2011 Acura MDX: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
70 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2016 to 2020 MDX, where the 2016 scores 49 on 367 complaints and the 2020 scores 47 on 215, with the 2017 to 2019 CAUTION at 58, 66 and 59, and avoid the 2025 at 39 on 94 complaints in its first year. Buy a 2011 to 2013, which score 95, 92 and 94 on 70, 76 and 29 complaints, or a 2015 at 80. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: a year the record favours — 70 complaints, score 95/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Acura MDX, RDX and TLX: the years to avoid, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 70 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 4.67
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Check engine light continues to come on after repair, lack of power and transmission skip at times. Reverse light dark, unable to see at all.
The 2011 Acura MDX has a problem with the pistons in the engine which causes excessive oil consumption. This was subject of the matter of a class action suit described on the website entitled Acura Oil Consumption Settlement. This defect should be subject to recall and American Honda should be required to repair or replace this pistons.
2011 Acura MDX Engine Oil Leak from Pan. Oil change and dip stick completely dry after 2 days. Many complaints of this common issue on 2011-2013 Acura MDX and no Recall. Reverse Lights not set properly When going in reverse it's remains dark and hard to see.
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
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What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 18 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $4,200
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine28 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train8 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other7 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System7 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Air Bags6 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Vehicle Speed Control4 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Acura MDX years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Acura MDX?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (28 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Acura MDX a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 95/100, computed from 70 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Acura MDX's most common problem?
28 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Acura MDX sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Acura MDX cost to run per year?
About $6,778 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $33,892 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Compare with
Other luxury midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Acura MDX really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 70 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 70 NHTSA complaints on record (4.7/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (19.8/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems