2021 ACURA RDX Recalls, Complaints & Safety

On March 20th, my husband and I went out to dinner with three friends. We arrived around 6:50 PM and left our car with the valet. When we returned later that evening to pick up the vehicle, a valet employee approached us and asked us to walk with him to the car. The police were already present at the scene. The employee explained that when he entered the vehicle on the driver’s side to return it to us, he closed the door and immediately heard the sound of glass shattering. When we reached the car, we saw that the entire rear window had been shattered. The police later reviewed the surveillance footage and confirmed that the incident occurred exactly as described by the valet employee.

The contact owns a 2021 Acura RDX. While driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal gunshot sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact inspected the exterior of the vehicle but found no failure. The contact stated that the following day, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the panoramic roof glass shattered, and glass shards fell inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

Got in my vehicle as usual, started the vehicle shortly after I heard cracking thought nothing of it and all of a sudden the rear tailgate window shattered completely.

- Rear window shattered without impact or any signs of stress. - Safety at risk if driving and breakage occurs. In this case I was away from the parked vehicle when the shattering occurred. - There are quite a few reports of this issue online in Facebook Acura owner groups and in published news stories such as this: [XXX] - In my case, it was inspected by the repair company and confirmed to be a common occurrence they are called to repair. - There were no warning lights or any signs of damage or stress to the glass. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Infotainment system fails on occasions. Sceen goes completely blank causing distraction while driving. There is currently a recall for this issue for 2019-2020 RDX.

Sudden breaking of panoramic glass on sun/moon roof. I believe this is related to the clicking noise that is caused by the improper bolting in this model. There is an active service bulletin for the improper bolting/flexing in the panoramic glass. I called the Acura dealership where this was bought and they didn’t acknowledge that. I had my two children, toddler and infant, in the back. They like the panoramic open. If this broke on top of them this would be a very serious injury.

Warmed car before driving, once I got in car and shut drivers side, Rear window shattered. Common issue with other owners of same car. Reached out to Acura dealerships and they claim it’s not an issue that is happening and will not replace it.

The contact's sister owns a 2021 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the rear glass had shattered while the vehicle was parked in the driveway. The dealer was contacted and advised that the earliest availability to replace the glass was in 3-4 days. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, the manufacturer later informed the contact that the model year was not covered under TSB: 22-014 (Rear Windshield Glass Shattering). The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

After dealer (worldwide motors Ltd also call (Paragon Acura) 33-40 57th street, Woodside, NY 11377)replaced front and rear brake pads and rotors, my vehicle experienced unintended acceleration while stopped. While idling at a red light with my foot firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly moved forward approximately 10 feet on its own. This was a serious safety concern and nearly caused a collision or pedestrian injury. I immediately returned the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer stated they could not duplicate the issue and said the vehicle was operating normally. No warning lights were present. The incident occurred immediately after brake service. I am concerned this may involve the braking system, brake booster, brake switch, or electronic throttle interaction. This behavior is not normal and poses a safety risk.

Back windshield glass exploded with no impact. Car was not moving. There is shattered glass everywhere and the car cannot be driven until it is repaired. This appears to be a well known issue but there is no official recall at this time. My Acura dealer said this was covered in warranty that expired in November. The incident happened December 13, 2025.

Back windshield shattered and blew out with zero impact. Car was parked Manufacturer denies responsibility . Independent company repaired because dealer was booked and needed fixed quickly. No one injured glass all over back of car and trapped in base of doo now because of faulty design. No warnings at all.

1:Sunroof frame shifts creating a popping noise during certain driving conditions. Turning and going up a drive way. 2:Distracting for the driver and passengers stay concerned the whole time. 3:There is a service bulletin with Acura 23-004 but no recall to the matter. 4: Unknown 5:No warning lamps

I had found a leak coming from my 2021 Acura RDX early November. I took it into the dealership December 1st to get it diagnosed and they stated that the transmission and transfer case needs to get replaced. du The problem has been confirmed by the Bloomington Acura dealership on December 1st 2025. After doing research online it looks like this has happened to multiple people with different Acura Models, including newer models of RDX, TLX and MDX. No warning lamps, messages or failures appeared. Just oil leaking beneath the vehicle. It looks like Acura is aware of the issue. The metal shavings from the splines between the transmission and transfer case is destroying the seal. Causing the oil leak hence a new transmission and transfer case.

I closed my driver door and the back window just shattered. The glass just exploded.

My car was parked in my driveway. After starting it up and closing my driver’s side door, the entire rear windshield spontaneously shattered without warning or any external manipulation/force. There was no way of knowing of whether or not this would happen. I fear that if I had my dogs in the car (or a child) someone could have been seriously hurt. Shards of glass went everywhere - in the trunk, all over the cargo area, and all over my driveway. I am now stuck without a car while I try to get this repair figured out. Acura/Honda needs to place a recall on this ASAP after seeing how common of an issue it is for many RDX (and other models) owners.

