2003 Acura RSX Problems

THE SRS LIGHT JUST TURNED ON IN MY VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM SOMETIME IN 2012 OR 2013.

2003 ACURA RSX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TAKATA AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. *LD CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *LD *JS

THE MECHANICS AT ACURA FOUND GALLING ON ONE OR MORE CAM SHAFT LOBES IN MY ENGINE. THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS PROBLEM ARE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND A NOTICEABLE, LOUDER THAN NORMAL, CLICKING/TAPPING NOISE FROM THE VALVE COVER AREA. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT HAS CAUSED ME GREAT CONCERN. GALLING IS A CONDITION WHEREBY EXCESSIVE FRICTION BETWEEN HIGH SPOTS RESULTS IN LOCALIZED WELDING WITH SUBSEQUENT SPLITTING AND A FURTHER ROUGHENING OF RUBBING SURFACES OF ONE OR BOTH OF TWO MATING PARTS. WITH RESPECT TO MY CAMSHAFT, IT SHOULD HAVE A MIRROR-LIKE SURFACE TO PREVENT FRICTION DURING NORMAL OPERATION, BUT INSTEAD IT APPEARS PITTED AND IS SUBSEQUENTLY AFFECTING MY CAR'S PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY. ADDITIONALLY, DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THIS PROBLEM AND ITS SUBTLE SYMPTOMS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE/FIND WITHOUT PHYSICALLY REMOVING THE ENGINE'S VALVE COVER AND INSPECTING THE CAMSHAFT LOBES; IT COULD VERY WELL EXIST FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES UNDETECTED. IN MY COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH SEVERAL HONDA DEDICATED ENTHUSIAST WEBSITES, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE WORLDWIDE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE EARLY K-SERIES ENGINES. I HAVE HEARD/READ RUMORS THAT THIS IS A RESULT OF POOR CASTING AND IMPROPER HEAT TREATING IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE MECHANIC AT ACURA EVEN STATED COULD BE DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, YET IT GOES UNDETECTED AND UNANNOUNCED AT OUR EXPENSE. OBVIOUSLY, I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS. I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN MY CAR AS WELL AS THE HONDA/ACURA NAME WRITTEN UPON IT AND I WOULD NOT BE VERY HELPFUL IF I DID NOT BRING THIS ISSUE TO YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RSX WITH A 4-CYLINDER, 2.0 LITER ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH, THERE WAS A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND SHORTLY AFTER, HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND INCREASED IN ENGINE RPMS OF 9,000. HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND MANEUVER OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE THEN BLEW ITSELF AND MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AT THAT POINT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND DETERMINED THE FAILURE TO BE DRIVER ERROR. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 86,000.

1. DIFFICULTY, NOTCHINESS OR GRIND ON GETTING TO 2ND GEAR - VERY DANGEROUS ON INTERSECTION. 2. 3RD GEAR POPS OUT OR GRINDS. *AK

I HAVE A 2003 RSX BASE MODEL, IT HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. IT GRINDS FROM 2ND GEAR TO 3RD GEAR ABOVE 4000 RPM. ACURA CLAIMS TO KNOW NOTHING OF MY PROBLEM DESPITE THIS BEING A REACURRING COMPLAINT IN MANY FORUMS AND PETITIONS HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/RSXGRIND/PETITION.HTML ). *AK

WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR IT GRINDS AND POPS OUT. IT IS SO BAD THAT NOW IT WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO PUT IT IN 2ND AT ALL. SYNCHROS ARE BAD...COMMON PROBLEM WITH RSX. ACURA SHOULD BE FORCED TO FIX THIS ISSUE SINCE IT IS SO COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES. *TR

THE MECHANICS AT ACURA FOUND GALLING ON ONE OR MORE CAM SHAFT LOBES IN MY ENGINE. THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS PROBLEM ARE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND A NOTICEABLE, LOUDER THAN NORMAL, CLICKING/TAPPING NOISE FROM THE VALVE COVER AREA. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT HAS CAUSED ME GREAT CONCERN. GALLING IS A CONDITION WHEREBY EXCESSIVE FRICTION BETWEEN HIGH SPOTS RESULTS IN LOCALIZED WELDING WITH SUBSEQUENT SPLITTING AND A FURTHER ROUGHENING OF RUBBING SURFACES OF ONE OR BOTH OF TWO MATING PARTS. WITH RESPECT TO MY CAMSHAFT, IT SHOULD HAVE A MIRROR-LIKE SURFACE TO PREVENT FRICTION DURING NORMAL OPERATION, BUT INSTEAD IT APPEARS PITTED AND IS SUBSEQUENTLY AFFECTING MY CAR'S PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY. ADDITIONALLY, DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THIS PROBLEM AND ITS SUBTLE SYMPTOMS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE/FIND WITHOUT PHYSICALLY REMOVING THE ENGINE'S VALVE COVER AND INSPECTING THE CAMSHAFT LOBES; IT COULD VERY WELL EXIST FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES UNDETECTED. IN MY COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH SEVERAL HONDA DEDICATED ENTHUSIAST WEBSITES, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE WORLDWIDE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE EARLY K-SERIES ENGINES. I HAVE HEARD/READ RUMORS THAT THIS IS A RESULT OF POOR CASTING AND IMPROPER HEAT TREATING IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE MECHANIC AT ACURA EVEN STATED COULD BE DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, YET IT GOES UNDETECTED AND UNANNOUNCED AT OUR EXPENSE. OBVIOUSLY, I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS. I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN MY CAR AS WELL AS THE HONDA/ACURA NAME WRITTEN UPON IT AND I WOULD NOT BE VERY HELPFUL IF I DID NOT BRING THIS ISSUE TO YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. *TR

