Acura RDX Problems by Year
NHTSA has 2,174 owner complaints and 16 safety recalls on file for the Acura RDX, across 20 model years (2007–2026). The 2019 model year has the most complaints (440). The most reported problem area overall is exterior lighting.
Acura RDX years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical RDX year: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2019 RDX: 440 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2015 RDX: 415 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2020 RDX: 348 complaints, 5 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2026 RDX: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2024 RDX: 12 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2009 RDX: 15 complaints, 2 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Acura RDX problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting problems | 612 | 12 | 6 |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 249 | 12 | 0 |
| Air Bags problems | 232 | 17 | 19 |
| Engine problems | 219 | 17 | 2 |
| Electrical System problems | 163 | 18 | 3 |
| Power Train problems | 145 | 18 | 3 |
| Service Brakes problems | 108 | 16 | 11 |
| Structure | 92 | 14 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 91 | 10 | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 79 | 16 | 11 |
| Steering | 53 | 14 | 9 |
| Visibility | 53 | 10 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 49 | 5 | 0 |
| Suspension | 37 | 11 | 2 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 33 | 10 | 3 |
| Lane Departure | 27 | 8 | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 21 | 11 | 2 |
| Seats | 21 | 10 | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Wheels | 11 | 10 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Tires | 9 | 7 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 7 | 0 |
| Equipment | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Acura RDX problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2020: visibility/wiper (83) · engine (55)
- 2019: visibility/wiper (97) · engine (90)
- 2015: exterior lighting (343)
- 2014: exterior lighting (163)
- 2013: exterior lighting (89)
All Acura RDX model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 RDX | 1 | 0 | 5★ | Power Train | |
| 2025 RDX | 30 | 1 | 5★ | Steering | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 RDX | 12 | 2 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 RDX | 24 | 2 | 5★ | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 RDX | 31 | 2 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 RDX | 116 | 3 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2020 RDX | 348 | 5 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2019 RDX | 440 | 5 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2018 RDX | 77 | 1 | 5★ | Fuel/propulsion System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 RDX | 79 | 1 | 5★ | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 RDX | 41 | 2 | 5★ | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2015 RDX | 415 | 3 | 5★ | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 RDX | 244 | 3 | 5★ | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 RDX | 162 | 3 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 RDX | 15 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 RDX | 16 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 RDX | 22 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 RDX | 15 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 RDX | 33 | 3 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 RDX | 53 | 2 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
More from Acura: all Acura models · Acura VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Acura RDX years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2013 (162), 2014 (244), 2015 (415), 2017 (79), 2018 (77), 2019 (440), 2020 (348), 2021 (116) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical RDX year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Acura RDX?
Exterior Lighting, with 612 complaints across 12 model years.
How many recalls does the Acura RDX have?
16 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.