Acura RDX Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Acura RDX options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Acura RDX has 1,133 owner complaints and 22 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is UNKNOWN OR OTHER. 2019 drew the most complaints; 2024 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Acura
- Model
- RDX
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 1,133
- Safety recall campaigns
- 22
- Crash-related complaints
- 28
- Fire-related complaints
- 3
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2019 (433 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2024 (11 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Acura RDX: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe ACURA RDX has 1,133 NHTSA complaints and 22 recalls on record. 28 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 1,133 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 22 federal recall campaigns
- 28 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
22 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
STEERING
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 1,133 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
1,133 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The panoramic roof frame assembly on my 2022 Acura RDX exhibits the exact condition described in Acura Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 23-004. The panoramic roof produces loud popping and creaking noises during normal driving over uneven pavement and driveway entrances because the roof frame mounting system loses clamp force, allowing the roof frame to shift. The condition was confirmed by an authorized Acura dealership, which determined that my vehicle matches the condition described in TSB 23-004. The dealer submitted the repair request to an Acura field representative. American Honda acknowledged the condition by approving only partial goodwill assistance, requiring me to pay approximately $800 to repair what Acura has already identified as a manufacturing defect. The defect has therefore been confirmed by both the dealer and the manufacturer, but the manufacturer has refused to fully repair it. My concern is that this is more than a warranty issue. Acura has acknowledged that the panoramic roof frame can shift during normal vehicle operation due to loss of clamp force. I have also become aware of numerous reports of Acura RDX panoramic sunroofs unexpectedly shattering or exploding while driving. While I cannot determine whether these events are directly related, I believe a roof frame that is known to move during normal operation may place additional stress on the panoramic glass and could create a potential safety hazard if glass failure occurs while the vehicle is in motion. There were no warning lights or diagnostic messages before the condition appeared. The popping noise was present immediately after I purchased the vehicle with fewer than 6,000 miles. The condition is reproducible during normal driving and remains present. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether the condition described in Acura TSB 23-004 represents a safety-related defect and whether it may be associated with reports.
The rear glass shattered suddenly when the car was parked. Acura issued a TSB 22-014, but my model is not listed in the TSB.
While driving through an active intersection, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of electrical power. The engine shut off without warning and all electrical systems immediately went dead. The instrument cluster went dark, the ignition was unresponsive, and the hazard lights did not function. The vehicle lost propulsion while in traffic and could not be restarted. Police were required to block traffic to prevent a collision. Emergency responders attempted to jump start the vehicle, but the jump start had no effect. The vehicle showed no signs of electrical power at all. After approximately 15 minutes, while awaiting a tow truck, electrical power returned spontaneously without any repairs or external intervention, and the vehicle was able to start normally. The battery had been replaced approximately one month prior. No other repairs or modifications have been performed on the vehicle. If the battery were discharged, a jump start should have restored power, but it did not. The total electrical blackout and delayed self‑recovery suggest an intermittent main power connection failure. This incident resulted in complete loss of motive power, steering assist, brake assist, turn signals, and hazard lights while in traffic, creating a serious safety hazard.
while on vacation, upon entering the parked vehicle, the rear hatch window spontaneously shattered. No local place was open (Sunday) and the wait for a new window was days out so I had to drive two hours home with a makeshift windshield made from a tarp and duct tape. This is an obvious hazard as I could not see out the back window. Replacement window to be installed in the coming days. No warnings indicated.
Automatic braking system came on when the vehicle sensed another vehicle. As the breaking system turned on, the steering wheel locked and did not allow for the driver to steer in order to not avoid a collision. This happened in the streets. It is currently under investigation with insurance. The vehicle had applied the emergency breaks system a few days before, in the highway, while the driver already had the foot on the break and the steering wheel had locked, preventing the driver to change lanes. No collision on this day.
Respected Sir/Madam, I am filing this complaint about a road incident that occurred on [XXX] near [XXX] that resulted in a total car loss for me, [XXX] , wife of [XXX] (jointly insured through GEICO Auto Insurance ). I am a responsible driver with no history of at-fault collisions, and I suffered severe mental pressure and miraculously survived a near-death experience due to this incident, which involved no other vehicle (not an actual crash). Two airbags were deployed, and I escaped with small injuries thanks to the grace of almighty god. I am attaching a copy of the police report of the incident. The incident describes that the car skidded from right to left to right on the same lane before toppling over. As far as I could tell the vehicle was trying to correct itself which led to it overcorrecting and causing it to go back and forth before toppling over and landing on the side. It is our opinion that on a day where there was no natural constraint (rain, snow, or wind), a car toppling is a big shock! I firmly believe that negligent driving was not the cause of this incident because there was no turn, no bend, or no car in front or behind to slam the brakes suddenly. This, I believe, is purely the result of a software failure of the Acura car (probably to do with lane departure and automatic braking) that has caused a topple of such a heavy magnitude. I believe that this near-death experience is solely the fault of ‘Acura’, the car company that manufactured the 2022 Acura RDX AWD . I am registering this as a formal complaint today { 4/25/2025 } in Farmington Hills at [XXX] , Zip: [XXX] against Acura. I would like the bureau to obtain compensation of 1 Million US Dollars from Acura for a near-death experience and severe mental strain that [XXX] and I encountered due to this incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Read 14 more owner reports
The rear windshield shattered due to no force from any outside forces. There were no signs of impact, and apparently this has happened to numerous owners of this specific model.
