2020 Acura MDX · symptom sheet
Engine stalls or loses power while driving
- 60owner reports
- 48,193median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 4, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
142 of the 221 complaints on this car are about the engine. 60 of those describe stalling, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2020 MDX.
Tick what matches of 60 reports
Stalling on other MDX years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2018, 2022.
What this problem usually is
Stalling reports are some of the most alarming on the site. The engine quits while the car is moving, sometimes on a highway and sometimes at a stop. Many owners say it restarted right away and the dealer found no stored code, which is part of why these complaints pile up before anything gets fixed.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (15 reports), the fuel pump (3 reports) and the engine (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
3 recalls on the engine cover the 2020 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
All 8 recalls on the 2020 Acura MDX, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the MDX
All wheel drive allegation. Closed aug 4, 2026.
Engine failure. Open.
No restart after auto start/stop engages. Open.
Engine failure. Closed aug 20, 2025.
Ignition interlock failure - rollaway. Closed jan 14, 2013, led to recall 12V-573.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 25,000 and 63,744 miles, from the 24 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2020 Acura MDX that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Due to swelling of the fuel pump motor impeller, the fuel pump may seize and stop working. If this occurs, the check engine light may be displayed with DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail Pressure Too Low) stored, the engine may not start, or the engine could stall while ...
What owners wrote
“The car's Auto Start/Stop (AST) function is malfunctioning. It frequently fails to restart the engine after stopping, causing the engine to completely shut down at traffic signals. When this occurs, the car must be shifted to park and the engine manually restarted.”
Filed Jul 18, 2024
“Engine shuts off at red light as auto idle stop got activated. Then at green light when I press the accelerator my car was inâneutralâmode and it didnât allow me to move. I had to put my car into parking then switch it off and restart it. People behind me were agitated and honking.”
Filed Jul 9, 2024
“the vehicle shut down while at a red light and went the transmission went into neutral and should not start until i place the vehicle into park and then i had to press the start button two or three times to get the vehicle to start again. this is the second time this same problem has occurred in a two week span”
Filed Jul 3, 2024
“Car stalls when auto idle at stop lights. There is a recall for my make and model however, I called Acura and they said my vin was later removed from the recall. The service bulletin states all trim levels and my MDX falls within the parameters. They could not tell me why my car had the recall once listed and then removed. This is very dangerous because it takes a few minutes for the car to start again.”
Filed Feb 26, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 60 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works