2002 Acura RSX Owner Complaints

Odometer Fraud. The contact owned a 2002 Acura SRX. The contact stated that the vehicle was sold to a friend in a private sale. The new owner then attempted to sell the vehicle to another person, and upon obtaining the Carfax report, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 115,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 213,288.

NHTSA ID

11754924

Incident

Jul 14, 2026

Mileage

213,288 mi

Duralast 12volt battery post are smaller than they should be. It cause the battery terminal to came loose after a hard bump on the road. It resulted in my car losing power steering.

NHTSA ID

11751583

Incident

Jul 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Acura RSX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that there were holes underneath the front driver’s and passenger’s side seats. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 261,000.

NHTSA ID

11634818

Incident

Mar 15, 2018

Mileage

261,000 mi

The car stopped at an traffic intersection when making a left turn. Fortunately, the traffic was light. Later, a broken driver side cv axel was identified, which had sever corrosion inside the damper. the narrowest diameter is only 16mm vs 25mm of the axel.

NHTSA ID

11531158

Incident

Jun 11, 2023

THE LIGHT FOR MY AIR BAG IS ON AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT FLICKERS ON TOO. THE CRUSE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA ID

11416010

Incident

Apr 1, 2020

Mileage

227,000 mi

MY CAR HAD A STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE VEHICLE WHENEVER I DROVE IT. I LOOKED AND FOUND THAT THE GAS PUMP PLASTIC HOUSING WAS CRACKED IN MULTIPLE PLACES AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF GAS HAD LEAKED INTO THE COMPARTMENT UNDER THE SEAT AND DOWN BELOW MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11231529

Incident

Jun 4, 2019

Mileage

140,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING I STARTED TO SMELL FUEL IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FUEL PUMP, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP HAD CRACKED FILLING UP THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK COVER WITH RAW FUEL. SOME OF THE FUEL HAD MADE ITS WAY INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHILE THE REST LEAKED UNDER THE CAR ON TO THE GROUND. MY FEAR IS IF THIS GOES UNDETECTED, THE LEAKING FUEL COULD MAKE CONTACT WITH EXHAUST COMPONENTS AND CAUSE A FIRE. WHILE THE FUEL WAS LEAKING, THERE WERE NO DRIVABILITY ISSUES OTHER THAN THE SMELL OF FUEL.

NHTSA ID

11230224

Incident

Jul 3, 2019

Mileage

306,000 mi

EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IT HAS HAD A SMELL OF GAS. I THOUGHT IT WOULD GO AWAY AFTER A CERTAIN TIME BUT IT DIDN'T SO I GOT THE CAR CHECKED OUT. I COME TO FIND OUT IT HAS A GAS LEAK. THIS IS SOMETHING VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT PUTS MY LIFE AT RISK AND IF ANYTHING HAPPENS THE CAR COULD BLOW UP. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN JUNE 2016 AND IM JUST A YOUNG 20 YEAR MAN THAT IS TRYING TO MAKE IT THROUGH COLLEGE.

NHTSA ID

10917378

Incident

Jun 17, 2016

Mileage

124,000 mi

HEADLAMPS ARE VERY DULL MAKING VISIBILITY AT NIGHT VERY DIFFICULT. THERE IS CURRENTLY AN AFTERMARKET RECALL FOR EXTERIOR LIGHTING FROM (4) MFG'S. I BELIEVE I HAVE ORIGINALS FROM THE MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ID

10863392

Incident

May 5, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA RSX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000.

NHTSA ID

10726866

Incident

Jun 22, 2015

Mileage

141,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING APPROX 60 MPH FREEWAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING STARTED RUNNING VERY ROUGH AND NOISILY AND SHUDDERED, A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN PERFECTLY MAINTAINED SINCE PURCHASE AND HAD ONLY A FEW WEEKS EARLIER UNDERGONE A 75,000 MILE TUNE-UP. MY MECHANIC DIAGNOSED AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM IS A DAMAGED/LOOSENED TIMING CHAIN DUE TO A DEFECTIVE AUTO TENSIONER. THIS IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. NHTSA RECORDS DISCLOSES SERVICE BULLETIN #090105 CLEARLY IDENTIFYING A "DEFECTIVE AUTO TENSIONER". THESE REPAIRS WILL COST NEARLY $2,000! WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL INSTEAD OF A SIMPLE SERVICE BULLETIN WHEN YOUR RECORDS INDICATE NUMEROUS CARS ARE AFFECTED? THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN ADDITION TO BEING A FACTORY DEFECT AS THE TENSIONER CAN SEIZE THE ENGINE UPON FAILURE AND CAUSE THE CAR TO LOSE CONTROL, ENDANGERING NOT ONLY MYSELF AND MY PASSENGERS BUT OTHER DRIVERS WHO MAY BE AROUND ME. ACURA OF LYNNWOOD SERVICE MANAGER [XXX] HAS BEEN HOSTILE AND UNCOOPERATIVE AND REFUSED TO MEET WITH ME AFTER I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM, AND WILL NOT AUTHORIZE THE REPAIRS AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT AUTHORIZED REPAIRS. I WAS VICTIMIZED ONCE BEFORE BY LYNNWOOD ACURA WHEN THE CAR ENGINE ON MY FIRST RSX BLEW UP (AT 5000 MILES!) DUE TO ERROR OF MECHANICS (DOUBLE-GASKETED OIL FILTER) AND NOW THE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED SINCE SEPTEMBER 2013. PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID

10553200

Incident

Sep 14, 2013

Mileage

75,985 mi

2002 ACURA RSX. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VALVE ASSEMBLY *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A DRC CODE OF 91077. THE DEALER FOLLOWED THE REPAIR STEP IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY INSTALLED 17120-PPA-A01 VALVE ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER, WHEN SHE WENT TO PICK THE VEHICLE UP, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND THE DEALER ORDERED ANOTHER VALVE ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE LIGHT MAY STILL COME ON AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN DIAGNOSTIC STEPS IN ORDER TO GET THE ENGINE LIGHT TO GO OUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10476041

Incident

Sep 1, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA RSX TYPE S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10-60 MPH, THE THIRD GEAR SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,000.

NHTSA ID

10451004

Incident

Jun 8, 2011

Mileage

119,000 mi

2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT 4.0 LITER JERKS WHEN ENGAGING INTO REVERSE. VEHICLE JERKS HARD ENOUGH THAT THE BRAKES ARE NOT ENOUGH TO STOP IT FROM MOVING. NO OTHER GEAR IS LIKE THIS. UPON FURTHER STUDY FROM ONLINE JOURNALS AND DISCUSSIONS PAGES AS WELL AS SPEAKING WITH TRANSMISSION TECHNICIAN, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10426544

Incident

Jan 31, 2011

Mileage

145,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA RSX. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE SRS SERVICE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT FUNCTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE SRS SERVICE LIGHT FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,136 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,862.

NHTSA ID

10332022

Incident

May 6, 2010

Mileage

91,136 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA RSX. WHEN SWITCHING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR, THE SHIFTER WOULD POP OUT OF GEAR AND MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 76,500.

NHTSA ID

10259928

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

Mileage

76,500 mi

I'VE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE NEW RSX IN 02... THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ON THE INTERNET... HOWEVER ACURA HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE... THE PROBLEM ONLY GOT WORSE OVER TIME AND FINALLY THE ENGINE BLEW OUT COMPLETELY AND STARTING SMOKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY... WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO CRASH OCCURRED BUT INJURIES/FATALITIES COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED. ACURA HAS FAILED TO OWN-UP TO THIS ENGINE/TRANSMISSION FAILURE ISSUE, EVEN IN CASES WHERE THE WARRANTY IS STILL VALID... I FEEL VERY MUCH MISLEAD AS I HAVE COMPLAINED TO MY DEALER SINCE PURCHASE AND THEY ALWAYS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM... I THINK THE FACT THAT ACURA HAS STOPPED MAKING THE RSX IS AN INDICATION OF THE SEVERITY OF THESE "HIDDEN" ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10253920

Incident

Jan 3, 2009

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA RSX. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE RESTRAINT ASSEMBLY WAS INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V166002 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY). THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY AT THE COST OF $500. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED ITS WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/15/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10236609

Incident

Jul 1, 2008

Mileage

78,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AND SHIFTED FROM 2ND TO THIRD AND I LET OUT THE CLUTCH AT 30 MPH AND THE TRANSMISSION CAME APART WITH GEARS ON THE GROUND. ACURA NEVER CALLED THE WARRANTY COMPANY SO IT WAS NEVER FIXED AND THEY REPOSED IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10227767

Incident

Jan 12, 2006

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ACURA RSX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT BULBS IN THE HEADLIGHTS FAIL EVERY MONTH AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS, HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED THAT A RECALL DOES NOT EXIST. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77,000.

NHTSA ID

10191460

Incident

May 21, 2007

Mileage

77,000 mi

I PURCHASED 4 SIGMA REGENT TOURING 205/55TR16, 7E55 FROM TIRE KINGDOM IN MAY 2006 WHEN MY CARD HAD ~77K NOW IN JANUARY 07 WITH TIRES BEING ROTATED PROPERLY AND CAR HAVING 91K TWO OF THE TIRES HAVE SPLIT ON THE INSIDE AROUND THE RIM. BOTH TIRES APPEAR AS THOUGH THE HAVE BEEN SLICED WITH A RAZOR AROUND THE INSIDE SEAM, THIS WAS POINTED OUT TO ME BY MY ACURA DEALER MECHANIC. I HAVE PICTURES WHICH CAN BE PROVIDED. I AM HAVING A TIME GETTING TIRE KINGDOM TO MAKE RIGHT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10178072

Incident

Jan 8, 2007

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHICH MADE THE CONTACT CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #637638. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THIS WAS SAFETY DEFECT. THERE ALSO HAS BEEN TROUBLE WITH SWITCHING GEARS FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. IT MADE A GRINDING SOUND WHILE GOING INTO SECOND GEAR. THIS PROBLEM DEVELOPED AT 12,7000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TO ADDRESS EITHER PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10170437

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

Mileage

140,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SRS INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED CAUSING THE AIR BAGS TO DEACTIVATE. THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN RELEASED BY THE MANUFACTURER (TSB # 02-015) INDICATING THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY OCCUPANT POSITION DETECTION SENSOR UNIT. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED.

NHTSA ID

10167842

Incident

Sep 11, 2006

Mileage

50,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED ON 6/27/06 WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ACTIVATED.THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING IDENTIFIED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY POSITION SENSOR. THE DEALER ALSO HAD A SERVICE BULLITEN REGARDING THIS PART. THE DEALER OFFERED TO ORDER THE PART, BUT REFUSED TO INSTALL THE COMPONENT, DUE TO AN AFTERMARKET TURBO CHARGER BEING ON THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10161117

Incident

Jun 27, 2006

Mileage

64,000 mi

HEADLIGHT BULBS KEEP BURNING OUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10151018

Incident

Feb 1, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi