2020 Acura RDX Complaints

ENGINE — Filed 09/15/2026

The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the head gasket had failed and that the engine and head gasket needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.

ENGINE — Filed 09/11/2026

The vehicle had 84400 miles at the time a blown head gasket was diagnosed by a Honda factory dealer. Was told not to drive vehicle further as sudden and catastrophic engine failure could occur. Unexpected and sudden engine failure at moderate to highway speeds, can create serious safety issues for passengers, nearby vehicles, and pedestrians. The vehicle has been serviced as scheduled at the local Honda factory dealer since new with supporting receipts. No engines repairs had been made to the vehicle since new. The issue was identified when the car was in for routine scheduled maintenance and I asked the dealer to check for the cause of momentary rough idle at engine startup. No diagnostic codes were set or found. This relatively new low milage vehicle has never overheated or been exposed to driving conditions that one would expect to be related to a blown head gasket. During repair, no issues were found with either the head or block. The master technician indicated it appeared the head gasket was faulty and failed.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 09/08/2026

• The Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus network / FAKRA coaxial service cable connectors failed. This failure directly controls the primary infotainment assembly and the central safety display screen. The vehicle and its active components are currently intact, fully operational (with the defect present), and available for inspection upon request. • The hardware defect causes sudden, unpredictable total blackouts of the central display screen while driving. This completely disables the safety rearview/backup camera and mutes vital audible driver-assist safety alerts. Additionally, the defect causes extremely loud, jarring, and distracting popping and crackling noises through the audio speakers while moving, creating an immediate driver distraction and safety hazard on public roads. • Yes. The vehicle was brought to an authorized Acura dealership service center, where the active symptoms (crackling audio and system instability) were documented. Furthermore, the issue perfectly matches the diagnostic criteria of Acura's official technical service campaign (TSB 23-025). • The vehicle has been inspected at an authorized Acura dealership service department to initiate a corporate claim. However, because the vehicle is just 345 miles past an arbitrary 100,000-mile warranty extension threshold, Acura Corporate has refused to perform the physical repair, meaning the defective factory components are still currently installed in the vehicle. • There were no traditional dashboard warning lights or error codes prior to the failure. The primary symptoms are loud audio popping, crackling noises, frozen screen menus, and sudden display blackouts. These symptoms began appearing intermittently and escalated in frequency as the vehicle approached its current mileage of 100,345 miles.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 08/14/2026

Transfer case is leaking. Then the engine overheated. Confirmed and inspected by the dealer. No warnings prior to the incident.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE — Filed 08/28/2026

I am reporting recurring water intrusion into the driver-side passenger compartment of my 2020 Acura RDX following significant rainfall. This has occurred multiple times. The most recent incident occurred on August 28, 2026, following heavy rainfall. Water entered the vehicle and accumulated on the driver-side floor, leaving the interior floor in a puddle. I documented the water intrusion with photographs and video and submitted that documentation to my automobile insurance company as part of a claim. The vehicle was not being driven through standing water; the intrusion occurred after rainfall while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle has previously been inspected by North Park Lincoln of Dominion, where I purchased the vehicle. Despite the prior inspection, the vehicle has continued to experience water intrusion into the driver-side cabin following significant rainfall. The recurring water intrusion raises concern that the panoramic sunroof drainage system may not be adequately draining or preventing water from entering the passenger compartment. Water entering the cabin can reach wiring, electrical connectors, control modules, and other electrical components located within the vehicle and could potentially cause electrical malfunction or other unsafe conditions. The most recent water intrusion is documented, and the vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request. Photographs and video documenting the August 28, 2026 incident were provided to my automobile insurance company. I am reporting this because the water intrusion has occurred repeatedly and I am concerned that this may represent a recurring safety-related defect with the 2020 Acura RDX panoramic sunroof drainage/water management system rather than an isolated incident. There were no warning lamps or messages specifically preceding the August 28, 2026 water intrusion. The primary symptom was substantial water accumulation on the driver-side floor following rainfall.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE — Filed 05/01/2026

