2020 Acura RDX Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2020 Acura RDX, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Visibility10131.1%
- Engine5216.0%
- Fuel system3711.4%
- Driver assistance268.0%
- Body & structure247.4%
- Brakes237.1%
- Electrical226.8%
- Powertrain (other)216.5%
- Airbags61.8%
- Suspension61.8%
- Steering30.9%
- Exterior lighting20.6%
- Seat belts10.3%
- Interior & seats10.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the contact heard an exploding sound and noticed that the sunroof had exploded, causing fragmented glass to enter the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked in the garage when he heard a noise and went to inspect the vehicle. The contact discovered that the rear windshield had cracked and imploded. There was no impact to the rear windshield that could have caused the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,000.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH in inclement weather, moisture entered the turbocharger, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over, restarted the vehicle, and drove to a local dealer. A technician confirmed that the failure was caused by moisture entering the turbocharger and referenced an unknown Technical Service Bulletin associated with the repair for the vehicle. The dealer stated that the vehicle was safe to operate. There were no further issues with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Grubbs Acura in Grapevine TX has all the information
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
My 2020 Acura RDX is currently non-operational due to a failure of the fuel pump, which is the subject of NHTSA Recall 23V-858. The vehicle suffered a complete loss of power and will not start, posing a significant safety risk should this have occurred while in motion. Despite contacting Acura Client Relations over 30 days ago, no remedy has been provided. My Case Manager states they are unable to offer a solution other than waiting for a "Territory Manager" to make contact—an event that has yet to occur. My vehicle has now been completely disabled for over two weeks. Because I reside in the [XXX] , the manufacturer claims they cannot service the vehicle due to a lack of a local franchise dealership. However, as a [XXX] territory, federal safety mandates apply. Acura has refused to authorize a local certified mechanic to perform the repair or ship the necessary parts to rectify this safety defect in a reasonable timeframe. The manufacturer is effectively denying a federally mandated safety remedy based on geographic location, leaving me with a non-operational, hazardous vehicle and no timeline for repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the fuel pump had fractured and failed to function as intended. The contact was advised to contact the local dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the fuel pump had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
System warning light stating Electronic Parking Brake Error, that the system would not engage and to contact a dealership.
The car was just purchased Turning left going about 5 to 10mph in a 25 mph zone it hit the brakes. Then about 100 yrds later at a stop light, the car was turning left with traffic going onto a 45mph road. It slammed on the brakes, saying "brake", on the Display, causing whiplash, and almost a major accident. After calling Acura, they mentioned these driver assistance systems were tied into cruise control. When the car was tested on the highway a couple days before and used cruise control, the collision and another warning system were faulty. It said "sensor is covered or..." I do not remember the 2nd part. They specifically said if these systems are problematic with warning lights, you should not use cruise control. These cars should not be on the road. No shortage of people complaining about this online.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
My rear glass mirror shattered. This occurred after I closed the door.
