2019 Acura RDX Owner Complaints

The center infotainment display went completely black, with only the backup camera feed still functioning. There was no audio output at all (radio, navigation prompts, or Bluetooth). The dealer diagnosed and replaced the FAKRA service cables under Acura TSB B23-025, which addresses this exact display-blank/audio failure. After the cable repair, the screen remained black and audio remained completely non-functional. The dealer then determined the tuner/AV control unit had failed, confirmed by swapping in a working unit from another RDX which restored function. Acura Client Relations was contacted and declined to provide any coverage for the tuner unit replacement, stating the TSB only covers the cables themselves, despite the failure occurring immediately downstream of the covered repair. The vehicle is safe to drive but loses infotainment display, audio, navigation, and rear camera guidelines during forward driving, which is a distraction and safety concern. The vehicle remains available for inspection. No warning lamps preceded the failure; the screen simply went black."

NHTSA ID

11754516

Incident

Nov 26, 2025

Premature valve cover gasket oil leak and rear shock absorber oil leak at 43,818 miles At 43,818 miles on 04/25/2026, Acura dealer documented on RO XXX: "Valve cover gasket leaking - Recommend replacement $500+Tax" and "Rear Shock/Strut starting to leak oil residue $435.64". This is premature failure. Valve cover oil leak can cause engine fire hazard - oil leaking onto hot exhaust. Rear shock oil leak causes loss of stability and increased stopping distance. Dealer quoted over $3,500. Repaired at independent shop with OEM parts for $1,670. Honda Case #XXX denied goodwill citing out of warranty. VIN: [XXX], 44k miles, well maintained. Request investigation for 2019 RDX premature oil leaks. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11752557

Incident

Apr 25, 2026

I took the car in to get new tires. Both rear coil springs are broke. The driver side is broke in 2 places.

NHTSA ID

11750536

Incident

Jul 10, 2026

There was head gasket failures around cylinders 2 and 3. This allows small amounts of coolant to leak into the engine, causing a distinct startup sputter or a choppy shudder as turbo boost climbs. This is a reoccurring issue with 2019 Acura RDX the vehicle ran hot while driving and was instructed to turn the vehicle off also the check engine light began to flash on and off.

NHTSA ID

11748536

Incident

Jul 3, 2026

Head Gasket failure. Design failure there are grooves holding coolant on the block making the coolant leak into cylinders heads

NHTSA ID

11748469

Incident

Jan 1, 2026

While parked, i got into my vehicle turned on the car engine put the car into reverse and was backing out of my driveway when the rear window exploded and shattered into many pieces.

NHTSA ID

11748110

Incident

May 25, 2026

Upon my entry into the vehicle I closed the driver side door and the back glass shattered all the way across.

NHTSA ID

11746837

Incident

May 13, 2026

I am writing to report an incident involving the rear window of my2019 Acura RDX that shattered unexpectedly. The incident occurred while the vehicle was parked at my workplace. I was notified by a co-worker that the rear window had shattered. Upon inspection, there was no obvious sign of a collision, vandalism, or other event that would explain the damage. A glass replacement company was called to my workplace to replace the shattered rear window. After examining the vehicle, the technician advised that there was no evidence of an external impact, such as a rock strike or other object, that would have caused the glass to break. Because the window appeared to shatter without any apparent outside force, I am concerned that this may indicate a defect in the rear glass or its installation. I respectfully request that this incident be documented and reviewed as a potential safety-related issue. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

NHTSA ID

11745769

Incident

Dec 15, 2025

blown head gasket

NHTSA ID

11745209

Incident

Mar 6, 2026

Came out to parked car, rear window was shattered with no damage to the rear area of the car. it was spontaneous without any apparent contact

NHTSA ID

11741508

Incident

Jun 2, 2026

Rear windshield has shattered spontaneously 3 times. 2 insurance claims have been filed, along with 3 transit police reports.

NHTSA ID

11740774

Incident

May 5, 2026

My RDX A-Spec experienced premature head gasket failure and suspected turbocharger related issues at low moderate mileage. Vehicle shows coolant loss and overheating/midfire symptons, rough idle. Im concerned this May be related to known Honda/Acura 2.0 turbo engine defects causing unsafe and costly engine damage.

NHTSA ID

11739279

Incident

Jan 15, 2026

The car started jerking and overheating. Mechanic says blown head gasket. The car is only 64000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11735468

Incident

Apr 1, 2026

Rear Window of 2019 Acura RDX shattered while car was parked at my home after using remote start. No other damage to vehicle, there is currently a TSB 22-014 for this exact issue by Acura where they acknowledged that this happens to RDX models from 2019-2022 but there is no recall to fix this potentially dangerous issue. I luckily was not driving when this happened

NHTSA ID

11729974

Incident

Apr 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle and closing the front driver's side door, the rear windshield shattered unexpectedly. The contact took the vehicle to Safelight Repair to replace the windshield. The failure reoccurred approximately 2 years and 3 months later. The dealer was not informed of the failure. The manufacturer was informed about the failures and confirmed that there was no recall related to the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11729860