Rear windshield spontaneously shattered when closing the drivers side door
12/28/2024 rear windshield completely shattered without any external impact. The car was sitting in driveway. Temperature was approximately 61 degrees. Dealership has refused to take responsibility even though part number is same as a service bulletin recall for 2019-2020.
My 2022 Acura RDX has premature wear at 22,000 miles for its front rotors and back rotors. The vehicle creates unusual vibration and noise when braking and I cannot drive it due to this noise .When I contacted the Acura/ technician they told me that new model of Acura RDX has this problem especially during cold weather and its rotos wears due to new ceramic brake pads. The cost of replacing the front rotor and ceramic pad is about $1000 as per Acura and I cannot drive it unless I replace them all .Even if I replace them .The same problem will come again as the rotor and its pad are defective .I request you to solve this problem as the cost to maintain this vehicle is high due to this problem .most rotors need replacement only after 70,000 miles. Thank you for hearing me
Rearview windshield spontaneously shattered.
The contact owns a 2022 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds on the highway, there was an abnormal screeching sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact parked and inspected the vehicle and became aware that the rear passenger’s side rotor was scratched. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was no cause for the issue found. However, the contact was made aware that the brake pads on the rear passenger’s side were metal to metal. The contact was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.
Car was parked in driveway of residence. Opened the driver's door and got in. Upon closing the driver's door, the back windshield shattered/exploded. The car was not running when this happened. The window that broke was on a door that had not even been opened. (There is a video that will be forwarded). There is a know technical service bulletin (TSB 22-014) that Acura is aware however, when contact was made to Acura customer service, I was informed that yes there is a known issue, but my win number is not one of the vehicles impacted by the known issue.
Rear tailgate window shattered when the vehicle was parked/not operating with nothing hitting the back glass. The only operating change over the past two weeks prior to the shattering was regular morning use of the rear defroster. Rear tailgate was never slammed
The contact owns a 2022 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, a deer unexpectedly crashed into the middle of the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that after the impact, the front driver's side knee bolster air bag gradually deployed and exploded, causing a 5-inch opened wound on the contact's right leg. The contact stated that her leg was bleeding significantly. The vehicle was called emergency services. The ambulance lifted the contact out of the vehicle and transported the contact to the hospital, where the contact was informed that she had sustained a traumatic wound to the leg. Antibiotics were applied to the wound. The Doctor attempted to suture the wound but was unable to. The contact was referred to a hospital Wound Center, and the contact has been undergoing weekly treatment. A police report was filed. The police towed the vehicle to a tow lot, where it was later picked up by the insurance company. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where an estimate of the damage was being made. The dealer informed the contact that only the knee bolster air bag would be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
I woke up Sunday morning to find the rear window on my 2022 Acura RDX to be shattered. Nothing impacted the window to cause it to be shattered. My understanding is this is a known problem with this vehicle.
Read windshield shattered leaving glass that can't be removed from the tailgate. Previous years have a service bulletin and this continues to be an issue with newer models, including my 2022 RDX.
The Traffic Sign Recognition is defective. Numerous times it has indicated that the speed limit was 85 mph or other erroneous speed limits other than the one that was posted on signs. My wife has reported this to Autonation Acura's service department and they said that they had never heard of the problem. If you go to one of the Acura RDX forums and search on "problems with traffic sign recognition," you will find other owners who has seen this problem.
The contact owns a 2022 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the rear liftgate window shattered. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,000.
We were driving our 2022 Acura RDX on the expressway when the we suddenly heard a very loud pop/explosion. A few moments later we could hear wind above our heads. We realized the sunroof had literally exploded and shattered. Neither me nor my passenger saw any road debris whatsoever and believe this simply happened without any warning or cause.
Showing 20 of 1,133 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Acura RDX
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Acura RDX, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Acura RDX has 1,133 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Acura RDX has 22 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 28 of the Acura RDX's 1,133 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Acura RDX vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Acura RDX vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Acura RDX has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Acura RDX by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Acura RDX.
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Acura RDX reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Acura RDX reliable?
Poor. The Acura RDX has 1,133 NHTSA owner complaints and 22 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is UNKNOWN OR OTHER. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Acura RDX years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2019 (433 complaints), 2020 (344 complaints), 2021 (111 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Acura RDX problems?
Top reported issues: UNKNOWN OR OTHER (306 complaints); VISIBILITY/WIPER (205 complaints); ENGINE (191 complaints).
Does the Acura RDX have recalls?
Yes — 22 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Acura RDX. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.