344 of the
2,669 complaints filed about the Acura RDX
are about the other systems —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2019.
I own a 2019 Acura RDX that I purchased new in 2018. It has now experienced three separate major water-intrusion events. The first two occurred while I lived in [XXX], including an incident in approximately 2021 that required an insurance claim, extensive repair, and about a month without the vehicle. The current incident occurred in [XXX]. Because the same issue has occurred in two different states and multiple times, I do not believe it is an isolated environmental event. In the current incident, I discovered pooled water beneath the front passenger-seat carpet and in the rear cargo area where the vehicle’s audio-system equipment is located. The audio system has stopped working. Before I discovered the water, the interior windows repeatedly fogged while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, indicating excessive moisture trapped inside the cabin. The water may have been present for several days. The vehicle appears to require removal or lifting of the passenger seat and carpet to dry the underlying padding, inspect wiring and connectors, and prevent mold, corrosion, and further electrical damage. The rear cargo area and audio components also require inspection for moisture and corrosion. Prior repairs did not permanently resolve the water intrusion. The suspected source is the panoramic moonroof drain system or another water-management/body-sealing defect, but the exact source has not yet been confirmed. I am concerned that recurring water intrusion can cause electrical failures, interior mold, corrosion, loss of vehicle functions, and impaired visibility due to interior window fogging. I am requesting investigation of recurring water-intrusion complaints involving 2019 Acura RDX vehicles, including moonroof drains, drain-hose routing, drain connections, rear cargo-area water paths, and front passenger-side water entry. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11763186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Incident Description: Spontaneous Rear Window Shattering On the night of August 28th, 2026, my 2025 Acura RDX was parked legally in my apartment complex's residential parking area. There was no severe weather, falling debris, or external activity in the area. When I returned to the vehicle the following morning on August 29th, 2026, I discovered that the rear windshield glass had completely shattered and collapsed inward. There are no impact marks, points of contact, or signs of forced entry, indicating that the breakage occurred spontaneously due to a known structural stress or manufacturing defect. I contacted 3 local Acura dealerships about this ongoing manufacturing defect and even mentioned the TSB-22-014 number issued by Acura for this specific issue. However, the service managers/technicians at all three dealerships insisted that this issue was only for older models (2019 and 2020), and has been fixed for newer models. All three dealerships refused to even do an official inspection of the rear windshield glass shattering to confirm that it was a manufacturing defect, leaving me to fix the glass myself. I had the rear windshield glass replaced by Safelite, and filed a reimbursement request case with Acura Corporate. Luckily, this happened while my car was parked and with no one in the vehicle. However, this could pose a massive safety risk, as it could easily happen with people in the vehicle while the car is being driven and could potentially cause injuries to the car passengers if this manufacturing issue is not addressed immediately.
NHTSA complaint #11762258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
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.
The center infotainment display went completely black, with only the backup camera feed still functioning. There was no audio output at all (radio, navigation prompts, or Bluetooth). The dealer diagnosed and replaced the FAKRA service cables under Acura TSB B23-025, which addresses this exact display-blank/audio failure. After the cable repair, the screen remained black and audio remained completely non-functional. The dealer then determined the tuner/AV control unit had failed, confirmed by swapping in a working unit from another RDX which restored function. Acura Client Relations was contacted and declined to provide any coverage for the tuner unit replacement, stating the TSB only covers the cables themselves, despite the failure occurring immediately downstream of the covered repair. The vehicle is safe to drive but loses infotainment display, audio, navigation, and rear camera guidelines during forward driving, which is a distraction and safety concern. The vehicle remains available for inspection. No warning lamps preceded the failure; the screen simply went black."
NHTSA complaint #11754516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The panoramic roof frame assembly on my 2022 Acura RDX exhibits the exact condition described in Acura Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 23-004. The panoramic roof produces loud popping and creaking noises during normal driving over uneven pavement and driveway entrances because the roof frame mounting system loses clamp force, allowing the roof frame to shift. The condition was confirmed by an authorized Acura dealership, which determined that my vehicle matches the condition described in TSB 23-004. The dealer submitted the repair request to an Acura field representative. American Honda acknowledged the condition by approving only partial goodwill assistance, requiring me to pay approximately $800 to repair what Acura has already identified as a manufacturing defect. The defect has therefore been confirmed by both the dealer and the manufacturer, but the manufacturer has refused to fully repair it. My concern is that this is more than a warranty issue. Acura has acknowledged that the panoramic roof frame can shift during normal vehicle operation due to loss of clamp force. I have also become aware of numerous reports of Acura RDX panoramic sunroofs unexpectedly shattering or exploding while driving. While I cannot determine whether these events are directly related, I believe a roof frame that is known to move during normal operation may place additional stress on the panoramic glass and could create a potential safety hazard if glass failure occurs while the vehicle is in motion. There were no warning lights or diagnostic messages before the condition appeared. The popping noise was present immediately after I purchased the vehicle with fewer than 6,000 miles. The condition is reproducible during normal driving and remains present. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether the condition described in Acura TSB 23-004 represents a safety-related defect and whether it may be associated with reports.
NHTSA complaint #11753840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving only at 35 miles per hour down the XXX in [XXX] my panoramic sunroof suddenly bursts. A loud pop sound. This would have popped all over my body if I didn’t have cover up. This is an extreme problem as someone can die from this. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11751315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While parked, i got into my vehicle turned on the car engine put the car into reverse and was backing out of my driveway when the rear window exploded and shattered into many pieces.
NHTSA complaint #11748110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am writing to report an incident involving the rear window of my2019 Acura RDX that shattered unexpectedly. The incident occurred while the vehicle was parked at my workplace. I was notified by a co-worker that the rear window had shattered. Upon inspection, there was no obvious sign of a collision, vandalism, or other event that would explain the damage. A glass replacement company was called to my workplace to replace the shattered rear window. After examining the vehicle, the technician advised that there was no evidence of an external impact, such as a rock strike or other object, that would have caused the glass to break. Because the window appeared to shatter without any apparent outside force, I am concerned that this may indicate a defect in the rear glass or its installation. I respectfully request that this incident be documented and reviewed as a potential safety-related issue. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
NHTSA complaint #11745769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
Was driving down the hwy with the sunroof open tucked inside the headliner when a loud sound startled me and when I shut the sunroof glass rained down All over me
NHTSA complaint #11741418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
I own a 2025 Acura RDX with an open EPS recall involving potential loss of power steering assist due to improper software calibration. I live in Bozeman, Montana, far from the nearest Acura dealer. Acura customer care and escalated supervisor offered no reasonable accommodation. Completing this safety recall requires substantial long-distance travel and lease mileage to repair a manufacturer defect. I am submitting this complaint regarding recall remedy access and owner burden.
NHTSA complaint #11733113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.