The transfer case began leaking between the transmission and transfer case. Upon taking it to a mechanic I’ve been told the entire transfer case needs replacement because it has prematurely failed. The repair cost is $5533.00. Through research I’ve seen there are many failing transfer cases on acuras with the SH all wheel drive systems. I believe Acura has a design flaw in the system and should be responsible for the repair.

Rear window spontaneously shattered

Complaint Summary I am filing this complaint regarding American Honda Motor Corp’s handling of a warranty claim on my 2021 Acura RDX. Despite being within the 4-year/50,000-mile warranty, I was denied full coverage for a well-documented defect: condensation/moisture in both headlight housings with no external damage. •Dealer (Rick Case Acura, Sunrise FL) confirmed the condition. •Technician Francisco documented internal moisture, no external damage. •Service Manager Wade Bell submitted goodwill request [XXX], which was approved at 70% only. •My out-of-pocket responsibility was ~$1,400. •I requested full coverage from American Honda, consistent with Acura’s warranty obligations and known issues with these headlight assemblies. On a recorded call, American Honda repeatedly stated my request was denied, refused to provide a written denial, and declined to issue a case reference number directly. Only after reviewing an email did I locate the case number ([XXX]). This refusal to document their denial is highly concerning. ________________________________________ Timeline of Events •[XXX]: Moisture first observed after rain; confirmed by dealer technician. •Dealer Request: Goodwill [XXX] approved at 70%. •Repairs Completed: Both headlights replaced; repair order available. •Sep 2025: American Honda denied my appeal verbally on recorded call; refused written denial. ________________________________________ Manufacturer Guidance Ignored Importantly: American Honda’s own dealer service bulletin (2023) regarding 2019–2021 Acura RDX headlamps explicitly instructs dealers to: •“Create an iN case number (via AcuraLink/Dealer iN) when moisture or condensation is observed inside RDX headlamp housings with no external damage present.” •“Submit for goodwill/warranty replacement of the affected headlamp assemblies.” This vehicle falls squarely within that guidance: a 2021 RDX, <4 years old, <50k miles, with moisture documented by the dealer. Despite this, A INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5

The contact owns a 2021 Acura RDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

While driving over a bump or curb to enter parking lot, I hear a popping noise coming from the sunroof at the front passenger and rear driver side of the car.

At start up, my car displayed 4 errors: Lane Keeping Assist System, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation System, and Electric Power Steering. As a result, my car could not steer and had to get it towed to the dealership.

AcuraLink App was used to attempt to remote start car while at a store, however, the app reported a failed notification and car was never started through the app and only turned on manually. Two hours later, when at home, the car remote started suddenly with no prompt while it was inside of a closed garage. Our dog heard the car go off and alerted us. Had he not heard it, the car would have been running in a closed garage putting us at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. I have done no other reporting, but I did look this up and found threads online about the same issue and was recommended to report here. There were no other warnings or messages to say that the car turned on.

Drove into parking lot and as I was pulling into the parking spot next to the building, the vehicle started to surge forward as if I had my foot on the gas instead of the brake. The sudden surge caused the vehicle to plow into a brick building causing about $10K damage to the vehicle and $5K to the building. This was not the first time this sudden surging occurred. It happened at least 3 times previously, and one time since. Fortunately, the other occurrences did not lead to any damages, but just some anxious moments. I took the vehicle to the dealership to get checked out after the last occurrence, but they said they couldn't duplicate it. I thought it might be some sort of "unknown" problem, until I started reading on Facebook and other internet websites of other people having the same scary "surging" engine issues. I believe there's more to it now, and an investigation is warranted.

Crash

Drove into parking lot and as I was pulling into the parking spot next to the building, the vehicle started to surge forward as if I had my foot on the gas instead of the brake. The sudden surge caused the vehicle to plow into a brick building causing about $10K damage to the vehicle and $5K to the building. This was not the first time this sudden surging occurred. It happened at least 3 times previously, and one time since. Fortunately, the other occurrences did not lead to any damages, but just some anxious moments. I took the vehicle to the dealership to get checked out after the last occurrence, but they said they couldn't duplicate it. I thought it might be some sort of "unknown" problem, until I started reading on Facebook and other internet websites of other people having the same scary "surging" engine issues. I believe there's more to it now, and an investigation is warranted.

Crash

Drove into parking lot and as I was pulling into the parking spot next to the building, the vehicle started to surge forward as if I had my foot on the gas instead of the brake. The sudden surge caused the vehicle to plow into a brick building causing about $10K damage to the vehicle and $5K to the building. This was not the first time this sudden surging occurred. It happened at least 3 times previously, and one time since. Fortunately, the other occurrences did not lead to any damages, but just some anxious moments. I took the vehicle to the dealership to get checked out after the last occurrence, but they said they couldn't duplicate it. I thought it might be some sort of "unknown" problem, until I started reading on Facebook and other internet websites of other people having the same scary "surging" engine issues. I believe there's more to it now, and an investigation is warranted.

