2003 Acura RSX: complaints, problems and recalls
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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
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 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 10056482 · 2004-02-03 (February 3, 2004)
I HAVE A 2003 RSX BASE MODEL, IT HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. IT GRINDS FROM 2ND GEAR TO 3RD GEAR ABOVE 4000 RPM. ACURA CLAIMS TO KNOW NOTHING OF MY PROBLEM DESPITE THIS BEING A REACURRING COMPLAINT IN MANY FORUMS AND PETITIONS HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/RSXGRIND/PETITION.HTML ). *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10056482 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056489 · 2004-02-04 (February 4, 2004)
1. DIFFICULTY, NOTCHINESS OR GRIND ON GETTING TO 2ND GEAR - VERY DANGEROUS ON INTERSECTION. 2. 3RD GEAR POPS OUT OR GRINDS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056489 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10078850 · 2004-06-26 (June 26, 2004)
FOG LIGHT CRACKED THEY BLAMED IT ON ME REPLACED IT AND IT CRACKED AGAIN 1 WEEK LATER AND THEY FIXED IT AGAIN BLAMING IT ON ROAD VIBRATION. IT TOOK ACURA 3 TIMES TO FIX MY STICKING MAP LIGHTS. MY CAR WAS AT ACURA FOR 1 1/2 WEEKS FOR A BUZZING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE THEY FOUND A BUZZING WIRE AFTER ALL THAT TIME. TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO GRINDING AND THEY NEVER FIXED IT. MY CAR'S OIL HAS BEEN DISAPPEARING SINCE I BOUGHT IT. MY LOW OIL LIGHT COMES ON AFTER 800 MILES AFTER TOPPING OFF. AT 13949 THEY STARTED AN OIL TEST "THEY WERE TIRING TO TELL ME IT WA…
Owner-reported narrative. 12 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078850 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 10090792 · 2004-09-10 (September 10, 2004)
I NOTICED THAT MY DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MADE A GRINDING NOISE EVERY SO OFTEN WHEN IT WAS BEING ROLLED UP OR DOWN. IT WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. ON THE 4TH TIME TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY FINALLY HEARD THE NOISE AND REPLACED THE WINDOW REGULATOR. APPROX. 2 WEEKS LATER I ROLLED DOWN BOTH OF MY WINDOWS UNTILL THE AC COOLED DOWN. I THEN ROLLED THEM BACK UP AND WHEN I FINALLY PARKED MY CAR AT MY DESTINATION I NOTICED THAT MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WAS DOWN PARTIALLY. I ATTEMPTED TO ROLL IT…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090792 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.