2020 Acura RDX Problems & Owner Complaints

Unknown Or Other 100

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11742878, 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.”
NHTSA complaint #11742539, 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.”
NHTSA complaint #11739990, 2026

Visibility/Wiper 83

“My car was parked and off at a local park, I loaded my [XXX] son in the backseat of the car and then I got into my car. Before even turning car on I heard a loud pop sound and got out to look around and then realized it was the back windshield shattering. Apparently this is a known issue with Acura where the rear windshield will spontaneously shattered for no reason. Safety wise this is a concern since I have a child in the back seat and glass is shattering into the car as well as outside on pavement . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(…”
NHTSA complaint #11732013, 2026

“The rear glass in my 2020 Acura RDX Aspec randomly shattered when I closed my rear driver side door. My car was not running and hadn’t been running for over a hour and there were no signs of impact to the glass. There is a TSB from Honda about this being an issue already. I bought the car used and have owned it for a year. My extended warranty doesn’t cover the rear glass. It was going to cost over $1000 to fix as the dealership would not cover the cost and my car is out of its factory warranty. Didn’t have much choice but to use Safelite. Now there are glass shards stuck in my tailgate and ap…”
NHTSA complaint #11730391, 2026

“Rear windshield shattered upon closing the driver door to start and drive the car. No impact from a random object or use of defroster.”
NHTSA complaint #11718355, 2026

Engine 51 1 fire

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11404771, 2021 · fire

“Grubbs Acura in Grapevine TX has all the information”
NHTSA complaint #11744256, 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!!”
NHTSA complaint #11740311, 2026

Structure 24 1 injury

“The rear window spontaneously shattered while parked. I cut my hand when cleaning up the glass.”
NHTSA complaint #11627404, 2024 · 1 injury(ies)

“My rear glass mirror shattered. This occurred after I closed the door.”
NHTSA complaint #11713505, 2026

“The rear hatch glass exploded when the driver door was shut. Was parked outside out house in our driveway. Not driven all day.”
NHTSA complaint #11708968, 2026

Service Brakes 23 2 crash

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11546195, 2023 · crash

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11521064, 2023 · crash

“The brake on the right and rear side of the car makes a lot of noise, as if something has come loose. Around 3 weeks ago the brake on the left and rear side of the car started to make a low frequency hum. The vehicle is taking longer to stop and I am afraid to brake hard since I think something will get disarmed on my rear wheels. I did some research online and several automotive industry testers and researcher mention and report this issue. For example: - Consumer Report: [XXX] - Kelly Blue Book: [XXX] - Car and Drive: [XXX] : [XXX] Thank you very much for reading this assessment. IN…”
NHTSA complaint #11542484, 2023

Electrical System 22 1 crash 1 fire 2 injury

“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 t…”
NHTSA complaint #11427232, 2021 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11404771, 2021 · fire

“information screen went dark no radio or audio”
NHTSA complaint #11699559, 2025

Fuel/Propulsion System 21 1 crash

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11591701, 2022 · crash

“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 t…”
NHTSA complaint #11737372, 2026

“I received a notice from Acura that the defective fuel pump replacement parts are now available and I should schedule the free repair with my dealership. When I called my Acura dealer (Chapman Acura) in Tucson, AZ I was told they did not have any parts. When I asked if they could let me know when they would be available, I was informed they did not know when any replacement parts would be available and that I should call back in a few weeks. Chapman Acura is the only Acura dealer in Tucson, AZ.”
NHTSA complaint #11633194, 2024

Power Train 21 1 crash 2 injury

“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 t…”
NHTSA complaint #11427232, 2021 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“Powertrain failed in 2020 Acura RDX Tech Pkg AWD. Only 2 weeks after the 6 year warranty expired on the vehicle the powertrain failed and set off the check engine light. Dealer service department found an excessive amount of shavings in the plug. The vehicle only had 41,345 miles on it before transmission/powertrain failed and there was only 1 owner for the vehicle. It was purchased brand new from the dealer and vehicle was well-maintained.”
NHTSA complaint #11728589, 2026

“Under full throttle acceleration while merging onto highway the car would not deliver power and the check engine started flashing. Pressing the accelerator did not make the car go. I had to pull over and stop the car. I turned it off and turned it back on and was able to drive away. Both times, the weather was very humid and I was merging on a ramp that had an uphill incline. This happened twice within a few days. The first time was on 3-MAY-2025 and the second time was on 5-MAY-2025”
NHTSA complaint #11658858, 2025

Vehicle Speed Control 19 3 crash 1 fire 2 injury

“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 t…”
NHTSA complaint #11427232, 2021 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11404771, 2021 · fire

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11546195, 2023 · crash

Visibility 18

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11742784, 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.”
NHTSA complaint #11740393, 2026

“The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle and pressing the engine start button, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. Immediately following the sound, the rear window shattered without impact. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,055.”
NHTSA complaint #11722267, 2026

Fuel System 16

“The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the fuel pump had fractured and failed to function as intended. The contact was advised to contact the local dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the fuel pump had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The fail…”
NHTSA complaint #11686024, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
NHTSA complaint #11634436, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
NHTSA complaint #11632448, 2024

Air Bags 6 1 crash

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11521064, 2023 · crash

“Since we bought the vehicle in 2019, the passenger-side seat sensor didn't always go off when occupied. We asked the dealership to check it out in 2020 or 2021, however, due to the problem being inconsistent it couldn't be fixed. The inconsistency of the seat sensor has continued though the years, but lately, it has become more frequent. I am the usual occupant on the passenger side and I weigh 113 lbs. I recently spoke with the dealer service department after I saw the recall; however, the recall does not apply to our VIN.”
NHTSA complaint #11711443, 2026

“My wife weighs about 125 pounds. When she sits in the front passenger seat of this car, often (but not always) an indicator will light up on the dashboard, saying "Passenger Air Bag OFF." Even if she shifts around in the seat or bounces up and down, the indicator light will stay on. I have taken the car to my local Acura dealer twice, asking that this problem be diagnosed and fixed. The first time their service technician reported "No issues at this time. Unable to duplicate concern at this time." The second time (today), the technician reported that he had "checked system for codes, no codes…”
NHTSA complaint #11611591, 2024

Suspension 6

“2020 Acura RDX Rear Coil Spring snapped in half on left side. Safety concern drove to nearest independent service center to be accessed within 5 miles of incident. Advised not to drive it. Called Acura Dealership. Advised to replace both Left and Right side and have new alignment. No warning lights or other symptoms, just an extremely loud bang to left side while driving. Estimated out-of-pocket expenses: Rear coil springs (both) 600 parts/labor Alignment required 100 Total 700 unless goodwill applies (Acura quoted and independent matched prices (allowing me not to have it towed 15 miles to…”
NHTSA complaint #11728601, 2026

“Lower control arm rubs against subframe. Makes noise as going over bumps. Acura has a service bulletin, 20-025, from June 19, 2020 identifying issue. Issue told to tech in past but was identified. Now identified at 66,881 on car out of warranty but Acura will not cover. Rubbing seems like safety issue over time”
NHTSA complaint #11639051, 2025

“2021- Reporting a clicking sound coming from the passenger's rear. Reported several time unable to find reported clicking noise. Service Manager and Serice Tech rode with me to try to locate noise - on two occasion noise was heard and services were done (brake and tires) only to have the noise return the next day. Ownership of vehicle is now into the 3nd year and noise is still heard. I suggested to look at the struts. Service tech indicated it's not the struts.”
NHTSA complaint #11529715, 2023

Forward Collision Avoidance 5 1 injury

“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 remembe…”
NHTSA complaint #11646308, 2025 · 1 injury(ies)

“System warning light stating Electronic Parking Brake Error, that the system would not engage and to contact a dealership.”
NHTSA complaint #11719630, 2026