Crash

I have a 2021 Acura RDX A-spec AW and ever since I had a brakes problem, when applying brakes will not take break promptly kept slipping like going I address this to the dealer numerous time and what they said is that they haven’t had a recall in order to know what really the problem is I think is due to my calipers and probably rotors, but I think is the cut for defect on these 2021 Acura RDX . Also my engine been leaking oil from the top rear side and rear the valve cover this need to be addressed and I have made a complaint to Acura Honda The Corp. and they said they haven’t been a recall for this. Also, I would like someone to look at this matter break And engine problem due to a leak that could cost a fire.

It was raining and I was sat at a stop light. The brakes started to slip a little no matter how much I pressed then all of a sudden the entire car started shutting down. Engine, Transmission, Power Steering, Lane Keep Assist, Collision warning, all the lights started flashing. The car was put into Limp mode.

The contact owns a 2021 Acura RDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2021 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the front headlights and instrument panel lights started blinking off and on. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the body control module had malfunctioned due to water intrusion from the moon roof seals. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.

Panoramic sunroof pops under stress Acura TSB 23-004

I have been trying to get my vehicle repaired for over a year in response to recall number 24V-064 with no success. The vehicle manufacturer is not providing the required parts to the dealership to address this recall from early 2024. I think additional action needs to be taken against the manufacturer to drive improved behaviour to address safety recall issues in a timely manner

While accelerating off the entrance ramp onto the highway, The engine randomly slows down automatically…the car reduced speed drastically without applying brakes and without cars around me or in front of me.

The front brakes and possibly the rear as well judder when applied at moderate and higher speeds. The sensation is disconcerting as though the brakes are prematurely failing. Malfunctioning brakes are obviously a safety issue. This is an ongoing problem and shouldn't be happening on a gently used, well maintained vehicle. It has been happening consistently and worsening for at least the past year. It is very reproducible but when I contacted the closest Acura dealer, they denied any known issues affecting this vehicle. No warning lamps or other errors were set but I doubt this issue is monitored by the vehicle's sensors.

While accelerating off the entrance ramp onto the highway, The engine randomly slows down automatically…the car reduced speed drastically without applying brakes and without cars around me or in front of me.

Rear window shattered without any certain impact due to a manufactured known defect. While I was driving the window shattered and all glass when flying every where. I contacted the dealer and the Acura corporate and they don’t want to know anything about it. I have my car sitting in my parking g lot because I don’t have $1000 to pay to replace my rear window. Right now there is a class action lawsuit to Acura due to this issue but nobody is taking responsibility for this incident. I will appreciate if you can look into this because it is very dangerous and it can cause a big accident.

On July 21st, 2024, the electronic parking brake on our 2021 Acura RDX seized and would not release. The vehicle had not sustained any damage and only had 63,270 miles on the odometer. The vehicle was in the garage but the brake seizure rendered the otherwise functioning vehicle unusable. The vehicle is available for inspection. There was nothing to indicate a problem prior to failure on the 21st. An Acura dealer replaced the gear unit motor that actuates the parking brake but the brake did not disengage as per the repair invoice attached. It was determined the parking brake switch circuit connection did not match specs and the parking brake switch was replaced. The parking brake worked at the time we retrieved the vehicle from the dealership but currently do not engage the brake as we are unsure if this will fail again. This issue put us and owners of like vehicles in danger due to the fact that a simple switch malfunction seizes the rear brakes of the car. Fortunately the vehicle was in our garage at the time but if failure occurs at speed, rear locked brake(s) could no doubt lead to a serious crash. At best, a parked disabled vehicle leads to very costly inconvenience as it did for us. Whether a failed switch or a poor connection my concern is the problem replicates while in motion while driving and losing control of the vehicle. From internet searches it appears failed switches are a growing problem with Honda vehicles equipped with electronic parking brakes. There exists no override ability to disengage the parking brake apart from the electronic switch. Again, an otherwise functioning vehicle can be disabled as the rear wheel(s) are seized.

The contact owns a 2021 Acura RDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Complaint about failure to execute recall and lack of solutions from the official dealer I, [XXX] , owner of a 2021 Acura RDX, VIN: [XXX] , am filing a complaint regarding the inadequate execution of a recall and the lack of solutions from the official dealer. What component or system failed or malfunctioned? The issue concerns the seat weight sensor, which is supposed to be replaced as part of the recall. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Due to the malfunction of the mentioned component, the safety of passengers could be compromised, especially in the case of an emergency, where this component plays an important role in the safety system. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The official dealer confirmed the need for the recall, but refuses to perform the replacement, citing the unavailability of necessary parts and offering no alternative solutions. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle was registered for the recall, but a specific inspection by the manufacturer has not taken place. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure? At the time of contacting the dealer, there were no prior warning lamps or messages, but the situation requires immediate attention. Description of the incident and cause: Despite the recall being in place and the notification for the required repairs, the official dealer refuses to take the necessary action, citing the lack of parts, and does not offer any alternative solutions or specific timelines. This situation creates uncertainty and poses a potential safety risk. I kindly ask for prompt action to resolve this issue and ensure the recall is executed as soon as possible. Sincerely, [XXX] Contact information [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)