CSR

Acura · NHTSA safety record

2014 Acura RDX

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

240

Complaints

2

Crashes

1

Fires

4

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2014 Acura RDX have filed 240 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2013 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the exterior lighting, named in 161 of them (67%). The typical failure was reported at 57,500 miles, the median across the 54 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (3)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

23V858000 · December 18, 2023

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 2,490,460 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

19V182000 · March 6, 2019

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.
The risk
An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 1,101,534 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

16V061000 · February 3, 2016

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 2,232,187 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

EA21002

Still open engineering analysis · opened September 17, 2021

the air bags

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 240.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 161 67%
AIR BAGS 41 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12 5%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 10 4%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8 3%
SUSPENSION 8 3%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 1%
STRUCTURE 3 1%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 1%
ENGINE 2 1%
POWER TRAIN 2 1%
SEAT BELTS 2 1%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2023 at 42.

2013 2023 2026
2013 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

2 injured · crash · towed

See attached letter for details. Incident date below reflects the VIN I currently own, when testing identified the safety-related defect. Accident details from previous same model. The same headlamps were the subject of the July 14, 2014 NHTSA Acura ILX Electrical & Lights Recall: 14V323000 on the 2013-2014 Acura ILX model. Yet, Acura continued to use these headlamps and failed to rectify the defect across its model lineup. Instead, the inherently faulty engineering, material, and manufacturing was destined to slowly degrade the reflective surface of the projector cup and lens under the heat output of the low beam halogen bulb that was, by Acura design, the automatic daytime running lights

NHTSA complaint 11451614, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 injured · crash · 500 miles

ACURA RDX TECH PURCHASED 30 DAYS AGO, UP-SHIFTED WHILE PARKING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY ACCELERATED WHEN PUSHING ON THE BRAKE BEFORE A COMPLETE STOP AND RAN INTO THE CHAIN LINKED FENCE. THE DRIVER GOT A SEAT BELT BURN ON THE LEFT UPPER CHEST AND SOFT TISSUE INJURY TO THE NECK. THE FRONT PART OF THE VEHICLE GOT SIGNIFICANT BODY DAMAGE. A COUPLE INCIDENCES OF THE CAR VIOLENTLY UPSHIFTED WHEN MOVING FROM A STOP WERE ALSO NOTED BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW A MONTH AGO. THIS IS THE EXACT SIMILAR INCIDENCE TO THE COMPLAINT # 10510220. ACURAZINE COMMUNITY FORUM HAS OTHER INCIDENCES SIMILAR TO MY ACCIDENT. THIS IS A

NHTSA complaint 10537816, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS

1 injured · 40,000 miles

I PARKED AND SHUT MY CAR OFF AT OUR LOCAL SHOPRITE PARKING LOT. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND MY SON WAS YELLING THAT HE COULDN'T GET OUT.THE SEATBELT HAD HIM TANGLED UP. I TOOK THE LATCH OFF AND TRIED TO LOOSEN THE SEAT BELT. HE TRIED PULLING THE SEAT BELT TO LOOSEN IT NOTHING. I TURNED THE CAR ON TO SEE IF IT WOULD LOOSEN THAT WAY NOTHING. I DROVE HOME. EVERYTHING WE ATTEMPTED THE SEAT BELT KEPT TIGHTENING. I TRIED PULLING IT OVER HIM UNDER HIM TOOK OFF HIS SHOES AND JEANS. REMEMBER IT WAS UNBUCKLED ALREADY. I GOT HOME AND TRIED TO UNSCREW THE BOLT THAT ATTACHED THE SEAT BELT TO THE CAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THE BIT WASN'T LONG ENOUGH. AT THIS POINT AN HOUR PASSED OF US TRYING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO

NHTSA complaint 11210809, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 24,000 miles

WE HAVE TWO 2014 RDX'S. WIFE HIT A DEER WITH DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT LIGHT AND RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL. SUPPOSE TO BE A 3700.00 REPAIR BUT WHEN BODY SHOP DROVE RDX INTO THEIR BUILDING IT CAUGHT FIRE AND NOW WE HAVE A TOTALED 40,000 RDX. EVERYBODY HAS SAID THEY CAN'T EVER REMEMBER A ACURA EVER CATCHING ON FIRE. IN TALKING WITH A ACURA MECHANIC HE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THEY HAD SOME ELECTRICAL ISSUES ON THESE VEHICLES BUT NOTHING WAS PROVEN. WE ARE WAITING ON THE RESULTS FROM THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS THAT THE INSURANCE PEOPLE HAVE HIRED TO TRY TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH IT'S MANUFACTURING OR SOMETHING ELSE THEY ARE ASKING IF ANY THING WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE AND AS

NHTSA complaint 10790137, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

118,000 miles

The contact owns a 2014 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s and passenger’s side headlights were very dim. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the headlight bulbs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA complaint 11754763. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The low beam headlight projector lens has degraded to the point of being extremely unsafe and therefore unable to drive at night. Repair for the defective headlight is costly and should be addressed by Honda/Acura as it is a HUGE safety concern. Acura recalled/replaced the defective lens on the 2014-2015 RLX model but has chose not to do so on the RDX with the exact same problem.

NHTSA complaint 11748435. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding an unresolved airbag system failure in my Acura vehicle, and the lack of a timely or safe remedy despite the issue being acknowledged and covered under a manufacturer warranty extension. The airbag system in my vehicle was first diagnosed as failed in September 2025 by my local mechanic and shortly thereafter confirmed by an authorized Acura dealership. The defective component (part number 77810TX4-A40ZA) is currently on backorder and has been unavailable for several months. I have been placed on a priority waitlist, but no estimated timeline for repair has been provided. This issue is

NHTSA complaint 11734419, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
My main headlights became DIM after 7 years of ownership. I have gone to the Dealership and had BOTH bulbs Replaced with No Visible Improvement in the Brightness. Given the age of my car, I've also had the Lenses Polished to ensure there's no significant Film on the Outside. Again... No Improvement in the Brightness of the lights. I asked the techs at the Shop about the problem and they said they haven't seen any systemic problems. I'm concerned as this is a Safety Issue and my work does have me driving at night on occasion.

NHTSA complaint 11723739. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

162,551 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Acura RDX. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 92,551. The Carfax Report sent from the dealer indicated that the mileage was 93,000. After retrieving a Carfax Report, the mileage was 162,551.

NHTSA complaint 11723690. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The low beam headlights on my 2014 Acura RDX are too dim to allow safe night driving. An independent service provider confirmed the headlight coating is causing a "cataract" type effect on the inside of the lamp. The bulbs were switched to brighter LED lights, but there is no significant improvement. It seems the next step is to replace the entire headlight assembly which would be an out of pocket expense of at least $1000.00. This is a failure of the low beam head light manufacturing which has made my vehicle impossible to drive at night unless the high beams are used.

NHTSA complaint 11720027. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Acura RDX

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 29 1
2024 11 2
2023 21 2
2022 31 2
2021 109 3
2020 340 5
2019 434 5
2018 76 1
2017 74 1 1
2016 40 2
2015 409 3
2013 162 3
2012 15 2
2011 16 2
2010 22 2

Other 2014 Acura models

Every Acura on this site — 71 vehicles, 113 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst