Acura RDX reliability and problems by year
Owners have filed 2,065 complaints about the Acura RDX with NHTSA since 2010, most often about exterior lights and other or unspecified. Acura has filed 11 warranty extensions and 2 service campaigns for it, and there are 15 safety recalls on file.
From NHTSA's public data files, downloaded 2026-10-10.
How reliable is the Acura RDX? What NHTSA's records show
We don't give the RDX a reliability score. NHTSA publishes complaint counts but no sales figures, so complaints can't be turned into a rate or compared between models. Here is what's on file for model years 2010 on.
- Owner complaints
- 2,065
- Filed with NHTSA, all model years
- Warranty extensions
- 11
- Filed by Acura
- Service campaigns
- 2
- Filed by Acura
- Safety recalls
- 15
- Each covers part of the model
Every model year compared
Complaints rise with how many were sold and how long they've been on the road, so a newer or rarer year will show fewer. Compare years of the RDX with each other.
| Year | Complaints | Most named | Recalls | Warranty / campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | Transmission and drivetrain (100%) | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 30 | Steering (77%) | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 12 | Other or unspecified (33%) | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 23 | Electrical system (26%) | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 31 | Other or unspecified (35%) | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 115 | Other or unspecified (27%) | 3 | 2 |
| 2020 | 348 | Other or unspecified (29%) | 5 | 7 |
| 2019 | 438 | Other or unspecified (32%) | 5 | 7 |
| 2018 | 77 | Fuel and propulsion (22%) | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 78 | Transmission and drivetrain (29%) | 1 | 2 |
| 2016 | 41 | Transmission and drivetrain (22%) | 2 | 3 |
| 2015 | 413 | Exterior lights (83%) | 3 | 4 |
| 2014 | 243 | Exterior lights (67%) | 3 | 3 |
| 2013 | 162 | Exterior lights (55%) | 3 | 3 |
| 2012 | 15 | Airbags (40%) | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 | 16 | Airbags (63%) | 2 | 2 |
| 2010 | 22 | Airbags (59%) | 2 | 2 |
Look up one model year, or a VIN
See the complaints, recalls and warranty extensions for a single RDX model year, with the typical mileage when owners reported each problem.
Acknowledged by Acura
Warranty extensions and service campaigns Acura filed with NHTSA for the RDX, in its own words. A warranty extension means Acura pays for the repair beyond the normal warranty.
- Warranty extensionMay 2021· Electrical system· model years 2019–2020
Dealer Message - On February 18, 2021, American Honda announced a warranty extension for certain 2019-2020 RDX vehicles.
- Warranty extensionApr 2021· Electrical system· model years 2019–2020
Acura is adding an additional 2,000 miles to this extension. Please note that the warranty coverage for the MOST bus network on your vehicle is 6 years or 74,000 miles from the original date of purchase, whichever comes first.
- Warranty extensionApr 2021· Electrical system· model years 2019–2020
- Warranty extensionApr 2021· Electrical system· model years 2019–2020
- Warranty extensionFeb 2021· Equipment and accessories· model years 2019–2020
Dealer Message - Today, February 18, 2021, Acura is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2019-20 RDX vehicles.
- Warranty extensionMar 2020· Airbags· model years 2015
This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
- Warranty extensionJun 2018· Airbags· model years 2013–2015
This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passengers airbag inflator only.
- Warranty extensionJun 2018· Airbags· model years 2016–2017
This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passengers airbag inflator only.
- Warranty extensionMay 2018· Airbags· model years 2010–2015
This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
- Warranty extensionMay 2018· Airbags· model years 2016
This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
- Warranty extensionMay 2018· Equipment and accessories· model years 2010–2017
Dealer message - Today, May 24, 2018, Acura is announcing a warranty extension for 2002-17 Acura vehicles. This warranty extension applies in cases where any of the replacement driver?s and/or front passenger?s airbag inflators have failed internally.
- Service campaignAug 2022· Electrical system· model years 2019–2021
As of August 23, 2022, the Product Improvement Campaign has ended. The TCU can no longer be updated using Over The Air updates. If the customer needs to restore TCU services, the only option is to replace the TCU. This would be done as a customer pay repair.
- Service campaignDec 2021· Electrical system· model years 2019–2021
Dealer Message - Today, December 3, 2021, Acura is announcing a product improvement campaign (PIC) for certain 2019-2021 RDX vehicles to update the telematics control unit (TCU) software for an upcoming network service change.
What owners report most
The parts of the car owners named in their complaints, across every RDX model year. Unverified, and not a failure rate.
- Exterior lights597 (29%)
- Other or unspecified343 (17%)
- Visibility and wipers240 (12%)
- Engine204 (10%)
- Airbags156 (8%)
- Electrical system152 (7%)
- Transmission and drivetrain137 (7%)
- Brakes101 (5%)
Safety recalls
15 recalls cover at least one RDX model year. Each covers a range of VINs, not every car. Check one car at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
The software for the electric power steering (EPS) assist may not be calibrated properly, which can cause the EPS system to enter a failsafe mode, resulting in a loss of power steering assist.
The steering gear box assembly may not have been tightened properly, allowing water to enter the assembly and cause corrosion and binding gears.
The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel.
A manufacturing issue with the front seat belts may cause the seat belt buckle channel to interfere with the release button, preventing the seat belt buckle from latching.
A component in the right or left front driveshaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which could result in driveshaft failure.
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high…
The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part.
The Certification Labels on the affected vehicles were printed with ink that may be inadvertently wiped away with an alcohol solvent.
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal.
NHTSA investigations
Defect investigations NHTSA opened. Many close without a recall.
- EA21002Engineering analysis· opened Sep 2021, still open· Airbags· model years 2013–2017
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA's own page for the 2026 Acura RDX has the complaint text and every document.
Common questions
Is the Acura RDX reliable?
We don't score reliability: NHTSA publishes complaint counts but no sales figures, so complaints can't be turned into a rate or compared between models. What's on file for model years 2010 on: 2,065 owner complaints, 11 warranty extensions and 2 service campaigns Acura filed, and 15 safety recalls. The model years with the most complaints are 2019 (438), 2015 (413), 2020 (348). Whether a known problem was fixed on one car is what its service records show.
What are the most common problems with the Acura RDX?
Across every model year since 2010, owners' complaints to NHTSA most often name exterior lights (29%), other or unspecified (17%), visibility and wipers (12%). Acura has filed 11 warranty extensions covering the RDX, listed on this page.
Which RDX model years have the most complaints?
2019 (438), 2015 (413), 2020 (348). Complaint counts rise with how many were sold and how long they've been on the road, so compare years of the RDX with each other rather than with other models.
Has Acura extended the warranty on the RDX?
Yes: electrical system (model years 2019–2020); electrical system (model years 2019–2020); electrical system (model years 2019–2020), and 8 more. A dealer does a covered repair for free within the extended time or mileage.
How do I check recalls on a RDX?
Enter the car's 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. That answers for one vehicle; the 15 recalls listed here are for the model, and each covers only part of it.