The Lemon Index

All cars · Acura MDX

2013 Acura MDX.

The 2013 Acura MDX is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 13 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 20, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about speed control, it has 1 recall, and it gets 18 mpg combined. The best Acura MDX year is 2010.

20Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 5× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2010 · Worst year 2016

Acura MDX
Photo shows an Acura MDX. Dinkun Chen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints13first 3 years
Fuel economy18 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★☆NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 30 owner complaints, owners reported:

0crashes
0injuries
3fires
1tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

speed control23%
steering23%
electrical23%
engine23%
transmission & drivetrain15%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Acura MDX year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 50K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 22K to 80K miles on the car (19 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 1

  • fuel system, gasoline 2023

    The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Acura told dealers about

Acura sent dealers 88 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • Service bulletin - The steering wheel vibrates or there is a moan from under the hood while…
  • Service bulletin - The vehicle?s body and steering wheel vibrates while it?s at idle or very…
  • Engineering request for investigation - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2010 &…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningOptional
Lane departure warningNot offered
NHTSA front crash test of the 2013 Acura MDX
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Acura MDX SUV 4WD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $4400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.7L 6-cyl.

In owners' words

Having problems with delayed acceleration mainly when I accelerate into traffic. While driving mainly on the highway my car will randomly and rhythmically start accelerating and decelerating between 1500-2000rpms

2013 Acura MDX owner · NHTSA complaint 10818247
More owner reports

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.

NHTSA complaint 10515905

Quick answers

Is the 2013 Acura MDX reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 5× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 20; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Acura MDX year by this measure is 2010.

What are the most common 2013 Acura MDX problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are speed control (23%), steering (23%) and electrical (23%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2013 Acura MDX have?

1 safety recall (latest: fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Acura MDX get?

18 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2013 Acura MDX safe?

NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

Does the 2013 Acura MDX have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 15% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2013 Acura MDX cost in fuel a year?

About $4400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2013 Acura MDX have?

3.7L 6-cyl.

What Acura MDX year is better than the 2013?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data