“In sudden, hard braking situations, the engine is disabled for between 3-4 seconds. On the highway, when hard braking from 70 mph to 20 mph, the engine is disabled and cars from behind are forced to veer off the road to avoid hitting my vehicle as it is basically stalled and cannot resume the speed. At intersections, when hard braking from 35 mph to 15 mph , the engine is disabled and the car is left in the middle of an intersection, blocking side and from-behind traffic.”
NHTSA complaint #11588015, 2024

Steering 3 1 crash

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11546195, 2023 · crash

“I was driving at 65 MPH on the highway in the left lane during a rainstorm. Suddenly the engine shuttered and began to shut down. I could not accelerate the engine. The engine light came on and was flashing. I was fortunate enough to maneuver through traffic to the shoulder of the road - sitting there where other drivers would not be expecting to see a car. I turned the car off and sat there in a rainstorm for 15 minutes hoping not to get hit. I started the car and it seemed to work fine for the remained of the trip with no issues or engine light flashing. Very dangerous situation for me -…”
NHTSA complaint #11456476, 2022

“THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND RELATED SYSTEMS SPORADICALLY FAIL TO OPERATE AND IN SOME CASES ATTEMPT TO TAKE OVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE MAKING IT EXTREMELY UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP (SPITZER) WAS ALERTED THEY SHOWN NO INTEREST IN EVEN LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEMS PERSIST ON A DAILY BASIS.”
NHTSA complaint #11349867, 2020

Exterior Lighting 2

“October 30th 6pm, parked car at home and exterior lights (headlights, fog lights, rear lights) would not turn off. Car was not running. Lights finally went off when battery was completely drained. Had to jump battery to get car to dealership on October 31st. There were no previous warning lamps or messages. Dealership did a complete reinspect and were able to reproduce issue. Dealership determined that there was a leak in the sunroof. I then shared that the sunroof had been rattling and popping for a few weeks, but did not mention when dropping off for the lights since I didn't think it was r…”
NHTSA complaint #11629118, 2024

“Car would not turn on. All electronics started glitching, lights flickering. Had to disconnect the battery to turn off.”
NHTSA complaint #11587973, 2024

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 1

“THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND RELATED SYSTEMS SPORADICALLY FAIL TO OPERATE AND IN SOME CASES ATTEMPT TO TAKE OVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE MAKING IT EXTREMELY UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP (SPITZER) WAS ALERTED THEY SHOWN NO INTEREST IN EVEN LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEMS PERSIST ON A DAILY BASIS.”
NHTSA complaint #11349867, 2020

Engine And Engine Cooling 1

“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 w…”
NHTSA complaint #11751030, 2026

Lane Departure 1

“My car transmission light came on...check engine. Then said blind spot warning not working. See dealer. My car transmission warning message appears every time I accelerate to 60mph. It switches to sport mode on its on and I am unable to switch it back. My cameras malfunction for blind spots. The car sound is louder and usually it's quiet. I take my car in regularly for servid3 with the dealer. This is very strange. I am scared to go past 60mph.”
NHTSA complaint #11523569, 2023

Seat Belts 1

“The contact owns a 2020 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side seat belt failed to extend as needed and failed to retract automatically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, where unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the seat belt was inoperable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11598597, 2023

Seats 1

“ON OCT 31 2019 WE PURCHASED THE 2020 RDX ADVANCE AND THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT AIRBAG LIGHT OFF HAS BEEN SPORADICALLY STAYING ON WHEN MY WIFE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. WHICH INDICATES THE AIRBAG IS NOT ARMED ON THAT SIDE. LUCKILY WE HAVE BEEN TAKING PHOTOS OF THE SWITCH COMING ON WITH HER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THEY SAY ITS A WEIGHT ISSUE WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF YOU TURN THE CAR OFF THE AIRBAG LIGHT RESETS TO OFF WHEN SHE IS SITTING IN THE CAR. IF THE CAR IS RUNNING AND YOU PICK UP A PASSENGER THE AIRBAG LIGHT DOES NOT TURNOFF. DEALER RESPONDED IT BEING A WEIGHT ISSUE AND THAT THE S…”
NHTSA complaint #11297708, 2020