2014 Acura RDX

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Acura RDX has 258 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is lighting problems (62% of all complaints), specifically: headlight flickering - was told it was bulb but have found complaints on the ballast and other acura models with problems with headlights. acura is making over $300-500 plus per service call and claims this is a non extended warranty problem. light flickers while parked, in motion at random tim. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 3 crash reports 4 injuries

258

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

LIGHTING

159 complaints

62%

• HEADLIGHT FLICKERING - WAS TOLD IT WAS BULB BUT HAVE FOUND COMPLAINTS ON THE BALLAST AND OTHER ACURA MODELS WITH PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHTS. ACURA IS MAKING OVER $300-500 PLUS PER SERVICE CALL AND CLAIMS THIS IS A NON EXTENDED WARRANTY PROBLEM. LIGHT FLICKERS WHILE PARKED, IN MOTION AT RANDOM TIM
• MY 2014 ACURA RDX RUNNING/LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. I FIRST NOTICED THIS LAST YEAR AND CHANGED OUT THE HALOGEN BULBS. I DO NOT DO MUCH DRIVING AT NIGHT. IN THE PAST MONTH WITH THE TIME CHANGE, I CAN BARELY SEE AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING. THE HALOGEN BULB HAS BEEN CHANGED OUT AGAIN, SO I
• THE HEADLIGHTS ARE WAY TOO DIM - EVEN AFTER CHANGING BULBS AND THE LENS IS NOT FOGGED AT ALL. YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL IF YOUR LIGHTS ARE ON AT NIGHT - THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. OTHER ACURA VEHICLES HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS. IN RESEARCH - THE REFLECTIVE COATING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO ILLUMINATE YOUR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“HEADLIGHT FLICKERING - WAS TOLD IT WAS BULB BUT HAVE FOUND COMPLAINTS ON THE BALLAST AND OTHER ACURA MODELS WITH PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHTS. ACURA IS MAKING OVER $300-500 PLUS PER SERVICE CALL AND CLAIMS THIS IS A NON EXTENDED WARRANTY PROBLEM. LIGHT FLICKERS WHILE PARKED, IN MOTION AT RANDOM TIM”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

41 complaints

16%

• TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN INTERIM NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER ONLY INDICATED THAT THE PARTS MAY BECOME AVAILABLE BY MID SUMMER 2016. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE DEALER WOULD BE SUP
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RDX. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATI
• TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN INTERIM NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER ONLY INDICATED THAT THE PARTS MAY BECOME AVAILABLE BY MID SUMMER 2016. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE DEALER WOULD BE SUP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

12 complaints

• ACURA RDX TECH PURCHASED 30 DAYS AGO, UP-SHIFTED WHILE PARKING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY ACCELERATED WHEN PUSHING ON THE BRAKE BEFORE A COMPLETE STOP AND RAN INTO THE CHAIN LINKED FENCE. THE DRIVER GOT A SEAT BELT BURN ON THE LEFT UPPER CHEST AND S
• SECURITY SYSTEM ENGAGES ITSELF WHEN YOUR IN THE CAR WITH ALL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. ALSO ENGAGES ITSELF WHEN THE CAR IS ON AND IN GEAR. ALARM GOES OFF AND SECURITY LIGHT GOES ON AND CANT BE STOPPED BY KEY FOB OR TURNING THE CAR OFF. THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN IT WOULD NOT START ALARM STILL SOUN
• WE HAVE TWO 2014 RDX'S. WIFE HIT A DEER WITH DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT LIGHT AND RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL. SUPPOSE TO BE A 3700.00 REPAIR BUT WHEN BODY SHOP DROVE RDX INTO THEIR BUILDING IT CAUGHT FIRE AND NOW WE HAVE A TOTALED 40,000 RDX. EVERYBODY HAS SAID THEY CAN'T EVER REMEMBER A ACURA EVER CA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“ACURA RDX TECH PURCHASED 30 DAYS AGO, UP-SHIFTED WHILE PARKING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY ACCELERATED WHEN PUSHING ON THE BRAKE BEFORE A COMPLETE STOP AND RAN INTO THE CHAIN LINKED FENCE. THE DRIVER GOT A SEAT BELT BURN ON THE LEFT UPPER CHEST AND S”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

