Concerns about the 2012 Acura ZDX and oil burn issues

[Warden]

A friend is considering buying a 2012 Acura ZDX with 70k miles but is worried about the J37 engine's oil-burning issues. The car hasn’t had major repairs, but I’m concerned about needing costly work on the rings. Was this a recall or more of a case-by-case problem, and will it be an out-of-pocket repair if the issue arises? Any advice please?

 

[CircuitCruiser]

The oil-burning issue affects all ZDXs, but my 2010 with 77,000 miles doesn't have that problem. I plan to do the timing belt next year, but these cars are reliable and low-maintenance. Have Acura check it before buying, but with low miles, you shouldn’t face any issues. The things you're mentioning are just normal car maintenance

 

[Supraman]

Hi - just lurking and came across this post. I have been similarly torn for years around purchasing a TL SH-AWDs with the same J37. This is a very well discussed issue on multiple sites - enough so that I decided I wasn’t willing to take the chance. Like most things, those who don’t have the problem aren’t going to post so I’m sure there are still a majority who have not seen this. However, my unqualified opinion is that this is inevitable - it’s a just a matter of when. It is a design defect pure and simple.

Using, at the time, a new and largely untested cylinder liner material (FRM) to reduce friction turned out to be a bad decision IMHO and there’s no simple, inexpensive or even proven long term fix. Even the new rings, pistons for those who got the warranty repair don’t guarantee this won’t happen again because of the softness of the lining and Acura’s coverage only extended to 10 years so at this stage you’re on your own regardless. There’s a reason Honda stopped using this motor. You could, of course, just keep adding oil if this problem starts but I also didn’t want to be compelled to check my oil with every gas fill up because well - this is 2025 not 1975. If I owned a J37, I’d be doing this regardless because you never know when the problem could start.

 

[Warden]

The oil-burning issue affects all ZDXs, but my 2010 with 77,000 miles doesn't have that problem. I plan to do the timing belt next year, but these cars are reliable and low-maintenance. Have Acura check it before buying, but with low miles, you shouldn’t face any issues. The things you're mentioning are just normal car maintenance

Thanks, I’ll recommend having Acura check it out, good to hear your 2010 has been trouble-free despite the reputation.

 

[Warden]

Hi - just lurking and came across this post. I have been similarly torn for years around purchasing a TL SH-AWDs with the same J37. This is a very well discussed issue on multiple sites - enough so that I decided I wasn’t willing to take the chance. Like most things, those who don’t have the problem aren’t going to post so I’m sure there are still a majority who have not seen this. However, my unqualified opinion is that this is inevitable - it’s a just a matter of when. It is a design defect pure and simple.

Using, at the time, a new and largely untested cylinder liner material (FRM) to reduce friction turned out to be a bad decision IMHO and there’s no simple, inexpensive or even proven long term fix. Even the new rings, pistons for those who got the warranty repair don’t guarantee this won’t happen again because of the softness of the lining and Acura’s coverage only extended to 10 years so at this stage you’re on your own regardless. There’s a reason Honda stopped using this motor. You could, of course, just keep adding oil if this problem starts but I also didn’t want to be compelled to check my oil with every gas fill up because well - this is 2025 not 1975. If I owned a J37, I’d be doing this regardless because you never know when the problem could start.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, that’s a great breakdown of the issue, and it’s definitely something to consider....It sounds like a real gamble with long-term reliability.