102 of the
433 complaints about the 2020 Acura RDX are about the
other systems — 24% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
3,125 miles.
The vehicle’s keyless access/security and body control system malfunctioned. An authorized Acura dealer previously diagnosed water intrusion from blocked panoramic sunroof drains, including water reaching the Body Control Module (BCM) Multiplex Control Unit. The dealer reported that this was causing false security alarm activation and battery drainage and recommended BCM replacement. The vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request.The condition has since escalated. The security alarm repeatedly activated without cause and became difficult or impossible to silence. The dashboard displayed, “Keyless Access System Problem\. See Your Dealer.” During the latest episode, the engine spontaneously started without an authorized remote start command, and attempts to stop the engine were unsuccessful. The 12-volt battery was therefore disconnected to disable the vehicle and will remain disconnected until the vehicle is taken to the Acura dealership for diagnosis. This created a safety risk because the vehicle demonstrated unintended engine operation and loss of normal control over engine shutdown, creating potential risks of unintended operation, exhaust carbon monoxide exposure if this occurred in an enclosed area, and battery depletion. The dealer has confirmed the water intrusion and BCM security system malfunction. However, the unauthorized engine start and failure to shut down event occurred after that diagnosis and has not yet been evaluated by the dealer. Before the unauthorized start, symptoms included repeated false alarms, battery drainage, documented water intrusion, and the Keyless Access System warning. The warning was photographed at approximately 81,416 miles during the same period of escalating electrical security problems.
NHTSA complaint #11758676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My RDX experienced a water-intrusion failure involving the panoramic sunroof drainage system and associated electrical components. An authorized Acura dealer diagnosed the right-front sunroof drain as backed up/overflowing, allowing water to reach the Body Control Module (BCM/Multiplex Control Unit). The dealer attributed abnormal security-alarm activation and battery drain to the water-damaged BCM and indicated that the BCM required replacement. The dealer also identified a blocked right-rear sunroof drain that allowed water to reach the tuner, causing radio/stereo malfunction and requiring tuner replacement. The water intrusion reached critical electrical components and caused unpredictable electrical behavior, including unexplained security-alarm activations, exterior lights remaining illuminated, complete battery discharge, loss of keyless access, and ultimately a no-start condition that rendered the vehicle inoperable. After the battery was depleted, I had to use the manual key to enter the vehicle. This created a risk of being stranded and raised concerns about the reliability of the vehicle’s electrical systems. There were no known dashboard warning lamps or conventional warning messages before the failure. AcuraLink recorded unexplained security-alarm activations on August 16, 2026, at 10:27 PM EDT and again on August 19, 2026, at 10:51 AM EDT. During the overnight incident, the alarm activated and the exterior lights remained on until the recently replaced battery was completely discharged. The car also experienced radio/stereo problems traced by the dealer to water reaching the tuner, and water was present in the passenger-footwell area. My car was inspected and the problem confirmed by an authorized Acura dealership. The car is available for inspection and available upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11758403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Highland Park, IL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Portland, OR
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westerville, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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 apparently no way to remove them without removing the glass from the tailgate and removing the tailgate from the vehicle. Other complaints show that this can also happen while the car is running and in motion which seems like a major safety concern. With the glass shards stuck in the tailgate my car has been devalued by no fault of own. Honda knows this is an issue but will not issue a recall and it could also be a safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11730391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Deptford, NJ
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear windshield shattered while car was parked. Entered car, closed door, hit start button - rear windshield spontaneously shattered. Called dealership where RDX was purchased - They recommended contacting Client Services. Filed complaint with Acura Client Relations - received case#. Took vehicle to a local dealership per their instruction - sent report to Acura. It's been 3 days - no resolution - no case manager assigned - no loaner supplied. No prior issues to note with windshield. Did see many issues such as this one online. Getting the run-around from Acura.
NHTSA complaint #11723769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Walkersville, MD
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This morning after getting into my vehicle and closing the door my rear windshield shattered. This is a known and common problem certain model year RDXs. We are waiting to hear from my insurance company on whether it’s covered. There were not warnings or issues prior to the shatter.
NHTSA complaint #11718426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Delafield, WI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Came out of Drs office in parking lot. Sat down in drivers seat and started the car when I heard a pop and then looked back and the entire rear window shattered.
NHTSA complaint #11717964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Whiting, IN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My rear windshield shattered completely on its own shortly after I had gotten in the car, I was parked, luckily I had not even started driving yet. This is a major safety component that could have resulted in a dangerous situation if I had been driving the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11715828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA complaint #11715723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chicago, IL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear window has shattered twice (2023, 2026). Both times, the vehicle has been parked in a lot with cameras. After reviewing the cameras no one was near the vehicle. After the first time, I became aware that this was an issue with my model. I contacted the manufacturer and they expressed that my year was not affected by the defect. It just happened again. I contacted the manufacturer again, they expressed, that in order for them to do anything a recall has to be put in place and to report it to you. In addition, I do not put on the rear defrost. I have been driving around with shards of glass in the rear door. Safelite has expressed, due to how the manufacturer built the door, they can not remove all the glass. Also, every time the door is lifted pieces of glass fall out.
NHTSA complaint #11715257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chesapeake, VA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting a vehicle safety defect complaint regarding my 2020 Acura RDX. The rear window of my vehicle suddenly shattered without any impact, collision, road debris, or external force. At the time of the incident, the vehicle was stationary. There was no warning or visible damage prior to failure. The glass shattered unexpectedly, creating a dangerous condition and risk of injury. I was required to file an insurance claim and have the rear window replaced. I am concerned this may indicate a defect in the glass, manufacturing process, or vehicle structure. I request that NHTSA review this incident, determine whether similar failures have been reported, and evaluate whether this represents a safety-related defect requiring investigation or recall. I can provide photographs, repair invoices, VIN, mileage, and additional documentation upon request. Sincerely, Joyce Burnett Phone: 757-636-6167 (Mobile) VIN: 5J8TC1H57LL013150
NHTSA complaint #11714836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Randolph, MA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear windshield shattered spontaneously.