10 complaints

• I TOOK MY RELATIVELY NEW ACURA TO THE POHANKA ACURA DEALER IN CHANTILLY VIRGINIA WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED TO HAVE THE PASSENGER - SIDE MIRROR FIXED. IT DOES NOT ROTATE TO THE RIGHT ENOUGH FOR ME TO SEE CARS TO MY RIGHT WELL ENOUGH. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ([XXX]) ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A DEFECT, B
• WHILE MOVING, DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WAS MOVED TO SIDE WINDOW. THE SUN VISOR BROKE OUT OF IT'S OUT OF SOCKET; BLOCKED DRIVER VISION AND WAS DANGLING ON THE STEERING WHEEL.
• UNABLE TO SEE WITH HIGH OR LOW BEAMS AT NIGHT. PEOPLE FLASH THEIR HIGH BEAMS AT ME MEANWHILE I CAN'T SEE THE ROAD. I HAVE 2 YOUNG CHILDREN AND I'M TERRIFIED DRIVING AT NIGHT REPLACING THE BULBS DOESN'T WORK. ONLY THING I CAN FIND ONLINE SAYS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT BECAUSE THE REFLECTIVE PRO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I TOOK MY RELATIVELY NEW ACURA TO THE POHANKA ACURA DEALER IN CHANTILLY VIRGINIA WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED TO HAVE THE PASSENGER - SIDE MIRROR FIXED. IT DOES NOT ROTATE TO THE RIGHT ENOUGH FOR ME TO SEE CARS TO MY RIGHT WELL ENOUGH. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ([XXX]) ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A DEFECT, B”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

8 complaints

• AT SLOW SPEEDS (< 30 MPH), WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, A LOAD DRONE/CLUNK NOISE OCCURS FROM THE READ OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALER AND HAD THE REAR STRUTS REPLACED. PROBLEM WAS RECTIFIED BUT NOW THE ISSUE IS SLOWLY RETURNING. THIS ISSUE IS BEING SHARED BY MA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING OVER DIVOTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTUR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RDX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE STRUT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“AT SLOW SPEEDS (< 30 MPH), WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, A LOAD DRONE/CLUNK NOISE OCCURS FROM THE READ OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALER AND HAD THE REAR STRUTS REPLACED. PROBLEM WAS RECTIFIED BUT NOW THE ISSUE IS SLOWLY RETURNING. THIS ISSUE IS BEING SHARED BY MA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 258 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
LIGHTING: HEADLIGHT FLICKERING - WAS TOLD IT WAS BULB BUT HAVE FOUND COMPLAINTS ON THE BALLAST AND OTHER ACURA MODELS WITH PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHTS. ACURA IS MAKING OVER $300-500 PLUS PER SERVICE CALL AND CLAIMS THIS IS A NON EXTENDED WARRANTY PROBLEM. LIGHT FLICKERS WHILE PARKED, IN MOTION AT RANDOM TIM
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN INTERIM NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER ONLY INDICATED THAT THE PARTS MAY BECOME AVAILABLE BY MID SUMMER 2016. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE DEALER WOULD BE SUP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ACURA RDX TECH PURCHASED 30 DAYS AGO, UP-SHIFTED WHILE PARKING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY ACCELERATED WHEN PUSHING ON THE BRAKE BEFORE A COMPLETE STOP AND RAN INTO THE CHAIN LINKED FENCE. THE DRIVER GOT A SEAT BELT BURN ON THE LEFT UPPER CHEST AND S
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: I TOOK MY RELATIVELY NEW ACURA TO THE POHANKA ACURA DEALER IN CHANTILLY VIRGINIA WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED TO HAVE THE PASSENGER - SIDE MIRROR FIXED. IT DOES NOT ROTATE TO THE RIGHT ENOUGH FOR ME TO SEE CARS TO MY RIGHT WELL ENOUGH. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ([XXX]) ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A DEFECT, B
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)