2006 Acura MDX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

121 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Acura MDX, alongside 11 recall campaigns and 5 defect investigations. It scores 31/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 70,000 miles.

121Complaints
31/100Trouble index
11Recalls
85,706Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2006 sits among all MDX years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Transmission & drivetrain 40 complaints (33%) · typically ~70,000 miles
“Vehicle transmission can not shift while driving on the road .no reverse and forward .the vehicle have 76000 miles on it.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 MDX
Other 16 complaints (13%) · typically ~96,500 miles
Airbags 15 complaints (12%)
Engine 11 complaints (9%) · typically ~98,000 miles
Electrical 9 complaints (7%)
Brakes & stability 9 complaints (7%) · typically ~147,000 miles

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 88 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 85,706 miles. Half of those reports fall between 63,969 and 139,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (11)

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 19E068000 2019

Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2007-2011 Honda…

Fix: Dorman will notify owners, and qualified service facilities will replace the affected accelerator pedal assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2019. Owners may contact Dorman…

AIR BAGS 19V499000 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

AIR BAGS 19V501000 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

AIR BAGS 19V182000 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic,…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer…

AIR BAGS 17V029000 2017

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2011 Honda Element vehicles, 2005-2012 Acura RL vehicles, 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2005-2008 Honda Pilot…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.…

AIR BAGS 16V344000 2016

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

AIR BAGS 15V320000 2015

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 13V092000 2013

Honda is recalling certain model year 2005 Pilot vehicles manufactured July 29, 2004, through August 29, 2005; model year 2005-2006 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 16, 2004, through September 22, 2005; and model year 2005 Acura RL vehicles…

Fix: Owners will be notified and instructed to take their vehicles to a dealer of their respective brand. The dealer will install a partial wiring harness containing a capacitor for the VSA modulator,…

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12V573000 2012

Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Pilot and Odyssey and 2003 through 2006 Acura MDX passenger vehicles manufactured from November 26, 2001, through August 30, 2006. The interlock lever of the ignition switch may deform, which can allow the…

Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated shift interlock lever and, if necessary, replace any necessary part of…

EQUIPMENT 08E013000 2008

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…

Fix: 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…

EQUIPMENT 06V270000 2006

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MOTORCYCLES, THE OWNER'S MANUALS CONTAIN INCORRECT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S (NHTSA) VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE.

Fix: HONDA WILL SEND A POSTCARD TO DEALERS AND OWNERS WITH THE CORRECT NHTSA VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE INFORMATION AND WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO INSERT THE CARD INTO THE "REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS" SECTION OF THE…

Federal defect investigations

Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture EA21002 opened September 17, 2021 · still open

Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…

Model years named: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006

Air Bag Inflator Rupture EA15001 opened February 24, 2015 · still open

Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their…

Model years named: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006

Air Bag Inflator Rupture PE14016 opened 2014, closed 2015

Led to recall campaign 13V172000.

Vehicle Stability Assist Malfunction EA13002 opened 2013, closed 2013

Led to recall campaign 13V092000.

Ignition Interlock Failure - Rollaway PE12026 opened 2012, closed 2013

Led to recall campaign 12V573000.

Technical service bulletins

60 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on airbags and electrical — are on file for the 2006 Acura MDX. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2006 MDX TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2006peak 18 in 20102024

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2006 Acura MDX reliable?

The 2006 Acura MDX drew 121 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 31/100, scored against the model's worst year (2016).

What are the most common 2006 Acura MDX problems?

The top reported problems for the 2006 Acura MDX are transmission & drivetrain (40 complaints), other (16), and airbags (15).

At what mileage do 2006 Acura MDX problems show up?

Owners most often report 2006 Acura MDX problems around 85,706 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 63,969 and 139,000 miles.

Does the 2006 Acura MDX have recalls?

11 recall campaigns apply to the 2006 Acura MDX. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2005 MDX All MDX years 2007 MDX →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.