2012 Acura RDX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RDX years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 17th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Acura RDX. That ranks 17th out of 20 RDX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (6 complaints, 40%), typically at around 40,000 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 15owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Acura RDX problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 6 | 40% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 13% | 133,027 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 13% | 50,100 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 13% | 51,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 7% | 6,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 7% | 17,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 7% | 6,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 7% | 17,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Acura RDX recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. 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. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Acura RDX. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 148,000. However, following an oil change service, it was later discovered that the actual…
Ambos focos delanteros se obedecen, las fechas exactas cuando lo llev al dealer para garanta de los focos no la recuerdo, pero fui en varias ocasiones. Me informaron que la especificacin del fabricante eran focos al aire, y que por eso se humedecian y no tenan garanta, que todos los de ese ao…
Vehicle will completely shut down while driving causing the brakes to lock and causing a major safety concern for others and the person driving the car. Once the vehicle shuts down the car will need to be put in park, turned off and completely restarted again. This incident has happened to my…
Takata recall. The driver air bag was recalled and replaced. When i questioned why the front passenger side air bag was not being replaced also. The dealership said it was not being recalled. I asked if it was a takata air bag. Dealership would not answer. Only saying it was not being recalled. My…
I noticed vibration while driving in town as if i had flat tires, and especially when i was accelerating. After a week i had my suv checked at the garage. They had to replace the right and left line axle assemblies which was quite expensive. The mechanics told me that it was completely finished and…
Other Acura RDX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 RDX | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 RDX | 30 | 1 |
| 2024 RDX | 12 | 2 |
| 2023 RDX | 24 | 2 |
| 2022 RDX | 31 | 2 |
| 2021 RDX | 116 | 3 |
| 2020 RDX | 348 | 5 |
| 2019 RDX | 440 | 5 |
| 2018 RDX | 77 | 1 |
| 2017 RDX | 79 | 1 |
| 2016 RDX | 41 | 2 |
| 2015 RDX | 415 | 3 |
| 2014 RDX | 244 | 3 |
| 2013 RDX | 162 | 3 |
| 2012 | 15 | 2 |
| 2011 RDX | 16 | 2 |
| 2010 RDX | 22 | 2 |
| 2009 RDX | 15 | 2 |
| 2008 RDX | 33 | 3 |
| 2007 RDX | 53 | 2 |
See all Acura RDX problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.
Similar Acura models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Acura RDX?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Acura RDX?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Acura RDX a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RDX model years, the 2012 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.