Incident

Nov 8, 2023

My car is AWD. Occasionally when I am driving my car will feel like its stalling and an error message appears on the dash saying there’s an error with the AWD system and only front wheel driving is working

NHTSA ID

11729740

Incident

Mar 15, 2026

Vehicle: 2019 Acura RDX (Technology Package) I am reporting a serious safety issue involving sudden loss of engine power while driving. On March 14, 2026, I filled my gas tank before traveling approximately 1.5 hours out of town. The vehicle operated normally that day. The following morning, during snowy and icy conditions, while accelerating in traffic, the vehicle suddenly lost power and stalled. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard (“Christmas tree” effect), and the steering became very stiff, making it difficult to safely maneuver the vehicle out of traffic. I was able to restart the vehicle, but warning lights remained on. The next day, while driving on the highway under normal conditions, the same issue occurred again. While accelerating, the vehicle suddenly lost power and stalled in traffic, creating a dangerous situation. In response, the fuel pump inside the gas tank was replaced; however, the problem persists. The vehicle continues to display warning lights and still loses power when accelerating. I contacted an Acura dealership after seeing reports of a fuel pump recall for similar vehicles, but I was told my VIN was not included. Despite this, the symptoms match known fuel pump-related issues. This defect poses a serious safety risk, especially when driving at highway speeds or in traffic, as sudden loss of power and steering assist can lead to a crash. No injuries have occurred yet, but the issue is ongoing and unresolved. I am requesting investigation into this issue as a potential safety defect.

NHTSA ID

11728433

Incident

Mar 15, 2026

REAR WINDOW OF 2019 ACURA RDX SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT MANIPULATION.

NHTSA ID

11726869

Incident

Mar 24, 2026

Rear window shattered without cause. First incident occurred on March 26, 2024 for which I replaced the rear window. The second incident occurred on February 18, 2026. The defect occurred in exactly the same pattern and place (near the windshield wiper) and shattered the entire rear window both times. During both instances there was cold weather and rain. I do not think that this is a coincidence and luckily did not occur while I was driving or had my child in the car. I have found evidence online that I am not the only one with this complaint.

NHTSA ID

11726239

Incident

Feb 18, 2026

Rear windshield shattered while driving, with no impact. That is a dangerous risk that could go terribly wrong with other drivers.

NHTSA ID

11726237

Incident

Mar 20, 2026

I own a 2019 Acura RDX Advance with a head-up display (HUD). The HUD projection surface suddenly became warped and cracked after sun exposure. This was not gradual deterioration or normal wear and tear—it happened abruptly. The resulting distortion directly affects the clarity of the HUD and creates visual interference in my forward line of sight. This impacts my ability to clearly see the road and can be distracting while driving, creating a potential safety hazard. This appears to be a known issue reported by other owners of the same vehicle model, suggesting a defect in materials or design that cannot withstand normal environmental conditions like sunlight. Despite this, the manufacturer has denied goodwill assistance for repair. I am submitting this complaint because this defect affects driver visibility and may increase the risk of an accident.

NHTSA ID

11725295

Incident

Feb 25, 2026

The hatch window of the car broke spontaneously while parked. There were no debris or damage made to it. The glass broke right above the window shield wiper and the rest of the window was intact with spider web like shatter.

NHTSA ID

11724839

Incident

Mar 14, 2026

The back windshield has cracked on two occasions in the span of six months.

NHTSA ID

11724251

Incident

Mar 13, 2026

Three weeks ago when New York had the two big snow storm and the road condition was really bad, my Acura RDX unexpectedly pop up warning message that says disabling of AWD (switching to FWD). This happened every time when it snow and will disappear when the weather is good.

NHTSA ID

11723390

Incident

Feb 16, 2026

On March 5, 2026 my son and I were sitting parked in my 2019 RDX A-Spec SUV when we heard a loud cracking sound and my rear windshield shattered. We got out of the car and did not see anyone or anything nearby that could have impacted the windshield. There were no objects on the ground or inside of the car that could have caused the break. I called 911 to get emergency assistance because at the time we weren't sure whether it was possible that someone had thrown or shot something at our car. I also called my insurance company while onsite to file a claim. The police arrived and could not find any sign of foul play but noted a comment report to document the incident. We had to drive the car home with shattered glass falling into our car as we drove very slowly home. We were shaken and very confused as to why and how this could have happened. When I got home I Googled, "RDX" and before I could type in anything else, HUNDREDS of customer complaints including news coverage of the very same incident I experienced showed up. Acura/Honda KNEW about this and had issued Service Bulletin (22-014) on 10/28/2022 but never directly informed customers that this could happen. There is no recall, no light indicators, no warning. I was in the car with my son. We could have been on the highway or anywhere when our windshield shattered. I contacted an Acura Dealership and they indicated that I was responsible as the customer. Now, I am having to pay $500 out of pocket in order for my insurance to cover the damages. This may also cause my insurance rate to increase. This is a terrible safety issue and Honda/Acura failed to inform customers and take responsibility for a known, well-documented safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11722484

Incident

Mar 5, 2026