FOR SOME TIME NOW I HAVE FELT MY BRAKES DO NOT PERFORM UP TO PAR. RECENTLY, IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, I WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON TIME WHEN A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. I BUMPED THE OTHER DRIVER IN THE REAR OF THEIR CAR AND NOW IT IS COSTING ME A SURCHARGE ON MY INSURANCE. I FEEL MY BRAKES ARE FUNCTIONING INADEQUATELY AND I ALSO FEEL THAT IT IS NOT MY BRAKE PADS OR ROUTERS. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH MY BRAKES. I DRIVE AT 2003 ACURA RSX. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING YET, AS I DO NOT WANT TO PAY THE DEALERSHIP TO TELL ME I NEED NEW BRAKES OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. ALSO I RECENTLY NOTICED TECHNICAL BULLETIN'S ON THE BRAKES AT ROCKAUTO.COM SO I WONDER IF OTHER DRIVERS OUT THERE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND POWER STEERING FLUID GOES DOWN, I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED ABOUT 4 TIMES IN THE FRONT, THE REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONE, WITHIN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING MY ACURA RSX I BEGAN TO HEAR THE BRAKE NOISES, HAD THEM FIXED WITH ACURA, BUT THE NOISED CAME BACK SO I HAD THEM DONE WITH SEARS TWICE AND ONCE AGAIN AT ACURA AND AS OF TODAY THEY ARE MAKING GRINDING NOISE, I THINK THE ROTORS NEED CHANGING. ALSO I HAVE ABOUT 31,000 MILES AND MY POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING WAY BELOW THE LOWER LEVEL AND THE POWER STEERING BEINGS TO MAKE A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE AS WELL, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO GET THE POWER STEERING CHECKED, AND THEY SAY ITS FINE. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 ACURA RSX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ONLY WAY THE CONTACT COULD STOP THE FAILURE WAS BY SHIFTING INTO PARK AND BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RSX WITH A 4-CYLINDER, 2.0 LITER ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH, THERE WAS A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND SHORTLY AFTER, HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND INCREASED IN ENGINE RPMS OF 9,000. HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND MANEUVER OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE THEN BLEW ITSELF AND MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AT THAT POINT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND DETERMINED THE FAILURE TO BE DRIVER ERROR. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 86,000.

THE AIR CONDITIONER ON MY 2003 ACURA RSX DID NOT WORK VERY WELL WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I PROCRASTINATED TO TAKE IT IN BECAUSE IM VERY BUSY. AFTER 19,000 MILES IT STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR ALTOGETHER. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID ROAD DEBRIS MUST HAVE PUT A HOLE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER, WHICH NEITHER THE DEALER NOR ACURA WOULD COVER. THE RSX AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER IS WAY TOO EXPOSED.*AK

BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND POWER STEERING FLUID GOES DOWN, I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED ABOUT 4 TIMES IN THE FRONT, THE REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONE, WITHIN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING MY ACURA RSX I BEGAN TO HEAR THE BRAKE NOISES, HAD THEM FIXED WITH ACURA, BUT THE NOISED CAME BACK SO I HAD THEM DONE WITH SEARS TWICE AND ONCE AGAIN AT ACURA AND AS OF TODAY THEY ARE MAKING GRINDING NOISE, I THINK THE ROTORS NEED CHANGING. ALSO I HAVE ABOUT 31,000 MILES AND MY POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING WAY BELOW THE LOWER LEVEL AND THE POWER STEERING BEINGS TO MAKE A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE AS WELL, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO GET THE POWER STEERING CHECKED, AND THEY SAY ITS FINE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION ON 2003 ACURA RSX. *MR THE BRAKES SQUEALED. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE RESURFACED AND THE SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL BUT WAS ON BACK ORDER. *SC *JB

I NOTICED THAT MY DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MADE A GRINDING NOISE EVERY SO OFTEN WHEN IT WAS BEING ROLLED UP OR DOWN. IT WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. ON THE 4TH TIME TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY FINALLY HEARD THE NOISE AND REPLACED THE WINDOW REGULATOR. APPROX. 2 WEEKS LATER I ROLLED DOWN BOTH OF MY WINDOWS UNTILL THE AC COOLED DOWN. I THEN ROLLED THEM BACK UP AND WHEN I FINALLY PARKED MY CAR AT MY DESTINATION I NOTICED THAT MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WAS DOWN PARTIALLY. I ATTEMPTED TO ROLL IT UP AND IT JUST MADE A GRINDING NOISE. I OPENED AND CLOSED THE DOOR TO SEE IF MAYBE SOMETHING HAD GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF THE WINDOW AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE DOOR MIGHT JAR IT LOOSE. INSTEAD THE WINDOW SLID INSIDE MY DOOR. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY KEPT THE CAR OVER NIGHT UNTIL THEY COULD GET ANOTHER NEW WINDOW REGULATOR IN.*AK