The rear hatch glass exploded when the driver door was shut. Was parked outside out house in our driveway. Not driven all day.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the brakes were unintendedly activated. Additionally, the contact observed an orange warning light which stated “Brakes” illuminated and then went off. The vehicle was taken to a dealer twice however, the dealer was unable to replicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
On April 18, 2023 driving thru shopping center parking lot, WITHOUT WARNING car suddenly jerked right, accelerated, while brakes, steering wheel, gears locked. Ended crashing thru the wall of a structure. Airbags did NOT deploy but seat belts tightened firmly keeping us from going thru windshield. Episode of "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" was reported to Honda Motors whose agent, Jason, checked the car 8/1/23 and found no defect. We had driven the car for almost 49,000 miles without incident yet, their agent drove it for LESS than 10 miles and concluded NOTHING WRONG with the car. Twelve days later while stopped at a red light, dashboard lights suddenly flashed and engine came to a complete STOP. DEAD. Conclusion was damaged sensor to gas tank since husband had run over tanker truck tire debris on fwy earlier in the day. Point is, this 2020 Acura RDX with <50K miles has had TWO MAJOR INCIDENTS : UNINTENDED ACCELERATION and UNINTENDED DECELERATION. Feel betrayed by Honda Motors Corp at conducting a superficial, inadequate inspection for the defects mentioned and fear for our safety and those of others we share on the road. There's a class action lawsuit in Florida for similar complaints but we live in California and have been unable to procure legal representation.....apparently, not cost effective. My driving record is clean.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
One day last December it rained very hard for a couple of days. It about 6:30pm I got in my car to go to an appointment. There was water inside the cab, on the seats, inside of the windshield, in the dashboard and controls... and about 4 inches of water on the floor on both passenger and driver side. When I tried to start the car, all the electrical systems went haywire. Everything was blinking at me in the dashboard many different warnings and hazard lights. I took the car to the dealership for service. I was by service department told that drainage lines on the top where the sun visor is were clogged up and the water had backed up into the vehicle. This was no fault of my own. I have maintained this automobile with Acura only for 6 years, since I purchased it. This is serious, even though it was resolved by clearing the lines but the damage to the electrical system were extensive. Now that the lines are cleared who's to say this will not happen again? Will my car flood again someday? I believe this to be a design flaw and should be corrected by Acura as a possible. I believe it should be a recall, it could affect the safety of the driver and passengers. Thanks for your attention to this matter.
information screen went dark no radio or audio
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Powertrain failed in 2020 Acura RDX Tech Pkg AWD. Only 2 weeks after the 6 year warranty expired on the vehicle the powertrain failed and set off the check engine light. Dealer service department found an excessive amount of shavings in the plug. The vehicle only had 41,345 miles on it before transmission/powertrain failed and there was only 1 owner for the vehicle. It was purchased brand new from the dealer and vehicle was well-maintained.
Under full throttle acceleration while merging onto highway the car would not deliver power and the check engine started flashing. Pressing the accelerator did not make the car go. I had to pull over and stop the car. I turned it off and turned it back on and was able to drive away. Both times, the weather was very humid and I was merging on a ramp that had an uphill incline. This happened twice within a few days. The first time was on 3-MAY-2025 and the second time was on 5-MAY-2025
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Since we bought the vehicle in 2019, the passenger-side seat sensor didn't always go off when occupied. We asked the dealership to check it out in 2020 or 2021, however, due to the problem being inconsistent it couldn't be fixed. The inconsistency of the seat sensor has continued though the years, but lately, it has become more frequent. I am the usual occupant on the passenger side and I weigh 113 lbs. I recently spoke with the dealer service department after I saw the recall; however, the recall does not apply to our VIN.
My wife weighs about 125 pounds. When she sits in the front passenger seat of this car, often (but not always) an indicator will light up on the dashboard, saying "Passenger Air Bag OFF." Even if she shifts around in the seat or bounces up and down, the indicator light will stay on. I have taken the car to my local Acura dealer twice, asking that this problem be diagnosed and fixed. The first time their service technician reported "No issues at this time. Unable to duplicate concern at this time." The second time (today), the technician reported that he had "checked system for codes, no codes in system. Light will go on and off if passenger moves around in seat." I remain quite concerned that this un-repaired problem is a significant safety issue, as the indicator light appears to be saying that the airbag won't deploy in a collision.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
