2021-2024 Acura MDX 3.5L V6 Base Engine (J35Y5): Problems, Longevity, and Specs

Acura vehicles are popular among American buyers. Even though they are all presented in the luxury class and don't come with low prices, sales statistics can surprise you. The new MDX sold more than 60,000 cars in 2022. Actually, the MDX model has sold more than 50K cars a year since 2012 which is very impressive.

Today, we'll tell you about the new Acura MDX 3.5L engine that is the base powerplant and comes in most versions sold in the US - we'll cover its problems and durability. Also, we'll see what features and technologies in this engine make it so wanted in the US. Finally, we'll see what can kill this engine prematurely and give our recommendations to avoid this.

Key specs and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2014-now
• Average lifespan of J35Y5:250,000-300,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:direct injection
• Power range:290 hp
• Fuel efficiency:average
• Engine block material:aluminum
• Engine reliability score:high
• The most common problems:oil burning, VTEC phaser issues, carbon buildup on intake valves, quite bad gas mileage.

Key features of the 3.5L Acura MDX engine

The new MDX comes with two engine options. The most popular is the 3.5L V6 J35Y5 one but there is another turbo engine, also V6, 3.0L with 355 horsepower for the Type S trim. This one starts at almost $68 thousand which is ridiculously expensive while the cheapest version has a price tag of under $50K. Of course, you will want to upgrade to the SH-AWD trim and add a couple of thousand to get some extra equipment.

So, the 3.5L engine is cheaper, more reliable, and more predictable, and it's still good in terms of how it goes. That's why we chose it to tell you about and we are ready to surprise you with some facts about it.

Here's what you will want to know about this engine prior to buying the vehicle:

• this is the naturally aspirated V6 gasoline engine with 3.5 liters of displacement offering 290 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque;
• the engine is codenamed J35Y5 and it's actually the same 3.5L V6 engine that was used in the MDX model since 2014;
• the engine has been used exclusively in the MDX SUV, other 3.5-liter engines of the series had some changes and modifications for other models;
• the engine is mated to the 10-speed automatic transmission which seems to be a good choice and offers great torque delivery to wheels at low RPM;
• the base trim comes with front-wheel drive while SH-AWD is equipped with all-wheel drive and some extra features;
• the engine features pretty old VTEC technology that's going to need some attention in high-mileage engines;
• this engine has a timing belt in its timing system, the belt should be replaced at least every 60,000 miles to avoid issues;
• the technology of the engine is more or less simple, this is not a super-new and modern powerplant, but a well-known and checked workhorse.

Although some people will question the rationality of this engine in the luxury SUV, we disagree with those hesitations. Everyone wants to have a solid engine that will go hundreds of thousands of miles and won't need overhauling every other year. This is just the engine you need if you are tired of all those endless problems with highly charged and super powerful modern engines from Mercedes, BMW, or Audi.

And we know that our point of view may be too traditional and even old-fashioned but we love the fact that at least one luxury SUV still offers a good big-displacement engine without a turbo and with all solid technologies in it. Yes, it may not be as eco-friendly as some newer engines, but it's cheap to maintain and good to drive.

How many miles will the 3.5L V6 engine go in the Acura MDX?

The engine is very reliable and durable. Before we started writing the article, we were concerned about the fact that we wouldn't be able to find enough common problems for the corresponding section. But we've managed to do that anyway.

And still, the J35Y5 engine is great. It can go more than 250,000 miles which is clearly a record among all available new luxury SUVs in this class. You may check it in other articles on Cararac.com featuring popular engines in Mercedes, Audi, Cadillac, and other car brands. You won't find a single luxury-SUV engine that could get to 250,000 miles without major problems.

Of course, longevity is not guaranteed, especially, if you don't care about maintenance and love aggressive driving. But still, these figures motivate.

As long as the MDX gets some TLC, it's going to provide you with a safe and comfortable ride without any problems on the engine's side.

What are the common problems with the 3.5L V6 MDX engine?

One of the problems that we would point out is that the engine is a little old-fashioned. We understand that the next generation of MDX will probably be equipped with some fancy new 2-liter turbo engine with something like 400 hp but it won't be as durable as this good old 3.5L V6 powerplant.

We've tried hard and gathered some common failures and problems you may face with this engine:

1. Oil consumption

As with any V6 engine, this one is going to get some oil, especially if you drive a lot on highways and rotate it to more than 2,500 RPM. Oil consumption is pretty normal for the engine but the problem comes when you don't notice a low oil level. If you don't add some oil when needed, the engine may start destroying itself because of poor lubrication.

One more issue is that the oil-pressure light will only light up on the dash when the situation with the level of oil is critical. Whenever you see the oil-pressure light on the dash of your Acura MDX, stop right away and add some oil.

2. VTEC problems

Variable valve timing and electronic control of lifting is the system that was introduced by Honda years and years ago. It's great for all new engines and allows them to burn less fuel and work more efficiently in all conditions. But when the engine gets older, VTEC causes so many minor problems that it becomes impossible to put up with.

After the vehicle hits the 150,000-mile mark, it will obviously need a lot of attention with its VTEC technology. Unfortunately, the maintenance and repair of the VTEC system are not as cheap as you may want them to be.

3. Standard direct injection problems

The J35Y5 engine is equipped with direct injection and it's good for gas mileage and power. But it's bad for your wallet because after the engine hits the 50,000-mile mark, it will start getting on your nerves with its valves. Carbon deposits need to be cleaned regularly and it's not going to cost you little money, unfortunately.

4. MPG problems

The manufacturer insists that your new Acura MDX will be able to show about 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on highways. Maybe it's possible if you forget where the gas pedal is in your SUV and that you should press it a little to drive. If you remember where the pedal is, you will never see this gas mileage on the dash.

The V6 engine in the MDX will show on average 15 mpg in the city and it's not that good. We understand that Acura wants to squeeze the engine to the tight emission rules so the company "optimizes" the estimated gas mileage. But for a driver, it's sometimes devastating to see how much fuel the new SUV really burns.

What should you do to drive your MDX 3.5L V6 engine longer?

There are a couple of things you should remember when you own the new Acura MDX with the J35Y5 engine:

• maintain your vehicle following the requirements up until the warranty period is over, after that make oil and filter changes more often;
• avoid aggressive driving - modern V6 engines hate this and will react unpredictably;
• once you see any error messages or lights, stop the vehicle and make sure it's safe for the engine to drive further;
• once you feel any changes in the way your SUV reacts to your actions behind the steering wheel, take the car to the dealer for diagnosis.

If you keep up with these very simple recommendations, your 3.5L V6 engine will be just fine and will most likely go more than 250,000 miles. This is a crazy estimate if you compare it with any other luxury SUV engine. So, be sure you are lucky to have one of the last non-turbo V6 units from Acura in your possession.

Final words

If you are about to buy a luxury SUV, consider the Acura MDX with the marvelous base 3.5L V6 engine which is one of the greatest non-turbo engines among all modern cars. The engine is pretty durable and reliable, it won't bother you much with minor problems and it's going to be there for you for about 250,000 miles which is the average estimated longevity of the J35Y5 engine model.