2003 Acura RSX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
25 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
50,250 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 16 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 25 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 36.0% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 20.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 4.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 4.0% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 4.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 5 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 1 |
Air Bags: 5; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 5; Power Train: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 9 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
2003: 1; 2004: 10; 2005: 2; 2007: 4; 2009: 1; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2014: 2; 2018: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10055183 · 2004-01-29 (January 29, 2004)
VEHICLE: 2003 ACURA RSX-TYPE S WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WITH ONLY 7,940 MILES AND 9 MONTHS OLD, THE TRANSMISSION IS BLOCKING OR GRINDING 1-2 AND 2-3 SHIFTS. THIS IS HAZARDOUS WHEN YOU ARE PULLING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION TRYING TO ENGAGE 2ND GEAR AND YOU CAN NOT GET THE TRANS INTO 2ND. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE (12-15-03 AND 1-9-04) FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED SYNCHRONIZERS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 7,940 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055183 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056438 · 2004-02-03 (February 3, 2004)
EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE (ABOUT ONCE A WEEK) MY TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF 3RD GEAR IN MY TYPE-S AFTER I PUSH IT ALL THE WAY FORWARD. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS POPPING OUT BUT I WAS TOLD IT WOULD GO AWAY. UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS NOT GONE AWAY AND IT IS VERY INCONVENIENT WHEN YOU ARE IN ARE TRYING TO MAKE A TURN AND SHIFT AND THE CAR JUST CRAWLS THROUGH THE INTERSECTION BECAUSE YOU ARE GASSING IT IN NEUTRAL. A COUPLE OF TIMES IT HAS NOT POPPED OUT ALL OF THE WAY AND WHEN I RELEASED THE CLUTCH, MY GEARS…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10056438 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10047181 · 2003-11-19 (November 19, 2003)
MY ACURA RSX TYPE S WAS PARKED IN A LOCAL WAL-MART PARKING LOT. IT WAS IN FIRST GEAR. AFTER MY WIFE AND I WENT INSIDE, OUR CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PARKING LOT, DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND UP ON A CURB IN ANOTHER LOWER PARKING AREA. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR DID NOT HIT ANY PERSON, CAR, OR CART, BUT THERE WAS SERIOUS EXHAUST DAMAGE THAT COST UPWARDS OF $400 WHICH THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY ARGUED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON, WHICH IT WASN'T. MY WIFE AND I ARGUED THAT IF THE CLUTCH WAS WORK…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047181 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10079534 · 2004-06-14 (June 14, 2004)
PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION ON 2003 ACURA RSX. *MR THE BRAKES SQUEALED. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE RESURFACED AND THE SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL BUT WAS ON BACK ORDER. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10079534 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10315171 · 2010-03-01 (March 1, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA RSX WITH A 4-CYLINDER, 2.0 LITER ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH, THERE WAS A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND SHORTLY AFTER, HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND INCREASED IN ENGINE RPMS OF 9,000. HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND MANEUVER OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE THEN BLEW ITSELF AND MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AT THAT POINT. …
Owner-reported narrative. 86,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10315171 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10121721 · 2005-05-20 (May 20, 2005)
THIS CASE RELATES TO A 2003 RSX TYPES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED RUST PROBLEMS, TRANSMISSION FAILURE, ENGINE OIL LEAKS, SRS SYSTEM FAILURE, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO ALL THREE DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA, FOR A TOTAL OF 34 DAYS. THE SRS SYSTEM LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON.
Owner-reported narrative. 14,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121721 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10091158 · 2004-09-17 (September 17, 2004)
BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND POWER STEERING FLUID GOES DOWN, I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED ABOUT 4 TIMES IN THE FRONT, THE REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONE, WITHIN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING MY ACURA RSX I BEGAN TO HEAR THE BRAKE NOISES, HAD THEM FIXED WITH ACURA, BUT THE NOISED CAME BACK SO I HAD THEM DONE WITH SEARS TWICE AND ONCE AGAIN AT ACURA AND AS OF TODAY THEY ARE MAKING GRINDING NOISE, I THINK THE ROTORS NEED CHANGING. ALSO I HAVE ABOUT 31,000 MILES AND MY POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING WAY BELOW THE LOWER LEVEL AND THE POWER STEERING B…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091158 at NHTSA ↗