2020 Acura RDX Rear Coil Spring snapped in half on left side. Safety concern drove to nearest independent service center to be accessed within 5 miles of incident. Advised not to drive it. Called Acura Dealership. Advised to replace both Left and Right side and have new alignment. No warning lights or other symptoms, just an extremely loud bang to left side while driving. Estimated out-of-pocket expenses: Rear coil springs (both) $600 parts/labor Alignment required $100 Total $700 unless goodwill applies (Acura quoted and independent matched prices (allowing me not to have it towed 15 miles to dealership) This is a corrosion related rear coil spring failure at 72,000 miles in Ohio. I’m asking Acura to consider goodwill assistance because this appears premature for a critical suspension component.” Please open a good will case with Acura Tech Line/Client Relations based on: ✅ Safety-related failure (suspension spring) ✅ Salt-belt state (Ohio — well known for corrosion issues) ✅ Reasonable mileage (72,000 miles is not excessive for a structural suspension part) ✅ Dealer acknowledged the issue (they quoted it and advised not to drive) ✅ No abuse or impact damage (no tire damage, single spring corrosion failure)
Lower control arm rubs against subframe. Makes noise as going over bumps. Acura has a service bulletin, 20-025, from June 19, 2020 identifying issue. Issue told to tech in past but was identified. Now identified at 66,881 on car out of warranty but Acura will not cover. Rubbing seems like safety issue over time
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
On April 18, 2023 driving thru shopping center parking lot, WITHOUT WARNING car suddenly jerked right, accelerated, while brakes, steering wheel, gears locked. Ended crashing thru the wall of a structure. Airbags did NOT deploy but seat belts tightened firmly keeping us from going thru windshield. Episode of "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" was reported to Honda Motors whose agent, Jason, checked the car 8/1/23 and found no defect. We had driven the car for almost 49,000 miles without incident yet, their agent drove it for LESS than 10 miles and concluded NOTHING WRONG with the car. Twelve days later while stopped at a red light, dashboard lights suddenly flashed and engine came to a complete STOP. DEAD. Conclusion was damaged sensor to gas tank since husband had run over tanker truck tire debris on fwy earlier in the day. Point is, this 2020 Acura RDX with <50K miles has had TWO MAJOR INCIDENTS : UNINTENDED ACCELERATION and UNINTENDED DECELERATION. Feel betrayed by Honda Motors Corp at conducting a superficial, inadequate inspection for the defects mentioned and fear for our safety and those of others we share on the road. There's a class action lawsuit in Florida for similar complaints but we live in California and have been unable to procure legal representation.....apparently, not cost effective. My driving record is clean.
I was driving at 65 MPH on the highway in the left lane during a rainstorm. Suddenly the engine shuttered and began to shut down. I could not accelerate the engine. The engine light came on and was flashing. I was fortunate enough to maneuver through traffic to the shoulder of the road - sitting there where other drivers would not be expecting to see a car. I turned the car off and sat there in a rainstorm for 15 minutes hoping not to get hit. I started the car and it seemed to work fine for the remained of the trip with no issues or engine light flashing. Very dangerous situation for me - I shutter to think what might have happened if my wife was driving with the kids and this happened. She would make me sell the car today.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
October 30th 6pm, parked car at home and exterior lights (headlights, fog lights, rear lights) would not turn off. Car was not running. Lights finally went off when battery was completely drained. Had to jump battery to get car to dealership on October 31st. There were no previous warning lamps or messages. Dealership did a complete reinspect and were able to reproduce issue. Dealership determined that there was a leak in the sunroof. I then shared that the sunroof had been rattling and popping for a few weeks, but did not mention when dropping off for the lights since I didn't think it was related. I have spoken to Honda who states that this VIN does not have any recalls. There are known issues with the sunroofs for this year and make of car, but no recalls and the extended warranty as well as the 'certified car' warranty does not cover this issue.
Car would not turn on. All electronics started glitching, lights flickering. Had to disconnect the battery to turn off.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side seat belt failed to extend as needed and failed to retract automatically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, where unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the seat belt was inoperable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON OCT 31 2019 WE PURCHASED THE 2020 RDX ADVANCE AND THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT AIRBAG LIGHT OFF HAS BEEN SPORADICALLY STAYING ON WHEN MY WIFE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. WHICH INDICATES THE AIRBAG IS NOT ARMED ON THAT SIDE. LUCKILY WE HAVE BEEN TAKING PHOTOS OF THE SWITCH COMING ON WITH HER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THEY SAY ITS A WEIGHT ISSUE WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF YOU TURN THE CAR OFF THE AIRBAG LIGHT RESETS TO OFF WHEN SHE IS SITTING IN THE CAR. IF THE CAR IS RUNNING AND YOU PICK UP A PASSENGER THE AIRBAG LIGHT DOES NOT TURNOFF. DEALER RESPONDED IT BEING A WEIGHT ISSUE AND THAT THE SENSORS ARE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE SAFETY ISSUE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .