2002 Acura RSX Engine Problems

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

THIS IS FOR A 2002 ACURA RSX; OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR, IT HAS BEEN USING ABOUT 1 1/2 QUARTS OF OIL EACH 3,000 MILES. I'VE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHO IS WORKING WITH ME TO COLLECT USAGE DATA WITH EACH OIL CHANGE AND THE ACURA CONSUMER HELP LINE. THE ACURA CONSUMER HELP LINE IS VERY RUDE, NOT VERY HELPFUL AND SEEMS TO NOT WANT TO GIVE ME STATISTICALLY CORRECT INFORMATION WITH THIS PROBLEM. I'VE HAD 2 HIGH PERFORMANCE HONDA CRXS FOR UPWARDS OF 150,000 MILES AND NEITHER HAD THE USAGE ISSUE AS THIS RSX. WITHOUT RESOLVING THE ISSUE, IT IS LIKELY THAT THE ENGINE COULD WEAR OUT OR CAUSE OTHER RELATED PROBLEMS. I AM LOOKING FOR ACURA TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THE PROBLEM, DO FURTHER TESTING, GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION TO MY SATISFACTION AND CHANGE THE ENGINE, AS THIS IS NOT A USUAL PROBLEM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE ACURA DOESN'T APPEAR TO WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE, I AM VERBALLY WARNING OTHER POSSIBLE BUYERS AWAY BECAUSE OF THE OIL CONSUMPTION AND THE LACK OF CONSUMER RESPECT AND COURTESY FROM THE ACURA CONSUMER HELP PHONE LINE. I THINK ACURA KNOWS THERE IS AN ISSUE AND WANTS ME TO FOOT THE BILL WHEN THE CAR FAILS BEFORE ITS TIME. *NM

NHTSA ID

10146554

Incident

Jul 15, 2002

I BOUGHT A USED 2002 ACURA RSX TYPE-S FROM FIESTA DODGE IN SAN ANTONIO, TX ON OCTOBER 3, 2005. THEY SAID THEY DID A FULL 101 POINT INSPECTION ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY APPROXIMATELY 48,000 MILES. I HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 38 DAYS AND HAD PUT LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I NOTED POWER LOSS IN THE UPPER RPM BAND. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER TO GET INSPECTED, WHERE I FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL BADLY AND HAD DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE TO RUIN THE MOTOR, THANKFULLY I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND IT WAS SEEN AS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, BUT STILL I AM WITHOUT A CAR FOR THE NEXT MONTH WHILE THE NEW MOTOR IS INSTALLED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144385

Incident

Nov 16, 2005

Mileage

52,333 mi

I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWN 2002 ACURA RSX - S ON 9/17/2004 FROM OCEAN ACURA, OCEAN NJ. I EVEN BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE DONE OVER 100 POINTS CHECK AND HAVE DONE ALL NECESSARY MAINTENANCE. WITHIN TWO AND HALF WEEK, I AM EXPERINCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD AND SOMETIME A GRINDING SOUND. I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO BRING IN THE CAR ON 10/13/04. THAT APPOINTMENT NEVER TOOK PLACE BECAUSE THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON 10/09/04. I GOT IN TOUCH WITH ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY HAVE TOWED THE CAR TO THE NEAREST ACURA DEALER (RYAN'S OPEN ROAD) EAST BRUNSWICK N.J. I HAVE SPOKEN TO OCEAN ACURA, ACURA AMERICA AND RYAN'S SEVERAL TIME. RYAN HAS DETERMINE THAT THE ENGINE IS DAMAGE AND I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE DEALER (OCEAN) IS TRYING TO PUT THE BLAME ON ME SAYING THAT I HAVE ABUSED THE ENGINE AND I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT. OCEAN ACURA SAID, HE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE TO TALK TO ACURA AMERICA. TODAY IS 10/21/2004 AND I HAVE NOT GOT A DEFINITE RESOLUTION. ACURA AMERICA HAS NOT CALL ME BACK, OCEAN ACURA SAID THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THE CAR IS AT RYAN'S. I PAID $21,000.00 FOR THE CAR. THEY SAID IT WILL COST $7000.00 TO PUT IN A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE ACURA RSX S AND I HAVE FOUND OVER 14,000 COMPLAINS ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ACURA DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THESE MODELS. HELP!. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. IF I TAKE A LAWYER WILL HAVE TO ANOTHER $500 - $1000 LAWYER FEES. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF SOME COULD LEAD ME TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

