Acura RDX: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Acura RDX problems by model year, from 2,016 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Years to avoid: 2017 (47%, 34 drivetrain complaints), 2018 (46%, 33 drivetrain complaints) and 2016 (38%, 15 drivetrain complaints). 3 of the 10 Acura RDX years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share.
Best years on this measure: 2022 (3%), 2014 (11%) and 2013 (22%). 2022 rests on fewer than 60 complaints, so treat it as provisional. A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2018 (46%) to 2019 (29%), down 17 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2019 drew the most drivetrain complaints (120 of 335 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2023 has fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Acura RDX year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 RDX | too few to score | – | 5 | 22 | – | 2 |
| 2011 RDX | too few to score | – | 3 | 16 | – | 2 |
| 2012 RDX | too few to score | – | 4 | 15 | – | 2 |
| 2013 RDX | no elevated signal | 22% | 8 | 162 | 8/10 | 3 |
| 2014 RDX | no elevated signal | 11% | 4 | 243 | 9/10 | 3 |
| 2015 RDX | no elevated signal | 24% | 10 | 412 | 6/10 | 3 |
| 2016 RDX | elevated | 38% | 15 | 41 | 3/10 | 2 |
| 2017 RDX | high | 47% | 34 | 77 | 1/10 | 1 |
| 2018 RDX | high | 46% | 33 | 77 | 2/10 | 1 |
| 2019 RDX | no elevated signal | 29% | 120 | 437 | 5/10 | 5 |
| 2020 RDX | no elevated signal | 23% | 79 | 346 | 7/10 | 5 |
| 2021 RDX | no elevated signal | 31% | 31 | 114 | 4/10 | 3 |
| 2022 RDX | no elevated signal | 3% | 1 | 31 | 10/10 | 2 |
| 2023 RDX | too few to score | – | 6 | 23 | – | 2 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Acura RDX years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Acura RDX transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the Acura RDX involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 12 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2013 | 13V143000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2013 |
| May 2020 | 20V314000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2019 |
| Mar 2021 | 21V215000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2019–2020 |
| Dec 2021 | 21V939000 | power train: driveline: driveshaft | 2021 |
| Dec 2023 | 23V858000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
7 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2016 | 16V061000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2013–2016 |
| Apr 2017 | 17V256000 | equipment: other: labels | 2017 |
| Mar 2019 | 19V182000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2013–2016 |
| Jun 2019 | 19V500000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2015 |
| Mar 2023 | 23V158000 | seat belts: front: buckle assembly | 2019–2020 |
| Feb 2024 | 24V064000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger | 2020–2022 |
| May 2026 | 26V332000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger | 2019–2022 |
What the free pages leave out on the Acura RDX
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Acura RDX
What are the worst years for the Acura RDX?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Acura RDX years are the 2017 (47% of relevant complaints, high), the 2018 (46% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2016 (38% of relevant complaints, elevated). 3 of 10 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Acura RDX?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Acura RDX years are the 2022 (3%), the 2014 (11%) and the 2013 (22%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Acura RDX have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 10 scored years, 335 of 1,213 relevant NHTSA complaints (28%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Is the Acura RDX reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 3 of 10 Acura RDX years we score have an elevated complaint share and 7 do not. Pooled across those years, 28% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Acura RDX?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Acura RDX years we track, out of 12 in total: 21V215000 (Mar 2021, 2019–2020), 21V939000 (Dec 2021, 2021), 23V858000 (Dec 2023, 2014–2020), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.