Verdict
2021 Acura RDX: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues
What the public record actually says about the 2021 Acura RDX — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.
The read
Middle-of-the-pack complaint volume for SUV.
Owners filed 102 NHTSA complaints — more complaints than 62% of 2021 SUVs. Unknown Or Other leads the reports (21%). 3 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.
Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2021 SUVs, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.
Complaints filed
102
Reports to NHTSA, 2021
Safety recalls
3
NHTSA campaigns on record
NHTSA crash test
Overall NCAP rating
Combined MPG
23.5
EPA estimate
Complaint volume vs. segment peers
More complaints than 62% of 2021 SUVs
The bar is this car's percentile among 2021 SUVs by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.
Known issues
Unknown Or Other issues lead owner complaints (21% of 102 reports), followed by air bags (10%).
+ 8 more component categories with fewer reports.
Share of all 102 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11728451, ODI 11711100, ODI 11704856, ODI 11704608, ODI 11703819.
Recalls(3)
Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.
Air BagsJan 2024 · 24V064000Details +Close −
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Power TrainFeb 2021 · 21V939000Details +Close −
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Acura RDX and 2022 CR-V Hybrid vehicles. A component in the right or left front driveshaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which could result in driveshaft failure.
Risk: Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, or cause the vehicle to roll away when parked if the parking brake is not applied. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the right or left front driveshaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BBY, NBW, and OBX.
Air Bags · 26V332000Details +Close −
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.
Investigations
0 NHTSA investigations on record
No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.
Crash-test ratings
2021 Acura RDX SUV AWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
2021 Acura RDX SUV FWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Fuel economy by trim
| Trim | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDX FWD A-SPEC | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S10) | 22 | 27 | 24 |
| RDX FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S10) | 22 | 28 | 24 |
| RDX AWD A-SPEC | 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S10) | 21 | 26 | 23 |
| RDX AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S10) | 21 | 27 | 23 |
EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.
Before you buy
Useful next checks
Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.
These are affiliate links. TireKick may earn a fee if you use one.
Compare model years
"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.
2021 Acura RDX: frequently asked
What does the complaint record show for the 2021 Acura RDX?
Owners filed 102 NHTSA complaints about the 2021 Acura RDX — more complaints than 62% of comparable 2021 SUVs, so it sits toward the weaker end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.
What are the most common problems on the 2021 Acura RDX?
The most-reported problem areas are Unknown Or Other (21% of complaints) and air bags (10%).
How many recalls does the 2021 Acura RDX have?
3 recalls have been issued that affect the 2021 Acura RDX, covering components such as air bags. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Acura RDX get?
The EPA rates the 2021 Acura RDX between 23 and 24 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.