2021 ACURA RDX — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
141
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
83
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2021 ACURA RDX
The 2021 ACURA RDX has received a total of 141 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER, POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT. 83 technical service bulletins have been issued by Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Unknown Or Other (27 complaints), Engine (18 complaints), and Service Brakes (13 complaints).
Recalls for the 2021 ACURA RDX
NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 2021 ACURA RDX, potentially affecting up to 1,501,065 vehicles.
Recall 24V064000 — AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
| 750,114 vehicles affected
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit,...
Consequence: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for...
View full details →Recall 24V064000 — AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
| 750,114 vehicles affected
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit,...
Consequence: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for...
View full details →Recall 21V939000 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
| 279 vehicles affected
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Acura RDX and 2022 CR-V Hybrid vehicles. A component in the right or left front driveshaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which could result in driveshaft failure.
Consequence: Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, or cause the vehicle to roll away when parked if the parking brake is not applied. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the right or left front driveshaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BBY, NBW, and OBX.
View full details →Recall 21V939000 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
| 279 vehicles affected
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Acura RDX and 2022 CR-V Hybrid vehicles. A component in the right or left front driveshaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which could result in driveshaft failure.
Consequence: Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, or cause the vehicle to roll away when parked if the parking brake is not applied. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the right or left front driveshaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BBY, NBW, and OBX.
View full details →Recall 21V939000 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
| 279 vehicles affected
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Acura RDX and 2022 CR-V Hybrid vehicles. A component in the right or left front driveshaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which could result in driveshaft failure.
Consequence: Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, or cause the vehicle to roll away when parked if the parking brake is not applied. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the right or left front driveshaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BBY, NBW, and OBX.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2021 ACURA RDX
141 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2021 ACURA RDX. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 27 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Power Train | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywindshield | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention Warnings | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systembody Control Modulebcm | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Warnings | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane Departure Assist | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Airdiscrotor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
- Rear window shattered without impact or any signs of stress. - Safety at risk if driving and breakage occurs. In this case I was away from the parked vehicle when the shattering occurred. - There are quite a few reports of this issue online in Facebook Acura owner groups and in published news stories such as this: [XXX] - In my case, it was inspected by the repair company and confirmed to be a common occurrence they are called to repair. - There were no warning lights or any signs of damage or stress to the glass. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- Rear window shattered without impact or any signs of stress. - Safety at risk if driving and breakage occurs. In this case I was away from the parked vehicle when the shattering occurred. - There are quite a few reports of this issue online in Facebook Acura owner groups and in published news stories such as this: [XXX] - In my case, it was inspected by the repair company and confirmed to be a common occurrence they are called to repair. - There were no warning lights or any signs of damage or stress to the glass. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Infotainment system fails on occasions. Sceen goes completely blank causing distraction while driving. There is currently a recall for this issue for 2019-2020 RDX.
Sudden breaking of panoramic glass on sun/moon roof. I believe this is related to the clicking noise that is caused by the improper bolting in this model. There is an active service bulletin for the improper bolting/flexing in the panoramic glass. I called the Acura dealership where this was bought and they didn’t acknowledge that. I had my two children, toddler and infant, in the back. They like the panoramic open. If this broke on top of them this would be a very serious injury.
Warmed car before driving, once I got in car and shut drivers side, Rear window shattered. Common issue with other owners of same car. Reached out to Acura dealerships and they claim it’s not an issue that is happening and will not replace it.
Safety Rating for the 2021 ACURA RDX
The 2021 ACURA RDX received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2021 ACURA RDX
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) has issued 83 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2021 ACURA RDX. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
B25-049 — ENGINE
Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant adhesion on the inspection cover.
BTI&01222024902 — VISIBILITY
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2019-2024 RDXs with a client complaint of the front wipers inop. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
BTI&11272023905 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2021 RDXs with a client complaint of moisture/condensation in the headlights. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
BTI&10162023903 — VISIBILITY/WIPER
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2021-2022 RDXs with a client complaint of the front wipers inop. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
BTI&10022023904 — VISIBILITY/WIPER
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2021-2022 RDXs with a client complaint of the front wipers inop. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
BTI&09142023901 — VISIBILITY
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2021-2022 RDXs with a client complaint of the front wipers inop. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
B20-031 — EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:TV/RADIO/SPEAKERS
Service Bulletin - There is a popping or crackling from the speakers, a blank display, or no sound from the audio system due to a loose connection in the MOST bus network.
BTI&01182023901 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2020-2022 MDXs & RDXs with a client complaint of the Check Engine Light (CEL) on & the DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail Pressure Too Low [Loss of Fuel Pressure]) stored. In some cases, the customer may also experience such...
BTI&01032023902 — VISIBILITY
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2021-2022 RDXs with a client complaint of a screeching or squeal noise from any window when it's going up or down. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior...
BTI&12132022905 — VISIBILITY
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2021 - 2022 RDXs with a client complaint of a screeching or squeal noise from any window when its going up or down. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the...
Showing 10 of 83 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2021 ACURA RDX
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the ACURA RDX
- 2016 ACURA RDX — 52 complaints
- 2017 ACURA RDX — 101 complaints
- 2018 ACURA RDX — 95 complaints
- 2019 ACURA RDX — 528 complaints
- 2020 ACURA RDX — 408 complaints
- 2021 ACURA RDX (current)
- 2022 ACURA RDX — 38 complaints
- 2023 ACURA RDX — 20 complaints
- 2024 ACURA RDX — 13 complaints
- 2025 ACURA RDX — 61 complaints
- 2026 ACURA RDX — 0 complaints
Other ACURA Models
- ACURA MDX — 4,187 total complaints
- ACURA TL — 4,042 total complaints
- ACURA TLX — 1,274 total complaints
- ACURA TSX — 849 total complaints
- ACURA INTEGRA — 755 total complaints
- ACURA CL — 730 total complaints
- ACURA RL — 523 total complaints
- ACURA LEGEND — 505 total complaints