Backup camera and garage door opener malfunctions, as well as excessive oil burning, are among the 2010 Acura MDX problems that you should know about.

Written by Ethan Moser

Reviewed by Kathleen Flear

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Table of Contents

The most common 2010 Acura MDX problems
Is the 2010 Acura MDX reliable?
How to simplify car insurance shopping (and still optimize coverage!)

The most common issue with the 2010 Acura MDX is its excessive oil consumption, though backup camera and garage door opener malfunctions are also prevalent issues with the model.

While newer models of the family-focused Acura MDX SUV have addressed the faults of previous generations, the model’s second generation (2010 to 2013) posed its own issues for drivers.

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The most common 2010 Acura MDX problems

On the bright side, there have only been 38 complaints filed against the 2010 Acura MDX in total according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Eight of those complaints were in reference to the model’s electrical system, namely slight malfunctions with the backup camera and garage door opener.

An additional 10 complaints were issued to the NHTSA about the 2010 MDX’s engine, particularly concerning its excessive oil consumption.

Experts generally suggest that used car shoppers avoid the second-generation MDX due to its oil consumption issues. While the MDX is otherwise a desirable vehicle, the issue led to a series of legal issues for Acura and its parent company

Honda

After being alerted to the issue, Acura issued owners of the 2010 MDX an extended warranty on the car's

3.7-liter V6 engine

that was good for eight years or 125,000 miles, whichever came first. While that might have been helpful to MDX drivers at the moment, today, all 2010 MDX models are out of warranty and have a decade’s worth of wear and tear built up on top of their already finicky engines.

Things got worse for Acura when a group of MDX owners filed a class-action lawsuit against the automotive manufacturer over the ongoing oil consumption issues. In May 2020, the lawsuit was settled with Honda, though Acura continues to deny any wrongdoing.

As a result of the lawsuit, eligible MDX owners were reimbursed for the cost of any repair and maintenance costs addressing the oil consumption issue, assuming they had valid documentation.

MORE:

The most common Acura problems

Is the 2010 Acura MDX reliable?

Despite the 2010 MDX’s oil consumption issues, the family-focused SUV still received relatively decent reliability ratings.

Generally speaking,

luxury SUVs like the Acura MDX

aren’t the most reliable. This is because luxury models aren’t focused on reliability but instead on offering a comfortable, stylish, and entertaining driving experience.

For example, when you compare the Acura MDX to its cousin, the 2010

Honda CR-V

SUV, the more affordable Honda edges out the MDX according to both RepairPal and J.D. Power. Where RepairPal gave the MDX a reliability rating of 4 out of 5, the less expensive CR-V got a 4.5 out of 5.

Over at J.D. Power, the CR-V earned a respectable 87 out of 100 quality and reliability rating while the MDX only received a 77 out of 100.

The average annual cost of maintaining and repairing a 2010 Acura MDX is approximately $543. Compared to other luxury SUVs, that’s relatively affordable—even if they are more frequent due to the MDX’s engine snafus.

MORE:

A complete guide to Acura safety ratings

How to simplify car insurance shopping (and still optimize coverage!)

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