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2016 Acura RDX: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
39%
15 of 40 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

39% of relevant owner complaints on the 2016 Acura RDX are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 55% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
15
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
40
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
3 crashes · 3 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN9 · 23%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM8 · 20%
ENGINE7 · 18%
SERVICE BRAKES6 · 15%
STEERING4 · 10%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4 · 10%

The years either side

2010
too few complaints
2011
too few complaints
2012
too few complaints
2013
22%
8 of 162
2014
11%
4 of 242
2015
24%
10 of 409
2016
39%
15 of 40
2017
47%
33 of 75
2018
46%
33 of 77
2019
29%
120 of 436
2020
24%
79 of 345
2021
30%
29 of 111
2022
3%
1 of 31
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other luxury SUVs with no elevated signal in 2016

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE06/16/2026
On May 25, 2026, while driving my 2016 Acura RDX AWD on the interstate at highway speed, it suddenly began running rough and felt as if I was driving over low, spaced-out speed bumps. The check engine light started flashing, and multiple safety-system warnings appeared, including AWD System Problem, Vehicle Stability A…
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN01/16/2025
The contact owns a 2016 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 25 MPH, there was a loud clicking sound coming from underneath the vehicle on the front passenger side of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact’s wife took the vehicle to the local independent mechanic to be dia…
POWER TRAIN01/09/2025
A judder from the torque converter is felt when driving between 20 and 60 mph

Three of 15 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (2)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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, an…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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, 2007-2…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2016 Acura RDX

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.