I am reporting recurring water intrusion into my 2020 Acura RDX following significant rainfall. The first water intrusion resulted from heavy rainfall in April 2026. I did not discover the water inside the vehicle until May 1, 2026, when I found water accumulated on the driver-side floor. I filed an insurance claim after discovering the damage. Following the May 1 discovery, Gunn Acura, where I purchased the vehicle, inspected it. The dealership found the panoramic sunroof drainage system had a kinked/clogged drain line that was not properly allowing water to drain. The dealership also identified corrosion affecting wiring harness components and recommended repairs including replacement of the moonroof drain tube, carpet removal/cleaning, and replacement of affected wiring harnesses. Following another heavy rainfall on June 15, 2026, water again entered the vehicle. The water intrusion has resulted in electrical concerns, including warning messages and electrical abnormalities. Water entering the cabin can reach wiring, electrical connectors, control modules and other critical electrical components, creating a potential safety risk. The vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request. I have dealership documentation of the kinked/clogged drain and recommended repairs, as well as insurance documentation related to the water intrusion. I am reporting this because a failure of the panoramic sunroof drainage system has resulted in repeated cabin water intrusion and potential damage to critical electrical components. I believe this may represent a recurring safety-related defect rather than ordinary water leakage.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 08/22/2026

The vehicle’s keyless access/security and body control system malfunctioned. An authorized Acura dealer previously diagnosed water intrusion from blocked panoramic sunroof drains, including water reaching the Body Control Module (BCM) Multiplex Control Unit. The dealer reported that this was causing false security alarm activation and battery drainage and recommended BCM replacement. The vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request.The condition has since escalated. The security alarm repeatedly activated without cause and became difficult or impossible to silence. The dashboard displayed, “Keyless Access System Problem\. See Your Dealer.” During the latest episode, the engine spontaneously started without an authorized remote start command, and attempts to stop the engine were unsuccessful. The 12-volt battery was therefore disconnected to disable the vehicle and will remain disconnected until the vehicle is taken to the Acura dealership for diagnosis. This created a safety risk because the vehicle demonstrated unintended engine operation and loss of normal control over engine shutdown, creating potential risks of unintended operation, exhaust carbon monoxide exposure if this occurred in an enclosed area, and battery depletion. The dealer has confirmed the water intrusion and BCM security system malfunction. However, the unauthorized engine start and failure to shut down event occurred after that diagnosis and has not yet been evaluated by the dealer. Before the unauthorized start, symptoms included repeated false alarms, battery drainage, documented water intrusion, and the Keyless Access System warning. The warning was photographed at approximately 81,416 miles during the same period of escalating electrical security problems.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 08/19/2026

My RDX experienced a water-intrusion failure involving the panoramic sunroof drainage system and associated electrical components. An authorized Acura dealer diagnosed the right-front sunroof drain as backed up/overflowing, allowing water to reach the Body Control Module (BCM/Multiplex Control Unit). The dealer attributed abnormal security-alarm activation and battery drain to the water-damaged BCM and indicated that the BCM required replacement. The dealer also identified a blocked right-rear sunroof drain that allowed water to reach the tuner, causing radio/stereo malfunction and requiring tuner replacement. The water intrusion reached critical electrical components and caused unpredictable electrical behavior, including unexplained security-alarm activations, exterior lights remaining illuminated, complete battery discharge, loss of keyless access, and ultimately a no-start condition that rendered the vehicle inoperable. After the battery was depleted, I had to use the manual key to enter the vehicle. This created a risk of being stranded and raised concerns about the reliability of the vehicle’s electrical systems. There were no known dashboard warning lamps or conventional warning messages before the failure. AcuraLink recorded unexplained security-alarm activations on August 16, 2026, at 10:27 PM EDT and again on August 19, 2026, at 10:51 AM EDT. During the overnight incident, the alarm activated and the exterior lights remained on until the recently replaced battery was completely discharged. The car also experienced radio/stereo problems traced by the dealer to water reaching the tuner, and water was present in the passenger-footwell area. My car was inspected and the problem confirmed by an authorized Acura dealership. The car is available for inspection and available upon request.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 08/01/2026

The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine started shuddering and vibrating, and the vehicle stalled. The message that the engine was overheating was displayed. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the head gasket had failed. The contact was later informed that the bolts on the turbocharger also failed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,000.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 06/22/2026

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.

