2012 Acura Rdx problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (6) · Steering (2) · Vehicle Speed Control (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Acura Rdx model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (2)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-03-06 · campaign 19V182000 · 1,101,534 vehicles
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
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.
Fix: 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.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2016-02-03 · campaign 16V061000 · 2,232,187 vehicles
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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Service bulletins (52)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Air Bags 2026-02-28 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - warranty extension: customer support program for driver's airbag inflator for 2013-14 ilx hybrid and other listed years and models.
Electrical System 2023-05-17 · B23040A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service news - the navigation clock and date are incorrect. this is due to a limited gps receiver capacity resulting in rollover of internal chip memory. the rollover occurred on january 1, 2022 at 12:00am local time
Equipment 2022-05-02 · BPO05022022901 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
dealer message - american honda is investigating a potential quality concern with rdx accessory cross bar kit. due to this investigation, american honda is requesting all dealers to return any uninstalled inventory to american honda for investigation and validation by the supplier.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2022-04-08 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Equipment 2022-03-01 · B18-020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Electrical System 2022-01-25 · B21120A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
servicenews article - the clock shows the incorrect time. this issue is due to a limited gps receiver capacity resulting in "rollover" of the internal chip memory; the "rollover" will occur on january 1, 2022, at 12:00am local time. as a result, the navigation date and time will be incorrect.
Showing the 6 most recent of 52 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-11-03 · Electrical System:instrument Panel:speedometer/Odometer · 248,553 mi“odometer fraud. the contact purchased a 2012 acura rdx. the contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. the vehicle was a private sale. at the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 148,000. however, following an oil change service, it was later discovered that the actual vehicle mileage was 248,553.…”
2018-09-28 · Exterior Lighting“ambos focos delanteros se obedecen, las fechas exactas cuando lo llev al dealer para garanta de los focos no la recuerdo, pero fui en varias ocasiones. me informaron que la especificacin del fabricante eran focos al aire, y que por eso se humedecian y no tenan garanta, que todos los de ese ao vinieron as. me confirm y no regres para ese problema.…”
2018-09-04 · Unknown Or Other · 73,000 mi“vehicle will completely shut down while driving causing the brakes to lock and causing a major safety concern for others and the person driving the car. once the vehicle shuts down the car will need to be put in park, turned off and completely restarted again. this incident has happened to my vehicle several times ranging in speeds from 0mph to 70m…”
2018-02-21 · Air Bags · 38,000 mi“takata recall. the driver air bag was recalled and replaced. when i questioned why the front passenger side air bag was not being replaced also. the dealership said it was not being recalled. i asked if it was a takata air bag. dealership would not answer. only saying it was not being recalled. my complaint is: i do not know if my front passenger a…”
2017-10-21 · Power Train“i noticed vibration while driving in town as if i had flat tires, and especially when i was accelerating. after a week i had my suv checked at the garage. they had to replace the right and left line axle assemblies which was quite expensive. the mechanics told me that it was completely finished and found it highly unusual for a 2012 acura rdx.…”
2016-08-19 · Air Bags“tl* the contact owns a 2012 acura rdx. the contact stated that the recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags) was issued in february of 2016. after contacting the dealer and the manufacturer on multiple occasions, the contact was informed that the parts needed to repair the vehicle were still not available and no estimated time …”
2016-08-09 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2012 acura rdx. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had…”
2016-07-25 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2012 acura rdx. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. th…”
2016-06-28 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2012 acura rdx. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact…”
2016-03-28 · Air Bags · 42,000 mi“takata recall i received a letter dated march 2016 notifying me of the recall, and when i contacted my dealer, this was his response: kristen, i understand your situation. many people are going through the same situation. unfortunately there is not a remedy. you have options. acura is allowing us to take these cars in on trade in for another v…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.