NHTSA complaint #11713688 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chicago, IL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear Windshield spontaneously exploded, Acura has a service bulletin regarding the issue(Service Bulletin 22-014) No recalls, Acura refuses to address issue thousands of other drivers have experienced.
NHTSA complaint #11713214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bronx, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear windshield shattered out of nowhere while parked outdoors on a cold day (<20 degree weather). There was no impact involved in the shattering. Dealer stated that I must go through insurance in order to get rear windshield repaired. Upon further searching this is a problem that is common with the Acura RDX model from years 2019-2023 there was even a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on May 20th, 2023 involving 'Rear Windshield Glass Shattering' caused by 'Incorrect specification for the rear defroster grid' showing that the company is aware of this issue.
NHTSA complaint #11712938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
N Huntingdon, PA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear glass windshield shattered while parked in my garage. No impact involved. Car was not driven for almost 24 hours
NHTSA complaint #11712552 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear windshield shattered while parked. It was not vandalism.
NHTSA complaint #11711918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oldsmar, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Got in my car, closed driver side door and my rear window spontaneously shattered.
NHTSA complaint #11711374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Essex, VT
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sometime between 9pm on January 13th and 8:45am on January 14th, the rear glass of my 2020 Acura RDX shattered inside our closed, insulated garage. No cause could be found inside or around the garage and I googled and found out the rear defroster grid causes stress on the class and is actually quite common. I also have a video but it’s too large to upload.
NHTSA complaint #11710899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seaford, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle was parked overnight and woke up and the rear glass shattered. This is highly dangerous. There are tons of glass shards everywhere
NHTSA complaint #11710241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seaford, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving at 60 MPH on the Highway and the Service AWD light came on. The vehicle immediately lost all power and jerked and came to a sudden stop. And then when i tried to re apply power it was sluggish for about 30 seconds before i was able to get full power. I then pulled over to the side of the road and turned the vehicle on and off the error code disappeared. This happens at random times while driving the car and is extremely dangerous.
NHTSA complaint #11709083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lake View, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have a 2020 Acura RDX. In December 2022 I came out to my car and when I opened the door the entire back windshield was shattered like a piece of ice. The glass broke off into little shards all over the back of the car. Also, leaving me to drive my young daughter in the freezing cold. I had it repaired which they were able to fox the glass but not get all the shards out of the car. Yesterday, December 25l4, 2025 I went to my car which had been sitting in the garage for two days and the same thing occurred. There is glass all over my car and my garage. I have a young child and dog who could step on or touch the shards.
NHTSA complaint #11707035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hackensack, NJ
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
One day last December it rained very hard for a couple of days. It about 6:30pm I got in my car to go to an appointment. There was water inside the cab, on the seats, inside of the windshield, in the dashboard and controls... and about 4 inches of water on the floor on both passenger and driver side. When I tried to start the car, all the electrical systems went haywire. Everything was blinking at me in the dashboard many different warnings and hazard lights. I took the car to the dealership for service. I was by service department told that drainage lines on the top where the sun visor is were clogged up and the water had backed up into the vehicle. This was no fault of my own. I have maintained this automobile with Acura only for 6 years, since I purchased it. This is serious, even though it was resolved by clearing the lines but the damage to the electrical system were extensive. Now that the lines are cleared who's to say this will not happen again? Will my car flood again someday? I believe this to be a design flaw and should be corrected by Acura as a possible. I believe it should be a recall, it could affect the safety of the driver and passengers. Thanks for your attention to this matter.
NHTSA complaint #11706618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ballston Spa, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car was in park and running idle and randomly the back windshield completely shattered. The car had been on for a while probably at least 20 minutes so it wasn’t that the window all of a sudden got really warm compared to the outside cold temperature. Had Safelite replaced the window, but there are still a bunch of shards of glass in the tailgate because that would have to be fully replaced in order to remove all those glass shards and there’s no other way to do it. This is apparently a very common issue on the Acura RDX and there is a Facebook group with many people having the same issue with the rear windshield randomly shattering for no reason whatsoever. It seems like Acura dealerships acknowledge this issue, but there has been no recall.
NHTSA complaint #11706374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Durham, NC
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear window shattered. It is a safety issue because my window shattered as I was in a public parking lot and I had no idea. Also u had groceries in my trunk and now tiny pieces of glass was near my bags No but bulletin tsb 22-014 identified the issue
NHTSA complaint #11706252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Worcester, MA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
After work, While entering my vehicle and as i close the drivers side door; the rear windshield/window shattered randomly without external force.
NHTSA complaint #11706015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Arlington, TN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear window shattered when the front passenger door was closed. Research confirms this is a known defect and has occurred with numerous other owners, even while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who refused to repair, stating my vehicle wasn't included in TSB 22-014. The vehicle VIN is included in TSB 22-014. The window was repaired out of pocket with another company. There was no warning. This occurred on 12/15/2025.
NHTSA complaint #11705847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Greenwood, IN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear Hatch Window shattered sitting in driveway. This is a known issue and tons of people have reported it. There is many groups on facebook documenting the issue.
NHTSA complaint #11703461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chicago, IL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear window shattered when bringing it in from the colder weather to a garage. There was no impact, nor was the rear door used. The car was brough to the garage from being outside at 9 pm on 12/1. When we got in the car on 12/2 at 11:30 am, the rear window was shattered. There is no evidence of forced entry, just shattered glass on the inside. The repair is going to cost $627 The car rental is around $80
NHTSA complaint #11702601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.