121 of the
2,655 complaints filed about the Acura RDX
are about the braking system —
5% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2020.
Two low-speed sudden unintended acceleration events while parking a 2021 Acura RDX. Incident 1 (July 2026): While parking at low speed, the car unexpectedly surged forward. Flew up the curb and hit a restaurant window, causing massive undercarriage damage. Active braking did not help and seemed to make acceleration worse. It only stopped when it wanted to. Incident 2 (August 2026): Two weeks after getting the car back from repairs, under identical low-speed parking conditions, a second sudden acceleration event occurred. Slamming on the brakes did nothing. It stopped after scraping a car wash vacuum pole, destroying the entire passenger side. Prior to these, the car exhibited erratic safety software behavior, including multiple phantom braking incidents where it slammed on its brakes violently with no obstacles present. I bought the car Certified Pre-Owned two years ago. The dealership repaired a known "popping sound" from the panoramic sunroof frame three times. This required extensive cabin/pillar teardown work, which may have disturbed internal wiring harnesses or grounding points linked to the electronic throttle control system. In both events, it felt like an uncontrolled amusement park ride—the engine loudly revving and taking over with zero driver control. I initially assumed pedal confusion during the first crash, but since it happened again under identical circumstances, there is clearly a systemic electronic/software defect in the Throttle Actuator or Powertrain Control Module. The vehicle is at an insurance network body shop awaiting forensic evaluation of the throttle system, pedal sensors, and a Bosch EDR black box download.
NHTSA complaint #11758797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The vehicle failed to stop and crashed into the rear driver’s side of another vehicle. During the crash, the braking system malfunctioned, and the air bag failed to deploy as needed. The contact sustained an injury to the back but had not yet sought medical assistance. The driver of the second was transported to the hospital with a shoulder injury. A police report was filed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 28,000.
NHTSA complaint #11751085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On or about XXX, my 2021 Acura RDX, with approximately 121,078 miles, suddenly displayed multiple dashboard warning lights and system-failure messages while I was driving. These included the check-engine light, Road Departure Mitigation System Problem, steering, stability-control, braking-assistance and other driver-assistance warnings. Earlier, the tire-pressure monitoring system had also indicated a malfunction even though the tire pressures were correct. The vehicle initially continued to drive and the conventional brakes appeared to function normally. However, it then began hesitating when I attempted to accelerate. The vehicle would eventually gain speed, but the initial hesitation created a serious safety concern when pulling into traffic or attempting to accelerate. The check-engine light remained solid while the vehicle was stopped but flashed whenever I began driving and accelerating again. No crash, fire or injury occurred. The vehicle had undergone a full diagnostic inspection approximately two weeks earlier, and I was informed that everything checked out properly. There were no known drivability problems before this incident, and the vehicle has been maintained according to the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule. The vehicle was subsequently inspected by Elite Acura, an authorized Acura dealership in [XXX]. The dealership confirmed a head-gasket failure and a problem with the rear differential left-side actuator. The dealer recommended replacing the head gasket, four spark plugs, coolant, oil and filter, as well as replacing the rear differential left-side actuator and changing the differential fluid. The estimated head-gasket repair was $5,391.46, and the estimated rear differential actuator and fluid service was $813.85. The dealer also recommended rear brake pads and rotors. The head-gasket and rear differential actuator problems were confirmed by the authorized Acura dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11750876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The brakes squeaks all the time and makes a grinding noise. I have been at the dealership several times for the same issue. The sensor also hit brakes on its own sometimes when nothing is in front of the car!!! Very dangerous!!!!
NHTSA complaint #11738200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brakes making a humming noise and loud noises when reversing. Have taken it to the dealer two times already, have had the car less than a year, and the dealer claims there is nothing they can do.
NHTSA complaint #11728635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 3/26/2026 a symbol of an engine appeared on my dash. Then several minutes later the car began running very rough and numerous warnings signs came on including Check Engine, Check AWD System, Check Power Steering System, Check Uphill Assist system and others. I took the car to my mechanic this morning and after checking various systems he determined the Cylinder Deactivation system was not performing properly. He replaced the spark plug for cylinder 3 and confirmed the ignition coil is functioning properly. He was not able to correct the problem and said I should contact the dealer as he thought Honda had issued an extended recall on the Acura 2013 RDXs because of this problem. He said this malfunction has caused my AWD system to be disabled. I called the dealer and they said there was no recall for this issue. I have an appointment on 3/31 to have them check it out. My car only has 83,635 miles on it.
NHTSA complaint #11727590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Two issues with this brand new Acura RDX 2025: 1) Herky/Jerking brakes. Experienced this issue weeks after purchasing. Lots of vibration when applying brakes....happens often. Took car back to Acura dealership and they said brakes working as designed. 2) Very soft /no tension in brake pedal. This issue arose within last few months. Press on brake pedal and often it goes to floor panel. Very concerning.
NHTSA complaint #11717238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have been experiencing unintended acceleration when I press on my brakes. Fortunately, there hasn't been any accidents yet but it's a very dangerous situation.
