Problems · NHTSA complaints
2012 Acura RDX problems
Owners filed 15 complaints about the 2012 Acura RDX with NHTSA between May 2012 and Nov 2025. The most-cited component is air bags (6).
Complaints
15
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags6
- Electrical system2
- Power train2
- Steering2
- Exterior lighting1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Structure1
- Engine1
- Other / unknown2
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
0
1
1
7
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
6 reports2 related recalls
“TAKATA RECALL. THE DRIVER AIR BAG WAS RECALLED AND REPLACED. WHEN I QUESTIONED WHY THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS NOT BEING REPLACED ALSO. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS NOT BEING RECALLED. I ASKED IF IT WAS A TAKATA AIR BAG. DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT ANSWER. ONLY SAYING IT WAS NOT BEING RECALLED. MY COMPLAINT IS: I DO NOT KNOW IF MY FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG IS SAFE FOR THE RIDERS IN MY CAR.”
Electrical system
2 reports
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Acura RDX. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 148,000. However, following an oil change service, it was later discovered that the actual vehicle mileage was 248,553.”
Power train
2 reports
“I NOTICED VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AS IF I HAD FLAT TIRES, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS ACCELERATING. AFTER A WEEK I HAD MY SUV CHECKED AT THE GARAGE. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE RIGHT AND LEFT LINE AXLE ASSEMBLIES WHICH WAS QUITE EXPENSIVE. THE MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY FINISHED AND FOUND IT HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR A 2012 ACURA RDX.”
Steering
2 reports
“WITHIN THE FIRST 2 YEARS AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC NOTICED MY RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING. THE ACURA DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION UNDER WARRANTY 28,782.00 MMI MAY 16, 2014. I WAS EXPERIENCING VIBRATION ESPECIALLY AT SPEEDS OF 60-65. IT KEPT GETTING WORSE I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ROAD, TIRES OUT OF BALANCE, WHEELS OUT OF BALANCE? I GOT NEW TIRES, BALANCED. IT CONTINUED. I READ ABOUT COMPLAINTS WITH THE AXLE AND SIMILAR SYMPTOMS IN OTHER ACURA SEDAN MODELS, NOT THE RDX. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THE AXLE DID NEED TO REPLACED AT 46,306.00 MILES 11/30/15. IT WAS ON BACK ORDER FOR OVER A MONTH. I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT FEBRUARY 8, 2016 AND HEARD A TERRIBLE LOUD GRINDING NOISE TURNING THE WHEEL. I PUT IT IN PARK AND IT STOPPED THEN I PROCEEDED AGAIN AND IT HAPPENED AFTER MOVING A FEW YARDS. I TRIED TO PULL TO A SAFE OUT OF THE WAY SPOT AND THE NOISE CAME AGAIN AND THIS TIME JUST WHEN PUTTING IT IN DRIVE THE TERRIBLE LOUD GRINDING TYPE NOISE CAME. I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO FAIL. I STOPPED WHERE I WAS AND CALLED AAA FOR A TOW. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE AXLE HAD BROKEN INSIDE ON A PIECE ON THE LEFT SIDE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IE, I…”
Exterior lighting
1 report
“AMBOS FOCOS DELANTEROS SE OBEDECEN, LAS FECHAS EXACTAS CUANDO LO LLEV AL DEALER PARA GARANTA DE LOS FOCOS NO LA RECUERDO, PERO FUI EN VARIAS OCASIONES. ME INFORMARON QUE LA ESPECIFICACIN DEL FABRICANTE ERAN FOCOS AL AIRE, Y QUE POR ESO SE HUMEDECIAN Y NO TENAN GARANTA, QUE TODOS LOS DE ESE AO VINIERON AS. ME CONFIRM Y NO REGRES PARA ESE PROBLEMA., AUNQUE NO TIENE LGICA, SE COMPRA UN AUTO PARA QUE FUNCIONE TODO NORMAL Y ESTE NO ES EL CASO DE AMBOS FOCOS. AL PASAR EL TIEMPO EL PROBLEMA SE HA AGRAVADO PORQUE SE HUMEDECEN MAS Y AFECTA LA VISIBILIDAD. LLAM NUEVAMENTE AL DEALER PERO ME INFORMARON LO MISMO, LES INFORM QUE FUI EN EL PERIODO DE DE GARANTA Y NO LOS REEMPLAZARON Y AHORA ES PEOR Y QUE NI ES CIERTO QUE TODOS LOS DE MI AO ESTN AS PORQUE LOS QUE HE VISTO QUE ESTN BIEN. AGRADECER PUEDAN V VERIFICAR MI SOLICITUD EN EL DEALER Y RESOLVER EL INCONVENIENTE. GRACIAS”
Engine and engine cooling
1 report
“WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 5,000 TO 6,000 RPM WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE. THE BRAKE WAS NOT HOLDING AND I STARTED MOVING CLOSER TO THE CAR STOPPED FOR THE RED LIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I THEN PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL WHILE THE ENGINE WAS STILL AT 5,000 RPM AND GETTING FASTER. FINALLY, THE ENGINE CAME DOWN TO ABOUT 1,000 RPM AND I CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION ON THE GREEN LIGHT AFTER PLACING THE CAR IN DRIVE. I DROVE TO WORK AND CALLED THE ACURA DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THIS "CERTIFIED USED CAR" FROM AND THEY CAME TO MY WORK AND HAULED THE ACURA RDX TO THE DEALER LOCATION. THEY INFORMED ME THAT A "SPECIAL ACURA INVESTIGATING TEAM" WILL COME AND LOOK AT THE CAR ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014. THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SHE WAS DRIVING. THIS INSTANT ACCELERATION, WITHOUT PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, WOULD HAVE PUSHED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND MYSELF DIRECTLY INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION WITHOUT STOPPING UNTIL THE ENGINE QUIT! THIS FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A VERY TRAGIC ACCIDENT. I AND ESPECIALLY MY WIFE ARE VERY VERY CONCERNED WITH WHAT…”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.