10096154

Incident

Oct 9, 2004

Mileage

39,535 mi

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10063478

Incident

Mar 12, 2004

Mileage

21,280 mi

I PURCHASED MY ACURA RSX, TYPE S ON 10-14-02. ON 02-14-03 I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY NOT WORKING WHEN IT WAS COLD OUT. THE PROBLEM OCCURED FOUR TIMES. I WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH MY KEY AND I WAS UNABLE TO MANUALLY LOCK THE CAR. IT WOULD ONLY LAST UNTIL IT WARMED UP. I HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT ON 02-14-03, THEY SAID THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CORRECTED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ACTING UP AT THAT TIME. ALSO ON 02-14-03 THE CHECK ENGINE CODE WAS PULLED. IT WAS P1163, SLOW RESPONSE OF THE PRIMARY OXYGEN SENSOR. THEY STATED THAT THEY KNEW THE O2 SENSORS WERE SENSITIVE AND SUGGESTED TO RESET THE CODES AND WATCH FOR FURTHER PROBLEMS. ON 09-12-03 THE CHECK ENGINE COSE WAS PULLED AGAIN. IT WAS P1163, O2 SENSOR & P0219 ENGINE OVER SPEED FOR CONDITION. ON 09-23-03 THE O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED. ON 10-13-03 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I COULD NOT GET IN UNTIL 10-16-03. ON 10-15-03 THE LIGHT WENT OFF. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT WANT TO PULL THE CODES SINCE THE LIGHT WENT OFF. I INSISTED THAT THE CODES BE PULLED, BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO BE FOUND NEGLIGENT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD. THE CODES PULLED WERE P1163 & P0219. THEY SUGGESTED I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT AT. THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE O2 SENSOR AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY HAD JUST REPLACED IT. THEY FELT THERE WAS AN UNDERLYING CONDITION BESIDES THE O2 SENSOR. ON 11-03-03 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MY APPOINTMENT IS 11-06-03. I HAVE SENT MY INFO TO AUTOMOBILE LEMON LAW ATTORNEYS IN ELMHURST IL. I ALSO CONTACTED ACURA CUSTOMER SERVICE IN TORRENCE CA. I WANT OTHERS TO BE AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS. THE ONLY REASON I BOUGHT AN ACURA IS BECAUSE OF IT'S REPUTATION OF BEING A WELL BUILT CAR.

NHTSA ID

10069937

Incident

Feb 15, 2003

Mileage

5,705 mi

POSSIBLE LEMON LAW QUALIFIER. *MR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON FOUR TIMES THE DEALER STATED THE #02 SENSOR WAS SENSITIVE, THEY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE PART SHOULD RESET. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKS AND KEYLESS ENTRY. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10050195

Incident

Feb 14, 2003

PROBLEMS WITH 2002 ACURA RSX POSSIBLE LEMON LAW QUALIFIER. *MR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE 02 OXYGEN SENSOR WAS SENSITIVE AND WAS RESET BUT THE PROBLEM WAS MORE THAN TWO OCCASIONS. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKS/KEYLESS ENTRY, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10050076

Incident

Feb 14, 2003

I TOOK MY RSX-S TO VALENCIA ACURA FOR THEM TO CHECK MY TRANSMISSION FOR GRINDS AND WEARING OF THE CLUTCH. I LEAVE MY CAR THERE AND DECIDE TO GO TO THE MALL. AS I AM COMING BACK FROM THE MALL, I SEE MY CAR ON THE STREET BEING DRIVEN VERY HARD, AND FOR WHAT REASON? THERE'S NO REASON TO BE DRIVING LIKE THAT IN ORDER TO TEST THE GEARS OR CLUTCH OUT. SO THEY SAID THEY CALLED THEIRE DISTRICT MANAGER AND THEY WILL HEAR FROM THEM LATER IN THE DAY. SO I PICK MY CAR BACK UP AND START DRIVING AND I FELT THE CAR WAS A LITTLE WEIRD. WELL IT JUST SOO HAPPENED SOMETHING HAPPENED WHEN THE DEALER HAD IT AND I WASNT TOLD. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AS I USUALLY DO AND MY CAR LATER DIED ABOUT 1/2 MILE DOWN THE ROAD. NOW THEY HAVE THE MOTOR OPENED UP AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT THE MOTOR WAS MIS FIRING ALL 4 CYLINDERS AND ITS DUE TO OVER REVVING THE ENGINE. I NEVER OVER REVVED MY ENGINE AND IT ONLY HAPPENED AFTER I GOT MY CAR FROM THE DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10025696

