It has been for years. It clear coat peeling and bubbling due to poor factory adhesion between paint layers, Fading & Chalking. This happens for so many years ago but I don’t know this happened because the manufacturers problem until recently a friend told me this

Unknown or Other

ODI #11657933

Incident: March 28, 2025 · Filed: April 30, 2025

About maybe 2 months ago my tailgate open light comes on. When the exterior light is left on when I get in the car. .. it will go out but the tailgate light open will come on while driving and you will a ding then the light comes on while drive ng. As a result the car alarm.goes.off several times. I have checked the tailgate and it is closed I have taken it in but they can't find the reason why this happening. I have been on other forums and this appears to have been a problem.with.other Acura 2008 MDX,s.

Electrical System

ODI #11521945

Incident: March 1, 2021 · Filed: May 14, 2023

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!

Air Bags

ODI #11513871

Incident: March 6, 2023 · Filed: March 26, 2023

I was at stoplight waiting to make a right turn and the Check Air Bag System turned on. No accident, just the error came on for no reason. This is safety issue and it should have lifetime warranty! I called the dealer and they told me that its will cost me $295 just to diagnose the error. I feel like this should be recall. I understand that it’s an electronic device and could failed. But it should have lifetime warranty.

Air Bags

ODI #11460385

Crash 1 injury

Incident: April 8, 2022 · Filed: April 11, 2022

Had front collision with another vehicle and hit their passenger side of the vehicle and their Airbags Deployed on that side but my Airbags didn’t Deploy in the Front. I suffered injuries because it didn’t work.

Structure; Engine

ODI #11399293

Fire

Incident: March 2, 2021 · Filed: March 5, 2021

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING, IT SEAMS TO SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE.

Air Bags

ODI #11340955

Incident: July 15, 2019 · Filed: July 22, 2020

AN AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE WHEN I TURNED MY PARKED 2008 ACURA MDX ON IN MY DRIVEWAY. MY CAR HAD/HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR HIT. IT SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE POLICY FOR AN ACURA DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM FOR FREE BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD I'LL BE CHARGED FOR A DIAGNOSIS. PLEASE ADVISE.

Air Bags

ODI #11326506

Incident: May 29, 2020 · Filed: May 29, 2020

"CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM" LIGHT CAME ON. NO ACCIDENTS, NOTHING THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE LIGHT TO COME ON. IT WAS STATIONARY WHEN IT CAME ON, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. *TR

Electrical System; Service Brakes

ODI #11210328

Incident: May 1, 2019 · Filed: May 28, 2019

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.

Electrical System

ODI #11165970

Incident: January 4, 2019 · Filed: January 9, 2019

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..!

Other Acura MDX model years

Check your 2008 Acura MDX VIN

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