Problems · by component
2002 Acura RSX power train problems
30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Acura RSX cite power train, 32% of all 93 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
30
32% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“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.”
“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”
“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.”
“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”
“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”
Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.