2020 Acura RDX problems & reliability
345 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Acura RDX, alongside 5 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
3 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2020 Acura RDX vehicles were involved in 17 fatal crashes with 3 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown / Other | 102 | 30% |
| Visibility/wiper → | 83 | 24% |
| Engine → | 53 | 15% |
| Electrical System → | 26 | 8% |
| Structure → | 26 | 8% |
| Power Train → | 22 | 6% |
| Service Brakes → | 22 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 21 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 19 | 6% |
| Visibility → | 18 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 22 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 75 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 7,300 miles (middle 50% between 2,800 and 25,500 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Transfer case is leaking. Then the engine overheated. Confirmed and inspected by the dealer. No warnings prior to the incident.”
Power Train · filed Sep 9, 2026
“I am reporting recurring water intrusion into the driver-side passenger compartment of my 2020 Acura RDX following significant rainfall. This has occurred multiple times. The most recent incident occurred on August 28, 2026, following heavy rainfall. Water entered the vehicle and accumulated on the driver-side floor…”
Electrical System · filed Aug 30, 2026
“I am reporting recurring water intrusion into my 2020 Acura RDX following significant rainfall. The first water intrusion resulted from heavy rainfall in April 2026. I did not discover the water inside the vehicle until May 1, 2026, when I found water accumulated on the driver-side floor. I filed an insurance claim…”
Structure · filed Aug 30, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
234 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Acura RDX. The 10 most recent:
Over The Air Update - Vehicles equipped with the System Updates application are capable of downloading and installing Over the Air System Updates. System Updates contain upgrades that fix a variety of operational errors…
B21673 · Over The Air · issued May 18, 2026
"Service Bulletin - A pop noise can occur from the rear roof area when turning into driveways, bumps, or on an incline due to, in some cases, the panoramic roof frame mounting bolts are unable to maintain the necessary…
B23-004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 17, 2025
Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant adhesion on the inspection cover.
B25-049 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 17, 2025
Service Bulletin - The front and/or rear brakes make a high-pitched squeal when the brakes are lightly applied at 24 km/h (15 mph) or less, with ambient temperatures below 10°C (50°F).
B19-053 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 30, 2025
Service Bulletin - The front and/or rear brakes make a high-pitched squeal when the brakes are lightly applied at 24 km/h (15 mph) or less, with ambient temperatures below 10°C (50°F).
B19-053 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 16, 2025
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2025 RDXs and 2022-2025 MDXs with a client complaint of a pop noise in the rear sunroof area. Clients may describe a single pop noise…
BTI&05092025901 · Other · issued May 10, 2025
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2025 RDXs and 2022-2025 MDXs with a client complaint of a pop noise in the rear sunroof area. Clients may describe a single pop noise…
BTI&04252025901 · Other · issued Apr 25, 2025
Service Bulletin - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications. An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to poor communication in the media-oriented system (MOST) bus network which can…
B23-025 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 18, 2024
Service Bulletin - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications. An improperly manufactured terminal may lead to poor communication in the media-oriented system transport (MOST) bus network…
B24-045 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 30, 2024
Service Bulletin - The front and/or rear brakes make a high-pitched squeal when the brakes are lightly applied at 24 km/h (15 mph) or less, with ambient temperatures below 10°C (50°F).
B19-053 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 13, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2020 Acura RDX has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2020 Acura RDX?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 7,300 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.