2013 Acura RDX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RDX years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 162 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Acura RDX. That ranks 5th out of 20 RDX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (89 complaints, 55%), typically at around 102,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 162owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting problems | 89 | 55% | 102,000 | “low beam” (45%) | $2,250 |
| Air Bags | 36 | 22% | 46,200 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | 5% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 4% | 850 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 4% | 25,950 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 4% | 33,650 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 4% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 2% | 500 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 100 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 1% | 12,030 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 1% | 40,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | 34,435 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 124,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 13,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 47,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Acura RDX recalls (3)
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.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. 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. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are S96, S97, and S98.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
NHTSA Safety Complaint â Acura RDX Driver-Side Airbag Module Availability Vehicle: 2013 Acura RDX VIN: [XXX] Component: Driver-Side Airbag Module Part Number: 77810-TX4-A40ZA-MOD My 2013 Acura RDX was vandalized in January 2026, and the driver-side airbag module was stolen. My mechanic contacted…
The headlight housings on this generation of 2013 Acura MDXs completely fail due to a design flaw that causes the housing to overheat and dim the lights to a dangerous level. At night, you would be safer if you were driving with flashlights taped to the hood of the vehicle. Iâm sure this has…
I have a code on my Acura regarding the driver side airbag. The code is 11-10, covered under service bulletin: 18-020, noting defects in the driver side air bag module. I brought my vehicle in to Hall Acura in November 2025 where this was officially diagnosed and a order was placed for a part on…
On 3/26/2026 a symbol of an engine appeared on my dash. Then several minutes later the car began running very rough and numerous warnings signs came on including Check Engine, Check AWD System, Check Power Steering System, Check Uphill Assist system and others. I took the car to my mechanic this…
The headlights do not produce enough light to see the road. Every time the car is driven at night it is extremely dangerous.
Other Acura RDX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 RDX | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 RDX | 30 | 1 |
| 2024 RDX | 12 | 2 |
| 2023 RDX | 23 | 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 | 162 | 3 |
| 2012 RDX | 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 2013 Acura RDX?
Owners most often report exterior lighting, air bags, visibility/wiper problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 89 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Acura RDX?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 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 2013 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.