Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
| At 160,000 mi | Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed) |
Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 MDX.
The 2018 Acura MDX is an SUV fitted with an Automatic (S9) transmission and an engine requiring 5.7 quarts of 0W-20 oil. It carries EPA ratings of 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. Within the model’s 2001–2026 complaint history, this model year generated 159 owner complaints—far below the 2016 peak of 359 yet significantly higher than the 2026 low of 6—positioning it as a middle-ground entry that avoids the worst reliability issues of earlier cycles while still carrying more reported problems than recent redesigns.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.
From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 620 CCA; Advance Package: 650 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic (S9) |
| Overall length | 196.1 in |
| Overall width | 77.2 in |
| Overall height | 67.3 in |
| Wheelbase | 111 in |
| Curb weight | 4343 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 66.5 / 66.1 in |
| Weight distribution (front / rear) | 58/42 |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 19 / 26 / 22 mpg |
| Drivetrain | All-Wheel Drive |
| Recommended fuel | Premium Gasoline |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the MDX of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Advance Package 3.0L V6 + Elec | 6.00 sec | 14.60 sec | 321 hp | AWD |
| 2017 | Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Technology Package 3.0L V6 + Elec | 5.70 sec | 14.50 sec | 321 hp | AWD |
| 2017 | SH-AWD Advance Package 3.5L V6 | 6.00 sec | 14.70 sec | 290 hp | AWD |
| 2017 | SH-AWD Advance Package 3.5L V6 | 6.20 sec | 14.70 sec | 290 hp | AWD |
| 2017 | SH-AWD Advance Package 3.5L V6 | 6.30 sec | 14.90 sec | 290 hp | AWD |
| 2019 | SH-AWD A-Spec 3.5L V6 | 5.90 sec | 14.50 sec | 290 hp | AWD |
| 2019 | SH-AWD A-Spec 3.5L V6 | 6.30 sec | 14.80 sec | 290 hp | AWD |
| 2016 | SH-AWD Advance & Entertainment Package 3.5L V6 | 5.90 sec | 14.60 sec | 290 hp | AWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 5.7 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 94 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.
| Automatic Transmission Fluid | ATF 3 |
| Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity | 3.5 |
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 3.8 qt |
| Engine Coolant | Use Honda Type 2 antifreeze |
| Engine Coolant Capacity | 7.8 |
| Engine Oil | 0W-20 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 5.7 qt |
| Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s) | 9.0 ft-lbs |
| Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s) | 3.0 ft-lbs |
| Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s) | 9.0 ft-lbs |
| Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s) | 3.0 ft-lbs |
| Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) | 68.0 ft-lbs |
| Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) | 68.0 ft-lbs |
| Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s) | 9.0 ft-lbs |
| Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s) | 33.0 ft-lbs |
| Lug Nuts | 94 ft-lbs |
| Front Wheel Hub | 242.0 |
| Rear Wheel Hub | 181.0 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-4-2-5-3-6 |
| Curb Idle Speed (No Load) | 680 rpm |
| Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load) | 50 rpm |
| Curb Idle Speed (No Load) | 950 rpm |
| Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load) | 50 rpm |
| Spark Plug Manufacturer | Acura |
| Spark Plug Gap | 3471cc and 3474cc Engines: |
| Spark Plug Torque | 16 ft-lbs |
| Refrigerant | R134a |
| Refrigerant Capacity | 1.44-1.63 lbs |
| Oil Group | PAG |
| Oil Type | 46 |
| Oil Capacity | 4.10-4.20 oz |
| Standard BCI Group Number | 48 |
| Standard BCI Cranking Performance | 620 cca; Advance Package: 650 cca |
| Standard BCI Group Number | 48 |
| Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum | 60.0 psi |
| Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum | 67.0 psi |
| Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum) | 60.0-67.0 psi |
| Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum | 57.0 psi |
| Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum | 64.0 psi |
| Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum) | 57.0-64.0 psi |
| Engine Compression | 135 min psi / Maximum Variation 29 psi |
| Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque | Front: 53; Rear: 26 |
| Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque | Front: 101; Rear: 80 |
| Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for Replacement | Front: 1.102; Rear: .354 |
| Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation | .0006 |
| Maximum Rotor Runout | .0016 |
| 1 | 15.0 ft. lbs. | 15 ft. lbs |
| 2 | 90 degrees | 90 degrees |
| 1 | 15.0 ft. lbs. | 15 ft. lbs |
| 2 | 90 degrees | 90 degrees |
| 1 | 48 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90 | 48 ft. lbs |
| 1 | 89.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90 degrees. Only if you are using a new pulley bolt or crankshaft, tighten the bolt in the following steps: Step 1: 52.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90 degrees, Step 3: loosen bolt, Step 4: 89.0 ft. lbs., Step 5: 90 | 89 ft. lbs |
Prep Bearing cap bolts:
| 1 | 30.0 ft. lbs. | 30 ft. lbs |
| 2 | 47 degrees; Side cap bolts: 36.0 ft. lbs. | 47 degrees |
Prep Bearing cap bolts:
| 1 | 30.0 ft. lbs. | 30 ft. lbs |
| 2 | 47 degrees; Side cap bolts: 36.0 ft. lbs. | 47 degrees |
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
| At 160,000 mi | Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed) |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The third-generation MDX (2014–2020) shows a clear complaint arc: a sharp spike in 2016 at 359 complaints with 3 investigations, declining through 2017's 245 to the 2018 target year's 159, before ticking back upward to 182 in 2019 and 210 in 2020. Notably, however, 2018 carries the generation's highest recall count at 10—up from 8 in 2017 and 7 in 2016—suggesting that while fewer owners were filing complaints, federal regulators and Acura were actively addressing safety-related defects. The top complaint areas cluster around engine, fuel system, and powertrain components (11 combined engine/fuel complaints, 9 engine, 9 fuel, 8 powertrain), with 4 fire complaints and 3 crash complaints recorded—figures the data does not attribute to specific root causes. TSBs dropped to 139 in 2018 from 229 in 2017, which could indicate fewer known service issues had been formally documented at that point or that technical guidance was still being developed. Taken together, the 2018 model sits at a relative complaint trough within a generation that otherwise trended upward in owner dissatisfaction after 2018, but its elevated recall volume warrants scrutiny. **Verdict: 2018 is a reasonable buy among third-gen MDX years, provided you confirm all 10 recalls have been completed—just be aware that the rising complaint trend in 2019–2020 suggests this generation's underlying issues were not fully resolved at this point in the cycle.**
All 159 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 10 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the fuel injection engine control unit (FI-ECU) software and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura MDX and 2017-2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid vehicles. Moisture may enter the tailgate lid lights, possibly causing a loss of the tailgate lid lights and… Remedy: Acura will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate lid lights and install updated gaskets and a wiring sub-harness or will replace both tailgate lid lights. The…
Showing 5 of 139 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONL6AX01302026 | 2026-01-31 | Fuel/Propulsion System | Owner Notification Letter - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the… |
| B25-003 | 2025-09-03 | Visibility/Wiper | Service Bulletin - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner… |
| B25-003 | 2025-07-09 | Visibility/Wiper | Service Bulletin - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner… |
| B23-002 | 2025-07-07 | Engine | Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle… |
| ONL6L806042025 Form | 2025-06-04 | Exterior Lighting | Owner Notification Letter - An uneven sealing surface allows moisture to enter the inner… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
5.7 qt of 0W-20 STARBURST, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.