ENGINE — Filed 05/01/2026

Grubbs Acura in Grapevine TX has all the information

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 06/08/2026

While driving my 2020 Acura RDX on the highway, the sunroof suddenly shattered without any warning. There was a very loud explosion-like sound that was extremely startling and frightening. No objects appeared to strike the vehicle, and the glass seemed to break on its own while driving at highway speed.

VISIBILITY — Filed 06/08/2026

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.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 04/01/2026

Rear windshield (Tailgate Glass) spontaneously shattered while parked without external impact. This left the vehicle exposed to theft and made me feel unsafe. Will this continue to happen? The dealership replaced the glass but now the broken pieces of glass are trapped inside the tailgate providing a rattle when gate lifts /closes.

ENGINE — Filed 05/24/2026

This is a well known problem that when water gets into the intercooler, the car goes into limp Mode. This happens to my daughter, while driving 85 miles in the fast lane in the highway. Her check engine light started flashing, she was unable to accelerate, and she was scared! She had to pull over in the left lane, against the median.This is a safety hazard! I am paying over $1000 to have this fixed. TSB 20-053 this should be a recall!!

VISIBILITY — Filed 05/25/2026

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.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 05/24/2026

I went to my car, got in and shut the door. Immediately I heard an explosion behind me. It was my rear lift gate window. The glass burst into thousands of pieces & could have hit someone outside & myself. It was inspected by myself & others. There were no cracks or damage prior. I tried contacting the dealership with no response. No warning lamps.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 04/13/2026

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)

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 03/03/2025

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.

STRUCTURE — Filed 11/26/2024

The rear window spontaneously shattered while parked. I cut my hand when cleaning up the glass.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 01/01/2022

Car lost power while driving causing me to crash into the side of the road way causing damage to my front passenger side. Car stutters and shuts off while driving very dangerous.

STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 04/19/2023

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.

AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 04/19/2023

upon entering the cross driveway at a mall parking lot, car suddenly veered right, accelerating & unresponsive to stepping on brakes pedal, steering wheel locked, gear buttons did not respond, seat belts tightened, but air bags DID NOT deploy. Speed was slowed when car ran over a large rock and crashed into the wall of small store front. I, the driver, have not been in any accidents, had not taken any medication of any sort.

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — Filed 03/20/2021

The contact owned a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle inadvertently slowed down and without warning a strange noise came from the engine compartment and a sudden jerk to the wheel when the vehicle accelerated without warning up to approximately 100 mph. The contact was able to exit the highway where the vehicle made another strange noise from the engine compartment and the wheel jerked when the vehicle accelerated without warning again which resulted in the contact crashing into a group of 3 vehicles. There were 2 confirmed injuries which were the occupants of the contact's vehicle the driver and front seat passenger. The contact sustained a broken sternum, internal bleeding, decompression of lower back, and swollen right side foot. The contact's son sustained a lumbar fracture and a contusion. The contact does not know if anyone in the other vehicles were injured. A police report was taken and the vehicle was towed to an insurance lot. The vehicle was then towed to a salvaged lot and deemed a total loss. The contact stated she does not know if warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and told the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 5,040.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — Filed 03/24/2021

MY SUV HAS BEEN IN SERVICE OVER 15 TIMES STEMMING FROM ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE DASH HARNESS, MULTI TIMES FOR LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF INFOTAINMENT SYSTEMS, AND PIPING NOISE COMING FROM THE SPEAKERS. THE LOSS OF POWER AND 'LIMP MODE' HAS HAPPENS 3 TIMES. ONCE AT HIGHWAY SPEED AFTER AN OUT OF STATE TRIP, AND TWICE ON MY WAY TO WORK DURING HUMID CONDITIONS. THE ELECTRIC ISSUES HAVE HAPPENED MULTI TIMES DURING ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK TODAY, AND I STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. I WORKED MY WAY OUT OF THE MAIN HIGHWAY WHEN SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE AC VENTS. A FEW MOMENTS LATER I COULD SEE FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE DASH BEHIND THE INFOTAINMENT SCREEN.