Incident

Jul 8, 2003

Mileage

29,290 mi

MY 2002 ACURA RSX EMITS A TERRIBLE ROTTEN EGG ODOR FORM THE EMISSION SYSTEM .. FUMES ARE VERY STRONG AND SURELY UNSAFE.. DEALER SAYS ONLY THAT I HAVE "BAD GAS" BUT IT'S BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM FOR 18 MONTHS THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10021079

Incident

Jun 6, 2003

SINCE AUGUST 10, 2002, I'VE LEASED AN ACURA RSX. IN OCTOBER OF 2002, A ROTTEN EGG OR SULFUR SMELL HAS BEEN COMING FROM MY VEHICLE BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF IT. IT OCCURS AT NO CERTAIN TIME OR CIRCUMSTANCE, JUST EVERYDAY AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. THE SMELL GIVES ME HEADACHES AND FORCES ME TO ROLL MY WINDOW DOWN WHETHER ITS COLD, HOT, OR RAINY OUTSIDE JUST TO PROVIDE ME WITH SOME RELIEF. THE DEALERSHIP, HENDRICK ACURA IN CHARLOTTE, NC HAS REPLACED MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER TWICE. BOTH TIMES THEY ASSURED ME I WOULDN'T SMELL ANYTHING AGAIN. HOWEVER, THEY WERE WRONG. ACURA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE TELL ME ITS JUST A NORMAL BY-PRODUCT OF THE ENGINE AND THAT THERE'S NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014452

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, VEHICLE WILL EMIT A ROTTEN EGG (SULPHUR) SMELL INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN AIR FLOW IS SET TO 'FRESH AIR' AND NOT TO 'RECIRCULATE.' I FTHE 'RECIRCULATE' OPTION IS TRUNED ON, THE SMELL WILL DISSAPATE. I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO HAVE EXHAUST GASES ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I HAVE HEARD OTHERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA ID

10004934

Incident

Jan 29, 2003

Mileage

1,500 mi

MY 2002 ACURA RSX EMITS A TERRIBLE ROTTEN EGG ODOR AFTER I DRIVE IT FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND STOP FOR A STOP SIGN. THE SMELL COMES BACK INTERMITENTLY WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES BECOMING QUITE OVERPOWERING IN THE CAR. THE DEALER HAS NO SOLUTION. HYDROGEN SULFIDE IS A POISONOUS GAS. THE SITUATION IS ON GOING AND HAVE BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES.

NHTSA ID

10000058

Incident

Jan 4, 2002

Mileage

150 mi

WHEN LOOKING THROUGH THE FRONT TWO TIRES/WHEELS YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THROUGH TO THE ENGINE. I'VE CHECKED ALL OTHER CARS AND THEY ALL HAVE SOME SORT OF COVERING THAT PREVENTS WATER, DIRT OR OBJECTS FROM GETTING INTO THE ENGINE. I AM DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT A BRAND NEW CAR SUCH AS THE ACURA RSX DOESN'T HAVE THAT COVERING. THIS MAY LEAD TO ENGINE PROBLEMS IF SOMETHING GETS IN THERE. DURING THE RAINY SEASON, WATER CAN SIP THROUGH AND RUIN THE ENGINE ALSO. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IF THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PUT A COVER THEN IT WOULD ASSUME TO BE SAFE. I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT SAFE OR DURABLE, AFTERALL MAYBE IT'S THE DESIGN OF THE CAR. NEVERTHELESS, I BELIEVE THAT HAVING A COVER WOULD HELP PROTECT THE ENGINE BETTER.*AK

NHTSA ID

760403

VEHICLE IS LEAKING TOXIC HYDROGEN SULFIDE AND INSIDIOUS POISON GASES THROUGH VENTILATION. THIS CAUSES HEADACHE IRRITATION WHILE IN VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NO WAY TO DETECT THE LEVEL. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. 27-NOV-2001 [XXX].*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

8004199

Incident

Feb 19, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO SHIFT TO ANOTHER GEAR VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO TO INTO THAT GEAR. IT WILL GO INTO ANOTHER GEAR, EITHER HIGHER OR LOWER ,BUT IT WON'T GO INTO GEAR THAT WAS INDICATED. THIS SUDDEN CHANGE IN ENGINE CAUSED ACCELERATION CHANGE. ON HIGHWAY IT MISSHIFTED, AND THEN ENGINE DIED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

897636

Incident

Aug 30, 2001