2013 Acura RDX: complaints, problems and recalls

MY NEW 2013 RDX CAUGHT ON FIRE AT MY GARAGE IN THE DAY AFTER HURRICANE SANDY. ACURA AND AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY(PROGRESSIVE) INSISTS THAT THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE BY FLOODING. HOWEVER, CAR BATTERY AND ENGINE ARE FINE. ONLY FRONT SEAT, DASHBOARD, AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM WERE BURNED AND THE FIRE DAMAGED MY GARAGE TOO. FURTHERMORE IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE THAT FLOODING CAUSED FIRE AT ALL. I SHOWED MY RDX TO ACURA TECHNICIANS, BUT SILENT. ISN'T IT A DEFECT OF NEW MODEL? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485859 at NHTSA ↗

THE BRAND NEW CAR WAS ON FIRE BY ITSELF ON OCTOBER 30, 2012. IT WAS AFTER THE HURRICANE SANDY. MY FAMILY WOKE UP BECAUSE OF SMELLING GAS FROM DOWNSTAIRS WHICH WAS THE ATTACHED GARAGE TO THE KITCHEN. WHEN MY HUSBAND OPENED THE KITCHEN DOOR TO THE GARAGE, HE COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING BUT SMOKES. WE CALLED 911 AND FOUND OUT THERE WAS FIRE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THE FIRE STARTED INTERNALLY AND SPREAD OUT TO THE GARAGE. THERE WAS SIGN OF WATER THAT GOT INTO THE GARAGE. HOWEVER, WHEN FIRE FIGHTER OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR, THERE WAS NO WATER IN THE GARAG…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485884 at NHTSA ↗

KEYLESS IGNITION BUTTON ALLOWS DRIVERS TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND LEFT THE VEHICLE WHILE THE SHIFT IS NOT IN PARKING. IN MY CASE, THE VEHICLE ROLLS AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10509706 at NHTSA ↗

ACURA RDX TECH VEHICLE VIOLENTLY UPSHIFTS WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. IT STARTED INTERMITTENTLY (TWICE BEFORE BUT NOT AS VIOLENT).ON INCLINES (LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA). YESTERDAY, WHILE GOING UP AN INCLINE TO PARK VEHICLE, CAR VIOLENTLY SHIFTED AND HIT A BUILDING RESULTING IN CRASHING INTO A BUILDING, DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG AND SOFT TISSUE INJURY OF DRIVER'S CHEST. VEHICLE IS WITH BALL ACURA AND IS BEING INVESTIGATED. CAR IS ONLY 1 MONTH OLD AND WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW (80 MILES). ACURAZINE COMMUNITY FORUM HAS ANOTHER INCIDENT THAT I…

Owner-reported narrative. 870 miles reported. Look up ODI 10510220 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT BURNED HIMSELF IN THE PROCESS. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED THAT WAY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,300.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10512592 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SECURING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND EXITING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ROLL AWAY AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE BEFORE TRAVELING ACROSS AN INTERSECTION AND CRASHING INTO A HOT DOG STAND. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10554147 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN VEHICLE IS BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR GOING AT A CONSISTENT SPEED THERE IS A VIBRATION. VIBRATION GOES AWAY UPON ACCELERATION. IT DOES THIS AS WELL BETWEEN 4TH & 5TH GEAR. AFTER 55MPH IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. CALLED CREST ACURA AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS THE "DEACTIVATION OF CYLINDERS AND THAT IS WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO." I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO STATED IT SHOULD NOT DO THAT. TOOK VEHICLE TO CREST ACURA ON 2/13/14 TO ADDRESS THE BLUE TOOTH THAT IS AWFUL AND HAD A TECHNICIAN RIDE WITH ME TO FEEL THE VIBRATION. THE TECH SAI…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10565823 at NHTSA ↗

OPERATION OF GPS VOICE ACTIVATION SYSTEM CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DRIVE DISTRACTION AND IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MODEL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SPECIFICS OF PROBLEM IS LISTED BELOW IN COMMUNICATION WITH HONDA. THIS IS PROBLEM IS SO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MY WIFE AND I DON'T USE THE SYSTEM ANY MORE. IN CONVERSATIONS WITH HONDA THEY WON'T RECOGNIZE THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THE PROBLEM SEE BELOW. [email removed] BACKGROUND: I CURRENTLY OWN TWO ACURA VEHICLES, A 2008 TL AND A 2013 RDX. I HAVE OWNED A TOTAL OF 4 ACURA VEHICLES …

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10573577 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-04-15 (April 15, 2013)

Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are S96, S97, and S98.

Reported: 2016-02-03 (February 3, 2016)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2019-03-06 (March 6, 2019)

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 as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.