2021 Acura RDX: problems, recalls and reliability
3 recalls and 109 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is service brakes (13% of complaints); the 2022 and 2023 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 7 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall May 2026
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 109 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“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)”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jul 2026
“Vehicle lost all coolant and could be smelled. Vehicle was towed to dealership before it could overheat. Diagnosed with a cracked cylinder head at 88,000 miles. Vehicle has never been modified, tracked, nor has it ever overheated. All service has been performed on time and at Acura dealership since I purchased the vehicle brand new. Vehicle is still at dealership. I've researched and found many other owners experiencing the same problem with the crack occurring in the exact same spot on the cylinder head.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2026
“On March 20th, my husband and I went out to dinner with three friends. We arrived around 6:50 PM and left our car with the valet. When we returned later that evening to pick up the vehicle, a valet employee approached us and asked us to walk with him to the car. The police were already present at the scene. The employee explained that when he entered the vehicle on the driver's side to return it to us, he closed the door and immediately heard the sound of glass shattering. When we reached the car, we saw that the entire rear window had been shattered. The police later reviewed the surveillance footage and confirmed that the incident occurred exactly as described by the valet employee.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Mar 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“Got in my vehicle as usual, started the vehicle shortly after I heard cracking thought nothing of it and all of a sudden the rear tailgate window shattered completely.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Feb 2026
“The contact owns a 2021 Acura RDX. While driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal gunshot sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact inspected the exterior of the vehicle but found no failure. The contact stated that the following day, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the panoramic roof glass shattered, and glass shards fell inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.”Owner report · Visibility · Feb 2026
“- Rear window shattered without impact or any signs of stress. - Safety at risk if driving and breakage occurs. In this case I was away from the parked vehicle when the shattering occurred. - There are quite a few reports of this issue online in Facebook Acura owner groups and in published news stories such as this: [XXX] - In my case, it was inspected by the repair company and confirmed to be a common occurrence they are called to repair. - There were no warning lights or any signs of damage or stress to the glass. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Feb 2026
“Sudden breaking of panoramic glass on sun/moon roof. I believe this is related to the clicking noise that is caused by the improper bolting in this model. There is an active service bulletin for the improper bolting/flexing in the panoramic glass. I called the Acura dealership where this was bought and they didn't acknowledge that. I had my two children, toddler and infant, in the back. They like the panoramic open. If this broke on top of them this would be a very serious injury.”Owner report · Structure · Jan 2026
“Warmed car before driving, once I got in car and shut drivers side, Rear window shattered. Common issue with other owners of same car. Reached out to Acura dealerships and they claim it's not an issue that is happening and will not replace it.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jan 2026
“The contact's sister owns a 2021 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the rear glass had shattered while the vehicle was parked in the driveway. The dealer was contacted and advised that the earliest availability to replace the glass was in 3-4 days. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, the manufacturer later informed the contact that the model year was not covered under TSB: 22-014 (Rear Windshield Glass Shattering). The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.”Owner report · Visibility · Dec 2025
“Back windshield glass exploded with no impact. Car was not moving. There is shattered glass everywhere and the car cannot be driven until it is repaired. This appears to be a well known issue but there is no official recall at this time. My Acura dealer said this was covered in warranty that expired in November. The incident happened December 13, 2025.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Dec 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 2 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 3 campaigns
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Acura RDX and 2022 CR-V Hybrid vehicles. A component in the right or left front driveshaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which could result in driveshaft failure.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the right or left front driveshaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BBY, NBW, and OBX.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2021 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact RDX by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Acura RDX reliable?
NHTSA has 109 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on record for the 2021 Acura RDX. The most complained-about area is service brakes (13% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2021 Acura RDX problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 43,000 miles or less.
Does the 2021 Acura RDX have open recalls?
3 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.