NHTSA complaint #11708677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
After dealer (worldwide motors Ltd also call (Paragon Acura) 33-40 57th street, Woodside, NY 11377)replaced front and rear brake pads and rotors, my vehicle experienced unintended acceleration while stopped. While idling at a red light with my foot firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly moved forward approximately 10 feet on its own. This was a serious safety concern and nearly caused a collision or pedestrian injury. I immediately returned the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer stated they could not duplicate the issue and said the vehicle was operating normally. No warning lights were present. The incident occurred immediately after brake service. I am concerned this may involve the braking system, brake booster, brake switch, or electronic throttle interaction. This behavior is not normal and poses a safety risk.
NHTSA complaint #11705948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The problem I am reporting I found reported on the internet. My dashboard lite up with power steering and brake warning lights and told me to contact the dealer. Power steering was lost and braking power diminished. Pulled over and restarted the car several times and steering and braking came back but the warning lights still on. After sitting for an hour while we ate the car started with no warnings and brakes and steering functioning. From what I saw on the internet the problem stems from when the LKAS system is turned on. I found on your site my VIN has the issue I described above. Why hasn't Acura contacted me about the problem ? Seems irresponsible.
NHTSA complaint #11694373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Automatic braking system came on when the vehicle sensed another vehicle. As the breaking system turned on, the steering wheel locked and did not allow for the driver to steer in order to not avoid a collision. This happened in the streets. It is currently under investigation with insurance. The vehicle had applied the emergency breaks system a few days before, in the highway, while the driver already had the foot on the break and the steering wheel had locked, preventing the driver to change lanes. No collision on this day.
NHTSA complaint #11684165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving my 2025 Acura RDX A-Spec Advance (approx. 5,000 miles) at about 40 mph through a light curve, the vehicle suddenly lost power steering mid-turn. The dash displayed: “Electric Power Steering System Problem. Steering Assist Not Available. Do Not Drive.” This was not just a loss of assist. The wheel felt like it was resisting input and was nearly impossible to turn, locking the car into an off-road path. I narrowly missed a curb and a large tree by inches, only avoiding collision by forcing the wheel with maximum effort while applying heavy brakes. If this had occurred at higher speed or on a mountain road, the result could have been catastrophic. Once stopped, five additional warnings appeared: Brake System Problem, Lane Keeping Assist System Problem, Collision Mitigation Braking System Problem, Road Departure Mitigation System Problem, and Low Speed Braking Control Problem. After restarting, most warnings remained, though steering assist and brakes seemed temporarily normal. I cautiously drove to a nearby lot, then to the dealership. At the service center, the errors cleared only after shutting down the engine. Staff first suggested a “loose battery cable.” When I mentioned that other 2025 RDX owners have reported the same issue, I was told not to trust the internet. They kept the vehicle overnight under warranty. Initially no loaner vehicle was available, which forced my wife to leave work for daycare pickup. After she called management directly, a loaner was provided. At the time of this report, no diagnosis has been given. Service staff speculated it could be nothing or it could be a failed steering column, which matches reports from other owners. This sudden steering failure, combined with simultaneous warnings across multiple safety systems, created an immediate risk of serious crash. The incident occurred only two days after routine service at the same dealership.
NHTSA complaint #11682123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was at a stop light, car was stopped, the electronics on the vehicle looked like it went through a reboot, A/C blower fluctuated (turned off then back on), all displays went out and restarted like it does when you start the car. When the traffic light turned green, and I stepped on the gas, the car shuddered and hesitated, like the transmission, ABS and traction control were all going haywire. Then the car drove fine. As long as I do not slow down too much or stop. Once I got home and had to back up into the garage, it went through that haywire cycle again. This was the 3rd time this has happened on this car. But after I shut off the engine, wait a little while and start it again, symptom seems to go away, until it decides to happen again. I have had this car since July of 2024, and since that time, I have had this happen to me 3 times and 2 times to my wife. I have read on the net and one of the possibilities talked about if the ABS control unit, where soldered wires seems to be melting off of the circuit boards and causing intermittent connection, therefore exhibiting erratic behavior. There are even services on eBay where you can send in your whole ABS unit and they will open them up, clean and re-solder the wires. This seems to be scary and concerning from a safety perspective. Please investigate the issue for us who are affected. It is not just my year model car, but it includes Honda branded and different Acura and Honda model cars too. Thank you.
NHTSA complaint #11675782 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Started vehicle in the morning and had driven about 5 miles. LKAS, Adaptive Cruise Control and all other collision avoidance systems turned on. ACC Speed set, but disengaged due to prior braking for the curve. Weather overcast but dry. While turning left around a sweeping curve at about 40mph the vehicle suddenly started emergency braking and trying to turn right into the guardrail on the side of the road. Major force required to keep vehicle in the lane and under control. Power steering went out. Collision braking warning, Power steering warning, LKAS warning, Road departure mitigation warning, Low speed braking control problem, also power steering icon glowed orange, safety system icon glowed orange, Lane keeping icon glowed orange, Brake system icon glowed orange. No place to pull off, continued several miles to a parking lot. Took photos of dash warnings (provided to dealer). Cycled engine power to no effect. Cycled again waiting about 1 minute and opening door to turn off nav display. Upon restart warnings all remain, power steering returned. Drove home and parked for about 1 hour. Upon restart all errors gone and functioning normally. Noted Acura Link sent CMBS Problem! notification. Car now at Acura of Brookfield (WI) for evaluation. All notification on vehicle and Acural Link cleared by time I arrived at dealer. Note vehicle defaulted back to "Normal" drive mode after this event. Had been set on "Comfort" which is normally retained at power cycle.
NHTSA complaint #11674488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When slowing as I exited freeway the steering locked up and forced me into right lane. There were lots of warning lights, STOP when safe, steering assist problem, brake system problem, low speed braking problem. I had no power steering but was able to get car into a parking lot. I turned the car off and back on. The warning message said it was a brake system problem and to see dealer. Acura Link showed it was a CMBS problem. After turning the car off and on a couple more times the warnings went away and I was able to drive car to dealership. There were no warnings prior to steering lockup. Dealer told me it was a power steering malfunction. The vehicle is available for inspection at the dealership in Fresno, CA. This happened on [XXX]. Parts have been ordered but not expected to arrive until Monday, Jul 7th, 2025. If there had been a car in the right lane this would have caused an accident. I researched this issue on the internet and have found several reports of the same problem. Some people have had it happen multiple times. I purchased the car [XXX] and there were 4,523 miles on the odometer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11670937 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
As this car was being driven by my mother, she was going approximately 40 mph around a turn on a road she drives every day and for now reason the car starting saying she had been in a crash, the steering stopped working and the brakes locked and she was no longer in the car. She was able to manuever it into a ditch, which fortunately wasn't very deep to avoid any other cars. We took this to the dealership who indicated they had never seen this type of issue there however when I researched, there had been several reports of this type of incident, 4 in VA alone. The car was at the dealership for over two weeks to be repaired as the dealership had to work with technicians at Acura to determine cause/replacement; however they indicated they can not guarantee it won't happen again. My mother lost my father two years ago and this was the first car she purchased on her own and now she is terrified. We asked Acura to help assist changing her out of this car and they simply refused through the manager of the dealership indicating they did nothing wrong and they have replaced the $8k part. Since she bought the vehicle in April 2025 and this happened just 6 weeks later, that does not give us comfort. The dealership was helpful and we were able to get her into a different kind of vehicle although she had to pay $8k more and she is on a fixed income. She has had multiple Acuras however this is a safety issue and likely a potential recall simply from numbers I have seen from research and the potential harm this could cause occupents of the car and anyone else that may be near them on the road. We are very disappointed in Acura. We may have to go back to dealership to get repair info as we didn't accept this car back, they gave my mother a loaner and then we bought a new one. Crown Acura of Richmond is where it was repaired.
NHTSA complaint #11670438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving approximately 35 MPH and exiting the highway, the brakes locked up and the power steering became inoperable. The steering wheel was difficult to turn. The power steering, low brake speed, and Lane Keep Assist warning lights were illuminated. The message “Do Not Drive Vehicle – See Dealer” was displayed. If a vehicle had been behind me it definitely would have hit me. I got to a parking lot and shut off the car. I turned it on and the messages were still there. I called for roadside assistance for a tow. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure; because there were no warning lights illuminated upon arrival. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and has no concerns. I am afraid to drive this car as it is on the highway every day.
NHTSA complaint #11670527 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Picked up the vehicle. on [XXX]... on the way home I was going around a curve on a highway with a semi-truck to my right, when the car suddenly braked autonomously, and the power steering stopped working. I struggled to steer into the curve and then allowed the semi to move ahead so I could safely pull to the side of the road. I had several alarms go off that I had to cycle though to turn off. I fully powered down the car, and when I turned it back on I had 2 alarms that stayed on. Lane Keep Assist warning, and Braking System problem. I returned to the dealership the following morning [XXX] and they could not diagnose nor replicate the issue. I'm being asked to roll the dice by picking up the car today 6/30/25, and gamble with mine and my families safety. This problem need to be fixed! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11670248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
For the third time now, my steering has locked up and sent my 2025 Acura RDX into limp mode. It is a major safety concern because the car steering locks up and or tries to turn. The first time it occured I almost went into a field because the car was trying to turn right while in the middle of a LH corner at 55mph. The second time was on a country road at around 40-50mph with no shoulder, and this most recent time on a straight country road at 50mph. Two times it has been towed to the nearest dealer and Acura has made major component replacements, including the engine wiring harness, and steering system twice now. I have opened a case with Acura stating the severity of safety concerns I have for myself, my family and other drivers on the road. If someone is not prepared to fight the steering and or strong enough it could very likely cause a crash and injuries. At this point, I don't believe Acura knows exactly what the issue is, since they are making the same repair as they did the first time. There are also other reports of this exact issue being reported online, specific to the 2025 model year.
NHTSA complaint #11669601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.