Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the engine, electrical, and transmission. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2023 Acura RDX: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Acura RDX. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 23–24 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Acura RDX, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Power drops suddenly under hard acceleration, such as passing on a two-lane road or merging onto a highway. The check engine light flashes and the car goes into limp mode, refusing to go faster than 40 to 60 mph. That leaves drivers stuck in the wrong lane or in fast traffic, a real crash risk. One dealer read misfire codes P0300, P0301 and P0304 at 10k miles and blamed water intrusion during heavy rain, but offered no fix. An intermittent "Brake Failure" dashboard warning also appears with no stored code.
The infotainment screen goes black while driving, and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto disconnects and is slow to reconnect. Navigation drops out with it, sometimes right after a phone call. Dealers have reproduced the fault but report no fix, and one car kept failing after a dealer service bulletin was applied. A full reset can require stopping, shutting the car off and opening the driver's door. One report also links the system to a drained battery and a no-start.
Fluid leaks from the transfer case of the AWD system, and the dealer calls it normal and refuses warranty repair even though owners say it causes damage. The other complaint centers on cost rather than failure. The maintenance minder calls for differential service early, at about 10,771 miles in one case, and the dealer charges $315 for it. Honda treats this as regular maintenance that the new-car warranty does not cover.
Automatic emergency braking slams on with nothing in the road, at speeds from about 35 to 70 mph. One event followed a lane change after passing another vehicle. The car beeps and brakes hard with no warning lights, and drivers have to regain control or pull onto the shoulder. That creates a rear-end collision risk. Failures appear early, between roughly 2,000 and 7,888 miles. Dealers have not diagnosed or repaired the cars, and one owner had the feature switched off.
The rear hatch glass shatters on its own, even with the car parked in a garage, weeks after purchase and with no visible cause. The power liftgate brings a second safety concern. It can close when the key fob in a pocket is bumped, and it takes heavy pressure on the gate before it stops and reverses. A closing liftgate has struck an owner in the upper back, and dealers say the behavior is common across Acura models.
Excerpts from complaints RDX owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
On entering the highway and accelerating quickly, engine lost power and car entered limp mode, refusing to exceed 60 MPH. Also, check engine light began flashing. Very dangerous situation in heavy traffic all going over 70 MPH. Exited at next exit, shut down car, then restarted with no further issues.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2024
The infotainment screen went blank 4 times. It works intermittently and reset itself. The dealer performed service bulletin S/B 24-004 on May 21, 2024. Since then it has gone out twice. I taking the vehicle in again. I seen there are issues with that system draining the battery and the car not starting. That had to me this morning.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2024
Transfer case is defective and Acura is refusing to fix it under warranty. Says it’s’normal’ for the AWD system to leak causing destruction.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2026
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 7 RDX years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2023 is the fifth model year of the RDX's third generation (2019–2023).
It includes the 2022 update.
What changed for 2022
Recall repairs are free at any Acura dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel.
Risk: Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the VSA modulator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are OEJ, XEK, AEY, XEX and OEW.
Cars shoppers compare with the Acura RDX, with their own 2023 checklists.
2023 owner complaints, side by side
